RE: No strong to survive....

Sandy,

Yes, that's pretty much what we'd expect as the major players, break
apart, fold, sell-off, etc. There are always smaller players moving
into pick up the client base.

I think it begs the premise's foundation -- "as long as sheet film is
made." Of the film stocks fastest to disappear have been those in the
offset printing business, replaced by (first) laser or infrared
imaging films, then by direct-to-digital plates. Until it is practical
for small, high-quality print shops to completely move from film,
there is a market for film. The question is, who is using
continuous-tone sheet film and for what styles/types of imagery. I
don't know the market, but I'd imagine it is shrinking as the 22
megapixel backs reach their third generation using CMOS technology and
dropping in price. I think the price of sheet film is bound to
increase.

-Darryl

I like the collodion movement, but I don't have that kind of time to
pursue it full-time.

-----Original Message-----
From: Sandy King [mailto:sanking@clemson.edu]
Sent: Sun 9/26/2004 11:34 PM
To: alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca
Subject: RE: No strong to survive....
 
>
>
>I think the real losers are those shooting U.L.F., like Sandy K and
>all the 11X14 and 8X10 film shooters. That's where I see the near
>future with no rays of sunshine... ever again.
>
>As a teacher of alt-process, the excitement is in the control of the
>printing stage. I see nothing really revolutionary, beyond enlarged
>digital negs. That's the main area of new development; that's what
>continues to excite me about this list. We are a tangible part of
this
>"history."
>
>-Darryl
>

Actually I believe 8X10 and ULF will be around as long as sheet film
of any kind is being made. Sheet film is going to be for sure a niche
market at some point in the near future, but as long as anyone
anywhere is actually making sheet film the extra trouble of getting
it cut into 8X10 and ULF sizes should not be a problem. The stuff is
coated on rolls about a meter wide and from there cutting it to
whatever size people want is not much of an issue.

We are actually already seeing this done for the niche market by
companies in Huyngary, Slovenia, and China appears to be getting
there as well.

Sandy