Petition Kodak to Bring Back Plus-X

[Gumby]

Tehre probably isn't anyone left in Kodak who really cares too much about our desire for the film we once enjoyed. The only way they will even listen to such a request is if the requestor walks into their board room with enough money to buy the film division.

 

[Gumby]

Best slow film of all time.

My son, I think you mean, "Best medium-speed film of all times."

 

[Matus]

I would be thankful enough if Kodak would keep making the films they still do for some more time. I would not dare to push my luck to ask them to bring another BW emulsion even I can fully understand those who miss the Plus-X .. 🙁

 

[noisycheese]

I want Kodachrome and Tech Pan back, too. 🙁

DAMN you, digital!!!

 

[Clint Troy]

Tehre probably isn't anyone left in Kodak who really cares too much about our desire for the film we once enjoyed. The only way they will even listen to such a request is if the requestor walks into their board room with enough money to buy the film division.

Do they still have meetings in their Board room?

 

[kbg32]

Kodak blew up those manufacturing buildings quite awhile ago.

Kodak's Board now meets at the local Denny's.

 

[semilog]

Be grateful for what we have now. Ilford FP-4 is every bit as good as Plus-X, and Ilford is committed to film. Buy it. If you can't make a good image with FP-4 you should probably hang up your spurs....

Spot on, Patrick.

If you can't do what you want between FP4, TMAX100, Delta 100, ACROS, Pan F, and the zillion developers and dilution/time/temp/agitation combinations available, you need to re-think what it is you're tying to get out of film.

 

[mwoenv]

Even if all of us signed the petition the number would be too small to move Kodak. Not with a 98% reduction in film sales since 1999.

 

[amateriat]

Better to use what is on the market, or it also will go away for good.

Between Tri-X, some T-Max, and especially BW400CN, I'm just happy Rochester is still in the game making this stuff. These are just like teeth: ignore them and they'll go away, too.


- Barrett

 

[brusby]

Rob, I wish you the best of luck, and I'd like nothing better than to see those great old film stocks still being made and used, but I'm afraid the only petition Kodak will pay any attention to now is one accompanied by dollar bills from their customers. This was surely just an economic decision, and one that would likely be reversed only by a substantial change in the profitability of that emulsion, which doesn't seem likely.

One possible hope might be for a small independent company to license the formula and buy the machinery from Kodak (or perhaps from the bankruptcy trustee) if it's no longer being used, and to begin production on a small scale. The selling price would likely have to increase because the new manufacture would loose the economies of scale. But, I've seen something like this happen with audio recording tape. And in that case the new maker seems to be doing pretty well.

 

[k__43]

not sure if anyone mentioned that before but I'd sign a petition to bring back E100G, elitechrome or whatever. I really like them to bring slide back. I'm not so happy with fuji on this field.

 

[HHPhoto]

I'm more upset about their axing elite chrome.

I agree.
Plus-X can be easily replaced by other films. I've replaced it with Adox Silvermax, which gives me even better results in every respect.
An when I need even better detail rendition, e.g. for higher enlargements from 35mm, I use Ilford Delta 100.

Best replacement for Kodak Elite Chrome:
Provia 100F and AgfaPhoto CT Precisa (which is made from Provia 100F batches) in combination with a Skylight 1A or 1B filter.
We've done some blind tests with original Elite Chromes and Provias with filter: Most of us from our photo club have not been able to distinguish the shots saying which ones are the Kodaks, and which ones are the Fujis with filter.

Cheers, Jan

 

[HHPhoto]

not sure if anyone mentioned that before but I'd sign a petition to bring back E100G, elitechrome or whatever. I really like them to bring slide back. I'm not so happy with fuji on this field.

A petition to bring Kodak slide film back is already running:

http://www.change.org/petitions/eastman-kodak-company-resume-your-production-of-reversal-film

Join in and spread the word about it.
Unfortunately the guy who initiates this petition only announced it in one flickr group, but not in other big communities like rff here, or apug, photo.net and so on.
So, for everyone interested in this it would make sense to announce it and talk about it in more photo communities.

Cheers, Jan

 

[Noll]

If they brought it back I would buy it on principle, as a much needed sign of solidarity from Kodak so it gets my vote. Practically speaking, I have found other emulsions that fit the bill close enough.

 

[Bill Clark]

I've used both when Kodak made them.

Now I use FP4 Plus & Pan F Plus.

Don't think I would switch back.

On my second roll of 35mm Pan F Plus this AM making pics of our wonderful spring 2013 weather! At least it's been quiet here regarding the lack of moisture and the global warming crickets aren't chirping too much.

 

[shadowfox]

Maybe a crowd-funded project to buy Kodak's film division would yield a better outcome.

Or better yet, to buy the license and recipes to make Kodak's film, then build a manufacturing plant capable of producing smaller batches to support a much smaller, but stable niche market of film photography. There has to be people in Rochester who already thought of something along this line.

 

[pschauss]

I agree.
Plus-X can be easily replaced by other films. I've replaced it with Adox Silvermax, which gives me even better results in every respect.
An when I need even better detail rendition, e.g. for higher enlargements from 35mm, I use Ilford Delta 100.

Cheers, Jan

Does anyone sell Silvermax in bulk. I see that Freestyle only carries it in cartridges.

 

[Al Patterson]

And steam locomotives. Yes.

Yeah, fling a personal insult if you must, but signing an online petition is useless. Plus X isn't coming back. Period. Live with it. I use Ilford products, and they are fine for what I do.

 

[Al Patterson]

I did like Plus-X, but used way more Tri-X over the years.

 

[Rob-F]

Yeah, fling a personal insult if you must, but signing an online petition is useless.

Insult? No, it's a compliment, acknowledging you as a fellow member of an elite club preserving the steam locomotive and images thereof.

Image Copyright 2012