Kodak to Drop More Film Lines

[Bill Smith]

I received a call from a close friend who works for Kodak. It seems that more cuts in film are coming. Basically, he has told me that in B&W only Tri-X and possibly TMX will be Kodaks last two standing. Tri-X accounts for 50% of the B&W film sales and TMax films account for a large percentage of the balance with TMX right up there.

Today Kodak announced it is cutting more jobs and again closing factory and production facilities.

Bill

[Brian C. Miller]

Dang it, I only have just so much room in my freezer!

[Ed Richards]

What is the experience with freezing B&W film? The stuff seems pretty stable generally, does it pretty much last forever in the freezer?

[David Luttmann]

Ed,

I've bought MF Tri-X and HP5 from friends that have had them frozen since the mid 80's. They have been just fine developed in DD-X and PMK. No apparent increase in base fog.

We should be fine picking out our favorite emulsions from Kodak and Ilford and freezing them for at least a decade. Lower speeds like FP4, ((PanF (for MF users)) , Acros, and APX 100 should be good for a few decades.

I don't see the last Tri-X coming off the lines for at least 5-7 years.....so buying up then should keep us going for 20 to 25 years after that. Cheap LF CCD or CMOS sensors should hopefully be plentiful well before then.....unless Kodak screws that up too.

[mark_5816]

If you have been watching TV lately, Kodak has had a huge marketing campaign pushing digital. The handwriting seems to be on the tube.

[Christopher Perez]

Any indications on what is to become of Kodak's Readyload availability?

[Jorge Gasteazoro]

Why bother stocking on film? I love Tmx 400 and will keep on using it till they stop making, but I certainly dont plan to reward Kodak for stopping making it. I rather support those companies that will continue to make film like Ilford. I dont know who makes the JandC 400 film, but I am testing it and using it next month for both 8x10 and 12x20, if it works for me I might just stop using Tmx 400 altogether, I have had enough of this death by 1000 cuts!

[j.e.simmons]

I agree with you, Jorge - enough of the bloodletting. I used Tri-X and HC-110 for 20+ years, but when Kodak made changes for the umpteenth time to the combination a couple of years ago, I moved to Efke PL100. I'm also looking at the JandC 400 in my small formats (4x5 and 2x3). Pyrocat HD for them all.

[Brian C. Miller]

Jorge, one of the films I really like is Kodak HIE. I have nine boxes of 4x5 in the freezer, and now it looks like I will have to buy a load of 35mm HIE before its gone too. Maco's offering is not as good as Kodak, so switching will be a pain.

[David Luttmann]

J&C 200 & 400 is made by Forte in Hungary. At least, that is what J&C says. Their 100 film is made specially for them and no one else has use of that emulsion. The J&C 200 should be the same as Berger 200 as this is supposed to be off the Forte line as well.