Kodak Alaris responses and dispatches

MattKing said:

I also don't text, and if anyone tries to text me, I either don't respond or respond by phone or person, stressing I don't text.

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Which, of course, only then confirms to them that you do, in fact, read their texts. And thus, the next time they want to contact you, they can text with a greater expectation that you will again respond, even if only later by phone or in person.

And if you don't, then the conversation ensues,

"I texted you yesterday. Why didn't you answer?"

"I told you before, I don't text."

"But you answered me before when I did text..."



Ken

Kodak Alaris Responds!

I much prefer text. I wish friends would call or text more rather than less though. I tend to be a talker and very verbal (my wife complains I talk too much and I complain she doesn't talk nearly enough, good bye stereotypes.) I just checked - it's Tuesday and the last incoming call I received was on Friday and that was my sister in TN with an update on my dad who was in the hospital. (He's home and fine now.) Friends do call (or text which again I prefer - who needs communication to be synchronous?) just to say hello sometimes but no call or text back is necessarily needed or socially expected. Otherwise there's probably a reason for the call and a reason I want to call back.

Even more than a photographer I'm a verbal communicator and I like it that way so I WANT to be accessible (work is another matter!) Shrug. To each his own.


Sent from my iPhone via Tapatalk using 100% recycled electrons. Because I care.

The truth is that any device can be a resourceful tool; it's up to the user to determine how it affects their personal life.....


But getting back to KA and film.....

"Gerbershagen: The biggest challenge is to decide upon our priorities." http://www.rbj.net/article.asp?aID=207020

Not once is film ever mentioned in that interview linked above. I think it's quite clear about KA's priorities. http://www.marketwatch.com/story/ko...application-development-competency-2014-05-21

And the only reference to 'photography' is when Gerbershagen talks about the Personal Imaging division of KA and says, "I do not necessarily believe that the decline of print is going to impact us, because the market is still big enough to expand in this area." He is talking about printing digital files from mobile devices and from internet based images. And yes, KA is very much into social media and understands the potential. But it's going to be about promoting products such as Kodak Moments as their recognizable name branding (and not from boxes of film with the Kodak name on them.) KA is certainly involved in 'photography' but only in digital (with an emphasis on mobile) and not film photography. And on top of that, it appears that the Document Imaging division (and not the Personal Imaging division) is the place that KA feels has the best future for growth.

As long as the film is going to still be produced by Eastman, and it doesn't cost KA anything to distribute and sell it, then we'll have Kodak emulsions available to us. The best thing anyone can do in the meantime is to buy fresh Kodak film from authorized Kodak dealers to help insure that it does indeed stay on the shelves. And to promote it by telling others about the rewards of using film (and specifically the appeal of Kodak's emulsions.) There's no sense in speculating or wishing "what could have been." It is what it is.

For those who think they can choose when and where to use this tool, just choose not to use your smarty phone for a week. Do let us know how it went.

Anyway I was disappointed that it was the old farts who tended to think my Polaroids were quaint but outdated

I got a rather peculiar PM from someone saying he uses hi tech all day and isn't a Luddite but doesn't have a smart phone. Well dude, bully for you - why send that via PM???

Anyway, I had no intention of calling anyone such or implying that anyone without a smart phone was "Luddite-ish" rather just saying I'm generally pretty tech-enabled. Heck all of us are reading an Internet forum. If someone doesn't want a smart phone, or any cell phone, that's certainly fine with me even if I do find it peculiar. You don't need my approval (nor do I disapprove) nor understanding. I'm sure plenty of my choices would baffle people too.

Wayne said:

For those who think they can choose when and where to use this tool, just choose not to use your smarty phone for a week. Do let us know how it went.

Anyway I was disappointed that it was the old farts who tended to think my Polaroids were quaint but outdated

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I can "choose when and were to use this tool" in the sense that I can use it now or wait an hour or whatever. I would never voluntarily go a week without it. I start to feel antsy if I haven't checked my email in several hours at most. And you know what? I'm perfectly content with this.

I have a smart phone. It rarely leaves my car. My friends/family know this, and know if they want to reach me they need to use more conventional methods. It's not unusual for it to be left turned off for days.
If you think owning one means you must be tethered to it, the problem isn't with the technology...

Back on topic... It's easy to speculate on KA's future, what they did wrong, what they're still doing wrong, etc. The truth is, no one posting really knows what they're planning.
There are only two certainties:
1- KA will do what is in the best financial interest of KA.
2- If Stone ever gets named CEO of KA, they'd be out of business in a week.

Película said:

...As long as the film is going to still be produced by Eastman, and it doesn't cost KA anything to distribute and sell it...

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How could Kodak Alaris possibly distribute and sell anything without incurring costs in the process of doing so? Has anyone who complains about the price of Kodak film increasing lately not considered that there's now another middleman which didn't previously exist between Eastman Kodak and retailers?

