Re: [Leica] More Photokina

[Dante A Stella <dante@umich.edu>]

I find Erwin's comments incongruous with the news reports that Fuji will double
its US film manufacturing and that the boat anchor around Kodak's neck is its
digital division.  There is no digital camera that can be made cheap enough to
compete with the Fun Saver.

Bill Satterfield wrote:

> Please ID the film.
>
> Erwin Puts wrote:
>
> > First I would like to comment on the apparent impression my previous note
> > generated, that I assumed that analogue film will be extinct shortly. This
> > is not what  I said.I remarked that companies like Kodak and Fuji etc will
> > reduce their film range to best selling products and yes, there is
> > considerable effort and finance involved in new film emulsions. And they
> > will manufacture it as long as substantial sales are involved. But look at
> > Kodak here. The Panther family (a very nice film range IMHO) was
> > discontinued very quickly after failing to capture the publics imagination
> > disregarding the development cost. So is the case with Kodachrome. Kodak
> > Professional did not even mention this film at Photokina. B&W films? wait a
> > moment, sir, I have to look up this word in the Kodak dictionary of obsolete
> > concepts. Ilford has moved to the digital arena and did not even care to
> > show any of their films or papers. A new Delta400? yes we have it, yawn! But
> > look at our new digital printing machines! That is were the future is! Fuji:
> > new films OK but new technology? Forget it: the famous  fourth layer is
> > around for many years and made it first in Reala, then Superia, now 160
> > film. More research? The new 400F is indeed a significant film if it does
> > deliver. I have a load of films for testing. So I have to wait to comment.
> > Of course film will be around for a long time to come. But changes are
> > incremental here if at all. Kodak still produces Tri-X since 19xx without
> > changes, but new ideas?
> > Here we need to go to outsider companies. The new Paterson FX-50, family of
> > the deservedly famous FX39 is a really exciting developer. Finer grain than
> > ever and  acutance galore. And it works with all current films. Wait for my
> > report.
> > And now for the surprise! Imagine a film with ISO40 to 64, with grain, much
> > finer than TechPan and without its extended red sensitivity, with definition
> > at least 8 times of Tmax100, extended tonality in grey scale, extreme
> > latitude of exposure, development time uncritical, fixing time 20 seconds,
> > drying time  half an hour.   Comparison pictures at 20x 30 inch with sheet
> > film negatives of 8x10 inch negatives show superiority for this new 35mm
> > film material. Can it exist. I have it on my desk!
> > This is really fun! Where the big companies resign, the smaller ones jump up
> > and continue to develop  products for the 35mm BW world.
> > I am no pessimist! BW and analogue has a fine future, but do not expect
> > anything from the classical companies. They are focused to digital. The
> > smaller players will make or day!
> >
> > Erwin