Film is coming back but where's the film?

[bugmenot]

I'm on my last remaining rolls of film ...

Fortunately, there is at least one photography shop in Vancouver that still stocks and sells just about every film and paper in production today, along with many out of production that have yet to expire.
Beau Photo: http://www.beauphoto.com/frames/filmfrm.html ... Look under "Pricelists ---> Film, Chemistry & Darkroom Papers (PDF)".

Who said film was dead?

Now if only the cost of developing film wasn't so high ...

[KM-25]

Film is making a comeback as a niche for artists and pros who use it for personal projects not to mention fine art, some real world feedback:

http://www.apug.org/forums/forum390/...h-version.html

So where do you find it, same places you are best to be looking for the past TEN YEARS BRO!!! Freestyle, Adorama, B&H, etc. Plenty of film in stock, plenty of us using it too instead of posting this same old tired crap all over the internet on multiple sites ( LUF ) just to be the center of attention.

[Colin Corneau]

Originally Posted by Jamie123

What in the world are you going on about??

I was wondering that, myself. Sounds like someone's been sniffing the fixer.

Show me one business that hasn't undergone some change in the past decade (heck, five years even).

Ilford for one is in it for the long haul. Not for nothing is Kodak's film line its few (or only) profitable division, still.

The world changes. Smart business sees it, prepares for it and rolls with it. No big change there.

[paulfish4570]

freestyle still has film. i ordered some today ...

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Originally Posted by paulfish4570

freestyle still has film. i ordered some today ...

I buy most of my film from Freestyle, they carry everything, even obscure things like Foma film that local stores never carry in the USA. I just got a box from them today with 12 rolls of 120 film. I also bought 4 rolls of another film at the local camera store yesterday.

[George Bonanno]

Never mind film but what about flashbulbs ?
They haven't been made in decades but I'm still able to get them at reasonable prices.
And I mean by the case. Please don't mention that company in Ireland.
They are expensive and meant for special applications.
What I'm trying to say is that film will be available for decades to come.
Probably well after we're all dead.
Although limited in variety we will just adapt to availability and press on.

Ya know, on the other hand... digital isn't looking so bad.

[George Bonanno]

Yeah, I know... the truth hurts.

[J. Borger]

Never ever have problems getting film. Buying online is in all circumstances the cheapest and most convenient way. I have most of the stuff i want in 24 hours. But am never far away from any roll of kodak or Ilford film i want if i am short of itl (I live in the Netherlands close to the German border).

I do not know about the film revival but are amazed by the huge amount of YOUNG people i run into regularly who switched from digital to film.
And i am not refering to lomo type of photographers.
There is also a vast and rising interest in old printing processes, wet plate photography etc. if i look around me.....yes i see a revival and growing interest in filmphotography.

[michaelbialecki]

Over here in Bangkok I pay about 1.50-1.75 USD for Kodak Pro Image 100.....it's basically the only film I shoot besides Tri-X....when I was in San Francisco last month, I saw the same film for 5.00 USD and it was advertised as something to the effect of "cheap, pro quality film" ......it costs me about 3.00 USD to develop and scan the film.......I feel like I have it pretty good over here as far as what prices I have seen elsewhere in the world......

that said, with all the talk about Kodak and stuff, I'm going to buy A LOT of film this week just because it's readily available, I have space in my refrigerator and I plan on shooting A LOT more over the next couple of months .....

Cheers, michael

[Roger Hicks]

Ilford has just bought their own cassette-making machine. This tells me that (a) cassette demand worldwide is presumably still falling quite fast, or they'd not worry about supplies, and (b) Ilford is in it for the long run.

Cheers,

R.

[c.poulton]

Originally Posted by Roger Hicks

Ilford has just bought their own cassette-making machine. This tells me that (a) cassette demand worldwide is presumably still falling quite fast, or they'd not worry about supplies, and (b) Ilford is in it for the long run.

Cheers,

R.

Hmm, I would like to take this as good news, at least in the sense that Ilford are committed to film production for the long term future, what ever happens to Kodak or Fujifilm......

[thegman]

I found this an interesting and promising read about film at Photokina:

http://www.apug.org/forums/forum390/...h-version.html

[paulfish4570]

thank you, thegman ...

[DtheG]

Film will be around as a medium for artists for as long as there is demand. But the everyday photography, mass market has gone digital. So the market is much smaller, more specialised, it will cost more because it will serve a niche market with limited economies of scale.

