Plus-X discontinued...WTF?

pinhole_dreamer · Feb 19, 2011

mtngael said:
Or, I could suck it up and get around to trying out FP4!

FP4 is one of my favorite films. I've always had better luck with that than I have any of the Kodak films. I think it's that the FP4 seems to have a higher contrast?

jglass · Feb 19, 2011

tjaded: good on you man for running that film corner. I was at another film corner in your beautiful city: Just Film. Awesome to have you guys around and hang in there!

Re: Plus-x: I bought several pro packs when this news started to surface and that's it. when that's gone, hello fp4. and maybe efke; foma; adox?

rphenning · Feb 19, 2011

same on the pro packs ^. Is it still in production, though? what's the word?

2F/2F · Feb 19, 2011

David A. Goldfarb said:
Absolutely not, and we can't really name names, but consider that manufacturers or dealers of competing products may find it in their interest to kill off PX sooner rather than later and to begin marketing their product as a replacement as quickly as possible, and APUG wants no part of that kind of activity.

Yes...but your information begs the question: Was the information about Plus-X being discontinued true and correct?

David A. Goldfarb · Feb 19, 2011

Some of the information seems to have been verified by reliable sources, but some of it seems to have been exaggerated by a source who seemed to have had an interest in exaggerating it.

Photo Engineer · Feb 19, 2011

As best I can verify things, PX was discontinued in certain markets due to poor sales. We may never know.

PE

Tim Gray · Feb 20, 2011

2F/2F said:
They have also eliminated the two styles of 400 Portra and introduced a compromised single style.

The way you word this makes the new Portra sound inferior. I'd have to say it's better than 400NC any way you look at it. Big fans of 400VC might be sad, but users of 400NC I think will be very happy with this film.

brianmquinn · Feb 20, 2011

"How much was that cup of Starbucks your sipping on?"

Actually I use film for health reasons. I do not drink coffee but do like beer. Everytime I am at the bar and am tempted to get just one more I say no. Im going to save those dollars for film. I then throw a few more dollars in the film fund jar. That way I save my liver and film in one action.

hpulley · Feb 22, 2011

I just shot and developed a roll of Verichrome Pan (precursor to Pan-X) that expired in May of 1966 and it came out well so if that is anything to go by, a May 2012 expiring roll of Pan-X should still be usable in 40 years or so!

mopar_guy · Feb 23, 2011

hpulley said:
I just shot and developed a roll of Verichrome Pan (precursor to Pan-X) that expired in May of 1966 and it came out well so if that is anything to go by, a May 2012 expiring roll of Pan-X should still be usable in 40 years or so!

I think it is a little strange to say that Verichrome Pan was a precursor to Pan-X (which is Panatomic-X). My Photo-Lab-Index from 1946 lists Verichrome (the Orthochromatic version, Verichrome Pan was introduced later) as available in roll film sizes and film packs and 35mm versions of Panatomic-X, Plus-X and Super-XX. Panatomic-X and Plus-X were available years prior to Verichrome Pan.

Ian Grant · Feb 23, 2011

Verichrome was made by Wratten & Wainright in the UK and introduced around 1907/8 it wasn't fully Panchromatic but it wasn't Orthochromatic either, George Eastman bought Wratten in 1913, partly to get Mees to head up two new Kodak Research facilities, Rochester & Harrow.

Eastman also wanted the Wrattnen - Mees & Sheppard's expertise in colour sensitisation, a consequence was Kodak continued making Verichrome, Verichrome Pan was very much later in 1956.

Plus -X was introduced along with Pan-X, Super-XX as part of a new range of films in 1938, followed by Tri-X a year later, these Kodak films were competitors to the Ilford/Selo F.P., Double-X, H.P.2 range, still around as Pan F, FP4+, HP5+.

