Downloaded the following press release from the Kodak website. Thought those of you still preferring to go with the Great Yellow One would be interested: Kodak will significantly increase production of sheet film in a variety of sizes, company spokesman Buddy Herschel announced today. The move will include introduction of color negative and transparency film in sizes previously unavailable, as well as a marked increase in the selection of black and white emulsions for large format users. “This decision was driven purely by economics,” Herschel announced: “Kodak sees sheet film as a major growth area for us over the next five years, as an increasing number of hobbyists and advanced amateurs are turning to the use of large format cameras. “ Specifically, Kodak will re-introduce its popular TMAX 100 and TMAX 400 emulsions in the 5X7 format, as well as its Portra line of color negative films. Re-introduction of a variety of transparency films in 5X7 is also under consideration. Tri-X and TMAX 100 will now be available with no minimum order in 11X14, 12X20, 20X24, 14X17, 7X17, 8X20, full-plate, half-plate and quarter-plate. Mammoth plate sheets will be available with a minimum order of three boxes of 25 sheets in Tri-X only. In a related move, Herschel also announced that Kodak would steeply reduce its production of 35 mm film stock: “We simply do not see this as an area of continued profitability for the company. However, in an effort to accommodate our small camera customers, a limited selection of our more popular emulsions will remain available as ‘Trim ‘n’ Shoot’ kits.” The Trim ‘n’ Shoot kits, to be available in Tri-X and Portra emulsions only, consist of a sheet of 12X20 film supplied with a pair of yellow scissors and a “Film Guide” measuring 24 X 36 mm. “We thought this compromise move made sense both for our customers and for the company. The 12X20 format is projected to be our biggest growth area in the next few years,” explained Herschel. Minimum order size for the Trim ‘n’ Shoot kits will be 700 units. Herschel further suggested that Kodak is strongly considering the re-introduction of machine-coated Platinum and Palladium papers, discontinued by the company in 1914. “Alternative process is another area where we see tremendous growth potential. It’s really very exciting,” he noted. For those of you interested in following the link yourselves, they have a complete list of the new emulsions to be introduced at http://www.kodak.com/April/Fool’s/lfusersneedtolightenupalready. Enjoy!

Nathan Congdon

-- Nathan Congdon (ncongdon@jhmi.edu), April 01, 2002

Answers

April fool?

-- David Grandy (dgrandy@grandyphoto.com), April 01, 2002.

Bravo! A most imaginative hallucination indeed. May I suggest that you take a few of my tablets of risperidone, or as a traditionalist would you prefer a hand-coated sheet impregnated with haloperidol (Arches or Cranes available with 50 mg/sheet or 100mg/sheet)? Thank-you for such a magnificent posting. Best wishes, Mark

-- Mark Nowaczynski (archivalprints@rogers.com), April 01, 2002.

This day just isn't fair...

-- David Munson (apollo@luxfragilis.com), April 01, 2002.

Wonderful.

-- Katharine Thayer (kthayer@pacifier.com), April 01, 2002.

what I would like to know is how much does a coating line cost. if all of the large format photographers that "claimed" they would use these emulsions would buy into a corporation to build a small coating line perhaps what has been written in this thread could become a reality. I am sure the base could easily be purchased from kodak and more than likely for emulsion formulas could probably also be purchased. I think the question really is, are photographers ready to put their money where their mouths are?

Kevin

-- kevin kolosky (kjkolosky@kjkolosky.com), April 01, 2002.

Please. This is not the place for screwing around even if it is April 1st. 12x20 a "Growth" market? Platinium and Palladium papers? I want to be as optimistic as possible, but this is simply over the top........ No Way Jose!

-- Michael Kadillak (m.kadillak@attbi.com), April 01, 2002.

If only......

To followup on one thread: Would it be a (just) profitable occupation (as is making lf cameras by hand) to make some of the older films we crave as well as rarer sizes of current emulsions. The lf market is not nearly so price sensitive as the mass retail market. How about Bostick and Sullivan making Ortho films or Super XX?

Alan

-- Alan Barton (cherylann.schieber@worldnet.att.net), April 01, 2002.

