Kodak Infrared Film to be discontinued - May 07

[rmazzullo]

Hello all,

I just got an e-mail from Kodak in response to my question regarding deep freezing B&W and / or color infrared. They did NOT specify how much longer the film would last in a deep freeze, but they DID say it must be stored at 10 - 15 degrees Fahrenheit. What I interpreted by reading between the lines is that it will last longer if stored in a deep freeze.

I guess it's time to save up some money (or break out the credit card) and buy a brick or two or three. Of each. And a freezer capable of zero degrees F. And hope that ConEd doesn't plunge me into darkness like they did with Queens a while back during the summer.

If you have a ton of cash to buy the 9.5 inch roll of aerochrome III color infrared (and have it slit down to size), you can get it cut down to size (4x5) or...dare I say 120 size? That is, if anyone knows if a bulk loader for 120 even exists, and how to attach backing paper and load up a 120 spool.

Also, years ago, when color IR first came out, it was developed in process E-4, then it disappeared, to be later ressurected for process E-6. So maybe someday color IR will return. But then again, years ago, digital image sensors that could pickup IR didn't exist.

I have to find out what, if any, aerial B&W exists.

Damn, bugger and blast...

Thanks,

Bob Mazzullo

[ben-s]

Ok, I've just phoned Kodak UK, and was told: "As far as I can see, the films are not discontinued, but the person who would know properly has gone home"
They are going to call me tomorrow when they have spoken to the other person.

I'll post again when they ring back.

[AgX]

Referring to my post at the begin of this thread:
If needed, would there be a dealer who, not even daring, but just offering to cut false-color IR aero stock down to sizes, with the outcome of the second round of the Ilford ULF campaign?
Is there really such great interest as posts on this thread indicate?

Originally Posted by rmazzullo

I have to find out what, if any, aerial B&W exists.

Bob Mazzullo

For IR there are:

-) Kodak
Well; I am out of reach of my library thus I cannot state the sensitivity of the Kodak BW aerial films.
-) Agfa
Above 750nm there are:
Aviphot PAN 80
Aviphot PAN 200
Aviphot PAN 400S (a film already cut to sizes by Maco)
-) Foma
too short sensitized
-) Tasma
could be, but their server holds back datasheets
-) I guess one of the four(??) independent chinese manufacturers has something on offer (Lucky in the 90ties had a full range of photo films to be comparable to the range of Agfa or so.)

[Terence]

And Efke 820c

[eyetwist]

called a couple suppliers here on the west coast to check on the expiration dates of the HIE they currently have in stock - both reported 11/07. has anyone seen dates on HIE that go into 2008 or 2009?

if HIE is truly discontinued & it's time to stock up, definitely want to get the freshest supply.

[AgX]

Originally Posted by Terence

And Efke 820c

The poster I answered to had it about aerial stock.

[Terence]

My bad.

[aldevo]

Originally Posted by aldevo

I emailed Freestyle Photo in CA last evening and hope to get a response later today.

Even so, I expect that the earlier response I received from my metro-Boston retailer will prove correct.

Ultimately, I think the retailers are going to prove a more reliable source of information. I tend to doubt Kodak Representatives can tell us a film is discontinued unless they are given instructions by Kodak to do so. I could be wrong about that, but that conjecture is consistent with the definition of "represenatative".

Well, I heard back from Freestyle...and the only word is that there is no word. Verbatim:

"We hear the same rumors as everyone else hears. Until an announcement
by Kodak is made I can't see how anyone can confirm if the rumor is true
or not."

Anybody else get the feeling that they hear these sorts of questions a lot these days and are feeling a bit fatigued?

[wirehead]

If it weren't that they'd get flamed for all sorts of Kodak ills, starting with promoting Ektachrome over Kodachrome, Super-XX being discontinued, Pantomatic-X being discontinued, etc. in such a way that makes Ilford not making Delta 3200 available in whole-plate format seem like the act of a saint, I'd say that Kodak needs to drop a partial PR person here.

The problem is, I bet they've laid off enough "redundant" folks that even if they did decide to make an announcement, they couldn't effectively get it out to the right places anyway.

I suspect that more damage is being done by them not announcing stuff than is being done by actually dropping the films.

[Martin Reed]

Originally Posted by aldevo

....... "We hear the same rumors as everyone else hears. Until an announcement by Kodak is made I can't see how anyone can confirm if the rumor is true or not."

Do you get the feeling that this is proceeding along the lines that the manufacturers prefer? My feelings on being told the materials were going was to try to celebrate the passing, lay in plenty of film so that there's something of a buffer stock for people to draw from and maybe try to promote an exhibition of new work using HIE. After all, this is not just another amateur colour neg. film, HIE is a unique material that has been available for at least half a century and has been used for a vast amount of significant work. Instead it will be a whimper rather than a bang, and the real losers are the significant users who had based techniques around it - they are forced to lay in some stock, but with no definitive statement either way will probably be unable to commit themselves to enough.