>Andrew McPhee wrote:
> >As much as I am trying to be optimistic, it's another brick in the
> >crumbling wall of traditional b&w photography.
>
>And Moose replied:
>This could actually be a good occurance.
>
>The future of B&W, and in the long run, all film, will be with small
>manufacturers. By recognizing early that they can't make any money in
>the B&W paper business and getting out, Kodak leaves it to smaller
>firms. Much worse would be if the big, high volume maker decided to hang
>on as long as possible, even taking considerable losses, to maintain a
>legacy business. If they drive the small fry out of business before
>giving it up themselves, they really make continuation by anyone else
>difficult. By getting out early, they allow small firms to build on
>their existing experience with lower volume production toward a much
>smaller, but sustainable, market.
Good point about the small fry continuing in the market, I hadn't thought
of it that way.
> >I wonder how all this is going to pan out.
> >
>My guess is that B&W film from Kodak will go too, along with development
>chemicals, but the slack should be taken up by smaller firms.
I'm really hoping that Kodak B&W film will be that last to be axed. It'd be
a crime to lose Tri-X, maybe another maker could buy the recipe (crossed
fingers).
> >My photographic pleasures are being forcefully taken away
> >and it hurts. A guy can't shoot if he ain't got no bullets.
> >
>There will still be bullets, but different ones from specialty makers.
>The good news is that they will actually care what their customers want.
Different bullets (film) means fresh horizons, new challenges, more
learning. That's not a bad thing.
Speaking of which, my next bulk roll purchase of B&W film is going to be
Efke 25, I've heard a lot of good reports and it's supposed to have the
"old" look about it, should be fun!
> >For so many years I couldn't afford extra bodies or lenses, I've just spent
> >the last year building up my Oly/Zuiko kit only to find it's fast becoming
> >a collection of museum pieces.
> >
>Film, both B&W and color will be around for at least decades. The old
>film business has been a huge one, and that will go by the wayside. A
>new, much samller one will arise, and still be large enough to survive.
It feels like the dominos have started tumbling. It started with Kodak
withdrawing Panatomic-X then Tech Pan. Then Agfa went to the wall. Then
Ilford got shaky.
But I guess having Fuji, Kodak B&W film, Ilford and the European brands
like Efke and Maco still available maybe I'm being overly pessimistic.
> >I feel like I've arrived at the party just when everyone's going home...
> >
>I've always found that the best part. All the boors are gone and the
>interesting folks hang around in the kitchen or a cozy corner and have
>the real good time.
You're right. There will always be a few of the die-hard B&W nuts in the
kitchen arguing about D-76 vs ID-11. And I'll be there shooting the action
with Tri-X in my Oly 35SP!
Andrew McPhee
<using a redundant camera brand and a redundant image-recording technology>
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