It's official, Kodak is selling its film business.

[Prof_Pixel]

Reality check time.

At this point, there is no assurance that Kodak will actually be able to successfully exit bankruptcy.

 

[BrianShaw]

Oh, ya... good point.

 

[ross b]

It's pretty much a yard sale at the moment.

 

[Photo Engineer]

What about Kodak paper products? According to previous announcements, paper and professional and consumer still film were all part of the Personal Imaging business.

I wish Kodak would come clean and make a clear, non-conflicting statement about exactly what it is keeping and what it is selling.

SkipA;

There have been no analog Kodak paper products except color since 2005.

PE

 

[SkipA]

SkipA;

There have been no analog Kodak paper products except color since 2005.

PE

Yes, I know. I was a fan of the Polycontrast III RC paper and the Polymax Fine Art fiber paper back when it was available. And Azo. I bought a lot of Azo and still have 700 or so sheets. But it's the RA4 Endura paper I'm referring to here. Isn't that part of the Personal Imaging division?

 

[cmacd123]

Just to pass on a story from cinematography .com.

http://www.cinematography.com/index.php?showtopic=57691

if true, that would probably make it hard to get any e-6 film.

I hope some of our "folks on the ground" can get some confirmed info.

 

[Photo Engineer]

This will have a profound effect on Kodak's MP business. Fuji's percentage may move to EK thus boosting income and profit.

PE

 

[Roger Cole]

Any chance of Kodak bringing back E6 if Fuji completely drops it?

I suppose not. Sigh.

 

[RattyMouse]

Wow....with Fujifilm getting out of motion picture film, how much longer can their still photography film survive? I read a lot here that still is subsidized by movie film. Is the end of film in sight over at Fujifilm? This really is a terrible loss.

 

[Diapositivo]

If Fuji announces (or leaks) that they are going to stop motion picture film, and not that their are going to stop production of all films, it should mean that they can economically manufacture still film without necessarily manufacturing motion picture film as well.

Actually that would mean that if still film consumption remains flat in the future, still film production could continue "forever" without the motion picture crutch to sustain it.

Maybe still film price will increase, considering a share of common costs will not be sustained by MP film.

 

[MDR]

The Fuji news looks more like fearmongering by some parties. Misinformed (stupid) producers seem to push digital at an unhealthy rate though.
The industry sources could be red.com or some other digital company. No official comment by Fujifilm yet, so let's hope for the best. Neither the various Reds nor the Alexa equal film (not even super8mm) imho. BTW since when has red become a good think in the US, what happened to red = evil communists.

Dominik

 

[nickrapak]

it may be true that there's no official comment by Fujifilm, but how often does their official comment come out after everyone notices that the emulsion is out of stock?

 

[Roger Cole]

If Fuji prices increase any more people will stop shooting it. I've been vocal about not quibbling when a film goes from, say, $3 a roll to $4.5, even though it's a 50% increase. But with Provia 400 being $15 a roll from some outlets and over $10 even from B&H they're getting up there to where most everyone will just not bother.

 

[BrianShaw]

That is quite an understatement, Roger. I wonder just how many rolls actually get sold at $15... I doubt that many do.

 

[Roger Cole]

I dunno. I'm about to order some from B&H for $10 because I can. If it was $15 everywhere I'd still buy it for that. There's no other 400 ISO slide film available, and it's a good film. But I wouldn't buy a ton of it. I did buy 10 rolls of E100G at about $10 each when it was discontinued. But, for one thing, I'm trying to shoot a lot of slides this year while I still can, not being convinced slide film will be around for the longer haul and, for another thing, I may be slightly insane.

Not really insane of course, but I have more expensive hobbies.

 

[BrianShaw]

ummm... no comment.

 

[Roger Cole]

Ok, maybe I am mildly insane. But like I said, I wouldn't buy a ton of it. Three or four rolls a year, a few for special occasions, sure. Several rolls a month? No.

 

[Prest_400]

Been following this thread since it started, don't recall posting on it, though.

Let's hope that Kodak will fare well through this process and it's possible to keep the whole current range of still film. The most critical to lose are Ektar and Portra. I am a mostly colour film photography and it would be a pity to lose such materials. And what's up with Fuji now? Rather sudden and shocking "news".

I remember seeing an article linked from APUG about how film cinematography would come to an end in 2013/2014... A couple of days ago I went to the cinema and, well, 3D digital capture, and digital preojection. (Film was Abraham Lincoln, Vampire hunter). Movies look like videogames this way.

I guess if we hadn't fell into a recession, this would have happened, but in a much "softer" way.

 

[Photo Engineer]

OMG, what a horrible concept for a motion picture! Poor Abe!

PE

 

[michaelbsc]

OMG, what a horrible concept for a motion picture! Poor Abe!

PE

The previews were terrible. I couldn't imagine sitting through the movie.

 

[cmacd123]

Speaking of Terrible, here is the link for the FujiFilm Anouncment. They say they will keep making still film....

http://www.fujifilm.com/news/n120913.html

 

[Diapositivo]

The official Fujifilm announcement is somehow refreshing as it confirms that still film production and archival film production can go on even without the motion picture business.

That should mean a long-term survival of still film albeit, maybe, at somehow higher prices.

 

[RattyMouse]

The official Fujifilm announcement is somehow refreshing as it confirms that still film production and archival film production can go on even without the motion picture business.

That should mean a long-term survival of still film albeit, maybe, at somehow higher prices.

Yes, this is really great news, potentially at least. If Fujifilm can shut down the MP film AND keep still going, they are to be commended massively. Personally, I am going to shoot predominately Fujifilm products as they clearly seem to be hell bent on surviving and I believe should be rewarded for such an accomplishment.

 

[benjiboy]

It won't be the first time that film manufacturers have proclaimed from the rooftops their commitment to manufacturing film, and in the next breath discontinue half it's range of films as Fuji has recently, I'll believe it when I see it.