Ian

hpulley · Feb 23, 2011

Sorry, I meant I thought Verichrome Pan was a precursor to Plus-X not Pan-X... But perhaps that is wrong too. I should really quit while I'm ahead and just stop posting, sigh.

brucemuir · Feb 23, 2011

Seems the supply line is drying up for 120...
I see some at Unique but not my regular haunts.

Appears Freestyle is dryed up for the 120 size also.

wblynch · Feb 23, 2011

What a dilemma...

It seems whenever a film is discontinued anymore everyone rushes out to stock up. I've done a bit of this myself. Now I've got a fridge/freezer full of discontinued film that will probably last me a few years. Evidently I have become that which I despise... a hoarder.

The good part is we can use our favorites for a little while longer.

The bad part is it hurts new film sales which likely leads to more discontinuations.

The worst part is we can no longer get cheap, expired, discontinued film.

Ian Grant · Feb 23, 2011

wblynch said:
The worst part is we can no longer get cheap, expired, discontinued film.

Some of us learnt using ex government surplus, usually ex-military, stocks, I bought many 100ft tins FP3 and HP3 as a teenager, later Fp4 and HP4 as well.

Ian

tjaded · Feb 24, 2011

I have a bunch Plus-X in 120 and one bulk roll (35mmx100') still in stock...if you are looking for 120 and need a bunch, give me a call and I will see what I can dig up from various distributors....
Matt (Glass Key Photo)
415-829-9946

Helinophoto · Oct 17, 2011

Very sad that they have cut this film, I secured 15 rolls of expired plus-x from eBay a couple of weeks back and I just ordered 20 rolls of 35mm from Germany.
I am fairly new to analogue photography and tried the first roll of plus-x 35mm a couple of days ago and I was pretty stunned by the feel of the resulting photos from Tetenal Ultrafin, how can they discontinue this film??

I hope they sell the patent to a company that is able to produce it in 120 format, as far as I know, Arista premium IS plus-x (?), but not produced in 120 format....someone should kick their butt and get them to produce it in that format as well.

nworth · Oct 17, 2011

When a question like this comes up, the easy way to find an answer is to call the Kodak customer information line. At least in the past, they have been very helpful and accurate. Plus-X in 120 has always been hard to find, except at really big pro shops, and supply may be spotty and slow when stocks run out at these shops. I wouldn't be surprised if it were discontinued, especially in some foreign markets who a simply fed up with Kodak's recent incompetence. Kodak seems to be a poster child for how American industry has been failing lately.

Thomas Bertilsson · Oct 17, 2011

For those that despair, Plus-X is still available in 35mm format. Not sure how much longer it'll last, though.

But Ilford FP4+ is so similar in prints that I personally can't tell a difference between them. I have to look it up in my files to be able to tell. Even from 35mm.

There are alternatives. All is not bad. Smile, and shoot a lot.

- Thomas

olleorama · Oct 17, 2011

Kodak needs a someone like Simon from Ilford here on the board. Would sure make things like this easier. PE is a great resource too though.

Photo Engineer · Oct 17, 2011

But that would make sense and also increase film revenues. This is just the opposite of what Antonio Perez wants!

PE

Ken Nadvornick · Oct 17, 2011

Photo Engineer said:
But that would make sense and also increase film revenues. This is just the opposite of what Antonio Perez wants!

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Poo

["That's exactly what I've been saying for years now!!! Not because I read between the lines. But because that's exactly what HE'S been saying for years now... Ken" -Translated by Ken's occupational therapist]

P.S. Are you trying to torture my patient??

Geodesiq · Oct 17, 2011

It appears Kodak may soon be discontinued.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/05/kodak-bankruptcy-rumors_n_997118.html

Is there no end to American corporate stupidity? That's what happens when you pay some ahole million$$$ for just showing up. At one time Kodak had one of the best sensors on the market. They sold it off because they didn't see any future in it.

http://www.eoshd.com/content/4163/a...ening-and-there-is-nothing-we-can-do-about-it

Plus-X discontinued...WTF?

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