Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/12/27
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At 08:52 PM 26/12/98 -0800, Ted wrote:
>
>Each time I receive a Kodak questionnaire on their products I always mark
>the "price is too high" on their products and that's why many photographers
>have gone to the other companies. Some how I imagine my answers never make
>it past file 13.:) Maybe some day they'll learn higher price isn't going
>to sell more!
>ted
It's not just the pricing thing.... Fuji has been making a better
products across the board for, at least, 10 years.
I shoot 80 percent chrome and have been for 20 years. I used to use
Kodachrome and Ektachrome and really liked the EPP and EPN emulsions. HELL!
I even liked the 64X emulsion for some jobs. But then Kodak started messing
with stuff. They dropped lines I liked and brought out some awful films,like
Lumiere!
When I first used Fuji's RDP chrome emulsion I was hooked. Good colour
accuracy, not too contrasty. Velvia sealed the deal and when I worked at
newspapers I quickly learned that Fuji's Super G neg emulsions were miles
ahead of Kodak.
We are now in the second and third generation of these films and Kodak is
still trying to play catch up.
Kodak has had two strikes against it.. inferior product AND a higher price
point.
Because I am a pro and work in diverse and varied conditions, I ALWAYS pick
the film to match the job or subject. Various lighting conditions in various
situations and subjects, various production considerations and deadlines are
what usually determine the film used. Fuji films are usually my first choice
with some of the Agfa films being chosen for contrast and flesh tone
considerations.
Some films are better for scanning then traditional printing, some are best
for display prints and some better for portraits then scenics....
...but seldom in the past 10 years has Kodak been my first choice for film
on ANY assignment with the exception of Kodachrome for 2 magazine and 1
corporate/industrial assignment.
The difference in price here is only about $1 per roll so this is
not a consideration for me... even on a job that requires 2 or 3 hundred rolls.
The main consideration is to give the client the best pictures possible of a
given situation. That requires the best film for the job.
...and, OF COURSE!, means shooting them with Leica lenses ~:^)
cheers,
Greg Locke <locke@straylight.ca>
St. John's, Newfoundland.
<http://www.straylight.ca/locke/>
- ----------------------------------
"I've finally figured out what's wrong with photography.
It's a one-eyed man looking through a little 'ole.
Now, how much reality can there be in that?" -- David Hockney