Kodak Concedes Difficulty in Drawing Lead Bidder for Patents

[Roger Cole]

Who's Dan? If you mean the poster I was replying to, his post is doubly puzzling in that case because the rest of the post sounded optimistic. That's why I was so confused about it - he sounded like he was saying "of course this won't happen" yet in the same post also saying Kodak film would survive.

Maybe he's saying the overall company will survive and film will continue to be part of it. I don't know - I couldn't puzzle it out.

[Sal Santamaura]

Who's Dan?...

Dan is Dan Bayer, who posts here as PKM-25. If you click on the Kodachrome Project link in his signature block, you'll be taken to some of his work. Note the copyright notice at the Kodachrome Project pages' bottom.

...If you mean the poster I was replying to, his post is doubly puzzling in that case because the rest of the post sounded optimistic. That's why I was so confused about it...

Dan is apparently just as weary of the wasteful, negative Kodak speculation in forum threads/posts as I am. His approach, despite a realistic appreciation of how unlikely it is that Kodak's film division will survive, seems to be an attempt to engender positive results by promoting Kodak products. While wishing him all success in that endeavor (after all, someone does occasionally beat the odds and win a Mega Millions jackpot), I don't hold out much hope. It just seems more productive to take a probabilistic approach and support Ilford.

[Photo Engineer]

Thanks Ken!

As for Kodak's film division surviving, EK has spun off several divisions which are doing well on their own. Management is set up to allow this transition to take place quite easily. In fact, the most recent reorganization described here on APUG will improve the ease of such a transition. In fact, such a transition may have been anticipated.

There are so many rumors here in Rochester that are possible or impossible I never bother to post any, but some of them are quite plausible. Lets just say that film is not done until it is really done! The same is true for EK!

PE

[Roger Cole]

Well I'm doing pretty much both. I'm going to look at chest freezers this afternoon. And I'm also hoping Kodak film survives, however that comes about.

I concede the odds are not good, but I don't think they're as long as a mega millions lottery. Remember when Ilford looked doomed? What were the odds the employees would successfully buy the company, right size it, and make it the vibrant entity it is today? Granted this particular scenario can't happen with Kodak.

[mikendawn]

Personally, I believe that if Kodak folds as a company, their film division can survive as a separate entity. Their film division is the profitable one, albeit marginally.
While their digital marketing side is being caught in a flux of the market, through the ups and downs of digital camera sales, it sadly is what is bringing the company down to its knees, so to speak, before the market share giants.

Should Kodak die, their chemical division will continue on, as the chems are manufactured and sold under license. I don't see why the same can't be done for their film line.

Of course time will tell in the long run.

[PKM-25]

My view of Kodak in terms of film is simple. I trust the people who make it and hope to have a budget to market it well enough that I am trying to be positive. But I distrust the forces of the reorganization and the top tier management enough to where I have stockpiled thousands of dollars in film and chemistry in case it goes bust.

I am apprehensive about how the results of the patent auctions are going and have about a grand in TMY 4x5 in my basket ready to go at B&H. I don't know anymore than anyone else here, that is why I even read the thread.

[BrianShaw]

A realistic viewpoint, in my opinion. I'm not stockpiling yet, though, in any serious way.

[RattyMouse]

Thanks Ken. I was trying to be generic so that those in Europe would see the items at Fotoimpex.

PE

Wow, I wish I could flip through your book. That's a lot of money for a book that I would read with great interest, but probably not go through with making my own film. I'm a formulation chemist in another industry and would love to see some behind the scenes work with film.

[Sal Santamaura]

Wow, I wish I could flip through your book. That's a lot of money...

Yet another instance of someone knowing the price of all things but the value of none.

OK, time for more posts about how expensive film and paper are.

[BrianShaw]

Wow...