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[rangefound]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjVQMe3VL0A .

Besides the incredibly long face that this story has brought me, do you think it will have a substantial impact on their film production- enough to say end it?

 

[Keith]

Fingers in ears and very loudly going ...

La la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la ...

😀

 

[Neare]

Even in the worst situation that they sell, I guarantee someone else will buy up the the assets and continue production - perhaps though, in less quantity.

 

[rangefound]

I think your assertion is correct, but just like the end of kodachrome- it's as much as about the symbolic shift as the real ceassation or decrease.

 

[Keith]

If that happens I gather they'd have to come up with a new name aside from 'Kodak?' Not being able to trade under that famous name would put you instantly behind the eight ball sales wise.

Surely if we all put in a few dollars each we can buy out Kodak's film production and keep it here at RFF ... just for ourselves! 😛

 

[alistair.o]

If that happens I gather they'd have to come up with a new name aside from 'Kodak?'

How about Kojak - scalped and sucks!

 

[ItsReallyDarren]

If that happens I gather they'd have to come up with a new name aside from 'Kodak?' Not being able to trade under that famous name would put you instantly behind the eight ball sales wise.

Surely if we all put in a few dollars each we can buy out Kodak's film production and keep it here at RFF ... just for ourselves! 😛

What we need to do is convince one or two of those billionaires who have pledged to donate all their money to buy out the film division and keep things running securely. You know, for the good of art :angel:

 

[johannielscom]

Just ordered 40 rolls of Portra 160VC in 220 spool, so I guess, they'll be fine for a while now 😀

 

[Leigh Youdale]

It's Simple Really.

It's Simple Really.

First, if they spin off the film operation to some venture capitalists or a management buy out then the brands, and names along with the formulas will either be transferred or, more likely, licensed for the new owners to continue to use. Without that the business is worth little. The value is in the brand and the film names.

Second, start buying Ilford products now. They do seem to have some commitment to film and deserve support. Go to Fuji for colour.

Third, accept that film is likely to cost more rather than less. I see threads where people are sweating pennies per frame looking for cheap film. If things are that bad go digital, or take fewer, better, film images.

 

[Ade-oh]

Third, accept that film is likely to cost more rather than less. I see threads where people are sweating pennies per frame looking for cheap film. If things are that bad go digital, or take fewer, better, film images.

Very true. I'm paying about the same now for a roll of colour negative film as I did when I first started 35mm photography in the 1970s: it is relatively cheap now, but film is going to survive essentially as a niche product and we're going to have to learn to pay more for it.

 

[gavinlg]

To be honest, if film became a tiny little niche that was only made by obscure fringe manufacturers, as well as expensive etc, I would be sad but it wouldn't affect me. I feel digital is, in most important areas, the far more versatile and technically superior medium for photography.

Fujifilm has discontinued a lot of good films, kodak has thinned out it's lineup - it's going to continue to diminish.

 

[peterm1]

There will probably be niches where film is used by specialists - artists and a few people like us who like old cameras and the like. But anyone predicting that film will make a comeback or even be viable in any but the most specialized of niches is delusional I am afraid. Reminds me a bit of a Zepplin / dirigible. An interesting technology in its day that still has a few specialized uses but one can never imagine it being more than a quirk an oddity or a highly specialised technology meeting a very small and specific need.

 

[Keith]

With Kodak continuing to struggle and Ilford raising prices due to increased silver costs along with Fuji cutting back, the writing is on the wall. Film will likely stick around but it will become increasingly more expensive ... and that's just something we're going to have to accept.

How much are we prepared to pay for a roll of 400 black and white? At three or four dollars a roll I'm fine ... but at eight dollars or above I'd be shooting a lot more digital.

I think it might be time to fill the freezer with 100 foot rolls of Arista Premium ... while that's still available!

 

[bayusuputra]

it is all up to us and the lomographers..

 

[Keith]

So who is this George Conboy person who claims that Kodak will likely get rid of film production in 2011?

A search at Brighton Securities brought up this profile.

After several years with E.F. Hutton and on Wall Street, George joined Brighton Securities in 1988. Previously, he was a corporate tax accountant.

George, who has a national client base, specializes in thorough planning for comfortable retirement and for minimizing income and estate taxes. He is frequently quoted in the media when in-depth coverage is required on financial matters and he provides analysis of local companies.

George is a trustee for the Cobblestone School. He enjoys travel and is an avid cook and photographer.

 

[barnwulf]

I will have to keep my eye on things and get ready to order several hundred rolls for the freezer. I don't mind paying higher prices if it keeps them, or other companies, making film. Jim

 

[wgerrard]

If Kodak is losing money on film and needs to sell it to stay afloat, that is exactly what they ought to to and what they will do. Only very foolish people would risk a company just to keep a romantic but money-losng product alive.

Who might buy the film divisions depends, of course, on what Kodak is willing to accept. But, I wouldn't expect any U.S. companies to buy. Best market would be companies in areas where film remains profitable. I.e., China or India.

Kodak won't sell the "Kodak" name, of course, but, for a suitable sum, they might sell the right to retain and use existing film names. (Then, we'd all be abuzz pondering if it was actually the same film.)

Bottom line: I think selling off the film line is far from a sure thing. Is there a film manufacturer that wants to expand capacity? If it is sold, though, prices will go up and film choice will go down.

 

[shadowfox]

If Kodak sell off their film division *before* killing off their digital P&S junk, they are more confused than what anyone should give them credit for.

Consumer digital P&S is *truly* a dead-end market with attacks from both cellphones and more versatile digital cameras. So why continue to bleed?

Film on the other hand has every chance to become a unique albeit small niche that continue to have strong supporters from people like most of us here. We use film, we appreciate the difference between it and digital media, not only in end result, but also in the journey (or process) towards it.

Hearing this, I am actually more optimistic than usual. I think someone will buy off Kodak's film name brand and manufacturing if they let it go. Let's hope (for our wallet's sake), that it won't be Harman or Fuji 🙂

Keep buying film, people, it really comes down to us.

 

[dave lackey]

If Kodak sell off their film division *before* killing off their digital P&S junk, they are more confused than what anyone should give them credit for.

Consumer digital P&S is *truly* a dead-end market with attacks from both cellphones and more versatile digital cameras. So why continue to bleed?

Film on the other hand has every chance to become a unique albeit small niche that continue to have strong supporters from people like most of us here. We use film, we appreciate the difference between it and digital media, not only in end result, but also in the journey (or process) towards it.

Hearing this, I am actually more optimistic than usual. I think someone will buy off Kodak's film name brand and manufacturing if they let it go. Let's hope (for our wallet's sake), that it won't be Harman or Fuji 🙂

Keep buying film, people, it really comes down to us.

Amen to that...the future is up to us!!!!😀

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1540936

 

[Ranchu]

People will always shoot film. Kodak's problem is that green dreck they slather all over their neutrals. Somebody over there should have figured out how to get rid of that by now. Still, I don't worry.