Kodak Gold 200 vanishing act

[MattKing]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

By the way, does anyone refrigerate film?

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

 

[KerrKid]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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

 

[Sirius Glass]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.