Kodacolor VR 200 & 400 for sale

[pentaxuser]

In a new supermarket(ALDI) just opened in my town I noticed 2 Kodak colour neg films as above which I hadn't seen before. I have done a check on the internet before posting this and it seems as if the film was discontinued in the mid 80s, yet these films have expiry dates of 2009 and the boxes are in pristine condition.

Seems unlikely that supermarket chain would have acquired such films in the mid 80s in such quantities to still be able to sell it in 2007. It was their only film in stock. Anyway I doubt if the chain existed as far back as the mid 80s anyway

I have never seen it at any other photographic sales point.

Can anybody supply an explanation? The film was cheap( about 90p per film) compared to Kodak Gold, Potra etc but not giveaway prices compared to some Fuji Superia I've seen from internet stockists but it is cheap compared to local stockists and easily obtained.

I have a feeling that buying it will be taking a chance but any information will be gratefully received.

Thanks

pentaxuser

 

[PHOTOTONE]

You won't be taking a chance on Kodak film, or Fuji film. If the price is good, get it.

 

[copake_ham]

I've seen similar "unknown" Kodak designations in Walgreens here in the US.

At 90P what do you have to lose by grabbing a few rolls to play with?

BTW: I used this thread as an impetus to poke around the Kodak site. Here's a link to current coupons for consumer film packages.

http://coupons.kodak.com/HFU/hfu.asp

The holidays are coming.....

 

[lonelyboy]

Can you take a photo of the film box and shown it here?

 

[pentaxuser]

Thanks for answers so far. I mentioned last night that I had searched the internet but didn't mention where. Well it was photo.net. The info seemed a little sketchy but I noticed our own PE had commented on a number of threads on colour film.

Anyway I decided to try a search again tonight and was again directed to photonet but this time got one relevant thread with responses dated 2000 and 2001.

For what it is worth and in the hope of adding to the sum of our knowledge these were the pertinent points, bearing in mind that this is all 6-7 years ago:

1.George McGuire who was(maybe still is) a Kodak Consumer Affairs Specialist said that it was fresh film made from older technologies for value conscious consumers who shouldn't expect the latest state of the art emulsion, couplers, dyes etc.
2. There was also one poster confirming in his opinion its cheap and cheerful nature. Another who said it was made primarily for "one viewing" organisations such as insurance companies, advertising agencies, police. So intended for short term work purposes.

So far so good and really with all posts confirming my suspicions but at least verifying that in 2000 it was fresh stock, still being produced despite the general belief that it had been discontinued in the mid 80s. My guess is that it is still being produced as fresh stock for the supermarket chain I referred to which has a policy of "pile them high and sell them cheap".

However I then noticed another post in the thread which put the film into a much better light. Apparently a German magazine had conducted a recent survey/test(so presumably year 2000?) in which Kodak VR had scored more highly for sharpness than the newer Kodak Golds and Fuji Superias and was marginally better than Kodak Gold and marginally worse than Fuji Superia for colour rendition.

Overall the poster's conclusions as a user was that for sharpness it could not be beat and was ideal for producing low contrast and subtle colours. So good for portraiture and high contrast scenes where he felt that Superia fell short.

So one man's washed out colours is another's subtle colours and better lower contrast. No surprise there either

If anyone can confirm that this product is still on sale in the U.S. and better still confrim that it is still being produced by Kodak for places like supermarkets, I'd be grateful.

Better still if there is anybody out there with experience of it, I'd appreciate any comments.

On the technical side maybe PE can shed some light on a direct comparison with such products as the later and current Kodak range.

As you have said it is finally a question of trying it but I hope that my research has been of some interest and maybe of use.

Thanks

pentaxuser

 

[Mick Fagan]

We have the same film here in our local Aldi store. It is either sourced and packaged in Germany, or is wholly manufactured in Germany, as far as I can ascertain.

Whatever, it is a good film. One of my friends who is using colour neg film purchased some and we made some prints from it, both the 200 & 400 versions. Nothing at all wrong with it.

It appears to be a standard high contrast high saturation colour film, which, from what little I know about Kodak consumer films, is standard.

Anything I have ever used with Kodak on it, is always made to an extremely high standard. Whether their version of a colour negative film is suitable to you, is another matter.

People here, are buying it by the bag, including myself.

As a matter of interest, I visited an Aldi store in Germany last month, they had the same film in the same place as in the Australian stores, near, but not at the checkout.

Mick.

 

[Photo Engineer]

I have gotten several stories on the source and formulas for Kodak films. I am still trying to sort them out.

I dobut if Kodak even knows.

PE

 

[Charlie-J]

I am using this film at the moment, and it is good, you wont be disappointed.
Lidl was selling Fuji colour for 50p a roll a couple of months ago.

