One Industrial Film and Chemicals customer of professional and consumer still photographic film and chemicals represented approximately 20% of total Brand, Film and Imaging segment revenues in 2019.
Did anyone else notice this interesting little tidbit? The division that produces all their still film, motion picture film, chemicals (via outsource), brand licensing, and industrial film products (which would include medical products like X-ray film as well as the tiny remaining scientific market) gets
20% of its total revenue from one still film and chemicals customer. Presumably, that's the Kodak Alaris we appeal to if we get defective film or complain about when the new HC-110 isn't exactly like the old.
To put it another way, professional and consumer film -- Tri-X and Xtol, Gold 200, and everything else Kodak that you or I ever handle (unless we work in the motion picture industry or run a minilab) -- seemingly accounts for
20% of everything Kodak makes from licensing their name, feeding the motion picture industry (for that portion who still cling to film over digital), selling X-ray and similar films, and selling chemicals.
To me, that says that unless that segment represents much more than 20% of operating cost, professional and consumer film aren't going away at Kodak.
Using a changing bag is a nightmare.
It collapses on your hands disturbing the process, and after just a couple of minutes and a few mistakes it’s becomes a tropical biosphere.
It’s even worse with 120 than 135. I’ve never been able to find my way with it.
The only thing to recommend a changing bag is that it's better than ending a shoot because of a film jam, better than not being able to develop my own film because I don't have a room I can darken enough. I hate 'em, but I wouldn't want to be without one.
I’ve heard of small changing tents that leave a bit more space and ventilation to work in.
That might be the ticket, though since they didn’t become popular, I doubt that they are a very different experience.
There was a YouTube video series on making a changing box. You need a big box, sleeves off a changing bag (or from a heavy, dark coat with elastic cuffs), and some planning to be able to open and close the box fairly easily.
However: the only unrecoverable error in a changing bag is not realizing until after you have the film out of the cassette or roll that you don't have either the pour-through lid or the inversion cap for your developing tank -- that is, no way to just dump the film loose inside the tank while you pull your arms out of the sleeves to retrieve the forgotten item. Even then, I've pulled my arms out of the sleeves without exposing loose film, once -- not recommended, but possible. The problem is, you can't get the pour-through lid for a Paterson in through the sleeves, probably also true of the inversion cap. Might or might not be possible for a stainless tank's lid, depends on the changing bag, I'd guess.