Konica Minolta film gone...film making assets gone

[bglick]

Konica, the only other color film maker in the world has decided to call it quits....here is a small blurb from their press release. Although they were not a player in LF, its another film plant shutting down which is painful, as who knows how these assets could be used one day for LF. As some posters pointed on other threads, its hard to make film profitable in low volume. These companies consider $10+ million sales low volume.....

In today’s shrinking photographic market represented by color film and color paper, we have been considering to scale back and to continue photo business at an appropriate size; however, when we foresee the photographic market, it is quite difficult to maintain profitability in this field, and we have decided to withdraw from photo business. As schemed below, we will, as much as possible, avoid causing any inconvenience in providing products to our worldwide customers in the course of withdrawal.

For color film and color paper, while considering our customer needs, we will step-by-step reduce product lineup and cease our film and color paper production by the end of fiscal year ending March 31, 2007.

For minilab business, we will cease production of the system by the end of fiscal year ending March 31, 2006; however we will have such company as Noritsu Koki to provide maintenance and customer services so as not to cause any inconvenience to our customers.

[Steve Hamley]

Let the next round of gloom-and-doom posts begin. Gentlemen, start your keyboards.

Steve

[Frank Petronio]

The last decent camera either company made was the Konica Hexar in 1992, so who cares?

[Kevin M Bourque]

They're selling the SLR piece to Sony. Here's the press release.

http://konicaminolta.com/releases/2006/0119_03_01.html

[Richard Schlesinger]

I have some Konica IR roll film in my freezer. I suppose there is no prospect of more. Haven't used much, but keep planning to do some IR stuff. What IR material is available - up to and including 4X5?

[CXC]

I always liked Impresa 120, still have a couple rolls in the freezer. This is the second discontinued film to hit me personally, after Tech Pan.

[tim atherton]

Although they were not a player in LF

and

The last decent camera either company made was the Konica Hexar in 1992, so who cares?

film aside - as pointed out elswhere - they did still make a decent spotmeter

[Joe Forks]

How much Konica IR you got stashed away Grump? (just curious - I have a few rolls myself).

Ditto on wanting to know a source for a similar film in either 120 or 4x5? I've read about Ilford SFX200 (sp?) but it's not quite as dramatic - it would do however if I could find that.

What's the scoop on Maco (I think I've heard ramblings about that)?

Forks

[Scott Fleming]

OMG! I'm using an orphaned spot meter. Whatevershallbecomeofme?

[Richard Kocurek]

"Konica, the only other color film maker in the world has decided to call it quits...."

Try telling that to F-U-J-I.