Vinyl survived, and so will Film

michaelbsc · Oct 8, 2012

nicholai said:
95% film/vinyl user here. Some times i sin.

You have an iPod?

PKM-25 · Oct 8, 2012

I think it is very sad how much time is spent on beating this into the ground.
"Get busy livin or Get busy dyin'".....

David Goldstein · Oct 8, 2012

Photo Engineer said:
This thread has replayed itself over and over, like a vinyl record with a crack in it. Nothing is going wrong - tik - going wrong - tik - going wrong - tik - forever and ever and ever.

GET IT CLEAR! Film is a high tech item, but vinyl and oil paints are low tech in comparison. The best films we can make at home today compare with the era of Edison and 78 rpm! The best comparison with tubes (valves) might be a crystal set or old one tube radio.

So, if film vanishes, we will be able to make plates and sheet film, 120 roll film and papers in the speed of about 3 - 100 for film and up to current enlarging speeds for paper. Our sizes will run about 11x14 max with a yield of about 80% or so. With advanced equipment, we can equal the work of Jim Browning.

PE

I for one was not saying we would make tubes/valves at home. I am stating that a company, such as Ilford, will possibly the niche player to keep film alive, just as Sovtek, a former military tube manufacturer for the defunct Soviet Union, found a way to stay in business with the severely reduced demand for vacuum tube technology.

I have no interest, personally, in making my own film. It would be dead for me if that was the case.

Photo Engineer · Oct 8, 2012

Certainly David, but look at EFKE. They cannot make film and paper efficiently and with a reasonable profit.

So, yes, Ilford is a high quality producer, but here we are talking about the SURVIVAL of film. That is different than making it yourself, but it is also different than having a first class, top of the line company making it in the long term future.

I have high hopes, but just in case..........

In any event, this is a replay of many past threads and is becoming onerous.

PE

David Goldstein · Oct 8, 2012

Photo Engineer said:
I have high hopes,
PE

Me too. And it is hard for a lay person such as myself observing the film industry of today to really know the true challenges facing a company like Ilford and especially Kodak.

In the meantime, I will just keep on shooting...

lxdude · Oct 8, 2012

Maybe if they started coating vinyl?...

nexus757 · Oct 9, 2012

FWIW Vinyl records are not manufactured in your average home kitchen any more than film is. This video was made last year at the United record pressing plant in Nashville: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgJaS4mBF_w
Here's hoping both records and film survive.

Photo Engineer · Oct 9, 2012

Both film and vinyl records can be made in the home kitchen. The only problem is quality.

PE

RattyMouse · Oct 10, 2012

Photo Engineer said:
Both film and vinyl records can be made in the home kitchen. The only problem is quality.

PE

Vinyl? That's too modern for quality music. I make my own wax cylinders!

Photo Engineer · Oct 10, 2012

Yep. I commented on that earlier here.

PE

Vinyl survived, and so will Film

David Goldstein

David Goldstein

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