Tag: film

Kodak discontinues ReadyLoads

Nicolai Grossman Leave a comment

Kodak says:

Due to significantly declining sales volume, Kodak is preannouncing the discontinuance of READYLOAD Single-Sheet Packets for four films.

The items listed below will be discontinued by year-end 2008. However, inventories may run out before then, depending on demand.

Please note: This preannounced discontinuance applies to Readyload format only. Other cut sheet sizes, such as 4×5 and 8×10, are not affected. [emphasis added so no-one freaks out]

READYLOAD Discontinuances:

  • KODAK PROFESSIONAL T-MAX 100 Film
  • KODAK PROFESSIONAL PORTRA 160VC Film
  • KODAK PROFESSIONAL EKTACHROME Film E100G
  • KODAK PROFESSIONAL EKTACHROME Film E100VS
  • KODAK PROFESSIONAL READYLOAD Packet Film Holder

No Polaroid B&W pack film from Ilford

Nicolai Grossman 4 Comments

According to this post from Ilford/Harman on APUG, Ilford will not assume production of Polaroid’s discontinued black and white peel-apart/pack films:

Dear All,

I have been out for a few days and several of you have sent me PM’s re POLAROID : Please see below :

April 18th, 2008, Mobberley, Cheshire UK and Minnetonka, MN, USA — HARMAN technology Limited and its monochrome brand, ILFORD Photo and Polaroid Worldwide have been in discussions about ILFORD Photo taking on production of Polaroid’s black and white professional instant sheet film. Despite their best efforts, together the prospective partners have determined that they can not find a commercially viable way forward.

HARMAN’s Chairman and Managing Director, Phil Harris said. "The processes involved in the manufacture and assembly of professional instant sheet film products are very demanding and it would require substantial investment to re-establish them at HARMAN technology’s site in Cheshire, England. When compared with current and projected sales for the products, it was clear that such an investment could not be justified."

Phil Harris continues: "While we had hoped to work together on continuing the production of instant sheet film, it is cost prohibitive to meet the declining demand. As a company, we are saddened that such an inspirational form of expression will disappear, but we will always remain staunchly committed to the long term future of monochrome photography in all its facets and we will continue to do everything we can to support it".

Simon ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology Limited

I’m not worried. Fuji’s FP-100B and FP-3000B are drop-in replacements for Polaroid’s ISO 100 and 3000 black and white pack films, and they’re cheaper! And personally, I like them better anyway. (Fuji also has an ISO 100 color pack film, FP-100C. Same goes: still available, cheaper, and IMO nicer. It’s the loss of Polaroid’s integral films, 600 and Spectra/779 that I’m crying over.)

Making sense of Jobo daylight film processing tanks

Nicolai Grossman 1 Comment

The Jobo daylight film processing system seems confusing at first, and their web site is an unhelpful mess, but IMO it’s worth working through, because the stuff is good and does what it says it’s going to do well. Here’s what I have (all link to B&H):

#2561 tank with magnet base, holds 2 x 4×5 reels (12 sheets total), or 4 reels of 120, 220, or 127, or 6 reels of 135. You can get extension tubes for this tank to make it huge if you want to. There is a variant of this tank with a cog, which I’ve heard sucks for inversion and roller base processing, so unless you’re going to get the fancy temperature controller processor, stick with the magnet.

#2509N sheet film reel, holds up to 6 sheets. (Also holds 9x12cm.)

#2502 adjustable reel, fits 135, 127, 120, and 220 (you can gang up 2 rolls of 120 onto a single reel).

#1509 manual roller base, not necessary if you opt to use more chemistry and do inversion.

This gives me a nice, flexible system that will handle 135 through 4×5 in the same tank for not a lot of money. I’ve been really happy with it so far, I like it better than the Paterson system I was using for 135 and 120 and the dreaded Combi-Plan (of which I wrote a very profane review and follow-up).

There’s also the #2508 sheet film loader base (requires a film guide), which is meant to make loading sheet film easier, but I’ve never used it.

