Kodak committed to making film "as long as there's demand"

[Sirius Glass]

Every time when I talk to my film distributors or local labs they tell me that they know very well the demand of their customers. And they order film for that demand.
But the demand is often higher than the supply, and they cannot get enough film from the wholesalers, which cannot get enough shipped by Kodak and Fuji.
The local film shops and labs are certainly not the problem.

So ours desire for film popularity to increase has and continue to rise, so quit complaining about the lack of product and rising prices before you doom film yet again.

 

[cerber0s]

So ours desire for film popularity to increase has and continue to rise, so quit complaining about the lack of product and rising prices before you doom film yet again.

Yep, it’s a good thing. When there’s no longer a demand we all know what happens. That’s why I’m wondering if this is a passing trend, or if we’ll eventually find a balance.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Yep, it’s a good thing. When there’s no longer a demand we all know what happens. That’s why I’m wondering if this is a passing trend, or if we’ll eventually find a balance.

Just as water seeks it own level, the film market will find a balance.

 

[BrianShaw]

It depends on if one is glass-half-full or glass-half-empty personally.

 

[foc]

Is this wishful thinking?

 

[eli griggs]

I'll agree about 127. It's the fumblestist film of any format I've shot yet.

Yet it was even more popular than 135 for a number of years and even today, many of us own and use the cameras and film format, preferring medium format that is still so easy to carry and get great results from

 

[Agulliver]

Yep, it’s a good thing. When there’s no longer a demand we all know what happens. That’s why I’m wondering if this is a passing trend, or if we’ll eventually find a balance.

The increase in demand started at least as far back as 2016, so it's been ongoing for 7 years now. The concern, however, is that the new film photographers lose interest when they can't get hold of colour film. From what I'm told, each individual doesn't shoot much but there are a heck of a lot of such individuals. I know some myself. And the twenty-somethings that I know shooting film aren't looking for B&W. They're curious as to the results I get with my mostly B&W film use...but they're shooting colour. They don't much mind the brand, and would probably happily buy the new Lomography 92 film, for example.

Regarding fumbling....I am reminded that we all possess different skills. I cannot tie knots. At all. The scouts gave me my knot badge on the 7th attempt out of sympathy. I tend to wear slip on shoes because I can't reliably tie laces. Just not a skill I have. But I've never had issues loading any film and cannot fathom why people do. Been handling 120 since I was four years old. But...we all have different skills. I am aware that loading roll films is something many, perhaps the majority, find difficult. Ditto threading manual 8mm projectors and reel to reel tapes. Ergo the almost never ending quest to make photography for the masses as simple as possible. From the first Kodak film cameras through the box cameras to the various different formats, automatic motorised loading and APS.

Bottom line is that if we want to see Kodak film on the shelves in another 10 years time, we need to buy some now. And if we have any hopes of Fuji resuming production, probably buy the occasional roll of the Koda-Fuji too. Or buy their ACROS II and slide film.

@foc You are probably aware of a similar meme regarding consumption of recorded music that started doing the rounds years ago. I may just share that, as I have a considerable following on Zuckerberg's site and it could end up shared a bit.

 

[foc]

@foc You are probably aware of a similar meme regarding consumption of recorded music that started doing the rounds years ago. I may just share that, as I have a considerable following on Zuckerberg's site and it could end up shared a bit.

Be my guest and share away, thank you. And yes it is a copy of the record music graphic.

 

[Sal Santamaura]

It depends on if one is glass-half-full or glass-half-empty personally.

When someone inquires where I stand on that, my reply is "what glass?"

 

[Agulliver]

It depends on if one is glass-half-full or glass-half-empty personally.

The glass is always full. One half is full of liquid, and the other half is full of air. But it is always full.

 

[Cholentpot]

Here's an update from my brick and mortar as to the popularity of film.

When I started about 10 years ago, there as one shelf of film in a fridge and everything chems and papers and equipment was tucked away in the back of the store in a corner. The used stuff was basically a box full of cameras you'd rummage through. A few years back they moved the film stuff display to the front of the store, still a browse kind of thing.

I went in today, all the film chemistry and equipment was behind glass. The film and analog camera now his it's own department parallel to the digital stuff, it's the first thing you walk past when you walk into the store. Two refrigerators stocked with film. The greatest hits of cameras neatly on display and tagged with prices that I laughed at. They had no standard Kodak developers. No D76 nor any HC110. There was Dektol and fixer. However they had full stock of Ilford stuff. Sadly I left empty handed as I was looking for HC110 or D-76, salesman said that he thinks they stopped making HC110. D-76 has been selling out. They don't stock Xtol.

 

[cmacd123]

Sadly I left empty handed as I was looking for HC110 or D-76, salesman said that he thinks they stopped making HC110. D-76 has been selling out. They don't stock Xtol.

the Sino Promise situation has left future stocks of Kodak chemicals in the land of uncertainty.

