Kodak on twitter: "We're hiring to keep up with demand for 35mm film"

Photomultiplier · Oct 15, 2022

Absolutely!
It seems to me that slide film is often underrepresented in discussions, like color negative would be the "only" color film in existence.

It is clear that Provia and Velvia are among the highest grade of color imaging materials available.

I absolutely love Fuji slide film since the day i received my first frames back from the lab in 2007. Nothing else comes close to the experience of directly
viewing these luminous colors.

Fuji could lead the analog revival if they wanted, they have the know how and financial standing. Maybe it takes longer for them to really hear the
call. But their announcement of tight supply of 120 slide film is a positive thing in my eyes because if they would not be committed, they would not even bother
to tell us.

I had a discussion with a member of this forum some time ago regarding slide film and we felt that it would be necessary to initiate some kind of campaign in the community
to show people what is possible with slide film and to make it more popular. Most newcomers do not even have slide on their radar when they start out, at least it looks like
that to me. And that's a pity. The "wow!!" effect of my first slides was what really got me hooked to analog.

As for Kodak, it is nice to hear that they ramp up their operations on such a magnitue. Designing, building, maintaining and running highly complex production machinery
is not an easy task and hiring and training technicians in such specialiced areas is also nothing that works on the cheap or overnight.

Alan Edward Klein · Oct 15, 2022

I bought my first 4x5 outfit during Covid and continued to use Velvia 50 as I did for years with my medium format equipment. I just bought another box of Velvia 50 4x5 from Japan as it's not available at all in the USA otherwise. So now I have two boxes hoarded in the freezer. I could go back to using my MF kit if I want to shoot Velvia 50 when 4x5 runs out. But then I wouldn't use my LF camera unless I switch to Ektachrome and Provia. I don't like using Ektar negative color film.

Sirius Glass · Oct 15, 2022

Alan Edward Klein said:
I bought my first 4x5 outfit during Covid and continued to use Velvia 50 as I did for years with my medium format equipment. I just bought another box of Velvia 50 4x5 from Japan as it's not available at all in the USA otherwise. So now I have two boxes hoarded in the freezer. I could go back to using my MF kit if I want to shoot Velvia 50 when 4x5 runs out. But then I wouldn't use my LF camera unless I switch to Ektachrome and Provia. I don't like using Ektar negative color film.

You are not hoarding, you have protected two boxes from the hoarders.

Larryc001 · Oct 15, 2022

I took a film into London Drugs at Chilliwack today. The lady behind the counter mentioned that they were unable to get Fuji film. I don’t think she said they would be unable to get Fuji forever. When I go back to pick up my negs I think i will stock up on whatever 35mm they still have if any. Even b&w.

Sirius Glass · Oct 16, 2022

Larryc001 said:
I took a film into London Drugs at Chilliwack today. The lady behind the counter mentioned that they were unable to get Fuji film. I don’t think she said they would be unable to get Fuji forever. When I go back to pick up my negs I think i will stock up on whatever 35mm they still have if any. Even b&w.

It is aways better to stock up on film and store it in the freezer or refrigerator just to keep it on hand and to keep it from the hoarders.

DF · Oct 19, 2022

Helge said:
We really really need to support Fuji Film.
Velvia and Provia is absolutely second to none. The best pictorial photographic sensor ever made in many ways.
Slide as such is also quite underrated.
Acros is unique in a number of ways.

Yah - if only we could support Fuji Film without them sending us to the poorhouse.
Something must be done about the $$price of color film.
Eat or shoot color film...

gone · Oct 19, 2022

Sirius Glass said:
It is aways better to stock up on film and store it in the freezer or refrigerator just to keep it on hand and to keep it from the hoarders.

That's hilarious. So the idea is to get your hoarding done early (like Christmas shopping) before the other hoarders get everything. Makes perfect sense actually. You learn a lot on this forum.

Sirius Glass · Oct 20, 2022

momus said:
That's hilarious. So the idea is to get your hoarding done early (like Christmas shopping) before the other hoarders get everything. Makes perfect sense actually. You learn a lot on this forum.

It is my own patented process.

I post it so that others can learn it. No charge for residuals.

Helge · Oct 20, 2022

DF said:
Yah - if only we could support Fuji Film without them sending us to the poorhouse.
Something must be done about the $$price of color film.
Eat or shoot color film...

But they are not more expensive than Kodak.
Where I am (Denmark and EU) Provia is significantly cheaper than Ektachrome.

gone · Oct 20, 2022

You're right Helge, I shouldn't complain. B&W films are pretty much still affordable, but those prices on color films are hair raising.

I'm trying to envision this sort of thing happening in other art forms. What would someone do back in the day when people still made a lot of their own art materials? You could always make your own paints and painting papers or canvases. You could even use the linen dining room table cloth for a painting. Do it right and it will last centuries.

But photographers, nearly all of us need the ready made stuff. I doubt that I could make my own 35mm film, so I wouldn't be able to take any photos w/o buying film for the only format I basically shoot.

Oldwino · Oct 20, 2022

Sirius Glass said:
It is my own patented process.

I post it so that others can learn it. No charge for residuals.

You should start an organization named “Hoarders without Borders“.

