[rollei_list] Film and Photokina 2008
- From: Carlos Manuel Freaza <cmfreaza@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 1 Oct 2008 14:53:39 -0700 (PDT)
This is an interesting report about the Photokina 2008 from an APUG member:
"Photokina: Positive news for film
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hello,
I attended the Photokina photo fair in Cologne, Germany, last week
(professional) and want to give you a short report about some important facts
concerning film (Photokina is the world biggest photo fair). I’ve had a lot of
very interesting talks with different companies. Overall it was quite
encouraging for us as film users:
Fuji: The Fuji Folder will hit the market soon. It will be marketed under the
Fuji brand in Japan, and under the Voigtländer brand in the rest of the world.
No exact release date or price yet. You can easily switch between 6x7 and 6x6
format. The lens has 6 elements in 4 groups. Fuji told me the the interest in
this camera is huge. Much more than they expected.
Film: The Fuji film expert told me, that film sales of the professional film
line has been stabilised in the U.S. and Germany (in Germany in 2006, in the
U.S. even a little bit earlier). They even see a slight increase in
professional film sales. For some purposes professionals are returning back to
film. They think the worst lies behind them (concerning professional film).
On a length of about ten meters Fuji showed huge images (some had a height of
nearly three meters), all photographed with their professional slide films.
Looked great. Visitors see at once which outstanding quality is possible with
film.
Kodak: Kodak presented the Ektar 100 film. They offered samples for free (TMY-2
as well). Some pictures made with this film were printed 50x75 cm and one
80x120 cm. Excellent quality, extremely fine grain, intensive colours (but not
too intensive). It’s definitely a film for the best prime lenses you have.
Kodak reported quite robust sales of professional films. Their sales of BW
films are even significantly increasing! TMY-2 is a success. It was the right
decision at Kodak to invest in R&D and develop this film. With improved films
you can achieve higher sales figures.
Kodak confirmed their commitment to film. They will continue R&D and intend to
update their film portfolio. They are making good profits with film. Futhermore
Kodak has signed some long term contracts with important clients for analogue
photo and film products. Due to these contracts film production at Kodak will
be secured for the next ten years.
@ Kodak UK: You can be very happy to have such enthusiastic and committed
employees like Shona Mead. As a customer I have to say she did an excellent job
at Photokina. Shona, thank you very much for your help! Very nice and
informative talk with you.
Kodak organised a panel discussion there: Pro Photographers: What’s film got to
do with it? Four professionals explained their reason for their film usage.
Very interesting, because the four pros have different working focuses. So
their reasons for using film and mostly prefering film are sometimes different,
but interestingly the same in most cases.
It was a good marketing for film. But Kodak should make such informations
available online (a summary of the most important points), so that much more
interested photographers can read it.
Maco/Rollei-Film: They introduced some new films: Superpan 200 will now be
available worldwide (35mm, 120). So far only prototype film was available.
Furthermore they introduced Rollei Retro 80S. A high resolution film made by
Agfa-Gevaert (Aviphot Pan 80) with ISO 80/20°.
Rollei ATP is now available even in 120 format as well! If you want a 200
Megapixel sensor (or more, it depends on your lens; I’ve got 160 Lp/mm system
resolution with this film and a Zeiss Makro Planar ZF 2/50 with tripod, but
without MLU; Rollei ATP DC developer was used), this is your film.
The Rollei Digibase film is now available in 120, too.
Besides they announced a new infrared film without anti halation layer, very
similar to the well known Maco 820 IR Aura. This film will be made by
Fotokemika.
And they presented the slide film Rollei CR 200. The emulsion is the original
Agfa RSX II emulsion, although it is not coated on triazetate, but on PET.
They reported significantly increasing film sales of their Rollei-Films.
Lucky: They presented two new colour negative emulsions with 100 and 200 speed.
Fotoimpex: They offered first test samples of the Adox MCP (smaller scale
coating run by Agfa-Gevaert), and promised to try to make MCC next year.
They told me that they see an increasing number of photographers returning back
to film, due to negative experiences with digital (data losses, time consuming
post production at the computer, low quality at higher magnification etc.).
