FID (Film is Dead)

[P. J. Alling]

Black and White Photopaper is almost as easy to make as Black and White 
film.  It could even become a cottage industry, (unlike film which 
requires the manufacture of suitable film stock).    I could see 
numerous small factories selling "classic" photo emulsions, for a price.

Bob Shell wrote:
> On Aug 5, 2007, at 11:38 AM, Godfrey DiGiorgi wrote:
>
>   
>> The continuing question is will there be enough profitability to keep
>> the film manufacturing plants running, for what variety of films, at
>> what quality and price point. B&W film manufacturing is relatively
>> inexpensive to manufacture compared to color emulsions but the
>> profitability/quality/price equation will rule in all cases.
>>
>> Same goes for the production and marketing of chemistry supplies.
>>
>> Sure, there are plenty of niche markets. Are the aesthetic joys of
>> film going to stand up against a price of $5 per exposure? the lack
>> of high-silver-content paper?
>>
>> Just pondering, really. I like film, I use digital mostly but still
>> have plenty of film equipment and negatives around. I don't shoot
>> much of it any more because the processing tasks are all slow and
>> tedious, and editability is more limited.
>>     
>
> I think black and white film will be with us for quite a while.  I  
> don't give color film legs.
>
> I wouldn't put money on photo paper, but Maaco has just built a new  
> factory to manufacture the old Agfa papers, so I could be wrong.   
> Most photographers I know who shoot film are scanning their negatives  
> and making digital prints.  While film camera prices are climbing,  
> darkroom equipment equipment prices are still declining.  Virginia  
> Tech closed down their film darkroom recently and auctioned off all  
> the equipment.  Omega 4 X 5 enlargers went for ten or fifteen dollars  
> each.  Sad....  My friend didn't buy any because he has no storage  
> space for big stuff like that.
>
> Bob
>
>   


-- 
The difference between Microsoft and 'Jurassic Park':
In one, a mad businessman makes a lot of money with beasts that should be extinct.
The other is a film.
  -- Unattributed