 

[Cholentpot]

the Sino Promise situation has left future stocks of Kodak chemicals in the land of uncertainty.

You know there's a company in Montrose-Ghent Ohio that can make this stuff.

 

[cmacd123]

You know there's a company in Montrose-Ghent Ohio that can make this stuff.

and their is one in Dexter MI that many suspect IS making working substitutes. but they don't have the right to put them in Yellow packages.

 

[Cholentpot]

and their is one in Dexter MI that many suspect IS making working substitutes. but they don't have the right to put them in Yellow packages.

Where are they going? I need some of this stuff.

 

[cmacd123]

Where are they going? I need some of this stuff.

freestyle has a Line of "almost Kodak" chemicals. while we will never offically know where in the USA those are made, they do generally say Made in USA.

 

[cmacd123]

Yet it was even more popular than 135 for a number of years and even today, many of us own and use the cameras and film format, preferring medium format that is still so easy to carry and get great results from

referencing size 127.

my own first camera was a brownie Starflash, and many of the 127 cameras were basically compact box cameras, another group were top of the line 127 TLR cameras marketed to make "Superslides" as the 12 shot 127 format created a slide that was about as large as it was practicle to mount in a 2X2 slide mount. And one must not forget the Vest pocket folding cameras that were the initial inspiration for the 127 size.

 

[eli griggs]

referencing size 127.

my own first camera was a brownie Starflash, and many of the 127 cameras were basically compact box cameras, another group were top of the line 127 TLR cameras marketed to make "Superslides" as the 12 shot 127 format created a slide that was about as large as it was practicle to mount in a 2X2 slide mount. And one must not forget the Vest pocket folding cameras that were the initial inspiration for the 127 size.

And the advantage of the "Super Slide" is that it works in Kodak 35mm slide projectors.

 

[foc]

However they had full stock of Ilford stuff.

Why not use the Ilford equivalent?
Ilford ID11 for Kodak D76 and Ilfotec HC for Kodak HC110.

This might help:

Ilford - Kodak

 

[Agulliver]

My local brick and mortar camera shop switched to put about 80% analogue stuff in the front window about 6 years ago. The eye-catchers are two 16mm projectors but they also have a bunch of 35mm compact cameras etc. Inside probably 70% is analogue with the traditional "wall of film" behind the counter. Used cameras at most price points are in glass cabinets, the paper/chemicals (all Ilford) are to the right as you enter, on shelves. Likely the first thing you'd see is the Agfa DLab mini-lab.

But that "wall of film" is mostly Ilford B&W. They don't stock Foma or other "smaller" brands, though they considered Candido colour film recently. They try to get hold of Kodak C41 film as Portra, Gold and Ultramax are what customers want....with Fuji as second choice....but they just can't get enough. If they have a few bricks of colour film, it's generally gone within a week.

 

[dutchsteammachine]

I would love to get some provia or velvia but anywhere I have looked in the netherlands and Europe it seems to be either out of stock or selling for 40 euro a roll.

Even ektachrome e100 which I remember being the cheaper option is out of stock everywhere and sells for 30 a roll here.

 

[Cholentpot]

Why not use the Ilford equivalent?
Ilford ID11 for Kodak D76 and Ilfotec HC for Kodak HC110.

This might help:

Ilford - Kodak

Ilfotec HC was close to $90 for a bottle, HC110 when I last bought it was closer to $30. That's a very big difference. Oddly enough, Ilford rapid fix is cheaper than Kodak Fixer.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

Clayton F76+ developer is supposed to equivalent to D76. My lab uses it regularly.

 

[xkaes]

Here's an update from my brick and mortar as to the popularity of film.

When I started about 10 years ago, there as one shelf of film in a fridge and everything chems and papers and equipment was tucked away in the back of the store in a corner. The used stuff was basically a box full of cameras you'd rummage through. A few years back they moved the film stuff display to the front of the store, still a browse kind of thing.

I went in today, all the film chemistry and equipment was behind glass. The film and analog camera now his it's own department parallel to the digital stuff, it's the first thing you walk past when you walk into the store. Two refrigerators stocked with film. The greatest hits of cameras neatly on display and tagged with prices that I laughed at. They had no standard Kodak developers. No D76 nor any HC110. There was Dektol and fixer. However they had full stock of Ilford stuff. Sadly I left empty handed as I was looking for HC110 or D-76, salesman said that he thinks they stopped making HC110. D-76 has been selling out. They don't stock Xtol.

That's exactly what has happened to a camera shop out here too.

 

[Cholentpot]

That's exactly what has happened to a camera shop out here too.

The shock of your hobby becoming popular.