Some Good News.... Kodak sees resurgence of film

Q.G. · Oct 1, 2010

Jeremy Clarkson, presenter of BBC motoring program "Top Gear", once greeted a member from the audience, who mentioned she came from the U.S., with the words "Welcome to the free world!".
That was not just a bit of Clarkson flippancy.

Off topic, i know.
But not quite as much as this Americaness nonsense.
After all, the question discussed here is about how much of the resurgence speech is just talk, in spite of a different reality.

stillsilver · Oct 1, 2010

Mr. Ymous, 99% of the film I shoot is black and white. The other 1% is consumer color neg. film for family snapshots. Without going to the companies websites or checking Freestyle or B&H I will have to defer that answer to you.

Steve, I can hunt and fish in a lot of places. I can own firearms. I can vote for my favorite liar (er, politician). If I choose to I could stand-up and speak out against my government without fear of retribution. Believe me, this country is not without flaws but I wouldn’t choose to live anywhere else.

Back to my original point. Ilford stayed with black and white film. They went bankrupt (which scared the hell out of me) and Harmon technology stepped in bought the company and stated we are dedicated to continued black and white photographers. I will support that company as long as possible.

Mike

MattKing · Oct 1, 2010

Q.G. said:
I'm skeptical.
Talk is cheap. Saying one thing and doing the opposite isn't exactly new nor rare.

I agree that talk can be cheap. But it seems we complain about Kodak's "talk" too, at least when they are saying something we don't like.

MattKing · Oct 1, 2010

bblhed said:
So lets step back and look at this, Kodak is making five pro color negative films, four consumer color negative films (if you count 400 HD), two silver black and white films, and the BW400CN, then they have three slide films. By my count Kodak is turning out fifteen different films that are readily available for people to buy locally or via mail order, there are others but they are hard to find.

By my count, Kodak is making six silver black and white films that are readily available at least by mail order:
Plus-X, Tri-X 400, T-Max 100, T-Max 400, T-Max P3200 and (in sheets) Tri-X Pan (320).

Steve Smith · Oct 1, 2010

stillsilver said:
Steve, I can hunt and fish in a lot of places. I can own firearms. I can vote for my favorite liar (er, politician). If I choose to I could stand-up and speak out against my government without fear of retribution. Believe me, this country is not without flaws but I wouldn’t choose to live anywhere else.

Well, we can do all of those things too. Firearms are restricted severely compared to the US but I prefer it that way. We too can vote for liars, speak out against governments and go fishing - as can the residents of most countries.

Like you, I also wouldn't choose to live anywhere than where I am (UK) but I think we are biased in our thinking as we already live in the countries we want to. If we came to Earth from another planet looking for a country to live in we would probably do a bit of research and weigh up the pros and cons of all options.

Steve.

Q.G. · Oct 1, 2010

MattKing said:
I agree that talk can be cheap. But it seems we complain about Kodak's "talk" too, at least when they are saying something we don't like.

In this case, however, it's more because they are doing something we might not like.

Q.G. · Oct 1, 2010

Steve Smith said:
Well, we can do all of those things too. Firearms are restricted severely compared to the US but I prefer it that way. We too can vote for liars, speak out against governments and go fishing - as can the residents of most countries.

With all due, and sincere, respect to the U.S. and all U.S.-ians, when people from the U.S. feature as guests in BBC tv-programs (a rather conservative broadcasting company, very concerned about good manners and all that), a standard thing they all seem to say is "can you do that here?" or "can you say that here?" in a voice that is a mix of shock and unbelieve.

It often sounds like, as it does here, that many people believing that they live in a, no the free world are in for a big surprise, should they ever find out how free live really can be outside their own version of a free world.

So free, in fact, that many are shocked by what to them appears to be the bottomless pit of hell (ever been to, say, Amsterdam?), and long back for the conservative, apple pie idyll where strict rules and regulations govern everyday life.

Clarkson (i mentioned before) really wasn't talking b*ll sh#t when he made that remark.

Part of that freedom is being free to complain about a company when it does things you don't like. Even if it is from our own motherland.

kaputnik · Oct 1, 2010

Kodak: "There is a very real resurgence for film"

http://www.bjp-online.com/british-j...odak-there-real-resurgence-film#ixzz10y40QMzv

Photo Engineer · Oct 1, 2010

Already posted. I suggest that the threads be merged.

PE

M.A.Longmore · Oct 1, 2010

.
Thank You !

.

perkeleellinen · Oct 2, 2010

Steve Smith said:
Firearms are restricted severely compared to the US but I prefer it that way.

I see this as more degree than kind. It is possible to obtain a firearms licence in the UK, although it is a long process, but restriction exists in both the UK and USA. Various types of people are ineligible to own arms and both countries have categories of weapons that the public cannot own.

Q.G. · Oct 2, 2010

So if you're from the U.S. and feel that what Kodak does is not to your liking, feel free to say so.
If you like what they do, you're free to say so too.

stillsilver · Oct 2, 2010

Q.G. said:
So if you're from the U.S. and feel that what Kodak does is not to your liking, feel free to say so.
If you like what they do, you're free to say so too.

Q.G., Thank you for seeing my response in the light that it was intended.