[J. Borger]

Originally Posted by thegman

I found this an interesting and promising read about film at Photokina:

http://www.apug.org/forums/forum390/...h-version.html

Great and encouraging read!!

[jtm6]

Film at my local pro shop is about $0.50 to $1.50 more per roll vs. B&H. Film at the local university bookstore's art department is at least 2X more per roll than at B&H. When I want to get gouged, I go to Urban Outfitters where film and toy cameras cost even more (3X+). I've heard students say they love using film but they can't afford it... When the prices at at $10 to $15 for a warm roll, I can see why.

[thegman]

Originally Posted by jtm6

Film at my local pro shop is about $0.50 to $1.50 more per roll vs. B&H. Film at the local university bookstore's art department is at least 2X more per roll than at B&H. When I want to get gouged, I go to Urban Outfitters where film and toy cameras cost even more. I've heard students say they love using film but they can't afford it. When the prices start at $10 to $15 for a warm roll, I can see why.

This has always been the case for most products though, retail is expensive. If I want to pay £55 for a bottle of Lagavulin, I buy at my local shop. If I want it for £43, I buy at a shop a few tube stops away, or online.

[eleskin]

I went digital a few years ago with the Leica M8 and will probably buy the new M. However, within the past year, I bought a B&J 8x10 camera and an Industar 300 mm and a Konica Hexanon GR 2 150mm. Why? Scanned, this is equal to 1000 megapixels as well as the unique "look" of large format. There is no cost effective replacement for large format unless you want to stitch images or buy very expensive scanning backs. Most of the time I use my digital M but I am comforted by the fact that in certain situations, I can pull out my heavy artillery and shoot 8"x10" film!

[Gumby]

Originally Posted by PKR

What, turning into another film vs. digital thread?

Well let's fix that... how about a flash bulb v strobe discussion?

[Ronald M]

[quote=braver;1983116]The big ones have their production lines all set up for massive volume. Massive volumes of color negative film also. They have to make changes to keep smaller volumes of a different b&w/color mix viable. It's an entirely different market now, not everyone is ready for it.[/QUOTE

Which is why Kodak will have trouble selling film and paper division. I suspect it will go for give away prices. It also would be very complicated to move as it is all anchored to bedrock.

Ilford can make smaller runs of monochrome film. Color a whole new ball game and probably 10x more complicated.

Fewer and fewer paper prints are being made. I don`t know where that leaves the paper division.

I hope for the best, expect the worst.

[Photo_Smith]

I'm always hearing about lines being 'set up for massive volume' which isn't really true, possibly partly but certainly not the main reason.
Both Kodak and Ilford have the standard 54" wide coating machines. The Coaters can coat a maximum of 11,000 ft and a minimum of 2000. Ilford representatives have said they need to coat 5000ft of master before they make a profit, so in order to make it cost effective to coat they need to make around 25,000 rolls of 135.

Kodak have the added issue of coating colour emulsions some of which include some very esoteric chemicals, acutance dyes chemical scavengers etc which obviously pushes up the cost per finished unit.

That said they have the most efficient plant, and if we compare like for like emulsions Kodak have lower costs than any of the remaining players for the final end product.

The problem is in a contracting market is for companies to cut the cloth of production so that the end product produced match sales. With digital pretty much directly eating films lunch it makes it hard for companies to make long term strategies for future production.

Kodak's film unit is profitable and the film sells well and often is competitively priced compared to other players and yet they still make a good profit from falling sales–this isn't a case of an inefficient manufacture, there are other reasons for Kodak's failing.

[mfunnell]

Originally Posted by Photo_Smith

there are other reasons for Kodak's failing.

And if we counted the ways, this would end up a very long thread.

...Mike

[caasols]

Originally Posted by magicianhisoka

I just wish I could buy film at a reasonable price here in Portugal. In the meantime, I'm burning whatever I have left.

And you can buy film at reasonable prices in Portugal, at least the most famous like tri-x, t-max and hp5.

If you need tri-x, contact me.

[jtm6]

Originally Posted by thegman

This has always been the case for most products though, retail is expensive. If I want to pay £55 for a bottle of Lagavulin, I buy at my local shop. If I want it for £43, I buy at a shop a few tube stops away, or online.

I probably should have posted actual prices. If you can buy it at a good shop or online for £43, using my example it would cost over £100 at store that sells it to the university crowd.

[paulfish4570]

i have 1.5 rolls of 120 hp5 left. but a small shipment of 35mm is on the way from freestyle ...