Kodak announces discontinuance of all B/W papers

[phototone]

My friend who manages a camera store just sent me a copy of a release from Kodak announcing the discontinuance of ALL b/w photo papers, both conventional and RA-4 process.

These papers include:

Kodak Professional Digital B/W Paper
Kodak Professional Polycontrast IV RC Paper
Kodak Professional V-Print
Kodak Professional Kodabrome II RC Paper
Kodak Professional Panalure Select RC Paper
Kodak Professional Polymax Fine Art Paper
Kodak Professional AZO Paper
Kodak Professional Portra b/w Paper (RA-4)
Kodak Professonal Portra Sepia Paper (RA-4)

The announcement says "This announcement has no impact on the production of Kodak's portfolio of Black and White Films and Chemicals for processing Black and White Papers or Films"

"Please continue to order Kodak Professional Black & Whte Paper normally. You will be notified at the time of order as inventories of individual items are depleted."

 

[bmattock]

Several thoughts here:

1) Kodak is/was a huge producer of paper from pulp in North America - I understand that they are shutting down these operations, but at the time, the indicated that they would continue to source B&W photographic paper from third-parties, whatever that means.

2) Kodak announced some time ago that they were devoting the majority of the company's resources to competing in the digital camera world.

3) A lot of film users are printing on ink-jet now, in a mixed film/digital environment.

4) Sad to see another page turned, but history marches on.

Thanks for the information, sad if true!

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[JOE1951]

Any links to this news?

 

[einolu]

Didnt Kodak, STOP making digital cameras recently, or was that just their high end SLRs? I could be confused but I thought I heard something like that on DPReview.

 

[bmattock]

Didnt Kodak, STOP making digital cameras recently, or was that just their high end SLRs? I could be confused but I thought I heard something like that on DPReview.

They announced that they're not going to make the DCS series of Nikon (and sometimes Canon) full-frame DSLRs. Makes sense, because Nikon and Canon are slugging it out on price for that realm. We all kinda hope that Kodak becomes a source for others of their excellent imaging sensors. I believe Kodak is going great guns into the compact consumer digicam market, as fast as they can. It's the right play for them.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[phototone]

Didnt Kodak, STOP making digital cameras recently, or was that just their high end SLRs? I could be confused but I thought I heard something like that on DPReview.

Yes, Kodak discontinued its Professional Digital Cameras, the Kodak DCS SLR/n, and the Kodak DCS SLR/c. It did not discontinue is consumer digital cameras and in fact Kodak is number one in digital camera sales (point-n-shoot) in the USA.

Kodak is big in the digital imager market...making the CCD imagers for many of the pro-digital backs for medium format cameras, as well as making the imager for the Leica Digital Module R, and the 4/3rd's imagers for the Olympus line of DSLR's.

I have and use the Kodak DCS 14/n and DCS SLR/n (both 14mpx full frame sensors) in my work, and see no need to update, as they both perform extremely well for me in my studio setting, as well as well lit location work.

 

[phototone]

You know, on reflection, this may be a good thing. I personally stopped using Kodak b/w papers years ago, perferring those from Agfa and Ilford, both RC and Fibre.

Perhaps this will give the remaining companys more volume in this dwindling market, and actually keep them alive.

The only negative thing, as I see it, is the discontinuance of Kodak AZO, which was the last remaining contact printing fine art paper. Now those that shoot large format (8x10) b/w negatives will have to print on enlarging papers, rather than a good old fashioned rich tonality contact printing paper.

 

[bmattock]

I believe that the loss of these speciality papers, while disconcerting, may feed a growing cottage industry of smaller companies willing to provide speciality products to a more artistic-based photographic market.

In the computer industry that I work in, some feel it is a mistake to become an expert in any one programming language or OS if it does not enjoy large market share. The reasoning is that when that segment is abandoned by the manufacturer or software producer, they'll be no more jobs in that arena.

But this is not always the case. People who learned PICK-OS for example, can still earn a very nice living, servicing those companies who have a large investment and can't, for various reasons, walk away from it yet. There are still lots of people out there maintaining machines, OS's, and programs written in obscure programming languages - the market slowly dwindles, but those who are experts in the field are more in demand than ever and can to some extent write their own ticket.

End analysis - if there is a market out there for POP or whatever, if it is too small for Kodak to service profitably, it may be large enough for a smaller company to jump in.

What a great time to be alive!

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[Pherdinand]

Good news. This might keep Ilford alive 😀
Sorry guys.

 

[chug]

It also might give Leica an incentive to get more work done on its Digital M..

 

[dll927]

So they will continue to make film but no paper. Interesting. But let's face it, B/W is a rather small niche these days. I'm old enough to remember when color was a rarity except for Kodachrome, but being old enough is the key part! But back in the days of the "Trash 80" Radio Shack computers (which my school had a whole room full of), did anyone know that the PC would become a household item?? Time marches on.

 

[XAos]

The reasoning is that when that segment is abandoned by the manufacturer or software producer, they'll be no more jobs in that arena.

But this is not always the case. People who learned PICK-OS for example, can still earn a very nice living, servicing those companies who have a large investment and can't, for various reasons, walk away from it yet. There are still lots of people out there maintaining machines, OS's, and programs written in obscure programming languages - the market slowly dwindles, but those who are experts in the field are more in demand than ever and can to some extent write their own ticket.

It's an old joke, I probably haven't heard it since Jan 2, 2000. But in the fall of 1999, this Cobol programmer just can't handle the stress anymore and decides to have himself cryogenically frozen for a hundred years. He starts coming to and there's all these people around him dressed funny. "Where am I he asks, is it 2100 yet?" The people around him shake their heads, "No, it's only 2098, but is says here on your file that you know Cobol..."

 

[zpuskas]

I agree with some of the prvious posts that this may not be bad news after all. Though I like the Polymax Fine Art paper, I've found I also like Agfa and Bergger. Without the clout of Kodak these manufacturers may have an incentive to maintain their product mix and even invest in better B&W products for the future.