Kodak Gold 200 vanishing act

MattKing · May 11, 2022

Amazon is not a monolith. When you order from them, most of the product actually comes from different suppliers who themselves make use of the listing system and, in many cases, the distribution chain that Amazon supplies. For the latter, the item will say something like "Sold by XYZ and fulfilled by Amazon.
That is the reason that any review you post is referenced to the supplier itself, not Amazon, unless your item is one that is identified as being an actual Amazon item.

Austintatious · May 11, 2022

Amazon made billions during the pandemic. Mr. Bezos does not need more of the consumers $$$$.
Best to deal with an independent company who really appreciates your business.

KerrKid · May 11, 2022

MattKing said:
Amazon is not a monolith. When you order from them, most of the product actually comes from different suppliers who themselves make use of the listing system and, in many cases, the distribution chain that Amazon supplies. For the latter, the item will say something like "Sold by XYZ and fulfilled by Amazon.
That is the reason that any review you post is referenced to the supplier itself, not Amazon, unless your item is one that is identified as being an actual Amazon item.

Yes, Amazon is a multi-vendor marketplace. Everyone should check who is actually selling the product and their terms and conditions.

I've rarely had a problem with anything or anyone I've purchased from on Amazon. In the rare cases that I've had a problem the solutions provided were immediate and satisfactory. No complaints. The Kodak Gold 200 looked to be supplied from reputable sellers, albeit at a higher cost than I could get elsewhere.

I just bought four CR2 batteries on Amazon from MYBATTERYSUPPLIER and this is part of their verbiage, "Please note all our bulk products are brand new, fresh, and in hassle free packaging. We guarantee and stand by all our products with a 100% customer's satisfaction policy and money back guarantee."

KerrKid · May 11, 2022

Austintatious said:
Amazon made billions during the pandemic. Mr. Bezos does not need more of the consumers $$$$.
Best to deal with an independent company who really appreciates your business.

As a lifelong small business owner I agree and make it a point to shop at local mom 'n pop businesses when I can. When someone trips over the electric cord and the internet goes down in earnest we'll need those businesses more than ever. Besides, I've heard that Amazon employees are all on a suicide watch. I kid, I kid, but they are very miserable.

That said, if I need something and the local business doesn't have it or they want an arm and a leg for it, I turn to an online seller like Amazon. What else am I supposed to do? I just bought 2 CR2 batteries at HEB for $2 more than I can get four of them from Amazon. HEB sure doesn't need more money, either. They just raised the price of the chocolate bars I like to $2.78 each from 2/$5.00. What is the world coming to?

Alan Edward Klein · May 11, 2022

KerrKid said:
Yes, Amazon is a multi-vendor marketplace. Everyone should check who is actually selling the product and their terms and conditions.

I've rarely had a problem with anything or anyone I've purchased from on Amazon. In the rare cases that I've had a problem the solutions provided were immediate and satisfactory. No complaints. The Kodak Gold 200 looked to be supplied from reputable sellers, albeit at a higher cost than I could get elsewhere.

I just bought four CR2 batteries on Amazon from MYBATTERYSUPPLIER and this is part of their verbiage, "Please note all our bulk products are brand new, fresh, and in hassle free packaging. We guarantee and stand by all our products with a 100% customer's satisfaction policy and money back guarantee."

You can call My Battery Supplier and ask them the expiry dates before you order. By the way, does anyone refrigerate film?

Sirius Glass · May 11, 2022

Alan Edward Klein said:
You can call My Battery Supplier and ask them the expiry dates before you order. By the way, does anyone refrigerate film?

As I learned when I worked at Kodak freezing film helps keep it fresh for years; refrigeration is for shorter time periods.

Alan Edward Klein · May 11, 2022

KerrKid said:
As a lifelong small business owner I agree and make it a point to shop at local mom 'n pop businesses when I can. When someone trips over the electric cord and the internet goes down in earnest we'll need those businesses more than ever. Besides, I've heard that Amazon employees are all on a suicide watch. I kid, I kid, but they are very miserable.

That said, if I need something and the local business doesn't have it or they want an arm and a leg for it, I turn to an online seller like Amazon. What else am I supposed to do? I just bought 2 CR2 batteries at HEB for $2 more than I can get four of them from Amazon. HEB sure doesn't need more money, either. They just raised the price of the chocolate bars I like to $2.78 each from 2/$5.00. What is the world coming to?

10% raise. seems to be pretty standard on a lot of things.

I shop usually from B&H. As a lifelong New Yorker, they are my local mom 'n pop business. IF you've ever been in their store, it's like Coney Island. Amazing place to shop for photography equipment.

BrianShaw · May 11, 2022

Alan Edward Klein said:
By the way, does anyone refrigerate film?

the milk really isn’t laying on it’s side, though.

KerrKid · May 11, 2022

Alan Edward Klein said:
You can call My Battery Supplier and ask them the expiry dates before you order. By the way, does anyone refrigerate film?

I refrigerate mine, but I also play Spanish romantic guitar music loud enough to hear through the door since I heard that smooths out the emulsion.

Alan Edward Klein · May 11, 2022

BrianShaw said:
the milk really isn’t laying on it’s side, though.

View attachment 305241

Sorry, I meant the suppliers not you. Does Amazon refrigerate in their depot? What about the company that supplies film to Amazon if it's shipped from there? Refrigerated?

MattKing · May 11, 2022

I'm sure that film isn't refrigerated by anyone mass-market oriented now.
But I expect that there are some that are careful to avoid or at least minimize temperature extremes.

