Highway 61
Revisited
Yes, the non-enthusiasts who won't find film any longer at their local supermarket where only Kodak film used to be sold, and who won't buy any digital camera instead, because their smartphone will do the job. 😀
What if Kodak fades away?
- Thread starter kknox
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Yes, the non-enthusiasts who won't find film any longer at their local supermarket where only Kodak film used to be sold, and who won't buy any digital camera instead, because their smartphone will do the job. 😀
Shade
Well-known
If Kodak goes means more cake to share for the remaining ones!
Highway 61
Revisited
Not as simple - as others you'll get sent back to the university benches learning your marketing basics :angel:
Fotohuis
Well-known
The remaining parts of Kodak film industry are hopefully interesting enough to pick up by an investor from China.
Tri-X 400 is still the best sold iso 400 B&W film worldwide.
If not: Ilford/Harman can be happy and in some smaller volume Foma and Efke too.
In color: Fuji will be happy and will be able to continue their basic CN (C41) and E6 film lines for a while.
Chemicals: As already told Kodak outsourced already their chemical stuff. And chemicals are easier to replace then a complete film line.
Not dealing with Kodak films so at the end it doesn't matter for me. You can only feel sorry for the people who will loose their job in a time of worldwide crisis.
Tri-X 400 is still the best sold iso 400 B&W film worldwide.
If not: Ilford/Harman can be happy and in some smaller volume Foma and Efke too.
In color: Fuji will be happy and will be able to continue their basic CN (C41) and E6 film lines for a while.
Chemicals: As already told Kodak outsourced already their chemical stuff. And chemicals are easier to replace then a complete film line.
Not dealing with Kodak films so at the end it doesn't matter for me. You can only feel sorry for the people who will loose their job in a time of worldwide crisis.
Ljós
Well-known
I had a similar thought. I just recently switched back from TMY2 to HP5plus, both great films in their different interpretation of greatness 🙂 HC-110 is trusty and convenient, and cheap to boot. Now Ilford makes their "replica", but I never understood how they could keep selling it, and selling it (in Germany) at almost twice the price of HC-110, even though it is widely acknowledged that HC-110 came first and the Ilford version is, more or less, a "knock-off". Beats me.
Even for XTOL there is already a similar product on the market (made by FOMA). Developers are not to worry about, the question is, whether a scaled down production of films like the modernized Tri-X and TMY2 etc. is feasible... not to talk about colour film!
Greetings, Ljós
Ljós
Well-known
And funny, too, how this almost sounds like: "We'll always have Paris!" 🙂 cue music from Casablanca...
sevo
Fokutorendaburando
Unlikely - most Chinese corporations don't have the experience to buy something of that scale and let it continue where it is. And moving won't be profitable.
A creditor-supported management buyout is the usual thing to happen in a case like this - Ilford and (to some degree) Agfa went that way. Just let us hope that Kodak does not get as drastically fragmented as Agfa - but even the latter spawned more surviving branches than many people here seem to fear...
wblynch
Well-known
This makes me think of Harley-Davidson in the late 1980's
An enthusiastic buy out of the skeleton, along with a clever marketing campaign, may make a smaller/tighter Kodak very successful.
Look at Airstream. You can certainly buy a much cheaper travel trailer or a whiz-bang motorhome but Airstream fills a specialty niche that no one else can match and Airstream sells every trailer they can produce. For many people, only an Airstream will do.
Sure Kodak won't be selling billions of rolls but there's nothing wrong with selling millions. (IF -- you are not bound by the megalithic mindset)
An enthusiastic buy out of the skeleton, along with a clever marketing campaign, may make a smaller/tighter Kodak very successful.
Look at Airstream. You can certainly buy a much cheaper travel trailer or a whiz-bang motorhome but Airstream fills a specialty niche that no one else can match and Airstream sells every trailer they can produce. For many people, only an Airstream will do.
Sure Kodak won't be selling billions of rolls but there's nothing wrong with selling millions. (IF -- you are not bound by the megalithic mindset)
tomalophicon
Well-known
Agfa still makes lots of film. You just need to be creative in getting it.
http://www.agfa.com/en/sp/solutions/aerialphotography/index.jsp
http://www.agfa.com/en/sp/solutions/trafficandsurveillance/index.jsp
http://www.agfa.com/en/sp/solutions/cine/index.jsp
http://www.agfa.com/en/sp/solutions/microfilm/index.jsp
Chriscrawfordphoto
Real Men Shoot Film.
Go over to APUG. There are quite a large number of howling fanatics there who have stated emphatically that if film goes away, they will stop doing photography of any kind. The loss of Kodak won't stop them, they'd happily use another brand, but there are some who would give up rather than use digital. I think that is stupid, and I'm someone who prefers film. To me, the materials do not dictate my work, and they are not what defines it as good art. I've shot digital and would again if need be. I'll never give up photography.
Chriscrawfordphoto
Real Men Shoot Film.
Champion Photochemicals is the company that actually makes Kodak's chemicals now. They have for a few years, but they're still sold under Kodak's brand and with the product names (eg: Tmax Develper, D-76, Photo-Flo) that Kodak used.
easyrider
Photo addict
Don' Forget Fuji and Agfa. But it would be a sad world without Kodak. No more "Kodak moment?"
RedLion
Come to the Faire
Arise from the Ashes!
Arise from the Ashes!
From the ashes of the bankruptcy, Kodak needs to PIVOT its BRAND DNA from the "regular guy - innocent" to the "creative - outlaw"
See this post
Arise from the Ashes!
From the ashes of the bankruptcy, Kodak needs to PIVOT its BRAND DNA from the "regular guy - innocent" to the "creative - outlaw"
See this post
mugent
Well-known
I don't see why this would happen at all, if Kodak does go away, then people will find alternatives, or more likely, the photo store will sell them something else. I used to work in a photo store, quite a few years ago, and if a film was out of stock, the customer would just get an alternative, film brand loyalty does exist, but I don't think nearly as much as you think. I used to shoot film, and recently getting back into it, as long as I can get decent film, I don't care who makes it.
MT
Dante_Stella
Rex canum cattorumque
Ilford has also been out of business a couple of times.
ChrisP
Grain Lover
Well I'm happy to learn their chemicals will continue!
NickTrop
Veteran
Two scenarios... Kodak is done w/in the next 3 years, I'd say with 65% certainty. As far as film goes:
1. Kodak assets would be split up to pay creditors. Kodak film technology would be purchased by ??? for pennies on the dollar, possibly a Chinese company, along with the brand name for black and white. Color would likely not survive, as film is becoming a niche market for hobbyists and pros. So it would be XYZ corp Tri-X, TMax. 40%
2. It all goes the way of Kodachrome. 60%
1. Kodak assets would be split up to pay creditors. Kodak film technology would be purchased by ??? for pennies on the dollar, possibly a Chinese company, along with the brand name for black and white. Color would likely not survive, as film is becoming a niche market for hobbyists and pros. So it would be XYZ corp Tri-X, TMax. 40%
2. It all goes the way of Kodachrome. 60%