Steve, I am sorry for the nasty turn that your thread took.

Mike

Steve Smith · Oct 2, 2010

stillsilver said:
Steve, I am sorry for the nasty turn that your thread took.

Which nasty turn was that? Threads often go off at a tangent to their original topic just like normal conversations do. Nothing wrong with that at all.

Steve.

clayne · Oct 2, 2010

Steve Smith said:
http://www.bjp-online.com/british-j...odak-there-real-resurgence-film#ixzz10y40QMzv

Scott DiSabato, US marketing manager for Professional film at Kodak.
Steve.

Said it over a year ago to shrieking walls of "film is dead!" History repeats itself of course (I don't understand the intent of some people on here at times).

I also can't say the typical of society have much for their observation skills - atleast Scott notices the trend though.

Ken said:
I'm off now to go shoot some Kodachrome. It's a rare sunny day here in the Pacific Northwest. I've got 4 rolls and 33 exposures left to go. Then my lifetime association with Kodak ends. Not by my choice. By theirs...

...or get off the pot. Kodak film is still readily available. If you don't want to use it do to some pronounced melodrama - your loss. In the meantime we'll still be shooting it - along-side the other brands.

Q.G. · Oct 2, 2010

clayne said:
...or get off the pot. Kodak film is still readily available. If you don't want to use it do to some pronounced melodrama - your loss. In the meantime we'll still be shooting it - along-side the other brands.

Unless you fill up your freezer now, you will not be shooting Portra 400 NC or VC much longer.
Even if you would want to use it.

clayne · Oct 2, 2010

Q.G. said:
Unless you fill up your freezer now, you will not be shooting Portra 400 NC or VC much longer.
Even if you would want to use it.

I like you QG, but you're seriously grinding an axe about the VC/NC thing. It's entirely past the point.

Q.G. · Oct 2, 2010

Is it?
We are asked what to make of an announcement that two films will disappear and be replaced by one, because (?) there is a resurgence in film use and film sales.

Good news?
As i said before, i don't know. It would be good news, if there indeed is a resurgence.
Thinning out the available choice of emulsions however is hard to interpret as a sign of a resurgence.
And it would not even be good news if there indeed is a resurgence.

And it sure does fly in the face of your "Kodak is still readily available" argument.
If my reply to that is past the point, so is your statement it is in reply to.

SuzanneR · Oct 2, 2010

I merged a thread, and edited the title of this thread for clarity.

Tom Kershaw · Oct 2, 2010

If merging the two lines means Kodak can continue to provide a high quality 400 ISO film, I really do not see the major problem.

Tom

Q.G. · Oct 2, 2010

Two problems:

- What if you like one of the now discontinued films, but not the replacement? What if you liked both the now discontinued films, each for its purpose, but find the new film not suited for either?

- If merging the two lines means Kodak can continue to provide [etc.], where's the resurgence?

Toffle · Oct 2, 2010

Q.G. said:
Two problems:

- What if you like one of the now discontinued films, but not the replacement? What if you liked both the now discontinued films, each for its purpose, but find the new film not suited for either?

- If merging the two lines means Kodak can continue to provide [etc.], where's the resurgence?

I can't find the bell-bottom jeans I used to wear. I'm pretty sure that means that Levis are finished, and I'm really pissed off that they did that to me. What's more, what those kids nowadays are wearing aren't anywhere near the quality; I can't see how they have the nerve to call that product denim.

Nuff said... going to take some pictures with that useless excuse for a film I'm left with.

removed account4 · Oct 2, 2010

too bad they can't actually advertise film products.
the only thing i have seen them advertise
is the print-machine on the cartoon network ...

CGW · Oct 2, 2010

Funny but in my 'hood, "resurgence" is a bit wide of the mark since pro labs that run tight C-41/E6 lines are thinning out quickly, almost to the point of vanishing. However chipper Kodak is about film, labs aren't seeing any significant uptick in their processing business sufficient to support anything resembling a "resurgence." I'm thinking I'll be lucky to get C-41 processing for whatever film(s) Kodak still makes in the near future. The VC/NC issue is--and will be--irrelevant.

Q.G. · Oct 2, 2010

Toffle said:
I can't find the bell-bottom jeans I used to wear. I'm pretty sure that means that Levis are finished, and I'm really pissed off that they did that to me. What's more, what those kids nowadays are wearing aren't anywhere near the quality; I can't see how to dare call that product denim.

Nuff said... going to take some pictures with that useless film I'm left with.

Are you saying that Portra 400 (in all flavours) fell out of fashion? And that they are replacing it with another bell-botto... uhm... Portra 400 film because of it?

Or that those films weren't as useless that they needed to discontinue them, so they replaced it with a new one?

Some Good News.... Kodak sees resurgence of film

Q.G.

stillsilver

MattKing

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MattKing

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Steve Smith

Q.G.

Q.G.

kaputnik

Photo Engineer

M.A.Longmore

perkeleellinen

Q.G.

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Steve Smith

clayne

Q.G.

clayne

Q.G.

SuzanneR

Moderator

Tom Kershaw

Q.G.

Toffle

removed account4

CGW

Q.G.

Some Good News.... Kodak sees resurgence of film

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