Meet the new Kodak Film: Kodak Alaris...

[Rangefinderfreak]

The way I see the situation, if you can stand one more comment , is:
The way Kodak had their distribution organized , was short of ridiculous for the size of market: Kodak supplied distributors in major markets: japan, USA, Europe and some other areas. We in Europe were not allowed to buy directly from American vendors, B&H, Adorama etc. They would not sell to europe. We had to buy from local shops that bought from distributor in each country that, in turn bought from main distributor in Europe, usually Germany. Now, Ilford, Foma, Rollei/maco sell also direct. very quick deliveries, max three days. The price is more than half of similar kodak product.
If KPP structures a distribution centre in England where we can buy in their Internet shop, pay by paypal or bank direct using the European Swift/IBAN codes with prices that are similar to maco or Foma and lower that Ilford, I guess they have a chance to succeed. The corporate policies of Eastman Kodak were simply Idiotic...

 

[Ansel]

Yes, please keep Tri-X and Portra and Tmax and D76!! I love that stuff.

 

[Dez]

why don't we just wish them well, and hope they know what they're doing? As we did with Ilford?

Cheers,

R.

Sounds like the best course.

Cheers,
Dez

 

[Aristophanes]

The way I see the situation, if you can stand one more comment , is:
The way Kodak had their distribution organized , was short of ridiculous for the size of market: Kodak supplied distributors in major markets: japan, USA, Europe and some other areas. We in Europe were not allowed to buy directly from American vendors, B&H, Adorama etc. They would not sell to europe. We had to buy from local shops that bought from distributor in each country that, in turn bought from main distributor in Europe, usually Germany. Now, Ilford, Foma, Rollei/maco sell also direct. very quick deliveries, max three days. The price is more than half of similar kodak product.
If KPP structures a distribution centre in England where we can buy in their Internet shop, pay by paypal or bank direct using the European Swift/IBAN codes with prices that are similar to maco or Foma and lower that Ilford, I guess they have a chance to succeed. The corporate policies of Eastman Kodak were simply Idiotic...

In the early days of film there were no cameras.

Kodak supplied them.

No processing.

Kodak supplied that.

All mail order.

Kodak offered you the return packaging.

As the product took off, the film and camera biz separated. More camera models allowed for more types and varieties of film.

The processing separated into independent labs because the volume exceeded Kodak's in-house capacity.

Now all of that outsourcing and spinning off is a liability.

Distribution is a huge cost as volumes shrink.

Processing, including the necessary scanning, is getting much more expensive, causing consumer sticker shock, rationing, and avoidance.

One monster coating system in Rochester requires one distribution channel and (eventually) a single point for processing and scanning.

Eventually, to keep the machines going, new, affordable, fun cameras will also be needed. Hard to build a business case on third party, eBay salvage items.

I hope that's in the long-term thinking for this new Kodak Alaris.

What I find interesting is that the Rochester coating system is basically being used on a contract basis with what appear to be very long horizons (as in indefinite). With its capacity I could even see the Fuji products and maybe even Ilford contracting its utility. Its efficiency might just be so good that the whole industry could benefit from such a model: motion picture and 2-3 brands renting the expertise and process. It is sad in capitalism when such a wonderful asset is not fully utilized to maximize the potential of one of the great products in history, a product that straddles the industrial age and the information age.

 

[Roger Hicks]

. . . a product that straddles the industrial age and the information age.

There is no "information age": never has been, never will be. We live in the "entertainment age".

Cheers,

R.

 

[Keith]

This still seems like investing in fossil fuels in a market that's heading rapidly towards solar/electric to me. Digital capture dominates photography currently and that's not going to change and as generations move on less people will choose to use film so the slide will continue for some time yet IMO.

I hate to go all 'picket wilson' on ya'll but the truth is out there ... somewhere!

 

[BenJT]

This still seems like investing in fossil fuels in a market that's heading rapidly towards solar/electric to me. Digital capture dominates photography currently and that's not going to change and as generations move on less people will choose to use film so the slide will continue for some time yet IMO.

I hate to go all 'picket wilson' on ya'll but the truth is out there ... somewhere!

That comparison would make sense if digital was currently emerging. We all know digital is and will continue to be the masses choice.

Not everyone wants to follow the herd.. as long as a film market exists people will buy, not the way they did 20 years ago, but so what, must it be the monster that digital is in order to exist?

 

[KM-25]

This still seems like investing in fossil fuels in a market that's heading rapidly towards solar/electric to me. Digital capture dominates photography currently and that's not going to change and as generations move on less people will choose to use film so the slide will continue for some time yet IMO.

I hate to go all 'picket wilson' on ya'll but the truth is out there ... somewhere!

A niche is not a broad market appeal thing, never was, never will be. So in the case of current and future film use, it appeals to all ages who are looking for something to do with their time, talent and vision besides digital, which is what *everyone* else seems to be using. I use film not because it is my generation or I am nostalgic, I use it because of the journey it takes me along and the beauty of the result, which is a direct result of how I feel about using it.

