Corporations and Big Boobs – A commentary.

[Ken Nadvornick]

The biggest fall the hardest. But I cling to my TMY-2 and Xtol.

As do I to my forlorn Kodachrome.

Or at least my final eight rolls. I've finally been reduced by Kodak to trying to decide which of those remaining iconic boxed rolls will become my ceremonial "last man standing" unopened souvenir.

I've always said that if Kodak ever discontinued both Tri-X and Kodachrome I'd know the final plunge couldn't be all that far off. Never expected all of their B&W papers to go even earlier.

Ken

[Anon Ymous]

...I never said 'lets punish Kodak and not use them'. I said they were not being smart by eliminating a staple film and the reasons from a lab perspective as to why TXP was not selling. STILL, @ 5% of their total films sales TXP sales is nothing to shake a stick at!...

The above is not true I'm afraid. According to the email from Scott DiSabato, TXP production was less than 5% of total Tri-X production, not total film:

You may be surprised to learn that our total TXP 320 -120 & 220 format production is less than 5% of our total Tri-X production, and it is this limited level of photographer and market demand that drive these sorts of difficult decisions.

That changes the scenario dramatically, doesn't it?

[clayne]

Posted wirelessly..

Back in 2003, IIRC, the Great Yellow Father announced that they would remove themselves from the FILM business in seven years. Looks like they're right about on schedule to me.

Considering how much money Kodak still makes off of film that would be quite a stupid decision don't you think?

[PKM-25]

I can also see David is concerned and upset about the decision, the impact on his livelihood, but I also see the plugging of a business mixed in the post.

I don't give a hoot if it's there or not (heck I don't even know what a DR5 is), but looks to me like there is a commercial there.

Yep, just like Simon Galley from Ilford does and what we would hope that Kodak would do more of on here, marketing a service or a product to core end users who will in turn, use the product or service and then spread the word.

If you knew what dr5 is, humble pie would abound. I want to be able to go full steam ahead next year with a book project that is waiting for me to be done with Kodachrome in less than a year's time. dr5 staying in business is key to the style of this book and exhibit. Some of the prints being large sized Ilfochromes from Tech Pan in dr5.

If you want film to stay around, why on earth would you condemn a great niche service provider like dr5 from saying what they do?

That's just insane....

[lxdude]

As do I to my forlorn Kodachrome.

Or at least my final eight rolls. I've finally been reduced by Kodak to trying to decide which of those remaining iconic boxed rolls will become my ceremonial "last man standing" unopened souvenir.


Ken

Gee whiz, guy, shoot that last roll! There's going to be plenty of "souvenir" Kodachrome around next year. Hell, you can still find boxes of Kodachrome II on auction sites. How about this- stick a roll of cheap film inside the Kodachrome box and reseal it. Who's gonna know? And it will look just as good on your shelf. For your own little private joke stick a roll of Velvia in there.
It's obscene to waste that last roll of Kodachrome just for a souvenir!

Do the right thing by your Kodachrome. Use it! You'll be happier looking at the slides than the box, guaranteed.

[lxdude]

If you want film to stay around, why on earth would you condemn a great niche service provider like dr5 from saying what they do?

Thanks for saying that, Dan. I think dr5 (David) was speaking as both a film user and a businessperson.
I think his emotion made it clear he wasn't using the post to promote his business. His advertising does that.

I'm reminded of an internet group for V-4 Honda motorcycles I used to be on. A member was in the business of overhauling and modifying the engines, from enhanced reliability and performance on the street, to all out drag racing. He answered many questions posed to him in the group, and would even invite people to call him so he could listen to engine problems over the phone. A good guy, and a great resource. He knew his stuff, no BS.

I once asked on the group if anyone knew where I could find a part I couldn't get from Honda. He replied that he had new ones and stated the price. He was immediately flamed by several for using the group for his commercial gain, including by an admin! His post was equated with a commercial for his company. Sheesh! He was being helpful! All he was doing was giving me information I needed, no different than if another member had offered me a used part and stated the price, which was done all the time. Though in that case no one did. If he'd not replied I would have SOL.

So David owns dr5. So he commented in Kodak axing Tri-X 320. That doesn't make his post some kind of crass attempt at a commercial, which to me is what was implied.

[Thomas Bertilsson]

I wish Kodak good luck in their future endeavors. I don't think people like DeSabato make these decisions lightly.

It will be interesting to see what Kodak is going to do with sheet film now. For b&w there will be Tmax 100 & 400, and nothing else.

I'm not going to state my preference here, because it means nothing to the world. I hope those that use TXP, especially in 220 format, can find a useful alternative. I do know this, though, that I can make Tmax 400 negs print almost exactly like TXP, by shooting and processing it differently. From my Hasselblad, I can't really tell a difference between the prints, not enough to count, and if you didn't know they were from different films, you would be hard pressed to even notice. There is a way with other films. But the loss of the 220 format is hard.

So I also wish those that used TXP the best of luck in finding an alternative.

- Thomas

[Sal Santamaura]

...There is a question here of 'profit' and 'losing money'. Is Kodak 'losing money' on TXP? I doubt it...

In 120/220, it probably is.

...Is Kodak committed to photography or the dollar?...

Given its fiduciary responsibility to Kodak shareholders, the answer is "the dollar" by law.

[billschwab]

TXP is one of the best B&W films on the market. I don't think that there is much of an argument to this fact in this arena.

As much as I empathize with those that are losing their film, I've always thought of the 320 as the anemic and thin younger sibling of Tri-X. Never much liked the stuff and was always upset when some unknowing sales clerk gave me that instead of the real deal.

These grown men and women know how to do their jobs. In this circumstance, this is not just a numbers game.

Yes, they do and yes, it is. This was posted in another thread from Scott P. DiSabato at Kodak via David Goldfarb...

"You may be surprised to learn that our total TXP 320 -120 & 220 format production is less than 5% of our total Tri-X production, and it is this limited level of photographer and market demand that drive these sorts of difficult decisions. Kodak will continue to offer products where photographer demand makes it a viable offering within our professional film portfolio."

I too am a small business person and I would say they've made a pretty sound, although disappointing decision.

...given a choice between 'TX' & 'TXP', Kodak should pick the better of these 2 films and make TXP the "TriX" film across the board.

All I can say to this is... YUCK!

[Martin Reed]

The above is not true I'm afraid. According to the email from Scott DiSabato, TXP production was less than 5% of total Tri-X production, not total film:
That changes the scenario dramatically, doesn't it?

I've checked our sales of TriX 120 vs TXP 220 for the last year on the system here at Silverprint. The 220 accounts for almost exactly 15% of the spools sold.

While significantly less, I was surprised the 220 was a slice as big as that. Assuming most pro. dealer sales are about the same ratio as ours, one would have said there was life there yet. But maybe a majority of dealers dropped it a while back?