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Thread: I take an inventory...

  1. #1

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    I take an inventory...

    ...of the Kodak film and papers I have on hand. Since the announcement of the cut back of film from the Great Yellow Father it seemed to be the thing to do. I didn't count a few rolls of aerial roll film stashed in the deep freeze or chemicals.
    Here's what I've got:
    UNOPENED BOXES
    25 sheets 8x10 AZO F2s
    100 sheets 8x10 AZO F3s
    25 sheets 8x10 TMY un improved (for some reason I thought I had 50 sheets )
    50 sheets of 8x10 TXP
    8 rolls of Verichrome Pan 120
    OPENED BOXES
    ? sheets 8x10 AZO F2s

    Of the non-Kodak films & papers I have on hand:
    UNOPENED BOXES
    200 sheets 8x10 Arista.edu Ultra
    25 sheets 8x10 Ilford FP-4+
    100 sheets 8x10 Foma Fomabrom N111
    100 sheets 8x10 Arista APH
    50 sheets 8x10 Efke PL25M
    25 sheets 8x10 Fotokemika EMAKS G2 glossy
    25 sheets 8x10 Arista Classic Fiber G4 glossy
    25 sheets 8x10 Arista Classic Fiber G2 matte
    250 sheets 8x10 Arista Classic Fiber G2 glossy
    25 sheets 8x10 Forte Fortepan 200
    25 sheets 5x7 Ilford HP-5+
    OPENED BOXES
    ? sheets 8x10 Tura VC resin coated semi matte
    ? sheets 8x10 Ilford Ilfobrome Galerie FB G2 glossy
    ? sheets 5x7 Arista Pro 400

    It dosen't look like Kodak's departure from the 8x10 market is likely to cause me any grief. How is it going to effect you?
    "I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority"---EB White

  2. #2

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    Re: I take an inventory...

    The effect on me is going to be the urge to sell my opened box of tmax 100 8x10. I don't want to waste anymore time shooting this film now that it will be hard to get, especially when I didn't love it in the first place.

  3. #3

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    Re: I take an inventory...

    I agree John,
    my fridge and freezer were all yellow when I stocked up before the 2007 change over in Tri-x production. As that stock dwindled in the last year or so, I have slowly gone white.

    Kodak's announcement will not effect me much.

    I do worry about people like Jim Kitchen who has 8x10 Tmax mastered like few others.
    It will be interesting to see if he moves to TXP, which prints well but scans like shit, or to HP-5 which scans better than TXP.

  4. #4

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    Re: I take an inventory...

    Any photographer worth his salt will be able convert to a different film/developer combination and never slow up.

  5. #5

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    Re: I take an inventory...

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Noel View Post
    Any photographer worth his salt will be able convert to a different film/developer combination and never slow up.
    If you search these forums and see exactly how much Jim Kitchen knows about Tmax, you will understand better this comment above. He's put an enormous amount of work into it, beyond what most photographers would ever consider as their "good enough" stopping point. For some people a deep understanding of their tools is part of their process, for others maybe that is not as important.

  6. #6

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    Re: I take an inventory...

    John K,

    Let's just say that at the age of 52, I expect to be shooting 35mm, 120/220, 5x7, 8x10 and 7x17 for quite a few more years. Next year, I become an empty nester. The PLAN is to take 2-4 photo trips/year. My inventory of yellow FILM boxes will last almost 10 years. My inventory of yellow Azo boxes will last my lifetime, and then some. I expect my inventory of 8x20 Lodima will also last my lifetime. My inventory of photographic chemicals should outlast me. Hell, I even have extra incandescent lightbulbs on hand to contact print the Azo/Lodima.

    It has taken me a little over 5 years to pull this all together. When I think of how much I have invested in 8x10 and 7x17 cameras, holders and lenses it just made sense to me to have a stockpile of the consumables on hand.

    So, I'm not worried, just glad I planned ahead.

    PS, I think of it as "pre-funding" my retirement. :-)

  7. #7

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    Re: I take an inventory...

    Quote Originally Posted by John Bowen View Post
    John K,

    Let's just say that at the age of 52, I expect to be shooting 35mm, 120/220, 5x7, 8x10 and 7x17 for quite a few more years. Next year, I become an empty nester. The PLAN is to take 2-4 photo trips/year. My inventory of yellow FILM boxes will last almost 10 years. My inventory of yellow Azo boxes will last my lifetime, and then some. I expect my inventory of 8x20 Lodima will also last my lifetime. My inventory of photographic chemicals should outlast me. Hell, I even have extra incandescent lightbulbs on hand to contact print the Azo/Lodima.

