Future of Kodak Photographic Papers?

Mr 645 wrote:

As long as they still make money from those, why would they stop making
them?
Of course, you could always buy Fuji printing papers, or many other brands.

Then what is going to be used in every minilab that prints digital files?

If Kodak got out of that market (doubtful), then I am sure Fuji would supply the
needed materials. I also expect AGFA to gain more market share, and provide a
little competition.

The reality is that I doubt Kodak would ever get out of the photo finishing
industry. Even if digital cameras become 90% of what everyone uses, some people
will still want to print out some snapshots.

B/W papers are another story, though there are already some small speciality
companies that make really good choices. I rarely found Kodak B/W papers to be
better than Oriental, Ilford, or AGFA.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat
A G Studio
http://www.allgstudio.com

Hi Dave,

Let me first assure you that Kodak is not going to discontinue film or paper
anytime soon, and surely not in 5 years. There is a giant market out there
for such products and you will see that option around for a long time. Rest
assured that Kodak will continue to make film for your cameras for a long
time.

Talk to you soon,

Ron Baird
Eastman Kodak Company




"DaveHodge" wrote in message
...
If Kodak is going to discontinue film within 5 years, are they going to
discontinue printing papers, too? If so, I should order a 5-year supply
of
paper along wtih my 5-year supply of film!

Hi Dave,

Let me first assure you that Kodak is not going to discontinue film or paper
anytime soon, and surely not in 5 years. There is a giant market out there
for such products and you will see that option around for a long time. Rest
assured that Kodak will continue to make film for your cameras for a long
time.

Talk to you soon,

Ron Baird
Eastman Kodak Company




"DaveHodge" wrote in message
...
If Kodak is going to discontinue film within 5 years, are they going to
discontinue printing papers, too? If so, I should order a 5-year supply
of
paper along wtih my 5-year supply of film!

Hi Mike,

Not to worry, Kodak will be making film and paper for a long time.

Also, we have been offering press releases right along. Go to the following
URL for details on the most recent. They are only a few as there are many
others.

http://www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQueri...q-locale=en_US

Talk to you soon,

Ron Baird
Eastman Kodak Company




"Michael A. Covington" wrote in message
...
"DaveHodge" wrote in message
...
If Kodak is going to discontinue film within 5 years, are they going to
discontinue printing papers, too? If so, I should order a 5-year supply
of
paper along wtih my 5-year supply of film!

That's a big if. The notion that Kodak is going to discontinue film in 5
years is merely someone's guess. But now it's on Usenet and it will get
treated as fact!

BTW, why has Kodak's web site not indicated any press releases since
August
24? Before that, they never went 2 weeks without a press release.

Hi Mike,

Not to worry, Kodak will be making film and paper for a long time.

Also, we have been offering press releases right along. Go to the following
URL for details on the most recent. They are only a few as there are many
others.

http://www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQueri...q-locale=en_US

Talk to you soon,

Ron Baird
Eastman Kodak Company




"Michael A. Covington" wrote in message
...
"DaveHodge" wrote in message
...
If Kodak is going to discontinue film within 5 years, are they going to
discontinue printing papers, too? If so, I should order a 5-year supply
of
paper along wtih my 5-year supply of film!

That's a big if. The notion that Kodak is going to discontinue film in 5
years is merely someone's guess. But now it's on Usenet and it will get
treated as fact!

BTW, why has Kodak's web site not indicated any press releases since
August
24? Before that, they never went 2 weeks without a press release.

On Wed, 20 Oct 2004 11:11:36 -0400, "Ron Baird"
wrote:

Hi Dave,

Let me first assure you that Kodak is not going to discontinue film or paper
anytime soon, and surely not in 5 years. There is a giant market out there
for such products and you will see that option around for a long time. Rest
assured that Kodak will continue to make film for your cameras for a long
time.

Talk to you soon,

Ron Baird
Eastman Kodak Company

Pan-X, Plus-X, High Speed Infrared, and Tech Pan in sheet sizes?


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Professional Shop Rat: 14,481 days in a GM plant.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

On Wed, 20 Oct 2004 11:11:36 -0400, "Ron Baird"
wrote:

Hi Dave,

Let me first assure you that Kodak is not going to discontinue film or paper
anytime soon, and surely not in 5 years. There is a giant market out there
for such products and you will see that option around for a long time. Rest
assured that Kodak will continue to make film for your cameras for a long
time.

Talk to you soon,

Ron Baird
Eastman Kodak Company

Pan-X, Plus-X, High Speed Infrared, and Tech Pan in sheet sizes?