Roger Cole said:

I got a rather peculiar PM from someone saying he uses hi tech all day and isn't a Luddite but doesn't have a smart phone.

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Well that does describe me, but for the public record that PM wasn't mine. I'm not against anyone else owning one. Just against me owning one. It's just a personal lifestyle choice I made. And probably a fair amount of high-tech fatigue after too many years sitting in front of a damned keyboard.



Ken

eddie said:

If you think owning one means you must be tethered to it, the problem isn't with the technology...

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Next time you're standing in line at Subway during lunch hour, take a good hard look at the 15 people standing in front of you. Then turn around and do the same at the 10 standing behind you...



Ken

Roger Cole said:

I can "choose when and were to use this tool" in the sense that I can use it now or wait an hour or whatever. I would never voluntarily go a week without it. I start to feel antsy if I haven't checked my email in several hours at most. And you know what? I'm perfectly content with this.

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You sound like a very satisfied consumer. And the PM wasn't from me either.

Ken Nadvornick said:

Well that does describe me, but for the public record that PM wasn't mine. I'm not against anyone else owning one. Just against me owning one. It's just a personal lifestyle choice I made. And probably a fair amount of high-tech fatigue after too many years sitting in front of a damned keyboard.



Ken

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No, it wasn't, and I didn't mean to give the impression it was. Kind of describes me too, which is part of why I prefer film photography to digital. OTOH the phone is something I use for what it does not for what it is.

eddie said:

... certainties:
1- KA will do what is in the best financial interest of KA.

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This has yet to be seen. It is not all that common for American executives to do what is in the best financial interest of their company.

It is most likely the executives will do what is in the best financial interest of THE EXECUTIVES. Many times this includes driving the company into the ground and taking that dreamy golden parachute.

Executives don't give a crap about their company, their products or their customers. They give a huge crap for that quarterly bonus.

Let's hope I am wrong but I don't think I am.

Sal Santamaura said:

How could Kodak Alaris possibly distribute and sell anything without incurring costs in the process of doing so? Has anyone who complains about the price of Kodak film increasing lately not considered that there's now another middleman which didn't previously exist between Eastman Kodak and retailers?

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Of course there's always a cost for any distribution and sales, but what was implied is that providing there are no additional costs for KA in offering their film products then they will keep selling it, assuming people will keep buying it. I'm pretty sure that's what Gebershagen meant when he said film will stay "as long as it is profitable." So yes, costs are incurred but made up for by sales.

But am I understanding correctly that you are suggesting that KA is now a 'middleman' between EK and the retailers? Do you know if the creditor settlement of KPP's getting the PI and DI divisions meant that EK would sell the film to KA to distribute and sell to retailers? Or is EK getting a share of sales to pay for the costs of coating, etc? Or is the product being provided by EK on demand as part of the deal? It would be nice to know how that supply contract reads.

Anyway, I haven't complained about any big price increases myself. Prices haven't changed at my vendor (same as they were 6 months ago.) And Freestyle has a 20% rebate on Kodak film. Maybe I missed some big price increase somewhere and it happened when I wasn't looking. I do remember in 2012 they went up around 15% or so. But nonetheless, I expect film prices to continually go up but not because of KA's involvement. And personally I think prices are still pretty good even when compared to decades ago (given the rate of inflation.) Although Fuji seems to have really increased their prices a lot (at least for the US market.)

I still think film is a pretty good deal overall, but maybe I'm just too naive about it. And I'm still going to buy fresh film, and support and encourage the use of film. I won't forget what KA said when they first came on the scene: "the life cycle of film will depend on profitable demand by consumers and professionals for the products." I don't want to be part of the problem.....

I have complained about increases in sheet film prices and pledged to move to Ilford. Unless Ilford goes up a lot or Kodak comes back down I'll do that for my 4x5, too. In 120 I already use Pan F+ and FP4+ and D3200, but do use Tri-X and will continue to do so unless it goes up to silly prices like TMY-2 sheet film has.

Roger Cole said:

but do use Tri-X and will continue to do so unless it goes up to silly prices like TMY-2 sheet film has.

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I get Tri-X from my vendor at $85 per 50 sheet box and it's $99 for TMY-2. I may be wrong but I think TMY-2 was around $87 per box last year (?) I can't remember.....

giannisg2004 said:

Kodak would benefit from a "Think Different" style of campaign like Apple's.
Take for instance take "Here's to the crazy ones":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjgtLSHhTPg

Replace the historical figures with great/recognizable photographers of the past (like Cartier Bresson, Koudelka, Manos, Adams, Weston, Webb etc.) that naturally shot film.

Make the connotation that film is for the artists, those with a vision, that are not afraid to go for it.
Those that many people call crazy for sticking with film nowadays, but they keep at it and succeed.