Charlie

 

[AgX]

Kodak started film-manufacturing in Germany in 1927 in their plant in Berlin-Köpenick which they run up to 1940.

Here is a brochure of the later “Kodak-East” from 1953!
http://cgi.ebay.de/Kodak-Filmfabrik...1820520QQihZ012QQcategoryZ33189QQcmdZViewItem
This company run under the Kodak name until 1956. Then it became a peoples-owned company. Now a private one with a different name it is still producing film. (But surely not that Aldi one…)

 

[pentaxuser]

I have gotten several stories on the source and formulas for Kodak films. I am still trying to sort them out.

I dobut if Kodak even knows.

PE

PE and anyone else. It would be interesting if the source of manufacture was identified. Based on what I found and others' comments it must still be being made. If Aldi( pile them high sell them cheap) here and in OZ is buying it then it's being bought in large quantities for sale. At my branch of Aldi it is on the checkout rather than in store. May be just too easily pocketed to risk displaying it in store.

However if it is old technology as was said by a Kodak spokesman some 7 years ago, is it likely that Kodak itself is still producing a 1980s film alongside its newer offerings or has it been outsourced but under the Kodak label?

Mick and others. Thanks for what turns out to be positive reviews of the film.

Anyone care to make a comparison with Fuji Superia and the current range of Professional Fuji and Kodak films.

I'll definitely be giving it a go.

Thanks

pentaxuser

 

[Photo Engineer]

IMHO, I would think that it does not use the newest technology.

PE

 

[zemzem]

Kodacolor 100 in Mexico... Same film?

I was working in Cancun this past March and happened into the local Wall Mart for some emergency supplies and found brand new 100 ASA Kodacolor film in large numbers in the Photo Section. All had expiration dates of 2009 as yours does. Now I'm wondering if this is the same film you found in your local grocery chain.

My plan was to shoot it and then have it processed at the Wall Mart in Cancun, but our schedules changed. Now it's at home in my fridge and I'm wondering if I can get processed in the US.

 

[copake_ham]

.... Now it's at home in my fridge and I'm wondering if I can get processed in the US.

Yes, you can.

It's C-41 process color film, no matter where you bought it. And you can get it readily processed at your favorite 1-hour shop.

Fire away!

 

[Mick Fagan]

PE regarding latest technology, I don't think so, but that may not be relevant.

I compare any colour neg film to Fuji Reala, which I have been using since it's inception. Reala uses 4 layers, I believe only Kodak's latest film uses 4 layer technology.

The Aldi film, when I tested it under fleuro lighting, showed up reasonably green, suggesting it doesn't have the 4th layer. When Reala is used unfiltered under fleuro lights, minimal to almost no cast happens.

The cast in the Kodak film from Aldi, can virtually be removed with filtering in the darkroom, but when shot with a magenta filter under fleuro lights, it worked a treat.

It is a very good film, as it should be with the Kodak name on it.

Mick.

 

[Photo Engineer]

Kodak film and Fuji film both use a LOT of layers and also unique layer ordering to get high quality.

The newest film uses 2 electron sensitization which gives about 1 stop in speed for a given grain size. This is in the newest Portra films.

PE

 

[braxus]

All I remember about Kodacolor VR100 film was it was more muted in colors then VR-G/ Gold 100, and that it was not as archival- meaning the dyes fade sooner then normal. But that was based off one roll of VR, so if I used fresh stuff today- it might come out different. I've never seen VR film for sale anywhere.

 

[Charlie-J]

PE and anyone else. It would be interesting if the source of manufacture was identified. Based on what I found and others' comments it must still be being made. If Aldi( pile them high sell them cheap) here and in OZ is buying it then it's being bought in large quantities for sale. At my branch of Aldi it is on the checkout rather than in store. May be just too easily pocketed to risk displaying it in store.

However if it is old technology as was said by a Kodak spokesman some 7 years ago, is it likely that Kodak itself is still producing a 1980s film alongside its newer offerings or has it been outsourced but under the Kodak label?

Mick and others. Thanks for what turns out to be positive reviews of the film.

Anyone care to make a comparison with Fuji Superia and the current range of Professional Fuji and Kodak films.

I'll definitely be giving it a go.

Thanks

pentaxuser

Pentaxuser

The films I purchased from Aldi were manufactured in the U.S.A. by Eastman Kodak Company.

The cassette is labeled Kodacolor 400/200

Here is the link to the german test of this and other films Dead Link Removed
Its in PDF and in German.
The films like the batteries and razor blades are kept under the watchful eyes of the checkout staff so the shop lifters dont get them.

7day shop are currently offering some very good deals on film at the moment.

Charlie

 

[braxus]

That link doesn't work.

