Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
endustry said:
I know for a fact that around 22 million Aussies never have! 😛
Fuji shuts two photoprocessing plants
- Thread starter bmattock
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I know for a fact that around 22 million Aussies never have! 😛
John Noble
Established
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bmattock said:
Considering what Qualex did to a roll of Provia 400X I tried with them a couple of months ago (via CVS), I'm surprised they haven't had more layoffs. My slides came back covered in grime and the paper mounts weren't even as good as the marginal ones I got using Fuji mailers. Never again!
Trius
Waiting on Maitani
In spite of the amount of automation, processing film (and printing) is still somewhat labour intensive. There's a lot of handling of envelopes, film, attaching twin-checks, inspection (if they do much), re-packaging for return, etc., that has to be done.
Eric T
Well-known
I stick to my prediction posted a few weeks ago. Film will be a very narrow niche market by 2011. It will be gone by 2015. The market is falling very, very quickly.
sienarot
Well-known
I don't see this as anything to worry about, with regards to staying in the film game. If they were going to bail, they wouldn't have put any R&D into their 6x7 folder prototype. Consolidating resources sounds about right to me.
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alternatve
Well-known
Eric T said:
I won't worry about that. I'll just shoot and develop film till it's all gone, moan for a while and pull out my Canon wonderflex and continue shooting
Samuel
photogdave
Shops local
Ah, the Circle Of Life! Too true...gdi said:
amateriat
We're all light!
A few thoughts:
- This is the first time I'm hearing of Fuji closing down any film-processing facilities. Given the infrastructure they've had in place for some time, it's interesting that they're trimming things down just now (assuming there haven't been closings before, that is). In this case, i don't think there's need to panic just yet. Remember, this is the infrastructure built up to handle the demand for processing services borne from the late-80s/late-90s "film bubble" created by the popularity of high-tech, reasonably-priced "auto-everything" p/s cameras.
- As far as printing is concerned, I think the Digital Generation, broadly speaking, can't be bothered. It's so much easier to hit "Send" from a camera phone, or e-mail snaps from the laptop. When I hand 5x7's to people I regard as generation-D, they still ooh-and-aah at them and ask if they can get reprints (which I make myself). But they don't seem too much into even uploading files of their own snaps to the ususal suspects for prints, and that bothers me a bit more than Fuji closing a couple of processing plants. The paper trail to people's lives is disappearing rapidly, and too many people have a tenuous grasp, at best, of its digital "replacement." The amount of technical damage control I do for people on a weekly basis in this regard borders on the mind-bending. 😱
- When I was in the Tampa Bay area a few years ago, I wndered into a Wally World for the first time for shiggles. Nothing special, and to put it mildly, I wouldn't go out of my way to step into one again. 'Course, I could say the same about Tampa. (Rapidly running for cover, particularly from my sister...) 😉
- This is the first time I'm hearing of Fuji closing down any film-processing facilities. Given the infrastructure they've had in place for some time, it's interesting that they're trimming things down just now (assuming there haven't been closings before, that is). In this case, i don't think there's need to panic just yet. Remember, this is the infrastructure built up to handle the demand for processing services borne from the late-80s/late-90s "film bubble" created by the popularity of high-tech, reasonably-priced "auto-everything" p/s cameras.
- As far as printing is concerned, I think the Digital Generation, broadly speaking, can't be bothered. It's so much easier to hit "Send" from a camera phone, or e-mail snaps from the laptop. When I hand 5x7's to people I regard as generation-D, they still ooh-and-aah at them and ask if they can get reprints (which I make myself). But they don't seem too much into even uploading files of their own snaps to the ususal suspects for prints, and that bothers me a bit more than Fuji closing a couple of processing plants. The paper trail to people's lives is disappearing rapidly, and too many people have a tenuous grasp, at best, of its digital "replacement." The amount of technical damage control I do for people on a weekly basis in this regard borders on the mind-bending. 😱
- When I was in the Tampa Bay area a few years ago, I wndered into a Wally World for the first time for shiggles. Nothing special, and to put it mildly, I wouldn't go out of my way to step into one again. 'Course, I could say the same about Tampa. (Rapidly running for cover, particularly from my sister...) 😉
George S.
