View Full Version : All Quickloads, R.I.P
SWphoto
12-21-2009, 11:29 AM
from LF Forum, this report from British Journal of Photography, confirmed by release from Fuji, all Quickloads discontinued:
http://www.bjp-online.com/public/showPage.html?page=872222
Ian Grant
12-21-2009, 12:29 PM
There's a woman in the UK working on an alternative version, she has posted on the LF Forum and I think here too. I've no idea how advanced she is with her progress.
Ian
Jeff Searust
12-21-2009, 12:38 PM
Honestly, no great loss. The last pack of quickloads I had I ripped apart and loaded the film in film holders. I have had all sorts of issues with quickloads over the years.
Keith Tapscott.
12-21-2009, 12:44 PM
I have a Kodak Readyload holder, so I know how Quickload holder owners are feeling right now. I have been considering selling my MPP 5x4 outfit.
David A. Goldfarb
12-21-2009, 01:24 PM
I never used them (well, once I tried one out when I was out shooting with Robert Teague in Hawai'i), but I could see the attractions--clean film, ability to write on the packets, convenience under some circumstances.
They seemed convenient if you wanted to bring, say, 20 sheets of film on a trip, but filmholders and boxes of film were more compact when traveling with 100 sheets or more, and then if you wanted to use a film that didn't come in Quickload or Readyload, it just wasn't an option.
AmandaTom
12-21-2009, 01:51 PM
I love these things. I like being able to make development notes on the sleeves, which I cannot easily do if I am re-using holders. I have a good supply of them still (probably about 500 sheets) so I am ok for awhile.
Ektagraphic
12-21-2009, 01:59 PM
I guess changing bags and darkrooms are the only way now..... Atleast we can still buy these films. Maybe we could get Ilford to make readyloads (do they do that already?).......
Kirk Keyes
12-21-2009, 02:21 PM
I just ordered 10 boxes of Provia QL- that should last me for the next two or three years.
I'm glad there was some time to stock up.
I'll hate going back to cut sheets. I've been using QL/Readyloads since they came out in the 1980s, and I've never had a spot of dust on any of them.
rpsawin
12-21-2009, 02:33 PM
There's a woman in the UK working on an alternative version, she has posted on the LF Forum and I think here too. I've no idea how advanced she is with her progress.
Ian
Ian,
The last post I saw from her, maybe 2 months ago, was that she was dropping the idea as she had talked to some attorneys about legal costs (patent costs I think) and they would be at least $10,000 USD. She could not afford it. There was some discussion about "investors" but I lost track of the thread.
Bob
Ian Grant
12-21-2009, 02:41 PM
Readyloads came quite late so they are relatively new, a mid 80's introduction, they were relatively expensive compared to plain sheet film, I won't miss them at all.
The films I really want to use were never available, carrying Darkslides is no big issue but when I still shot LF colour then the Polaroid (Fuji) 100D was useful, the failure rate was an occasional problem, but the economics aren't right now for the film companies, sales have always been quite low now it uneconomic.
If someone were to make a new alternative to a Grafmatic back that would be different, or a new styl self loadable film pack.
Ian
SWphoto
12-21-2009, 02:49 PM
Readyloads came quite late so they are relatively new, a mid 80's introduction, they were relatively expensive compared to plain sheet film, I won't miss them at all.
The films I really want to use were never available, carrying Darkslides is no big issue but when I still shot LF colour then the Polaroid (Fuji) 100D was useful, the failure rate was an occasional problem, but the economics aren't right now for the film companies, sales have always been quite low now it uneconomic.
If someone were to make a new alternative to a Grafmatic back that would be different, or a new styl self loadable film pack.
Ian
That thought, new "Grafmatic" backs, had occurred to me too. I would assume any patents have long expired. Doesn't look too complicated, but then I'm not an engineer. The only question I have is whether there would be enough demand, given there are still a fair number of the old ones out there. That said, and while I have a few Grafmatics, I'd buy some new ones and use the old ones as backups.
Ian Grant
12-21-2009, 02:54 PM
Actually there are old Patents that covered Ready loads too, and these idea go back at leats a century :D
IAn
Keith Tapscott.
12-21-2009, 03:12 PM
There's a woman in the UK working on an alternative version, she has posted on the LF Forum and I think here too. I've no idea how advanced she is with her progress.
Ian
Considering the cost involved, it`s very unlikely. Read her last post HERE. (http://www.lf-photo.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1335&start=30)
Ian Grant
12-21-2009, 03:15 PM
So it's still ongoing, maybe . . . . . . . . .
A point we are missing, I think the Patent for Quickloads belonged to Polaroid, Kodak made them under license and there was an agreement between Fuji & Polaroid in the early days as Fuji supplied their 100D to be sod as Polaroid Readyloads. Someone is probably still collecting Royalties, Polaroid couldn't get a Patent for the film pack which is why Fuji could make compatibles,
Ian
BrianShaw
12-21-2009, 03:37 PM
Gee wiz... another technology passing on before I ever got to try it out. Perhaps I'd better try d!g!t@l photography before that technology passes. :D
SWphoto
12-21-2009, 04:01 PM
Gee wiz... another technology passing on before I ever got to try it out. Perhaps I'd better try d!g!t@l photography before that technology passes. :D
Brian,
no, if things die out before you try them, please leave digital photography alone :)
Rick
Sal Santamaura
12-21-2009, 05:02 PM
It's clear that Fuji responds only to competition. Had Kodak not been forced to discontinue ReadyLoad by the shutdown of Polaroid film manufacturing (it previously outsourced Readyload packaging to Polaroid), Fuji would have continued supplying Quickload. Without such "motivation," Fuji takes the easiest path.
Since I no longer do any color work on large format film or require the long-exposure reciprocity performance of Acros (and only put up with its intrusive drying hole in exchange for clean/convenient packets anyway), Fuji sheet film is now a thing of the past for me. Kodak and Ilford get my business.
Renato Tonelli
12-21-2009, 10:07 PM
I used Quickloads on short backpacking trips for their convenience. Too bad. All my B&W will now be Tri-X again.
David A. Goldfarb
12-21-2009, 10:14 PM
Fuji did make a modern Grafmatic style holder called the "Quickchange" that could use preloaded cartridges of 8 sheets of film. It was quite expensive per sheet, wasn't sold officially outside of Japan (though Robert White and maybe Badger Graphics had them, and they could be ordered through Dirk's Megaperls side), and wasn't marketed as reloadable, but it apparently wasn't difficult to reload. I think there was a detailed page on f32.net that explained how to reload a Quickchange cartridge.
jpberger
12-21-2009, 10:24 PM
A new grafmatic or other system would be great, or maybe even just thinner film holders. A field camera isn't much bulkier than a rig like an rz, and having something that took more than 6 sheets would make it a more versatile piece of gear. Then again when I'm out with my speed graphic I'm more than ready to go home by the time I manage to shoot 6 sheets. :)