If you want to go fancier, there’s the Jobo expert drums, which are for sheet film only. I’ve heard they’re unbelievably easy to load, people seem to really love them, but they are more expensive, and I haven’t used them and can’t comment on them, either.

How to use 120 film in a 616 camera

Nicolai Grossman Leave a comment

Check out this how-to on using 120 film in a 616 camera from Gayla

Six-16 film is pretty near impossible to find and when you do the developing cost is high and probably not worth the expense. Here’s how I modified 120 film spools to fit inside a 616 camera. Keep in mind that 616 film is much taller than 120 film. As a result you will end up with images that are shorter, but long, not unlike panoramic shots…

Continue reading at Making Happy

We are fucked: Polaroid stops making film, for real

Nicolai Grossman 10 Comments

It looks like the sky really as fallen: Polaroid are getting out of the film business.

This article on Boston.com says:

The Norwood and Waltham plants make large-format films used by professional photographers and artists. Polaroid also makes professional-grade films in Mexico, and its consumer film packs come from a factory in the Netherlands. All these plants are slated for closure this year. Polaroid chief operating officer Tom Beaudoin said the company is interested in licensing its technology to an outside firm that could manufacture film for faithful Polaroid customers. If that doesn’t happen, Polaroid users would have to find an alternative photo technology, as the company plans to make only enough film to last into next year.

Fuji makes nice pack/peel-apart films (that I actually like better than Polaroid’s). But where does that leave us for Spectra and 600? Fucked!

Oh, did I mention? FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!!!

Podcast interview about Kodak’s new T-MAX 400 film

Nicolai Grossman 1 Comment

Photo News Today‘s Dennis Hays says:

After meeting both John Sexton and [Kodak’s] Scott DiSabato at the 2007 Photoplus Expo in New York, I sit down with them and discuss the introduction of the new [see previous post] T-MAX-400 B&W film. John goes into some detail regarding the films ability and his impressions from use.

As more and more digital cameras are introduced, I wanted to find what Kodak’s thinking was in introducing a new film and who the possible users are. Also, John discusses his workflow with the film and how and why he uses film for his work. A fascinating chat with two ends of the spectrum—a film manufacturer and a film user.

Listen: Direct MP3 link or podcast page (length: 31:56)

Kodak discontinue HIE infrared, Ektachrome 64 & 100 films

Nicolai Grossman Leave a comment

Kodak’s film discontinuance notice says:

KODAK is preannouncing the discontinuance of several smaller running families of Professional film – EPR, EPN and High Speed Infrared (HIE) effective end of December 2007. Demand for these products has been declining significantly in recent years, and it is no longer practical to continue to manufacture given the low volume, the age of the product formulations and the complexity of the processes involved.

We will continue to ship product through the end of this year.

These discontinuances are effective in all countries worldwide, with one exception: KODAK PROFESSIONAL EKTACHROME 64 Film / EPR will continue to ship to Japan beyond 2007.

The suggested replacement for KODAK PROFESSIONAL EKTACHROME 64 Film / EPR is
KODAK PROFESSIONAL EKTACHROME Film E100G or E100GX.

The suggested replacement for KODAK PROFESSIONAL EKTACHROME 100 Film / EPN is KODAK PROFESSIONAL EKTACHROME Film E100G or
KODAK PROFESSIONAL EKTACHROME 100 Plus Film / EPP.

Ektachrome 64 will probably still be available through Megaperls Webshop (at greater cost, of course), who sell Japan-only film photo products to the rest of the world.

DIY Polaroid peel-apart film drying rack

Nicolai Grossman 4 Comments

Dealing with Polaroid peel-apart film in the field is a bit of a pain, because once you peel it, you need to think of something to do with the print, and protect it from dust, bugs, and dirt, whilst it dries. Some of them are pretty fast, but some, like 669, seem to take ages. This is why I seldom shoot pack film out and about, it’s just too cumbersome.

As you can see above, David D solved this problem elegantly and cheaply. Sweet, I can’t wait to try this!