How many is enough?
Fuji has been closing plants left and right. The one I used to use was only 2 miles from my home and must have been the size of four football fields. It had a very small retail store attached where you could drop off film. The workers in the store were very knowledgable and you could request special developing or printing and they knew what you were talking about. It's probably been closed 2 or 3 years. It picked up and developed film for many drug stores in the NYC/ Northern NJ area.
The figure of 240 employees may seem high, but you have to remember that these plants picked up and delivered from hundreds of area outlets, mostly drug type stores. When counting the number of employees, you have to include many dozens of drivers too. The plant near me had a fleet of dozens of compact cars that were constantly coming and going with film.
I wish I still had access to a Fuji plant somewhere. They did get it right every time. Out of maybe a hundred trips there thru the years, I never had to have them re-do a job. Not even once. Only once, they were honest and called me to tell me not to come in, as they had lost one roll I had dropped off. I was surprised that THEY themselves realized one roll was missing, and it wasn't a case where I came in to collect 3 rolls and was missing one. They assured me that they were searching the plant. I was still skeptical, but, lo and behold, they called me about 5 days later to say it was found and it was ready to be picked up at no charge.
I ALWAYS attach one of those return address labels you put on an envelope to each cannister. I'm certain those things can slip out of a bag somewhere in the plant and roll around on the floor and someone may find it a month or a year later under their trash can or computer or some such.
The figure of 240 employees may seem high, but you have to remember that these plants picked up and delivered from hundreds of area outlets, mostly drug type stores. When counting the number of employees, you have to include many dozens of drivers too. The plant near me had a fleet of dozens of compact cars that were constantly coming and going with film.
I wish I still had access to a Fuji plant somewhere. They did get it right every time. Out of maybe a hundred trips there thru the years, I never had to have them re-do a job. Not even once. Only once, they were honest and called me to tell me not to come in, as they had lost one roll I had dropped off. I was surprised that THEY themselves realized one roll was missing, and it wasn't a case where I came in to collect 3 rolls and was missing one. They assured me that they were searching the plant. I was still skeptical, but, lo and behold, they called me about 5 days later to say it was found and it was ready to be picked up at no charge.
I ALWAYS attach one of those return address labels you put on an envelope to each cannister. I'm certain those things can slip out of a bag somewhere in the plant and roll around on the floor and someone may find it a month or a year later under their trash can or computer or some such.
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George S.
How many is enough?
Tuolumne said:
Six miles West of you in Saddle Brook and 5 miles South in Secaucus 😱
Tuolumne
Veteran
George S. said:
Secaucus I would expect, but Saddle Brook is a very tony town. Surprising. BTW, should I thank you for this information? 😛
/T
George S.
How many is enough?
Tuolumne said:
Probably not... ! 😉
BTW- Maybe you're thinking of Saddle River?
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aka5ha
Member
film --> digital transition
film --> digital transition
Well, I can't figure out whether I want to listen to my 8 tracks, or just listen to the iPod.
film --> digital transition
Well, I can't figure out whether I want to listen to my 8 tracks, or just listen to the iPod.
J.Done
Newbie
Never have, never will. And now there are three and counting........,
kuzano
Veteran
Nope....... Never been in one and>>>
Nope....... Never been in one and>>>
Have friends who feel the same way. Prefer to do biz with reputable companies that contribute to our society, and not just in token ways.
Nope....... Never been in one and>>>
endustry said:
Have friends who feel the same way. Prefer to do biz with reputable companies that contribute to our society, and not just in token ways.
Tuolumne
Veteran
George S. said:
Right. I got my Saddles confused.
/T
kuzano
Veteran
My take.. How relevant is this to demise of film
My take.. How relevant is this to demise of film
In 1988, The community of Norwood Ohio sued General Motors for 319 million dollars for closing a General Motors plant, devastating the community (an incorporated community in the complex of Cincinnati townships-however that works). The suit was dismissed by the courts. Twenty years ago, and GM is still quite alive, Norwood has survived, and people are still lining up to buy Hummers and RV's in spite of $4 a gallon gas.