Ilford Photo (Harman Technologies): I’ve missed them. They had no booth (I know
the reasons why, but nevertheless, it’s a pity). The Ilford managers met their
distributers in a hotel.
Freestyle: They reported increasing sales numbers. They are watching an
increasing interest especially by younger photographers. They think one reason
are lots of committed photo teachers at high schools and colleges. They
encourage the young to use film and traditional darkroom.
They think the worst lies behind them, and they are quite optimistic for the
future.
The largest austrian distributer of analogue photo materials explained to me
that similar developments are taking place in Vienna. His sales numbers are
also increasing due to rising interest of young photo students.
Leica: Sales numbers of the film based MP and M7 are stable. They say that they
will offer these models for many years to come.
Franke&Heidecke (Rolleiflex): The demand for the TLRs and the med format
projector is stable. Furthermore they presented a new 6x6 film magazine for
their Hy6. And some new lenses and gold covered TLRs for the 80. birthday of
the TLR concept.
Zeiss: They introduduced their new Z line lenses for SLRs (Distagon 2,8/21,
3,5/18) and the new ZM 4/85.
Recently I’ve made intensive film tests, especially the new films of the last
two years. With these Films (e.g. Provia 400X, TMY-2, Rollei ATP), but with
“older” ones as well (TMX, Acros, Delta 100, APX 100, Provia 100F, Velvia 100F,
Sensia 100, Kodak E100G, Elitechrome 100) , I’ve got very high resolution with
my best prime lenses. System resolution of 100 – 130 Lp/mm with ISO 100/21° BW
and slide films are no problem at all. With films like Rollei ATP, Rollei
Ortho, Kodak Imagelink or Spur Orthopan UR (= Adox CMS 20).
The physical resolution limit of a 22 MP sensor (24x36mm like Canon Eos 1 Ds Mk
III) is only 80 Lp/mm. More is not possible.
I had a very interesting talk to Dr. Hubert Nasse, senior scientist at Zeiss
and chief optic designer. He confirmed my test results. At Zeiss they even got
higher resolution with film in some cases (look at their website, camera lens
news 17, 19, 20, 22, 24 and their magazine ‘innovation’).
Dr. Nasse said that it is very sad that there are so much wrong statements
about resolution of digital sensors on the worldwide web. His statement due to
the intensive scientific tests at Zeiss was very clear: Most Films, especially
modern BW films, have much higher resolution than digital sensors.
Lomo: The Lomographic Society was the great surprise on this years photokina.
They had two (!) very big boothes, much bigger than most of the boothes of
digital companies. The complete ground of both boothes was covered with real
color prints, all of them lomo pictures, overall more than 100.000!! They
needed some days for gluing these pictures side by side by hand.
Their biggest booth was on the boulevard between two great halls, at a
strategic point, because all visitors had to pass by, see the booth and the
very big logo above: “the future is analogue”. Very lovely to read such a
statement at a digital dominated fair.
They held lots of workshops every day to teach photographers the art of
lomography. Very interesting: They addressed these workshops especially at very
young people (in the 16 – 25 year old range). And the young (often grown up
only with digital photography) were interested!! There booth was full with
visitors. They sold lots of Holgas , Dianas and Lomos.
They told me that their business growth rates were 50% p.a. in the last years!
Even if you don’t like this photography concept, you have to admit it is very
good for film, because young people or digital photographers get in touch with
film.
I have always explained to the pessimistic, that there can be a good future for
film if you make an excellent marketing (and keep on improving films like Kodak
and Fuji do).
Increasing film sales nowadays? Yes, it is possible.
If you need evidence, look at Lomo (and Kodak, Rollei-Film).
This is only one possible way, there are lots of others. Experts already have
developed clever marketing strategies for film, but film manufacturers have to
use this knowledge.
I hope this short report about film on this years Photokina was interesting for
you. And sorry for my bad english, I am German .
Best regards,
Henning"
Yahoo! Cocina
Recetas prácticas y comida saludable
http://ar.mujer.yahoo.com/cocina/
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