Nathan,

Not fair. You are not allowed to send people through fits of ecstasy and then into the depth of despair like that! ;)

Alan,

Camera building is not a terribly profitable profession. If you ask Keith Canham, he'll tell you that he loses money on his larger cameras, because of the time required. Or that is to say, he doesn't really make any profit on them. He does make a profit on the more 'normal' cameras that he makes I'm sure, or he would be out of business by now.

That is why you have to wait a year to get one of these large cameras; they are built when the production of the 'profitable' cameras is on hold for some reason, and the ULF cameras are used to 'fil in the gaps' in the regular production. That way, they are made in lost time anyway, so the negative impact is minimized. He'd be crazy to stop the production of a profitable line to fill an order for a camera that is going to lose money for him.

At least that's what he told me. Makes sense to me.

---Michael

-- Michael Mutmansky (mjmlighting@adelphia.net), April 01, 2002.

well done... well done...

I just learn that Linhof is about to launch a 4x5 kit with 210 lens.. super light weight (made of composite material)...with all the features of the famous Master Technika ...under 500.00 US$ in order to revive the LF interest...... no date was given yet... after many hours of browsing here and there... my guess is around this time next year... all we have to do is wait and wait.... :)

-- dan n. (dan@egmail.com), April 01, 2002.

I second Kevin's idea, here in Mexico salaries are a pitance so getting labor would not be a problem.....maybe a few of us should get together and try this.

-- Jorge Gasteazoro (rossorabbit@hotmail.com), April 01, 2002.

Nathan did not get the whole story:

In Kodak's news release it did state that Kodak wants to return to the "Brownie" days...You send your camera to Kodak with the exposed film inside. They remove the film, process the negative and supply you with archical AZO prints. Unfortunately this only goes for 8X10 users...People using smaller formats such as 5X7 and 4X5 will still have to do their own processing - and load their own film.

Life is not fair...

-- Per Volquartz (volquartz@volquartz.com), April 01, 2002.

Damn....I was really looking forward to 12x20 in tri-x and 5x7 transparency film!!Damn!!!

-- Emile de Leon (knightpeople@msn.com), April 01, 2002.

I learned thst the yellow scissors were also available in BUNNY PINK, so I ordered three pair to be able to cut the 12 x 20 stock down to APX, Kodak told me that the Yoeelow scissors would not cut the film that small,I have also ordered the Hasselblad Flex body adaptor to use APX in the A24 Back. HALLEUGH!!!

I am awaiting the announcement that kodak is bring back supperXX for the 9.5mm minox!!

-- ED (zeke@idirect.com), April 01, 2002.

Ed,

SuperXX IS available for the Minox. All you have to do is purchase 4X5 Bergger and a standard hole punch (from an office supply store!)...

How you process these small pieces of film in a JOBO Expert drum - using Pyro Rollo of course, without getting agitation streaks, I have no clue...

Perhaps you should email JOBO USA...???

-- Per Volquartz (volquartz@volquartz.com), April 01, 2002.

Actually Bergger is going to buy Kodak's B/W division :-)

-- John Horowy (sales@bergger.com), April 01, 2002.

I don't see anything positive in Kodak's recent announcements about the new coating line. I'm assuming they're trying to modernize the line to put less silver on more film, aka T-Max films. I fully expect the impending death of Tri-X as we have known and loved it.

Although decent film is still available overseas, I dread the process of shipping it in, with the current climate of package inspections. Wouldn't getting a box of melted film from Berlin just make your day? And, there's no insurance on such shipments either!!!!

-- Alec (alecj@bellsouth.net), April 01, 2002.

Jeezzzz Alec lighten up men!..:-)))

-- Jorge Gasteazoro (rossorabbit@hotmail.com), April 01, 2002.

They are also re-introducing Panatomic-X & Kodachrome II will be available in sheets & 120 rolls.(Id give my right arm for a box of 100 sheets of 4x5 Kodachrome!)

-- Edsel Adams (mrchippy628@aol.com), April 02, 2002.

Gee whiz, I'd be happy with some 4 X 5 infrared if it isn't too much trouble!

-- Rick Obermeyer (obermeyer_rick@si.com), April 03, 2002.