These types of plant closings and re-alignments occur constantly in the marketplace without regard to employee job loss, but in fact due to bottom line and stock owner considerations.
While it's slightly insensitive to the employees losing their jobs, downsizing and out sourcing have become the order of the day for many years in many corporate markets. The closings in this case are probably a spit in the bucket for the film industry as a whole.
I doubt that film is going to disappear by 2010 or 2015, any more than General Motors is going to anything but follow the profit path of the marketplace.
The whine about the demise of film is shrill, irritating and mostly conjecture.
My take.. How relevant is this to demise of film
In 1988, The community of Norwood Ohio sued General Motors for 319 million dollars for closing a General Motors plant, devastating the community (an incorporated community in the complex of Cincinnati townships-however that works). The suit was dismissed by the courts. Twenty years ago, and GM is still quite alive, Norwood has survived, and people are still lining up to buy Hummers and RV's in spite of $4 a gallon gas.
These types of plant closings and re-alignments occur constantly in the marketplace without regard to employee job loss, but in fact due to bottom line and stock owner considerations.
While it's slightly insensitive to the employees losing their jobs, downsizing and out sourcing have become the order of the day for many years in many corporate markets. The closings in this case are probably a spit in the bucket for the film industry as a whole.
I doubt that film is going to disappear by 2010 or 2015, any more than General Motors is going to anything but follow the profit path of the marketplace.
The whine about the demise of film is shrill, irritating and mostly conjecture.
bmattock
Veteran
kuzano said:
I guess the declining sales figures at precipitous rates are just conjecture. The fact that CIPA has stated they will no longer track sales of film-based cameras because they are no longer significant is just a guess. The fact that aisles of film choices at local retailers have become a choice of one or two emulsions is pure hypothesis. And the failure of film companies like Agfa Photo are mere speculation.
Irony aside, the decline of film sales, followed by the closing of film plants and failure of some film making companies, points in a particular direction and invites a conclusion. Some have argued that there will be a point where the drop will level off and a base demand will keep some remnant of the industry alive. Others have stated this will not be the case, and the drop will be followed by oblivion. The only "conjecture" is the final conclusion, which of course no one knows. It may be irritating and shrill to those who do not wish to hear it, but the discussion is as worthy of having as the future of American automotive manufacturing.
If the American automotive industry had suffered the year-on-year loss in sales that the film industry has, they'd be gone already. GM, your exemplar, is selling more vehicles than it ever has in history - it just isn't making enough profit on them. Kodak, on the other hand, has suffered 30% year-on-year declines in sales volume of film.
moving_electron
Member
Small footprint in-store processing machines have gotten better and better. I have gotten rolls processed at Wal-Mart on trips and they always used in-store machines so it is not surprising that there is not much volume being sent to large central processing factories.
The mini processing machines usually only do 35mm though. In my 55,000 person town there is only one processor that can do 120. But they will process the roll in 14 minutes for $2.99 if you forego prints!
Convenient local processing of color will drop away relatively quickly but it will be many many years before there is no longer anywhere to send it by mail. Heck there is still a lab that processes Kodachrome. The chemistry is well known and easy to make, there is lots of excess equipment and always demand for the remaining processors.
It ill be niche but available.
C41, E6 and or course Black and White home processing will be around for a very very long time.
The mini processing machines usually only do 35mm though. In my 55,000 person town there is only one processor that can do 120. But they will process the roll in 14 minutes for $2.99 if you forego prints!
Convenient local processing of color will drop away relatively quickly but it will be many many years before there is no longer anywhere to send it by mail. Heck there is still a lab that processes Kodachrome. The chemistry is well known and easy to make, there is lots of excess equipment and always demand for the remaining processors.
It ill be niche but available.
C41, E6 and or course Black and White home processing will be around for a very very long time.
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