It's cheesy and pretentious, but would probably appeal to younger audiences and maybe could boost sales enough to make some difference.

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Back on topic, KA absolutely has a lot of good options for marketing strategies for film.

But at the moment they don't have a merketing strategy.

I bet however that they have an internal exit strategy for film, it would highly unusual not to plan for that eventuality.

Adopting and implementing a marketing plan would probably conflict with the exit plan.

Película said:

I get Tri-X from my vendor at $85 per 50 sheet box and it's $99 for TMY-2. I may be wrong but I think TMY-2 was around $87 per box last year (?) I can't remember.....

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That sounds about right. There was a substantial price increase not long ago, much more recently than last year. Current B&H prices for the largest size boxes of 4x5 available:

TMY-2 : $99.94/50 sheets = $1.9988/sheet
HP-5+ : $124.90/100 sheets = $1.2499/sheet

At those prices it's time to switch to Ilford.

TXP is a bit cheaper at $84.95/50 sheets but that's still $1.699 each.

Roger Cole said:

Current B&H prices for the largest size boxes of 4x5 available:

TMY-2 : $99.94/50 sheets = $1.9988/sheet
HP-5+ : $124.90/100 sheets = $1.2499/sheet

At those prices it's time to switch to Ilford.

TXP is a bit cheaper at $84.95/50 sheets but that's still $1.699 each.

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I dunno, but for me the difference between the emulsions of TMY-2 and HP5+ are enough to not substitute. I'll pay the per sheet difference to be able to use the TMY-2 over the HP5+. They are just too different. If Ilford made Delta 400 in 4x5, then I might be inclined to try to substitute with that. TMY-2 isn't outrageously priced (at least imho.) Fuji Acros in sheets did get too expensive, however. I never recalled paying that much for it ($56.50 for 20 sheets.) I have a couple of boxes left but I don't think it was anywhere near that cost back when I bought.

Prices are going to go up, that's inevitable. But I'm still willing to pay for film that I prefer unless it gets completely out of reach.

.... which is part of why I prefer film photography to digital. OTOH the phone is something I use for what it does not for what it is.

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... And probably a fair amount of high-tech fatigue after too many years sitting in front of a damned keyboard.

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And it describes me too! This love of film photography and being some kind of IT professional / programmer seems to have something to do with our age group. There's market segment here for KA. The somewhat older folks have mainly abandoned film for digital and facebook and the somewhat younger crowd doesn't seem interested in much of anything. Then you get into the 20-somethings that seem to have a lot of interest but aren't quite sure what to do.

Let's hope I am wrong but I don't think I am.

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You're not.

Ken Nadvornick said:

Well that does describe me, but for the public record that PM wasn't mine. I'm not against anyone else owning one. Just against me owning one. It's just a personal lifestyle choice I made. And probably a fair amount of high-tech fatigue after too many years sitting in front of a damned keyboard.



Ken

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This describes me perfectly. I used to spent enormous amounts of time in front of a monitor or dinking around with gadgets like a smart phone. It's an occupational hazard as I'm in the technology business. I now put everything in it's place and use technology when necessary. As a result I have a wide range of hobbies, including rocketry, SCUBA diving, mountain biking, motorcycle riding and archery. People always ask where do I find the time. I just tell them 'no TV and no sitting in around next to a computer for extended periods of time.'

kb3lms said:

There's market segment here for KA.

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Only if KA price it to sell, distribute, and have the right products.

I buy other people's film like EK's 5222 (doublex) as 400 foot of cine was not much more than 100 foot of Trix bulk (about9%). And a lot more than 100 foot of HP5+ bulk, if the cine had been inconvenient.

Ive no problem with Trix grain but I've never used it cept in 220. I can live with the doublex ISO.

KA also need to distribute it better as they have BW400CN in most stores of our largest pharmacy chain but Ilford have both HP5+ and XP2 in the same stores. A choice of three mono films - none Trix.

If you are not in the store you won't sell & Id not think of BW400CN cause of VC wet printing unless it was the only mono on the store.

They need to want market share, looks like the KA management are recycled Kodak management and it is same old horses, same old glue.

Maybe bungee CEO as well?

Xmas said:

They need to want market share...

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Bulls-eye.

This is what I have been pleading with everyone to understand for years now The crucial Golden Prerequisite. Either that's where you see some or all of your future. Or you do not.

Ken

I was ruminating on this last night, and it occurs to me that the current KA management team is embarrassed by their film heritage. It seems to me that you have a bunch of high-tech, whiz-bang Silicon Valley wannabe zillionaires who all hang around with other high-tech, whiz-bang Silicon Valley wannabe zillionaires, only KA's wannabe's have to say they sell film!! Ugh. That's like, so 1958!! The guys from Google don't sell film!