With the recent Kodak news, are you stocking up on film?

[boomguy57]

My concern is price, not availability. I realize the two are related, but I'm pretty sure there will be film available. But with Freestyle charging $43 for a 5-pack of Portra...oof! That hurts. I have thought for a while now--and I'm not alone--that color negative film will go next, once reversal film finally dies. C-41 labs are closing left and right, and cost will become prohibitive soon.

B&W film will likely survive as a DIY hobby for decades, so I'm not worried about that. But I really do love Portra and Ektar. Along with Tri-X, they're my stable. A bit worrying that they are all Kodak films...

 

[drew.saunders]

I picked "no" but the "some favorites" choice is more accurate. I just ordered two 50-sheet boxes of Efke IR820C Aura in 4x5" from Freestyle, which, at my current rate, will keep me set for 3 or more years. If Rollei keeps making their infrared film (which is quite different from Efke Aura) and Ilford keeps making Delta 100 (close enough to TMax 100 for me), I should be OK for a long time.

 

[JayM]

$3 bucks a roll is about the upper limit of what I feel like 35mm film should cost in order to be shot like 35mm film. Anything over that isn't a deal breaker but it is why I shoot probably 5 rolls of color a year.

 

[jpa66]

I'm buying a few extra films, but not going crazy. If Kodak ( film ) goes away, what's the point of stockpiling? Any amount that I have will eventually be gone and I'll have to get used to some other film ( as sad as that may be ).

 

[thegman]

My concern is price, not availability. I realize the two are related, but I'm pretty sure there will be film available. But with Freestyle charging $43 for a 5-pack of Portra...oof!

I suppose it says something about UK/London prices when I saw that and thought "$43 for a 5 pack, that's not too bad".

I don't shoot enough for film pricing to be that much of a problem, even if it doubled in price, it would still be a minor expense. If you're shooting a lot, then obviously it's going to be a problem.

I think at the moment, I'm in an optimistic "wait and see" mode. If Kodak Film is bought by an enthusiastic buyer in the same vein as The Impossible Project, then it could be great news. If Kodak film was marketed with the same gusto as Lomography, we could see a pretty good renaissance. It's always going to be niche, we all accept that, but with the growth of smartphones with good cameras, dedicated digital cameras are probably on their way to a niche too.

 

[Keith]

I suppose it says something about UK/London prices when I saw that and thought "$43 for a 5 pack, that's not too bad".

I don't shoot enough for film pricing to be that much of a problem, even if it doubled in price, it would still be a minor expense. If you're shooting a lot, then obviously it's going to be a problem.

I think at the moment, I'm in an optimistic "wait and see" mode. If Kodak Film is bought by an enthusiastic buyer in the same vein as The Impossible Project, then it could be great news. If Kodak film was marketed with the same gusto as Lomography, we could see a pretty good renaissance. It's always going to be niche, we all accept that, but with the growth of smartphones with good cameras, dedicated digital cameras are probably on their way to a niche too.

Gusto and enthusiasm are fine for IP and Lomograhy ... hopefully whoever fills Kodak's shoes will aim for a little better quality though ... but maintain the gusto and enthusiasm! 😀

 

[ReeRay]

?......hopefully whoever fills Kodak's shoes will aim for a little better quality though ... but maintain the gusto and enthusiasm! 😀

...... And a nominal price reduction to encourage film sales and rejuvenate the medium.

 

[Rayt]

...... And a nominal price reduction to encourage film sales and rejuvenate the medium.

That is right. Why not cut out distribution and retail costs? In the US the two largest retailers of film are mail order anyway so why can't Kodak double their film income by selling direct like the Online Apple Store? Manufacturing makes up a very small part of a product's cost. Warehousing, distributing and especially retailing are where most of the over head goes.

 

[btgc]

Reading how Apple humiliates their customers, I wonder how would look film scene under their sauce....C-41 would be replaced by their proprietary process so buyers of their film would have to use their processing services. Film would deteriorate faster than now to not leave a chance kids can inherit archive from parents. Film would be replaced on a yearly basis, yet old stock wouldn't develop in current chemicals.

 

[furcafe]

Not sure about your premise. Back in the heyday of film, Kodak was long known for introducing random proprietary formats to try to lock in customers (620, 828, Disc, etc.).

Reading how Apple humiliates their customers, I wonder how would look film scene under their sauce....C-41 would be replaced by their proprietary process so buyers of their film would have to use their processing services. Film would deteriorate faster than now to not leave a chance kids can inherit archive from parents. Film would be replaced on a yearly basis, yet old stock wouldn't develop in current chemicals.

 

[Mablo]

It wouldn't help if I'd stock up on Portra when soon there are no decent labs available. Yeah, I could use home dev kits (I have used a few) but I don't particularly like that even though I develop all my b&w at home. Turning to digital for color is a no brainer IMO.

 

[thegman]

Already have about 200 rolls of Arista Premium in the freezer, but this is a stockpile that only lasts 3-4 months. I buy in bulk to save money, but the supply dwindles quickly. Lately I've been shooting 60 rolls a month, up from 50.

Cal

Fair enough, you shoot 30 times what I do!

 

[Calzone]

Fair enough, you shoot 30 times what I do!

Right now I have over 70 rolls in the fridge that need developing a new record. Last month performed a two-day marathon developing 60 rolls.

Just ordered a M9M expected delivery perhaps November. Here in New York I am blessed with great shooting. Generally I carry a camera or two every day. I'll still shoot lots of film, but I intend to shoot even more.

Also know that shooting 120 with 6x9 its only 8 shots.

Cal

 

[Monochrom]

Hi, i was aware that film division was one of the still profitable lines of products....guess will be purchased by ilford or another vast experienced company...or perjhpas by a new chinese millionaire..as long with the yasuhara brand 🙂

 

[amateriat]

Steady-as-she-goes here. Since "Rochester is my co-pilot" once again (yeah, there's a Jack Benny joke in there), and on account of my close proximity to Adorama and B&H, I simply stock up according to need: I like to keep close to a brick of my mainstay film types (Portra 160/400, Ektar 100, BW400CN) close at hand, replenishing when I'm down to my last five rolls of anything. I only bulk-up when I'm starting a project.


- Barrett

 

[Matus]

As long as the Kodak films - for me in particular Ektar and Portra - will be in production I will not stock up on anything. If they will cease the production I will buy as much as fits our fridge as I prefer Kodak C41 color to Fuji.

But I hope that the film division will make it - with Kodak or without it.

 

[Al Patterson]

I am not alarmed, as I shoot Ilford XP2. Once Kodak stopped Kodachrome, they were dead to me.

 

[dct]

Kodak color films

Kodak color films

As long as the Kodak films - for me in particular Ektar and Portra - will be in production I will not stock up on anything. If they will cease the production I will buy as much as fits our fridge as I prefer Kodak C41 color to Fuji.[...]

+1 for ISO 100 film (Ektar)

 

[steveniphoto]

doesnt bother me since i switched to ilford.

 

[Sid836]

Sad to hear Kodak's film production being terminated, but Ilford's are my favorites.