I Just Took the Plunge (Film Stockpile)

Bruce Robbins · Sep 12, 2012

Hold off on that stockpile!

With Kodak's coat on a shoogly peg, it's understandable that people would want to make sure they have plenty of supplies of their favourite film. But if we all start putting in big orders for Kodak material now it's not going to be of any help to Kodak. Wouldn't it be better to wait until the new owner, whoever that is, takes over and then give their tenure a boost with all these orders. If we spend all our cash now, that's money that wont be going on the balance sheet of the successor firm. Even if no one comes forward to save Kodak's film division there is still plenty of stock out there so nothing would be lost by waiting for a little while.

Felinik · Sep 12, 2012

Kodak, give us more bulk roll options!!! (Especially for Portra)

PKM-25 · Sep 12, 2012

Bruce Robbins said:
With Kodak's coat on a shoogly peg, it's understandable that people would want to make sure they have plenty of supplies of their favourite film. But if we all start putting in big orders for Kodak material now it's not going to be of any help to Kodak. Wouldn't it be better to wait until the new owner, whoever that is, takes over and then give their tenure a boost with all these orders. If we spend all our cash now, that's money that wont be going on the balance sheet of the successor firm. Even if no one comes forward to save Kodak's film division there is still plenty of stock out there so nothing would be lost by waiting for a little while.

I rotate stock on a quarterly basis as I use it, so no, I did not want to risk my career by waiting, so I covered my rear.

Andre Noble · Sep 12, 2012

Bruce, E6 is just about gone forever. A new manufacturer, if any would only have an inferior E6 film at a jacked up price - a la the Impossible project. Ditto on the jacked up price for any C-41 from Kodak buyers.

Right now, it's time for "Sauve qui peut!" (everyman for himself).

BrianShaw · Sep 12, 2012

Andre Noble said:
Right now, it's time for "Sauve qui peut!" (everyman for himself).

Sorry, but not even close.

Andre Noble · Sep 12, 2012

Felinik said:
Kodak, give us more bulk roll options!!! (Especially for Portra)

According to a well respected former Kodak engineer, Rowland Mowrey who posted on Photo.net a few years ago, film in cans does not last nearly as long as in individual, sealed cannisters.

Andre Noble · Sep 12, 2012

BrianShaw said:
Sorry, but not even close.

Some people are just better at sensing *danger* than others - at imagining that the future will be dramatically different than all that has gone before. Some people just aren't visionaries... Doesn't make one a better or worse photographer...

It's just that I cannot fathom how with "Rome burning" in the (especially color) silver halide photography industry, one cannot see that it's time to buy buy buy! Stockpile stockpile stockpile!

Brian, if you have the credit and are serious about photography, buy now! Freeze for later.

BrianShaw · Sep 12, 2012

I bought up all of the fiddles in Rome when Nero burned it down. I now have more fiddles than I'll ever be able to use in a single lifetime. I know what you are saying but it is not yet the time for panic buying... but I might be wrong so do whatever makes you comfortable. You are correct, it won't make you a better (or worse) photogpraher... and maybe you'll still be shooting film after I have to stop. I'm just not into the hysteria (yet).

MattKing · Sep 12, 2012

Andre Noble said:
According to a well respected former Kodak engineer, Rowland Mowrey who posted on Photo.net a few years ago, film in cans does not last nearly as long as in individual, sealed cannisters.

"Rowland Mowrey" - that sounds familiar.

I wonder if PE knows him

Matthew Cherry · Sep 12, 2012

What are you doing to stockpile chemistry? Can that be frozen as well?

Photo Engineer · Sep 12, 2012

Andre Noble said:
According to a well respected former Kodak engineer, Rowland Mowrey who posted on Photo.net a few years ago, film in cans does not last nearly as long as in individual, sealed cannisters.

Thanks for approximately quoting me.

Film in 120 size comes individually wrapped in foil. These keep best. When 35mm came in cans, the cans had gaskets at the top which also sealed them. These were second best. Today, 35mm comes in plastic cans and this offers little protection.

Also, film stored in the original "coffin" at Kodak, is stored in an optimal environment that does not change. It is slit and chopped and packed at the same temp and RH and then is shipped to you. It is at that point that the film begins to age significantly. So, you might consider that film in Kodak's hands keeps longer than 3 years or film in your hands.

I might add that the wides roll for coating at Kodak is 72" 6 feet, not the value quoted above. And, this is only for paper. Film is coated in a narrower width. See Bob Shanebrook's book for this information and more.

I hope this answers a few questions about film keeping and coating.

PE

Roger Cole · Sep 12, 2012

Andre Noble said:
Bruce, E6 is just about gone forever. A new manufacturer, if any would only have an inferior E6 film at a jacked up price - a la the Impossible project. Ditto on the jacked up price for any C-41 from Kodak buyers.

Right now, it's time for "Sauve qui peut!" (everyman for himself).

Kodak E6 is "gone forever" - they announed its discontinuance (on which announcement I bought up the amount of E100G I'd shoot in a year, which of me meant 10 rolls as I'm not a big slide shooter, and learned to like Provia, with Astia gone, but now that there's Agfa branded Fuji made Sensia there may be a light in the tunnel for a moderate contrast E6 film.)