    It has taken me a little over 5 years to pull this all together. When I think of how much I have invested in 8x10 and 7x17 cameras, holders and lenses it just made sense to me to have a stockpile of the consumables on hand.

    So, I'm not worried, just glad I planned ahead.

    PS, I think of it as "pre-funding" my retirement. :-)
    At my rate of fire, I could be well stocked with film & paper to last me until I clock out, but I find that my preferences aren't static. I know in the future I'll be shooting more 8x10 HP-5+ (of which I am currently out of) and printing more on Fomabrom N111----and this isn't taking into account ULF, 5x7 & 4x5 formats
    "I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority"---EB White

  8. #8

    Re: I take an inventory...

    Quote Originally Posted by John Bowen View Post
    John K,

    Let's just say that at the age of 52, I expect to be shooting 35mm, 120/220, 5x7, 8x10 and 7x17 for quite a few more years. Next year, I become an empty nester. The PLAN is to take 2-4 photo trips/year. My inventory of yellow FILM boxes will last almost 10 years. My inventory of yellow Azo boxes will last my lifetime, and then some. I expect my inventory of 8x20 Lodima will also last my lifetime. My inventory of photographic chemicals should outlast me. Hell, I even have extra incandescent lightbulbs on hand to contact print the Azo/Lodima.

    It has taken me a little over 5 years to pull this all together. When I think of how much I have invested in 8x10 and 7x17 cameras, holders and lenses it just made sense to me to have a stockpile of the consumables on hand.

    So, I'm not worried, just glad I planned ahead.

    PS, I think of it as "pre-funding" my retirement. :-)
    I believe that I am almost in as good a shape as John with materials. Add 11x14 and 8x20 to the mix instead of 7x17 and we are just about next of kin.

    I would go crazy buying a box or two of film or paper and small lots of chemistry at a time.

  9. #9
    Hack Pawlowski6132's Avatar
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    Re: I take an inventory...

    Holy crap. Are you guys kidding? If not, I have some questions:

    What is your process/motivation for buying film/paper/chemicals? Do you just continue to build inventory or, did you build up to a predetermined inventory and now you're just in replenishment mode?

    Do you earn a living from your photography?

    Why do you stock so much? Are you trying to buy current products in anticipation of, for example, the recent Kodak announcement or, are you constantly hoarding already discontinued products like AZO?

    Will either of you sell me some 8x10 TXP and/or AZO?




    Quote Originally Posted by Michael Kadillak View Post
    I believe that I am almost in as good a shape as John with materials. Add 11x14 and 8x20 to the mix instead of 7x17 and we are just about next of kin.

    I would go crazy buying a box or two of film or paper and small lots of chemistry at a time.

  10. #10

    Re: I take an inventory...

    Quote Originally Posted by Pawlowski6132 View Post
    Holy crap. Are you guys kidding? If not, I have some questions:

    What is your process/motivation for buying film/paper/chemicals? Do you just continue to build inventory or, did you build up to a predetermined inventory and now you're just in replenishment mode?

    Do you earn a living from your photography?

    Why do you stock so much? Are you trying to buy current products in anticipation of, for example, the recent Kodak announcement or, are you constantly hoarding already discontinued products like AZO?

    Will either of you sell me some 8x10 TXP and/or AZO?

    John can state his rational for his inventory building.

    If I am not mistaken we went through this subject in a post previously and you stated very clearly that you had absolutely no interest in buying forward. Your post has me more than a bit confused.

    Do I make a living in photography? - No. And in this market I am damn glad that I don't.

    I own my own business in another industry.

    For years I have gone out of my way to stock my favorite photographic materials and chemicals simply because: 1) I do not want to put my desire to participate in LF/ULF to be dictated by events that I cannot predict or control and 2) I want to show my support for analog photography with action and the only language that matters in this dialog comes from my pocketbook. About every three months I make a serious materials purchase so this is a regular activity for me. It is like I have an insurance policy against the unknown and for me anyway, it feels very good. This is an extension of how I invest and live my life.

    The good news is that you can still buy Lodima and TXP so you do not have to ask anyone to sell you anything.

    People do not plan to fail, they fail to plan....

    Last edited by Michael Kadillak; 11-Dec-2010 at 20:47. Reason: typo

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