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Professional Shop Rat: 14,481 days in a GM plant.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Hi Dave,

This is a great film list and I have used most of them. Actually, I
preferred Pantomic X over techpan for contrast reasons. Unfortunately, not
enough people wanted these films to make it feasible to continue to
manufacture. The introduction of T-Max also helped in the replacement of
them, and so they sadly they were discontinued. This happens like it does
for most anything that has completed its product life but that no longer
meet the needs of the many, or even the few in some cases.

Film in general, however, will continue to thrive for a long time and you
will find it for many years into the future. Although the films you note
are gone, T-Max was introduced as noted, which brought a whole new emulsion
technology to the fore. We do still invest in research for film products.
Maybe not as before, of course, but we do.

Talk to you soon.

Ron Baird
Eastman Kodak Company




"David Starr" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 20 Oct 2004 11:11:36 -0400, "Ron Baird"
wrote:

Hi Dave,

Let me first assure you that Kodak is not going to discontinue film or
paper
anytime soon, and surely not in 5 years. There is a giant market out
there
for such products and you will see that option around for a long time.
Rest
assured that Kodak will continue to make film for your cameras for a long
time.

Talk to you soon,

Ron Baird
Eastman Kodak Company

Pan-X, Plus-X, High Speed Infrared, and Tech Pan in sheet sizes?


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Professional Shop Rat: 14,481 days in a GM plant.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Hi Dave,

This is a great film list and I have used most of them. Actually, I
preferred Pantomic X over techpan for contrast reasons. Unfortunately, not
enough people wanted these films to make it feasible to continue to
manufacture. The introduction of T-Max also helped in the replacement of
them, and so they sadly they were discontinued. This happens like it does
for most anything that has completed its product life but that no longer
meet the needs of the many, or even the few in some cases.

Film in general, however, will continue to thrive for a long time and you
will find it for many years into the future. Although the films you note
are gone, T-Max was introduced as noted, which brought a whole new emulsion
technology to the fore. We do still invest in research for film products.
Maybe not as before, of course, but we do.

Talk to you soon.

Ron Baird
Eastman Kodak Company




"David Starr" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 20 Oct 2004 11:11:36 -0400, "Ron Baird"
wrote:

Hi Dave,

Let me first assure you that Kodak is not going to discontinue film or
paper
anytime soon, and surely not in 5 years. There is a giant market out
there
for such products and you will see that option around for a long time.
Rest
assured that Kodak will continue to make film for your cameras for a long
time.

Talk to you soon,

Ron Baird
Eastman Kodak Company

Pan-X, Plus-X, High Speed Infrared, and Tech Pan in sheet sizes?


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Professional Shop Rat: 14,481 days in a GM plant.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Ron Baird wrote:

Hi Dave,

Let me first assure you that Kodak is not going to discontinue film or paper
anytime soon, and surely not in 5 years. There is a giant market out there
for such products and you will see that option around for a long time. Rest
assured that Kodak will continue to make film for your cameras for a long
time.

Talk to you soon,

Ron Baird
Eastman Kodak Company


Ron,

Here's an idea: Every box of Kodak film and paper sold after June 1 2005 should
contain a bond in it worth 33% of the suggsted retail price of the film or
paper. The bond would be redeemable for cash if Kodak ceases making that
product line prior to the bond expiry.

The bond in the box will contain the packaging date of the film/paper product
and the date 5 years + ~2 months hence when the bond expires and becomes worthless.

Then when Kodak officially announce the 'cut' dates for film they will have to
give a 5 year lead time for that type of film, or choose to reimburse the
bondholders if they exit early. (I don't mean variants, but major lines like
Kodachrome, Ektachrome, Portra, etc.)

In this way, a serious film shooter can maintain his film equipment as long as
the bonds are issued without too much fear for his investment. If Kodak want an
early out, then they can evaluate the financial benefit of paying off the
bondholders or maintaining that major film line for another 5 years. (from the
decision date, the issued bonds would have ever decreasing validity periods).

Benefit to Kodak: Those who prefer film will prefer Kodak risk protected
product, keeping the lucrative sales up in that product portfolio as less
photogs will jump to digital (given the "insurance" represented by the bond).
Of course the bean counters will not like keeping the reserve that a bond would
require, but there may be insurance that can be bought in lieu and passed on to
the consumer (or simply removed from the fat margins).

Don't like a 5 year bond? Okay, make it 2 years, but 100% of the MRSP.

Cheers,
Alan

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