Michael Mutmansky · May 11, 2022

I don't know about stock, but Midwest Photo (MPEX) in Ohio is a great vendor and they have had better pricing on 120 film than B&H recently. I didn't look at the 35mm roll prices.

I personally know the people there and have full confidence in them. They will do free shipping after $99 IIRC, maybe lower.

KerrKid · May 11, 2022

Is keeping film cool that important for all film stock? I'm asking because I've never refrigerated film until now.

I have some 40 year-old Kodak Gold 200 and Tri-X that doesn't have problems (to me) and it has been stored in the absolute worst of conditions over that period of time. I had the Darkroom develop a couple of rolls that were exposed that long ago. They looked fine (to me).

MattKing · May 11, 2022

KerrKid said:
Is keeping film cool that important for all film stock? I'm asking because I've never refrigerated film until now.

I have some 40 year-old Kodak Gold 200 and Tri-X that doesn't have problems (to me) and it has been stored in the absolute worst of conditions over that period of time. I had the Darkroom develop a couple of rolls that were exposed that long ago. They looked fine (to me).

This may be splitting hairs, but the most important thing is to keep film from getting hot or warm and also keeping it from lots of changes in temperature that include heat. Colour film is much more sensitive to the problem than black and white.

Paul Howell · May 11, 2022

Kodak Gold was (is) a consumer film and was designed to be stored without refrigeration, Color + was marketed in tropical climate without refrigeration My understanding is that the "pro" level films, C41 and E6 are best kept cold or frozen storage. When I was shooting color film, living in the low deserts I used Kodak Gold or Kodacolor in the summer.

MattKing · May 11, 2022

FWIW, the new Kodak Gold 120 is distributed through Kodak Alaris' "Professional" distribution customers, not their "Consumer" distribution customers.
The handling and temperature recommendations can be found here: https://imaging.kodakalaris.com/sites/default/files/wysiwyg/pro/CIS_E30.pdf

KerrKid · May 11, 2022

Michael Mutmansky said:
I don't know about stock, but Midwest Photo (MPEX) in Ohio is a great vendor and they have had better pricing on 120 film than B&H recently. I didn't look at the 35mm roll prices.

I personally know the people there and have full confidence in them. They will do free shipping after $99 IIRC, maybe lower.

Thank you for that link! Their prices are very good. Not sure if shipping charges neutralize the low prices, though. I'll see the next time I need film.

Alan Edward Klein · May 11, 2022

MattKing said:
FWIW, the new Kodak Gold 120 is distributed through Kodak Alaris' "Professional" distribution customers, not their "Consumer" distribution customers.
The handling and temperature recommendations can be found here: https://imaging.kodakalaris.com/sites/default/files/wysiwyg/pro/CIS_E30.pdf

The issue is when I buy from B&H, I know they take care to protect the film. If you buy from Amazon, you have absolutely no idea how they stored the film, the temperature, etc or the expiry dates. Do you think their stock clerks making minimum wage care? Does Amazon management care? Does the seller who distributes it through Amazon care? Do buyers care?

MattKing · May 11, 2022

Do you really think that B&H takes more care in their shipping and warehousing than others?

Sirius Glass · May 11, 2022

MattKing said:
Do you really think that B&H takes more care in their shipping and warehousing than others?

B&H refrigerates their film, as does other camera stores, however Amazon itself does not and the subs to Amazon is a crap shoot on refrigeration - one cannot find out.

Alan Edward Klein · May 11, 2022

MattKing said:
Do you really think that B&H takes more care in their shipping and warehousing than others?

Compared to Amazon, yes. I don't know about other photo suppliers. They may be good too. Easy to check. Call them and ask how they store their film and whether they refrigerate it or not. You can also call them to check the expiry dates before you order. Considering no one seems to have much stock recently, I assume their film is recently received so the expiry should be good. Keep in mind that refrigeration should extend the expiry date somewhat even before you receive it. So refrigeration on their end is a good thing.

Alan Edward Klein · May 11, 2022

I just checked with B&H They said they refrigerate all film until it ships except for instant film which does not require refrigeration.

Austintatious · May 11, 2022

The refrigerated warehousing of film by the vendor is all fine and dandy. It's the shipping in a USPS, Amazon or UPS truck in the summer heat that you should be concerned about. Temps in those trucks can easily exceed 100 degrees.

Alan Edward Klein · May 11, 2022

Austintatious said:
The refrigerated warehousing of film by the vendor is all fine and dandy. It's the shipping in a USPS, Amazon or UPS truck in the summer heat that you should be concerned about. Temps in those trucks can easily exceed 100 degrees.

Sitting on a truck for a day should have no effect. I've left film in the trunk of my car all summer and didn't notice any problems. I wouldn't ship ice cream that way, however.

Sirius Glass · May 11, 2022

Alan Edward Klein said:
Sitting on a truck for a day should have no effect. I've left film in the trunk of my car all summer and didn't notice any problems. I wouldn't ship ice cream that way, however.

A day or two in a hot vehicle will be alright, however even a few months can mess up color film.

Kodak Gold 200 vanishing act

MattKing

Moderator

Austintatious

KerrKid

KerrKid

Alan Edward Klein

Sirius Glass

Alan Edward Klein

BrianShaw

KerrKid

Alan Edward Klein

MattKing

Moderator

Michael Mutmansky

KerrKid

MattKing

Moderator

Paul Howell

MattKing

Moderator

KerrKid

Alan Edward Klein

MattKing

Moderator

Sirius Glass

Alan Edward Klein

Alan Edward Klein

Austintatious

Alan Edward Klein

Sirius Glass

Kodak Gold 200 vanishing act

Moderator

Moderator

Moderator

Moderator

Moderator

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency