Kodak bankruptcy soon inevitable?

[MWitmann]

Today i was hit by a very heavy frustrating and "almost confirmed" news: Kodak is very near to declare bankruptcy in the 2012.

I saw another thread about the news of the discontinued 8x10 Ektar 100 and 320, which has become "special orders".

Considering that recently i've invested something like 5000eur in a LF setup, and that i shot film from the beginning of my photographic experience, i must confess that i really don't know what to feel or bealive...

I feel somehow raped, because slowly the digital photography seem to force everybody to the use of it...but...i really don't want to.

Sincerely, what will be the future? We all have to sell our gear for nothing, due to the future lack of film (or keep it on a shelf, like a home made museum), or pay 100$ for a box of 10 sheets?

There are many signs that something is clearly going down and for me the paranoia recently became a normal state of mind....

what do you think?

[John Kasaian]

Shoot Ilford, Fuji, Foma, Orwo, or x-ray film and be happpy?

[MWitmann]

Shoot Ilford, Fuji, Foma, Orwo, or x-ray film and be happpy?

I've bought the LF setup in order to shoot color negative; also on medium format and 35mm i've almost always used color negative.

I'd feel even more raped if i'll have just one option (BW), which isn't even one of my preferences.

I mean...i've heard of many people stashing film in their freezers, but i really don't think that this would be more than a temporary solution.

Considering that Kodak is the only color negative producer still on the market (correct me if i'm wrong), and that it seems near bankruptcy, i can't see how i would be able to be happy or calm, because i'm starting to feel that the joy of photograph is becoming more some kind of partisanship, a guerrilla in which you have to use only what you find under the rocks, not a joy.

[Gary Tarbert]

Shoot Ilford, Fuji, Foma, Orwo, or x-ray film and be happpy?

Remember Agfa ?? I think just because Kodak is an American company it hits home harder. I see a day when only the Efke 'S ilfords of the world will be supporting film in B&W and Fuji will be the the only colour alternative which the movie industry still uses and Fuji now will be their only source .BTW i love Acros so i hope i'm wrong Cheers Gary

[Roger Cole]

Try Ilford B&W film. As Steve Anchell says in his film developing cookbook - It is a film to measure all others by.

While personally I agree - I don't want to see Kodak go away and will really mourn the loss of Tri-X, I can do the majority of my photography quite happily with Ilford film and various brands of chemicals and paper.

BUT - the OP prefers color neg. In LF, there just isn't much other choice than Kodak. Fuji is hard to get, or at least very expensive if you import it from Japan. Of course it's possible they would start selling C-41 LF film here if Kodak stopped.

Even in smaller formats, for color I too prefer Portra 400 and Ektar 100. They're simply amazing films, and I do shoot some color. I'd hate to lose them, but if I do I will still shoot 35mm and MF color using Fuji.

It's more than a bit premature though. Bankruptcy does not, in itself, mean the end of Kodak or Kodak materials. It would allow them to restructure, possibly get out from under huge health care and pension obligations (which would truly suck for retirees, but help them continue operations) and the film division is still profitable. It's far from over yet.

[Steve Smith]

Considering that Kodak is the only color negative producer still on the market (correct me if i'm wrong)

Fujifilm?


Steve.

[MWitmann]

Try Ilford B&W film. As Steve Anchell says in his film developing cookbook - It is a film to measure all others by.

i have to say it once more: for my work i'm not interested in BW, my needs are connected to color, especially color negative.

For me using Ilford or any other BW support instead of color, is like going out with the desire of a vanilla ice cream but finally have mexican food; this isn't a solution.

Recently they put on market the new Portra formula, now the 4x5 format of the new Portra dosen't list anymore on their official website; the Ektar 4x5 is listed, but out of stock.

http://www.kodak.com/ek/US/en/Kodak_...Subsidiary.htm

[Roger Cole]

Considering that Kodak is the only color negative producer still on the market (correct me if i'm wrong)

Fujifilm?


Steve.

I missed that comment.

Steve of course is correct. Fuji also makes color neg, it's just hard to get in sheet film sizes in the US, though it is sold in Japan and you can import it yourself, IF you want to pay the price.

Lucky also apparently makes C-41 film in China. There was some discussion of this on APUG a while back. I've been unable to find it here, even on eBay, to experiment with, while Lucky B&W is easy to get. Someone on APUG sent me his last roll of 35mm Lucky C-41. I haven't shot it yet, but I think it is made in China.

In that case I was interested in something with a less saturated more pastel rendering, though - which it may or may not have but it doesn't matter if I can't get it. Even Fuji doesn't have anything like Ektar or anything as good as the new Portras though.

Hey, maybe if Kodak dies and Fuji wants to continue primarily with transparency they will bring back Astia and type R paper. A guy can dream, can't he?

[MWitmann]

I missed that comment.

Steve of course is correct. Fuji also makes color neg, it's just hard to get in sheet film sizes in the US, though it is sold in Japan and you can import it yourself, IF you want to pay the price.

Lucky also apparently makes C-41 film in China. There was some discussion of this on APUG a while back. I've been unable to find it here, even on eBay, to experiment with, while Lucky B&W is easy to get. Someone on APUG sent me his last roll of 35mm Lucky C-41. I haven't shot it yet, but I think it is made in China.

In that case I was interested in something with a less saturated more pastel rendering, though - which it may or may not have but it doesn't matter if I can't get it. Even Fuji doesn't have anything like Ektar or anything as good as the new Portras though.

Hey, maybe if Kodak dies and Fuji wants to continue primarily with transparency they will bring back Astia and type R paper. A guy can dream, can't he?

Yes, i'm aware of the fuji alternative, but, as you stated, this isn't the easiest film to get, in sheet format.

And for how long also the Fuji solution would be on the market? or the Ilford ?

The quickload system is dead, both for Kodak&Fuji; the new Portra formula (which can be considered a "toddler") is also....dead or almost.

The Ektar 100, also a fresh product, out of stock.

The Fuji available mostly as slide, not negative.

If Kodak intends to sell their patents to third part maybe could be a solution. If Fuji will speculate the situation and monopolize the LF color sheet film market, will be also ok.

But we have to consider that shooting LF will become a very exclusive process, even more than now, because also the prices will blow up considerably...

I thought about the Polaroid situation, and about how the "Impossible Project" took over the business, but they are selling more lomographic film, made by expired chemicals and so on, far away from being an "exact medium".

In the worst case scenario (no more kodak color films etc) i think that someone probably will take the business, but would be more a "family" business, like for the Impossible Project and, if you want, the Ebony cameras, where, in both cases, the prices are damn high.

[Jeff Dexheimer]

If there is a void and a profit to be made, someone will fill the void.