Product Availability

[tjaded]

I just processed my first roll of EIR film today (well, yesterday now...I should go to bed!) and, of course, I see some interesting possibilities with the film. And, much like Paul Strand predicted in his quote below, EIR is going bye bye. Rather than go through my usual smacking of the forehead with palm of hand, I decided to try something different...I wrote Kodak and asked for a bunch of it. For free. I know it won't happen, but it made me feel a little bit better. My own little protest--if they don't value the product (I know, I know!) then it should be given away! This, like most everything else I do, is somewhat tongue-in-cheek. But I do know this--"Everytime I find a film or paper that I like, they discontinue it" is a truism, it's just that now, everytime it happens I am going to write a letter asking for some of that useless dead stock they have taking up space!
Adios,
Matt

[Andy K]

Good idea, what's the email address?

[tjaded]

Almost instant reply--short answer, they have nothing left to give. Here is what they said:

I am sorry to say that, although we anticipated enough stock to bring
us
through year end 2007, once the discontinuance of Kodak Professional
Ektachrome Infrared EIR Film was made, all existing stocks of the film
were purchased and we have none remaining.

Unfortunately, the demand for such esoteric films as Kodak Professional

Technical Pan and Kodak Professional Ektachrome Infrared EIR Films was
too low for us to be able to make it consistently to the high standards

we have for our film and therefore the decision to discontinue the film

was made.

[kombizz]

nice one

[AgX]

As the late Kodak EIR is cut to perf. 35mm film from Kodak 1443 or the resp. masterroll (obvious by looking at their datasheets), the statement from Kodak posted above either means that the production of type 1443 is also stopped and the latter is just sold out of storage, or that the statement concerning EIR and maintaining the quality of its production is nonsense…

[tjaded]

Assuming someone cut down 1443 to say, 4x5 sheets...could you use it in regular holders? Considering how touchy the 35mm is, I cannot imagine a regular 4x5 holder would work.

[Nick Zentena]

Agfa aerial put out a statement claiming they would provide film at least until 2009. I know people cut down B&W aerial film for use in film holders so I guess you could do it with the other films also.

OTOH I don't want to faint by asking how much a roll of 9.5" colour film is.

[Nick Zentena]

BTW used to be somebody on Ebay selling aerial B&W film. Is he gone?

[Photo Engineer]

These two products were made at such a low volume that the production equipment for emulsion making could no longer be used. This made 1000 liter batches of emulsion.

They had to fall back to the pilot lab scale or 100 liter batches. At that scale, variability would go up and would cause problems. As volume dropped they would then lower the scale to 10 liter batches at which point it would be nearly impossible to make a 'production' run. The HIE would spoil on the shelf if they made 1000 l batches and would vary too much at 100 l or 10 l.

Kodak may have even had to go to very slow speeds on the 21" wide machine due to low volume.

It is pretty hard to do with small runners. Kind of like asking Ford to make ten 1965 Mustang replicas every year just for special customers. Can you imagine how hard / expensive that would get?

PE

[tjaded]

Oh well. I got to try it, I can grab a few rolls here and there for a time...no huge loss for me. We get a fair amount in at the lab from a local photographer that does some absolutely amazing aerial shots. I hope he/she stocked up. It seems that a whole body of work could be forced to end if not...that is unfortunate.