That's an interesting thesis. I would be interested to see what examples you might give to show that this is normative.
I certainly don't have market numbers at my finger tips and I think it would take a significant wager to make digging them up worthwhile... but exactly what period in time are you conjecturing about? Given that B+W once represented 100% of the market, what "significant part of the market" returned to B+W film (and when)?
Welcome back to the wet side. In my line of work it is not uncommon for several people to mention to me in a a day that they miss the darkroom. I always tell them that we will welcome them back, no questions asked. This always elicits the same kind of circular hem-haw that your get from folks when you mention to them the perils of eating fatty snacks. I hope your guess about a "a reasonably sized sustainable market" proves true (my livelyhood depends on it). I do wonder though, having witnessed the slide, what size and shape that market will take. I can think of many examples of artists / artisans keeping crafts alive that are sustainable at the DIY and cottage industry level. I would like to see some concrete evidence of the market reviving outmoded technologies that depended on industrialized manufacture for their existence.
Celac
Even without a Kodak and a Fuji. film photography will survive, in some form or another.
I'm not sure I share your optimism. Making film is in principle a very simple proposition. That's where the simplicity stops. I know this simply from reading the posts from the resident engineers: making a film is fairly easy. Making a decent film is incredibly difficult!
In other words, most of us, with a but of swotting and experimentation, might be able to make a 19th century-era emulsion and coat it on a glass plate. A small Eastern European outfit might be able to take a 1950's emulsion and coat it on a bit of acetate. But only a Kodak or a Fuji has the expertise and resources to research, design and coat a modern emulsion like Ektar 100.
Film may survive in some form or another, but if that means stepping back fifty years and losing modern t-grain black and white and colour films I might well decide to hang up my Rolleiflex, and I'm sure I'm not alone in feeling that way.
I could live without Ektar 100. I'd trade it in a second for HIE or Super XX. Of course I'm glad we have it, but a "modern" emulsion is hardly a deal breaker when it comes to me shooting film.
I'm not sure I share your optimism. Making film is in principle a very simple proposition. That's where the simplicity stops. I know this simply from reading the posts from the resident engineers: making a film is fairly easy. Making a decent film is incredibly difficult!
In other words, most of us, with a but of swotting and experimentation, might be able to make a 19th century-era emulsion and coat it on a glass plate. A small Eastern European outfit might be able to take a 1950's emulsion and coat it on a bit of acetate. But only a Kodak or a Fuji has the expertise and resources to research, design and coat a modern emulsion like Ektar 100.
Film may survive in some form or another, but if that means stepping back fifty years and losing modern t-grain black and white and colour films I might well decide to hang up my Rolleiflex, and I'm sure I'm not alone in feeling that way.
Fuji on the other hand is Japanese, the Japanese understand that the world does not go as Japan goes, so I expect them to stay in the film market much longer. Even if it means subcontracting the making of film/paper to Lucky in China.
No, Kodak will do much better in China than Fuji. Chinese are brain washed by the government to hate Japanese. They have resisted anything Japanese for the last 60 years. Just see how successful VW has been in China. Toyota is no match to VW in China. I love Kodak films myself. I don't have a bias against Japanese but I never really liked Fuji films. I actually liked a little Konica because it's cheaper.
This thread is about a new ektar film, isn't it? :rolleyes:
I want to see this film compared to 160VC, 160C, Reala, Superia 100, Superia 200, Gold 100, and Gold 200.
And again I ask...
Other then possibly B+W, I don't think there are any magazines that are not 100% digital now
I'd be surprised if a review of Ektar 100 by Ctein didn't appear in Photo Techniques in the next couple of issues. He always compares to similar films when reviewing one, such as the Pro160 and Portra films.I have a copy of PhotoTechniques sitting in front of me which certainly isn't 100 % digital. Jan / Feb 2009 issue.
Tom.
most likely one of the Eastern European firms....
I have a copy of PhotoTechniques sitting in front of me which certainly isn't 100 % digital. Jan / Feb 2009 issue.
Tom.
Hey Jack,
I haven't tried this film myself, but it looks impressive (and I certainly recognized your train shots). I had to comment on the Rite Aid processing. I had a roll processed by them a few months back and the negs were full of spots and just plain looked terrible.
Bob
Here are a couple shots I took this Christmas that just passed on Ektar 100. Its definately a darker toned film.
http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=8505193
http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=8505216
Braxus, are those scanned negs or scanned prints?
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