Photo Engineer
Subscriber
Here are some things bothering me about Azo and Kodachrome production and comments here about these products.
Up until the 80s, Kodak, Fuji and Konica all made Kodachrome type films, but when E6 came out, Fuji and Konica jumped over to E6 products exclusively. The press and customers call it "forward thinking". Kodak continued R&D on Kodachrome and tried to introduce a new product line including the T-grain 400 speed Kodachrome and the press and customers called it "retro thinking". The products were never introduced. So, now after sticking to it for 20+ years, the market has shrunk to almost zero, but Kodak is hanging in there for all of you Kodachrome lovers and as the market shrinks all you can do is blame Kodak and complain. They stuck with you while everyone else bailed out!
Right now, Fuji makes an Azo type paper but does not sell it in the US AFAIK. Ilford, Agfa and Kentmere have Azo type formulas in-hand but do not make a product like it. Agfa discontinued their Lupex (Azo type) paper years ago. So when Kodak discontinues the paper everyone jumps on Kodak again.
Why not get Ilford to make their Azo type paper? Why not get Fuji to sell their Azo type paper here? Why not get Fuji to make their Kodachrome analog again? Why don't they do it on their own?
The answer is in front of us.
Either there is no market, or they don't care. Oh dear, did I say that about some of your favorite companies or did I put the truth of the market situation in front of you? It is one or the other you know.
From what I know of both companies, I believe they do care.
Think about this though... Castigating Kodak and saying you won't buy any more of their products --- bla, bla, bla will never help. It is injuring Kodak when they have stuck in there longer than most other companies and sold nitch products for you all until it became virtually impossible to sell to such a tiny market. World wide production of Kodachrome is down to about 1 roll / year to supply the entire world. Something like that. Azo was about the same.
Anyhow, that is what I've seen after looking through years of photo mags and thinking about posts here and the current market situation.
Kodak has stuck with you when other companies bailed out or ignored your needs, and you seem to have been too blind to see it. Or, it seems as if you would rather ignore what they have done and just complain.
These products that you love so much can be produced rather easily by other companies but they are not. The reasons are unclear, but I've given two possible interpretations of the reasons.
Now, what do you think of this analysis? Do you think your comments about Kodak re. Kodachrome's decline and Azo are warranted? Do you think that ignoring the market on the part of other companies capable of filling these needs is warranted? Either they care, or they don't care, or either the market is big enough or too small. I'm waiting......
This is going to be interesting.
PE
Up until the 80s, Kodak, Fuji and Konica all made Kodachrome type films, but when E6 came out, Fuji and Konica jumped over to E6 products exclusively. The press and customers call it "forward thinking". Kodak continued R&D on Kodachrome and tried to introduce a new product line including the T-grain 400 speed Kodachrome and the press and customers called it "retro thinking". The products were never introduced. So, now after sticking to it for 20+ years, the market has shrunk to almost zero, but Kodak is hanging in there for all of you Kodachrome lovers and as the market shrinks all you can do is blame Kodak and complain. They stuck with you while everyone else bailed out!
Right now, Fuji makes an Azo type paper but does not sell it in the US AFAIK. Ilford, Agfa and Kentmere have Azo type formulas in-hand but do not make a product like it. Agfa discontinued their Lupex (Azo type) paper years ago. So when Kodak discontinues the paper everyone jumps on Kodak again.
Why not get Ilford to make their Azo type paper? Why not get Fuji to sell their Azo type paper here? Why not get Fuji to make their Kodachrome analog again? Why don't they do it on their own?
The answer is in front of us.
Either there is no market, or they don't care. Oh dear, did I say that about some of your favorite companies or did I put the truth of the market situation in front of you? It is one or the other you know.
From what I know of both companies, I believe they do care.
Think about this though... Castigating Kodak and saying you won't buy any more of their products --- bla, bla, bla will never help. It is injuring Kodak when they have stuck in there longer than most other companies and sold nitch products for you all until it became virtually impossible to sell to such a tiny market. World wide production of Kodachrome is down to about 1 roll / year to supply the entire world. Something like that. Azo was about the same.
Anyhow, that is what I've seen after looking through years of photo mags and thinking about posts here and the current market situation.
Kodak has stuck with you when other companies bailed out or ignored your needs, and you seem to have been too blind to see it. Or, it seems as if you would rather ignore what they have done and just complain.
These products that you love so much can be produced rather easily by other companies but they are not. The reasons are unclear, but I've given two possible interpretations of the reasons.
Now, what do you think of this analysis? Do you think your comments about Kodak re. Kodachrome's decline and Azo are warranted? Do you think that ignoring the market on the part of other companies capable of filling these needs is warranted? Either they care, or they don't care, or either the market is big enough or too small. I'm waiting......
This is going to be interesting.
PE