I know more young people than ever who love to shoot film, in fact 75% of the time, when I encounter a film camera user in my VERY photographed town, it is a person who is 35 or younger and most of the time is not a "Hipster" toting a Holga but a very enthusiastic film camera user. This is one of the number one reasons I am bringing wet darkroom workshops back to my area, young people are asking me where in the heck they are to begin with?

So all is not what it would seem Keith, just get off of this site for a few months and go out in the real world and talk to real people, not "Web Sensations" and you will find that all is alive and well in the real world.

Also, could JSRockit, Godfrey, or the Head Bartender who is sipping Opus One from his castle in So Cal. please change the title of this thread to match the one that I corrected it to?

 

[Pioneer]

So why don't we just wish them well, and hope they know what they're doing? As we did with Ilford?

Cheers,

R.

+1 several times over. I do hope they succeed because many, many people still enjoy using their product.

 

[x-ray]

Really hope this is the new beginning for Kodak.

 

[Keith]

A niche is not a broad market appeal thing, never was, never will be. So in the case of current and future film use, it appeals to all ages who are looking for something to do with their time, talent and vision besides digital, which is what *everyone* else seems to be doing. I use film not because it is my generation or I am nostalgic, I use it because of the journey it takes me along and the beauty of the result, which is a direct result of how I feel about using it.

I know more young people than ever who love to shoot film, in fact 75% of the time, when I encounter a film camera user in my VERY photographed town, it is a person who is 35 or younger and most of the time is not a "Hipster" toting a Holga but a very enthusiastic film camera user. This is one of the number one reasons I am bringing wet darkroom workshops back to my area, young people are asking me where in the heck they are to begin with?

So all is not what it would seem Keith, just get off of this site for a few months and go out in the real world and talk to real people, not "Web Sensations" and you will find that all is alive and well in the real world.

I'm pleased to hear that you're personally encouraging film use in your area ... I congratulate you for that.

Australia is actually a poor representation of what is happening globaly IMO ... there's a few companies that are actively trying to keep analog moving along but they're doing it without offering any real incentives. There's a new enthusiastically run business in Melbourne that sells film and offers developing and scanning services but you'd have to be reasonably well heeled to partake of their services due to their prices. I guess they're working in a fairly small market so they have to do this to survive finacially but I really think they may struggle to survive in the long run.

I shoot film and will until I die hopefully but I still believe that over all it's an endangered process that is destined for a niche and a small one at that. Snapshots of the situation in your own area are nice to hear about but I would love to know an accurate figure of what's actually happening globaly!

 

[bwcolor]

I don't know what companies/films will survive, but the new manufacturing efficiencies are encouraging.

 

[Rob-F]

Bring back Plus-X!

Yes! Plus-One for bringing back Plus-X!

Oh . . . it's "Alaris?" OK. At first glance I thought I saw "Kodak Alarmist."

 

[Kanamit]

The processing separated into independent labs because the volume exceeded Kodak's in-house capacity.

The courts forced them to do this in the US because it was anti-competitive.

I suppose they might find differently now that Kodak no longer has a stranglehold on the film market (what's left of it), though.

 

[mwoenv]

My sense is that film, under the Personalized Imaging/Film Capture divisions, will be a small part of the overall new business Alaris is hoping to establish. They will be trying to succeed in a lot of other mature businesses to maintain their multinational status. Film will be maintained as long as it contributes some profit to the overall operation.

Lets' hope they succeed. If Alaris doesn't succeed, I'd imagine the film business would be sold again to raise cash for Alaris and to allow a smaller company to have a profitable business. Either way, I think their films will be made in the future for the remaining fans.

 

[Ranchu]

I love those pensioners, I don't care who knows it. THANK YOU BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE!

 

[Prest_400]

I think this way Kodak Film will be better off. Switching from a corporate thinking to a more long term focus.
And the pensioners have lots of inner knowledge about Kodak. However, I don't know if they will directly control Kodak Alaris.

This video is a comment by the Document Imaging President about Kodak Alaris:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxX10xnctpw

 

[JohnTF]

Perhaps just in time?

Perhaps just in time?

At last Sunday's show in Richfield Ohio, an annual Club show. If you're looking for the M7, I grabbed that one. ;-)

Regards, John

 

[bwcolor]

I think this way Kodak Film will be better off. Switching from a corporate thinking to a more long term focus.
And the pensioners have lots of inner knowledge about Kodak. However, I don't know if they will directly control Kodak Alaris.

This video is a comment by the Document Imaging President about Kodak Alaris:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxX10xnctpw

Did I miss her reference to film production? This new company will be about digital products and software. I bet that they spin-off the film business.

 

[Prest_400]

Did I miss her reference to film production? This new company will be about digital products and software. I bet that they spin-off the film business.

I too noticed it. However, as this video concerns the Document Imaging division, it is probably just focusing on that.

I might be missing your point as the spinoff... IIRC Kodak Alaris is a spinoff containing Document Imaging and Personal imaging (film).

Quoting an user who put it off as: "You know those zombies that blow up in many pieces on movies? Kodak is like one of those, you don't know which of the limbs is concerned."