It is conceivable, barely, that someone buying up the film division of Kodak could commission them to make more E6, and there was the one statement by someone that could never be verified that Kodak might in the future make small runs of any discontinued film even Kodachrome if the demand is there (my reaction to which is something like "yeah, and I COULD win the lottery too" because they'd have to also make the chemicals and get someone to start a K14 line again - ain't gonna happen.) Kodak E6 coming back might just be possible but given the lack of demand seems very unlikely to me.

Fuji E6 is another question. So far they are saying they will continue to make still film, though in smaller quantities. That's ok - they can presumably store theirs as well as Kodak can and it should be available as long as they keep making it. The price, however, is another question. Priced any Provia 400 lately? I just ordered a few rolls from B&H along with some other stuff. I have a few more in my freezer. At $10 from B&H it's an expensive film but not too ridiculous. $15 from Freestyle is getting into another realm of price entirely.

benjiboy · Sep 13, 2012

I bought a large chest freezer a couple of years ago that's full of film in my basement in addition to the film filling nearly half of the freezer in my kitchen, I have positively no more room for any more film whatever they discontinue, or we will have no room for food.

BrianShaw · Sep 13, 2012

I hope your power is reliable!

Roger Cole · Sep 13, 2012

BrianShaw said:
I hope your power is reliable!

Why? It's not like food that will ruin if it thaws for too long. The film will just start to age normally as if not frozen until the power comes back on. Shouldn't be an issue. The longest power outage I've ever experienced was nearly a week, back in the mountains of TN. I think it was the "blizzard of 93" as we called that snow fall. Lots of people lost lots of food, but for film it would just mean a week of normal aging. Wouldn't make any detectable difference at all.

RattyMouse · Sep 14, 2012

Andre Noble said:
Bruce, E6 is just about gone forever. A new manufacturer, if any would only have an inferior E6 film at a jacked up price - a la the Impossible project. Ditto on the jacked up price for any C-41 from Kodak buyers.

Right now, it's time for "Sauve qui peut!" (everyman for himself).

Incorrect. Fujifilm still makes E6 transparency film in several flavors, Provia and Velvia.

Roger Cole · Sep 14, 2012

RattyMouse said:
Incorrect. Fujifilm still makes E6 transparency film in several flavors, Provia and Velvia.

I think that's why he said "just about" - only a few films from Fuji now and the one Rollie/Agfa.

I took it to mean Kodak which of course IS gone, and likely forever, though some stock remains.

kuparikettu · Sep 14, 2012

Roger Cole said:
I took it to mean Kodak which of course IS gone, and likely forever, though some stock remains.

Except, of course, the Kodak Ektachrome 100D movie film, which is still available and produced in 35mm, 16mm and super-8.
http://motion.kodak.com/motion/Products/Production/Color_Reversal_Films/5285.htm

Roger Cole · Sep 14, 2012

kuparikettu said:
Except, of course, the Kodak Ektachrome 100D movie film, which is still available and produced in 35mm, 16mm and super-8.
http://motion.kodak.com/motion/Products/Production/Color_Reversal_Films/5285.htm

Humm, interesting. Isn't 35mm movie film identical to 35mm still film, as far as the the mechanics go? So you could get this stuff and just bulk load it into 35mm cassettes? Wonder if it's something like E100G/Elitechrome?

benjiboy · Sep 14, 2012

BrianShaw said:
I hope your power is reliable!

I live in a big city that's about the same size and has the same population as San Francisco, my house is quite near a University and several large hospitals, in the twenty three years I've lived in the area we have never had a power cut, so I'm willing to risk it, anyway film isn't like food it doesn't go off immediately if it's defrosted.

Andre Noble · Sep 14, 2012

Photo Engineer said:
Thanks for approximately quoting me.

35mm comes in plastic cans and this offers little protection.

PE

Hope I spelled your name properly... good to see you're still 'round.

What you say about individual 35mm cannisters (and lack of protection they offer) seems correct: Last night I was double Zip lock bagging 35mm, 120 and 4x5 boxes - all new purchases. In the process, I drew out the air (suction) beforehand. While suctioning new, boxed,cannistered and wrapped 10 packs of kodak E100G 35mm, I could smell/taste the fumes from the fresh rolls - meaning that the cannisters do NOT seal the films airtight as one would assume. This did not occur with the 120 rolls or

btw: I use double bagged ziplock bags and Nylofume (antifumigation bags) as a gas and moisture barrier. You live and learn.

EASmithV · Sep 14, 2012

single handedly keeping Kodak in business lol

Andre Noble · Sep 14, 2012

EASmithV said:
...keeping Kodak in business lol

Yeah, I was born near Rochester, NY - home of Kodak. I have a nostalgia for the company I guess.

John Shriver · Sep 15, 2012

There might be a startlingly large minimum order for the Eastman Ektachrome E100D movie film. Like one master roll worth. Shooting a movie uses amazingly large amounts of film.

SkipA · Sep 15, 2012

You can buy it in 400 foot rolls in 35mm, 100 foot rolls or spools for 16mm, and Super 8. You don't have to order a master roll to get it. Yet.

I Just Took the Plunge (Film Stockpile)

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