Kodak Gold Now Available in 120 - threads merged

[MattKing]

Traditionally pro film designation would indicate cold storage and optimised colour balance from new.
https://casualphotophile.com/wp-con...ce-Between-Professional-and-Consumer-Film.pdf

That linked to document must be a lot older than the date it was linked to, because with still film Kodak hasn't had special, professional use only colour film products for many years.

 

[NortheastPhotographic]

I would avoid certain pre-order outlets for the moment. Kodak recommended that this film should be 25% less than Ektar or Portra, but I'm seeing lots of pricing that places at the same or only slightly less than those. Freestyle is asking slightly MORE than Ektar. Unique Photo is a little better at $45.00, but that's still only a small percentage less. This film is supposed to cost $40.00 or less for 5 rolls according to Kodak.

Of course Kodak can only blame themselves for price gouging as they have a non-existent direct wholesale system. Wholesale from distributors is often the same, MORE, or only fractionally less than what B&H charges.

 

[braxus]

Interesting point. It never occured to me the price of the 5 pak is almost the same as Ektar 100. Yeah it should be 40 bucks. I think the stores know this film will be in demand and sell out quickly, so they are price gouging to some degree.

Price for the 5 pak is supposed to be $37.50 US.

 

[MattKing]

I expect that it is the intervening distributors who are having the biggest effect on the retail prices - that and B&H and Adorama loss leader pricing.

 

[braxus]

So shouldn't Kodak be talking to distributors and getting them inline with what Kodaks has stated as suggested retail price (which is around $37.50)?

 

[MattKing]

So shouldn't Kodak be talking to distributors and getting them inline with what Kodaks has stated as suggested retail price (which is around $37.50)?

That is actually illegal.

 

[MattKing]

And I'm not aware of any "suggested retail price" info from Kodak Alaris. Can you point me to any?

 

[NortheastPhotographic]

I expect that it is the intervening distributors who are having the biggest effect on the retail prices - that and B&H and Adorama loss leader pricing.

Exactly illustrating my frustrations with distributors. Just middle-men serving no purpose other than increasing the end cost to consumers.

 

[DREW WILEY]

Pro color film designation applied to optimized color expectations from pros, requiring cool film storage prior to usage, and reasonable prompt development. Amateur films like Gold anticipated casual drugstore and convenience store sales under less than ideal conditions, but still acceptable in amateur snapshots, by their own lesser standards, just as long as skintones turned out decently. That bifurcation in user categories is still relevant, given the difference between "serious" 120 gear users, and that growing crowd of "just want some with film" crowd taking advantage of cheap plastic120 cameras as well as old battle-scarred user cameras. And there might be some real nostalgia for that characteristic Kodacolor Gold look, flaws n' all. It was engineered to be especially tolerant of exposure errors. Glad to see Kodak is upping their color film production volume in general.

And unless you're an insider, it's difficult to know how much anyone is making on anything. B&H tends to reduce specific film prices when they have just go in a lot of it, and have it in abundance, and then jack the price up astronomically once that same product is in short supply, either there or everywhere else. It will go back down. But that is in fact a smart policy for them, preventing third party "scalpers" from buying from them and reselling, and at least allowing desperate users to have some kind of source still available until everyone runs completely dry.

Film necessarily had to be coated and cut in large batches, so some ups and down in the pricing cycles are inevitable. And right now, given all the steep hikes in petrochemicals and distribution due to the pandemic, war, etc, expect prices to keep climbing for awhile. I don't like it, especially with respect to the very high pricing of color sheet film these days; but 120 film is still relatively affordable.

 

[mshchem]

THIS IS A NEW VIDEO ON PET FILM EXTRUSION AT EKCo. Rochester NY.

The resin comes from Tennessee, clearly EKCo is making PET film base for motion picture projection films. Probability supply other industries as well. This is voodoo science and art. I've been involved with extrusion, co-ex of polystyrene and ABS resins, we would run continuously. Getting any contamination would be a disaster.

This is the first of 3 videos, pretty amazing. I am usually bored but this is a great watch.

 

[MattKing]

Exactly illustrating my frustrations with distributors. Just middle-men serving no purpose other than increasing the end cost to consumers.

Kodak Alaris and Eastman Kodak together are far too small - they lack the immense resources that would be required to replace the international distributors.

 

[NortheastPhotographic]

And I'm not aware of any "suggested retail price" info from Kodak Alaris. Can you point me to any?

Kodak does not set an MSRP but their press release clearly stated that it is “intended” to be 25% less expensive than Portra and Ektar. I’ve actually not often seen a statement like that. The fact that it is immediately proven to be untrue is imho embarrassing for KA. If they would have said just Portra you could maybe say well ok it’s probably roughly 25% less than P800, but they said Portra and Ektar. The current non-marked down price of Ektar is $52.99. That means that at worst Gold should be roughly $39-40.

I have to wonder what Freestyle is paying for it before they’re charging $49.99…

 

[NortheastPhotographic]

Kodak Alaris and Eastman Kodak together are far too small - they lack the immense resources that would be required to replace the international distributors.

