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Re: 5X7 Tri X better price



Hi

I know what you mean but I think some retraction in the provision of
materials in this market is inevitable. That is because the companies are
not responding to changes happening now, but those which  happened some time
ago. Commercial use of most mono emulsions has withered since the beginning
of the '90's, and the companies are responding to market conditions which
already exist. That means that Kodak's plans are already made, and are
unlikely to be changed.

I do understand that for many people film  _is_  Kodak, but sooner or later
they'll have to get used to buying products that don't come in yellow boxes.

I think it is inevitable that certain smaller,  specialist providers will
become the mainstay of materials supply in mono, and I think that they
should be supported. It's all very well for Kodak to make a some
opportunistic dollars here, but I don't see any long-term commitment to the
mono market from them.

The future is digital, as far as Kodak are concerned, please be under no
illusions. "Digital or die" is the message they are sending out to the
professional market. The fine art photo market may be desperately important
to us, but that does not mean that it will remain so to a high-volume
producer like Kodak.

In the long term I think that it will be more important that companies like
Ilford, Bergger and Forte stay _in_ the market, than that Kodak pull out,
because Kodak are going to pull out anyway, and if the smaller companies
have already gone to the wall, we're stuffed.


Rod



----- Original Message -----
From: <DFStein@aol.com>
To: <alt-photo-process-l@skyway.usask.ca>
Sent: Tuesday, October 03, 2000 12:19 AM
Subject: Re: 5X7 Tri X better price


> Yes, but remember the Domino theory.  If Newsweek doesn't exist, it begs
the
> viability of Time.  Some rationalization of product lines can always be
> expected, but will we loose entire emulsions in the coming months.  I want
> Kodak  Fuji, Agfa, Ilford and others to all be strong, creative,
communicate
> with your customers entities.
>