DF · Oct 20, 2022

Helge said:
But they are not more expensive than Kodak.
Where I am (Denmark and EU) Provia is significantly cheaper than Ektachrome.

Here in Chicago, Ektachrome is roughly $20 for one 35mm roll, Velvia can run as high as $35!

Agulliver · Oct 21, 2022

Interesting. velvia and Ektachrome are around the same cost here in the UK. Typically £20-23 for a 35mm roll.

Alan Edward Klein · Oct 21, 2022

Agulliver said:
Interesting. velvia and Ektachrome are around the same cost here in the UK. Typically £20-23 for a 35mm roll.

That's about what a pound of dry-aged steak runs. Decisions. Decisions.

Sirius Glass · Oct 21, 2022

Oldwino said:
You should start an organization named “Hoarders without Borders“.

Huss · Oct 21, 2022

It’s only hoarding if you don’t use it

pentaxuser · Oct 21, 2022

What isn't clear to me is whether it is skilled specialist manpower it lacks primarily or just not enough manpower of a semi-skilled or even unskilled nature. If it hired over 300 this suggests that maybe its problem lies as much in semi-skilled or unskilled range in terms of its need to boost its production

When I say semi-skilled or unskilled I recognise that training is required for all jobs but it may be that the problem lies in the area of filling those jobs that require training in the timescale of weeks or a few months as opposed to apprenticeships of year or attaining degree level qualifications

pentaxuser

MattKing · Oct 21, 2022

pentaxuser said:
What isn't clear to me is whether it is skilled specialist manpower it lacks primarily or just not enough manpower of a semi-skilled or even unskilled nature.

Skilled and knowledgeable, including younger people who have some of the specialized skill sets, and can be trained in the others.

pentaxuser · Oct 21, 2022

MattKing said:
Skilled and knowledgeable, including younger people who have some of the specialized skill sets, and can be trained in the others.

Yes that may be a good definition of what's needed and if so, doesn't that mean that finding such workers will be perfectly possible such that in the medium term Kodak ought to be able to find what it needs

It would seem that the increased demand for film is largely that driven by younger people so you'd imagine some of those might be interested in joining a film company

If I am right the link at the start says one thing for definite, namely that Kodak is actively responding to the demand for film and secondly is likely to be able to recruit enough workers to meet that demand

In short good news

pentaxuser

MattKing · Oct 21, 2022

It is extremely difficult to hire right now - not just for Kodak.

pentaxuser · Oct 21, 2022

MattKing said:
It is extremely difficult to hire right now - not just for Kodak.

Why?

pentaxuser

gone · Oct 21, 2022

pentaxuser said:
What isn't clear to me is whether it is skilled specialist manpower it lacks primarily or just not enough manpower of a semi-skilled or even unskilled nature.

Well, that's the thing. I don't see twitter as being in the same league as the Wall Street Journal, so it's a marketing blurb, and it could be interpreted in many different ways. It's intentionally made to be a little vague because facts are for the annual board meetings. They could have just been hiring back all the people they let go of during Covid for all we know.

In the end, I don't care. Just give me some film at a price I can afford and stop making chemicals with bad packaging. How they do it is of no concern, as I like Foma films and lots of other films.

The tail wags the dog, yes? Kodak needs us, not the other way around. There are other players in the B&W film game now. They can step up their game, or step aside.

Individual One · Oct 21, 2022

If one is young, then sure, apply for a tech position at a film company. You can always retrain when they go under, as they are bound to. Or if you're a senior and have a job horizon of a couple of years. But a film company is not the best bet for a 10 year or so time scale. I wish them luck.

MattKing · Oct 21, 2022

pentaxuser said:
Why?

pentaxuser

If you can answer that, the governments in North America at least will be keen to get your advice!
Employers are having immense difficulty hiring people right now. Employees whose work life was totally disrupted by the pandemic are not re-engaging - at least not in the way they did before. Some had some government benefits that helped them tide things over when their jobs disappeared, but that has essentially ended, and they are apparently not willing to go back to the former status quo.
So many people are unwilling to continue where things left off.
Buildings that used to be full during work hours are nearly empty. Businesses that depend on foot traffic where people used to work are going under. Parking lots that used to be bursting are near empty.

MattKing · Oct 21, 2022

momus said:
I don't see twitter as being in the same league as the Wall Street Journal

It is true - it is much more likely that a Twitter post will be read than an article in the Wall Street Journal will be read. And it is certainly true that it is much more likely that an advertiser will choose to pay to advertise on Twitter than an advertiser pay to advertise in the WSJ.
The norms are fundamentally different.

Kodak on twitter: "We're hiring to keep up with demand for 35mm film"

Photomultiplier

Alan Edward Klein

Sirius Glass

Larryc001

Sirius Glass

DF

gone

Sirius Glass

Helge

gone

Oldwino

DF

Agulliver

Alan Edward Klein

Sirius Glass

Huss

pentaxuser

MattKing

Moderator

pentaxuser

MattKing

Moderator

pentaxuser

gone

Individual One

MattKing

Moderator

MattKing

Moderator

Kodak on twitter: "We're hiring to keep up with demand for 35mm film"

Moderator

Moderator

Moderator

Moderator

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency