Sheet Film Availability

[steve simmons]

Every now and then someone comes on a discussion grup and pronounces that film is dead, film is gone, etc., etc. Nonsense. There are more sheet fils currently available than any of us will ever use.

In the Jan/Feb 05 issue of View Camera we've made a chart showing all of the currently available sheet films we could find.And in the Free Articles section of the View Camera web site we are posting a PDF with all of the 5x7/13x18 films that we could find (this will be up in a day or two).

I hope these silly posts will stop. They do not do anything positive for the lf community.

steve simmons
www.viewcamera.com

[steve simmons]

I meant the Jan/Feb 06 issue.

steve simmons

[Gem Singer]

Hi Steve,

I did not see Ilford HP-5+ listed on the chart on page 66 of the latest issue of VC. Has the newly re-organized Ilford company decided to discontinue that film?

[Ted Harris]

Eugene, A quick search of several providers indicates that most have HP5 currently in stock in 4x5, 5x7 and 8x10.

[steve simmons]

HP5+ is readi;y available in 4x5, 5x7 and 8x10. I will update the chart today and put the correction on the web site.

steve simmons

[Andrew O'Neill]

I cannot see Ilford discontinuing production of HP5+ as it is their MAIN film...as far as I'm concerned. I'll pick up an issue of VC at local book store...thanks, Steve.

[John Kasaian]

I agree with Steve. The merchants I order film and supplies from are well stocked and currently offer more emulsions than anytime in the past that I can remember. While Agfa has parted ways and apparently Kodak's CEO harbors considerable hostility towards film as indicated by a recent interview, these events are more than 'countered' by the reorganization and revitalization of both Ilford and Forte, and the availability of Foma and J and C's 'House' brand.

Cheers!

[tim atherton]

"I meant the Jan/Feb 06 issue."

Hey - Steve - it wouldn't be View Camera if there wasn't a typo... ;-)

[darr]

I'm in Florida and have not received the Jan/Feb 06 issue. When was it mailed?

[steve simmons]

About 10 days ago.

Call to check on your sub

505-899-8054 m-f 8-5 mountain time

[Jeff Morfit]

I have not received my Jan/Feb 06 issue of VC as of yet either, Darr. I live in Virginia, and as a general rule my copy of VC usually arrives during the middle of the month around this time. However, since today is a holiday I expect it should be arriving in the mail by Thursday at the latest. Probably the same for you in Florida.

[William Mortensen]

Actually, I agree with Paul Strand; large format has been pretty much dead since the 1937 when they discontinued the last commercial platinum paper...

Strand complained often that just as he was getting fond of any particular printing paper, it was discontinued. But there was always another. We could probably have a sizeable thread earlier photographers complaining that their favorite materials had disappeared.

The more things change, the more they stay the same...

[BrianShaw]

Me neither. But it always seems to take a long tome to get to Los Angles.

[bglick]

Steve, whats wrong with sharing information regarding the "state of affairs" of our field? Isn't that the purpose of this forum?

If one doesn't agree or doesn't care, don't read the threads?

Once again, why can't you let the readers decide for themselves what's nonsense and what's important? Or is your continued method of

"new posts on the same thread"

a means to represent finality on each topic?

[steve simmons]

I do not think that 'film is dead' is an accurate picture. I simply presented another point of view. Now let people decide.

steve simmons

[William Mortensen]

I can't speak for Steve, but I think there's a general philosophy (not shared by all, of course) that by frequently repeating the "death of film, ergo large format photography," it becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy.

This forum has often been frequented by newcomers to lf looking for information and advice. Will they make a commitment of buying equipment and starting a whole new learning curve after reading right on the Large Format Forum the large format film photography is on its way out?

Besides being photographers/artists/whatever, we are also ambassadors/promoters/whatever for our sort of work. The nature and process of our imagery, our willingness to share our work, knowledge, enthusiasm, etc. will draw others into large format. It's what drew many of *us* to it, and it's what still keeps many of us here. It's up to us to keep it going, or to let it whither. At this point (and as far as anyone can see ahead), lack of film will not prevent a single photographer, veteran or newcomer, from starting an exciting new body of work. Pronouncements that film is dead might.

[C.A]

I think Fuji and Kodak may slow down their film manufacturing due to them having their fingers in too many pies, but that will leave a gap in the market for smaller companies who only make film and nothing else. Film can't disappear altogether as it's need in hospitals, movies, and other specialist fields. It's ironic that large film manufactures like Fuji and Kodak has destroyed their own film based industry with them pushing digital. Joe public don't need to buy a new film every time they want to take some snaps, now they can re-use their memory cards over and over again saving them money and killing Fuji and Kodak's film sales.

[bglick]

C. Alex It's interesting that Fuji and Kodak did not have the forsight that a company such as Canon had. The film companies had the most too loose....but the big giants often snooze too long, and in this high tech world, sometimes its hard even for the big giants to enter a market too late. Just think, Microsoft was perfectly positioned to be the next Google, as they were worth billions when Google was just a garage company. But it did not happen, and Google today is worth billions.

Of course, the replacement of film by digital, is only an early rush of revenue, once the market is proliferated with cameras, sales will level off, and the continued loss of film sales can not be recovered. The entire photographic process simply becomes more economical for the user. Similar to the oil companies if a new fuel additive came along that would make cars get 150 mpg. Although not practical, if it happened, it would destroy the oil companies. Demand would be cut 80%. These huge companies start fighting over a tiny piece of the pie. Casualties result.

I think Kodak and Fuji also missed out on the in-house printing market, as Epson and Canon beat them to that market also, quite often replacing Kodak and Fuji papers used in the lab.

I started another thread regarding how hard is it to make color film. I think this will determine just how long fim will be around. If the process can be handled by small companies with limited capital, then film will surely be around for our lifetime. But I never had a good feel for this, hopefully, some knowledgable posters will shed some light on this....