EK sells direct to consumers. This seems like a solvable problem.

 

[MattKing]

I expect that their FOB at the factory price to the distributors will be 25% less than the same type of pricing for Portra 160/400 and Ektar 100 films.
Whether or not that eventually shakes out as 25% less at normal retail outlets - not B&H - only time will tell.

 

[MattKing]

EK sells direct to consumers. This seems like a solvable problem.

Only to a very tiny number of motion picture film customers, many of whom are sophisticated and knowledgeable.
When you have to serve the myriad of retailers - from grocery stores to photo businesses on all the continents - you need to tap into existing distribution systems.

 

[NortheastPhotographic]

Only to a very tiny number of motion picture film customers, many of whom are sophisticated and knowledgeable.
When you have to serve the myriad of retailers - from grocery stores to photo businesses on all the continents - you need to tap into existing distribution systems.

Agree to disagree. A company like Kodak should be able to receive an order from a business registered with them, and fulfill the order. Businesses large and small do this 24/7/365.

 

[braxus]

Kodak Moments Announces New 120 Format Gold 200 Film
ROCHESTER, N.Y. March 16, 2022 – Kodak Moments, a division of Kodak Alaris, continues the expansion of its color film portfolio with the launch of Kodak Professional Gold 200 film in a new 120 format 5-roll pro-pack for medium format cameras to satisfy consumer demand.

“The 120 film format was introduced back in 1901 for the Brownie No. 2 camera” said Thomas Mooney, Manager Film Capture Products, Kodak Moments Division. “Although it’s been around for 120 years, it’s still one of the most popular film formats in use today. One main reason for its popularity is that the larger film negative can be enlarged significantly without losing image quality. This is a great opportunity for aspiring photographers looking to make the jump from 35mm to medium format photography ”.

The new 120 format Kodak Professional Gold 200 is an affordable, entry-level color film featuring an ideal combination of warm saturated color, fine grain, and high sharpness. It is designed for photographers shooting at any level for daylight and flash capture.

Starting today, the 120 format Gold 200 Film is available for dealers, retailers, and distributors around the world and is intended to be priced 25 percent lower than the comparable PORTRA and EKTAR offerings. To learn more, please visit www.kodakalaris.com/go/film
Follow us on Twitter @kodakprofilmbiz and Instagram @KodakProfessional

Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/kodakprofessional

 

[MattKing]

Agree to disagree. A company like Kodak should be able to receive an order from a business registered with them, and fulfill the order. Businesses large and small do this 24/7/365.

I think you are greatly underestimating how many personnel and other resources the combination of Eastman Kodak and Kodak Alaris would need to add to do this on a worldwide basis.
They might be able to do that if they limited their market to the USA - if they could raise enough capital for the necessary expansion of workforce and facilities. They have relatively little of both now.

 

[mshchem]

I just placed a pre-order for a propack of this stuff, 45 bucks, free shipping. Unique photo. I had FedEx at my door today with some Ilford sheet film I ordered from B&H, free shipping ain't free. Even the big shippers like B&H are paying good money to pack and ship to your door.

B&H doesn't list Gold in 120, but they have a deal on Ektar 47.50 propack, and if you use their card they will discount the amount of the state sales tax, plus free shipping.

 

[braxus]

Based on both Ektar 100 and Portra 160, which is similar in speed to Gold 200, they are priced at $50 US dollars in most outlets. In some cases, even cheaper then that. There is no reason why some stores should be charging $50 or close to it, for a film (Gold 200), which is supposed to be 25 percent cheaper. Someone is gouging consumers. Im not buying the excuse just because its new. This is not a way to introduce a "budget" film, by listing it at the same price as the films its comparing against. Even $45 is a bit too high, for a film that should be around $38 for the 5 pak.

 

[Tom Kershaw]

Even $45 is a bit too high, for a film that should be around $38 for the 5 pak.

Gold 200 listed at the UK distributor, Tetenal UK: https://tinyurl.com/4raczek8
Portra 160: https://tinyurl.com/5bz7kn9y

Price difference approximately 50.5%

 

[Agulliver]

I'm not a fan of Gold in 135, mostly because I dislike the over red colour skew. To my eyes, which I admit are themselves over-sensitive to red, Gold with a modern lens on 135 ends up looking like mud or soup. However, I use a lot of older 120 cameras without modern lens coatings and a little warming helps. Ektar, for example, looks great.

I've been using Lomography 100 and 400 colour neg in 120 but supply is sporadic and prices recently hiked. I can see myself using Gold 200 instead at least on some occasions. I'm going to try it for sure. I've just shot my last Lomography 100 film.

Regardless of whether I end up liking it, it fills a glaring gap in the market for a consumer grade (regardless of what they label it) C41 film in 120. Should be cheaper than Ektar and Portra and more forgiving of minor mistakes or slightly innacurate shutters.

 

[perkeleellinen]

Exciting to think we've had three new colour film options in the last month or so!

 

[Ernst-Jan]

Exciting to think we've had three new colour film options in the last month or so!

Adox Colour Mission, Kodak Gold
What is the third one?

 

[warden]

Great news!