 

[pentaxuser]

To all replies. Interesting and useful stuff and none of it discouraging especially Mick's response who has a good pedigree in analogue. The muted colours reference and lack of 4th layer giving the fluorescent light problem figures as does the extra speed for comparable grain with Kodak's latest offerings.

I used Agfa Vista once at an animal safari park in the UK. Must have been the last of the Agfa stock. It was all there was and I was impressed with its muted colours for animals so the word "muted" doesn't per se put me off.

I'll avoid pics at night in my kitchen which is strip lights or elsewhere with fluorescents. I used to read about and see the slightly green effect of fluorescents in colour photography books which were used to illustrate the problem and the need for a filter to correct. I don't use such a filter and have to say I haven't noticed such an effect but then again I think I have used the 4th layer Fuji film.The rest of the house used to be tungsten but is now low energy bulbs. Are these like fluorescent strip lights.? Sounds as if I may need a filter if I attempt any night shots without flash with Kodak VR.

Oh and now I mention VR I should add that I bought some today and it was VR Plus not VR. I could have sworn that when I last passed the checkout there was no mention of the word Plus on the box but I must be wrong as they couldn't have sold out of VR and restocked with VR Plus in the time since my last visit.

Colour film sells too slowly for that in my town. Mind you the local mini-lab seems to be prospering so there must be enough users. It even sells trad B&W film!

Regards

pentaxuser

 

[braxus]

I also see the 100 speed version is/ was for sale. As such it would be neat to try out an older film for fun. Its sold in 100, 200, and 400 versions from what I gather. The 100 version has the same letter code it did in the 80s- CP. Can anyone buy 5 rolls of the 100, 3 rolls of the 200, and 1 roll of the 400 versions for me where it is available? I don't see any on Ebay. The 100 version is named:

Kodak Kodacolor VR PLUS 100 CP 135-36 CN

I assume the 200 is the same. The box has a big VR on it. I can pay by PayPal if anyone get send me some rolls. Email me off site if you can help out. Whether I get 24 or 36 exposure films doesn't matter to me. But I cannot say if its available in 24 or not, as I only see 36 listed. These rolls seem to be fresh dated as well, as someone got some dated 2009. I only want fresh film, as I don't want any older stuff especially the 80s version. So anyone who has access to this let me know.

I called Kodak and it seems this is a discount store film sold on special order for $3+ dollars US. They checked the system and all they could find was the 200 speed version. So I don't know what happened to the listing on the 100 and 400 version, but its possible they may be discontinued. If anyone has the catalog number for the 100 speed version, please post it here. Again I'm wanting to try 5 rolls of the VR 100 film if anyone can still get some. If it is discontinued, then I'll take some if anyone wants to sell their rolls. The price seems to be only a dollar cheaper then the Gold 100 film. Also please post the 100 speed edge markings on the neg if you have used this film. Last rolls in the 80s had 5094 CP. I see CP is listed again, but the number is what Im after. I just wonder if they've changed the emulsion from the 80s or not, but gathering from the CP listing- its the same film.

 

[copake_ham]

Braxus,

I haven't been up your way in quite a while; but this stuff is almost always available down here at places like Walgreen's, CVS, Rite Aid etc. as well as Target and probably (I presume since I don't shop there) WalMart.

I grabbed some last February while in Tucson when I realized I was short color neg while on the way to the Rodeo Parade. It's decent film (isn't K's always) although the film itself is thinner. It may fade faster (just a guess) but if you scan your negs as I do, that's not a big problem.

I suggest you visit your local stores there and see if it isn't hanging on a hook just waiting for you to buy it.

 

[braxus]

Trust me I'd know if I'd seen this film up here. Its never been in any stores that I've been to in the valley here. This may be because Im in Canada. Regardless if you can get me some 100 speed of this with a few of the other speeds, I'd appreciate it. Again I can pay full costs to ship it. Let me know if you can help out.

I never really got a good chance to use this film in the 80s because VR-G was coming in around the time I really started to get into photography. I'd like to shoot some just to see how much different it is compared to the newer films. I want to act fast because the 100 speed may be discontinued.

 

[braxus]

I checked online including those stores you mentioned and there is no listing for the VR films. Only Gold and Max.

 

[AgX]

We have the same film here in our local Aldi store. It is either sourced and packaged in Germany, or is wholly manufactured in Germany, as far as I can ascertain.

I went shoping at the Aldi today and had a look at these Kodak VR films (a two-film pack for less than 2€).

The printing on the box said: Produced by Eastman Kodak Company, USA.

There was a `Contact Adress´ though, refering to Kodak Germany in Stuttgart.

 

[pentaxuser]

Just got my box out of the fridge.Bought from local ALDI store.There is specific info for Germany and Austria only in German and dual language( English and German) for number of frames and "protect from heat etc. Plus an EU contact address in Stuttgart but it had "made in the USA by Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester N.Y.

pentaxuser