Kodak: "There is a very real resurgence for film"

[Neare]

Full Article Here
27 Sept 2010

With Kodak releasing a new film in November - Portra 400, the US marketing manager had this to say:

"We won’t make a product like this if we don’t believe we’ll see a return on it. Luckily the colour negative film sales have been very stable over the past year. Black-and-white is also doing extremely well. It almost feels that there is a very real resurgence for film. A lot of people that were completely digital are now accepting film again for certain things – or they do like the workflow. And the most exciting thing is to see the younger people adopt film. It’s almost a generational thing. They have not shot film growing up, but once they do get a hold of film in a university, they just seem to fall in love with it. And that’s exciting. It just seems to have a lot of influence."

 

[tigerphil]

This is encouraging to read, especially after hearing Fuji has/is discontinuing some great films recently (reala, neopan 1600)

 

[sepiareverb]

I'd take anything Kodak has to say about film with a grain of salt. This "new" film is taking the place of two other films, so they've stepped back in production. I doubt Kodak is in film for very much longer.


And the article states

the film will only be available in November

, so stock up if a 400 color film is up your alley.😉

(I wonder if this the the first time a film has been announced and discontinued on the same day?)

 

[btgc]

I don't know....probably we all would be safer if manufacturers would make selected range of films, not spreading over too wide range. Personally I could switch to any film (as long it's not crappy) if that would make it living until I'm breathing.

Biggies could even make two color c-41 emulsions (ISO100 and 400/800 split between them) plus e-6 (ISO50 and 400) and selection of BW film, which always will be supplemented by small manufacturers. If this would make film market active enough to last long I woudn't have problems to adopt my style and prefs to available choices.

 

[Nikon Bob]

It is a good sound bite but they have a vested interest to sound up beat. To be taken with a grain of salt as sepiareverb said.

Bob

 

[dave lackey]

It is a good sound bite but they have a vested interest to sound up beat. To be taken with a grain of salt as sepiareverb said.

Bob

Well, vested interest or not, who else is going to keep film alive? I am for anything that will keep film being manufactured. 😉

 

[unixrevolution]

I have been confident in the past few months that I will not see the end of 35mm film in my lifetime.

Here's to hoping I'm right, and I live a long time 😀

 

[Roger Hicks]

I'd take anything Kodak has to say about film with a grain of salt.

It's taking the place of NC and VC. The differences mattered in wet printing, but now most colour film is scanned, there's nothing like as much need for the two. The new film is however optimized for scanning and is sharper and fine grained.

Like you, I can get VERY cynical about Kodak but from talking to them at photokina I really don't think you are correct in saying that they'll not be in film for much longer -- unless by 'much longer' you're talking about more than several (possibly many) decades, rather than a few years.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Nikon Bob]

Well, vested interest or not, who else is going to keep film alive? I am for anything that will keep film being manufactured. 😉

Certainly, I hope film is around a good while. I take exception to alluding to there being a seeming resurgence in the use film. Realistically, I just hope the shrinking of the market for film has stabilized enough to allow major film producers to remain profitable to be able to continue supplying product. Point being, I would not be unduly optimistic based on that statement.

Bob

 

[JayGannon]

What people forget is that film production lines wont be going anywhere as long as the motion picture industury still exists, as there is a massive amount of film shot there.

 

[Nikon Bob]

What people forget is that film production lines wont be going anywhere as long as the motion picture industury still exists, as there is a massive amount of film shot there.

Certainly, but even in the motion picture industry there is a move to digital and the amounts of film used have also shrunk. All this and more has been done to death in many previous posts on film's imminent resurrection or just as absurdly, it's imminent demise. Realistically from my POV the best anyone could hope for is that the demand for film has stabilized at this point and will remain commercially viable for well into the future. I don't think it will ever be the way it was 10 years ago.

Bob

 

[italy74]

one more thing to note..

one more thing to note..

They state new Portra is the "best film Kodak has ever made"
Let's wait and see...

 

[Trius]

Wow, I've never heard these debates before ... film vs. dig, Kodak vs. everyone else.

Blah Blah 😉

 

[mawz]

One thing to remember is the incredible drop in film sales over the last few years is primarily due to the death of the disposable, which has been replaced by the ubiquitous Cell Phone Camera.

I can entirely believe that with that market distortion gone, film sales are stable and possibly even slowly increasing. I've seen quite a number of shooters who started with digital move to film either partially or even fully. And I'm even seeing a few working pro's do it (Weddings shot on a Hasselblad are now a premium service for example). Note I'm seen similar comments from Ilford on APUG.

 

[CSG123]

I'd guess b&w is likely to be around longer than color but if I'm any example of the trend I've dipped my toes back into film after 6-7 years of not shooting any. I even bought a new (CA 1967) Leica M4 to use. And based on the selling prices of Leica film cameras a lot of people must feel film will be around for years to come. However, it may become a thing of art schools and fine art photographers in the end. Digital is just too dang easy for the bulk of photographers.

 

[btgc]

Now when frozen schtrudels are available in supermarkets, does it means that people don't bake them at home just because they cost more than pre-made ones and bying all components takes more time than fetching one box from freezer?

 

[Roger Hicks]

One thing to remember is the incredible drop in film sales over the last few years is primarily due to the death of the disposable, which has been replaced by the ubiquitous Cell Phone Camera.

I can entirely believe that with that market distortion gone, film sales are stable and possibly even slowly increasing. I've seen quite a number of shooters who started with digital move to film either partially or even fully. And I'm even seeing a few working pro's do it (Weddings shot on a Hasselblad are now a premium service for example). Note I'm seen similar comments from Ilford on APUG.

Greatly exaggerated. They're still on sale in all the supermarkets here.

Cheers,

R.