Click on the audio button to hear my post on how changing the distribution model for film is key to the sustainable future of analog photography.
Viva la Revolution- Stephen
Click on the audio button to hear my post on how changing the distribution model for film is key to the sustainable future of analog photography.
Viva la Revolution- Stephen
Figital Revolution 
This is a great idea and something that should be very easy for the manafactures to create. Also it’s heavily rumored that Freestyle’s Arista line is rebadged Kodak film. If it is, image Kodak selling that film to consumers for a wholesale price as well!
I agree! As much as I try to support brick & mortar stores, I only go there for the service (and would continue even if Kodak, etc. had online stores). I’d definitely shoot more film if it were cheaper!
Thankfully, I don’t believe that Ferrania will not be following the old model, and hopefully their example will inspire the others
Reblogged this on The Resurrected Camera and commented:
Listen to this. As much as I try to support brick & mortar stores, he’s right, and this would help film manufacturers thrive so much more than they currently are.
Harman, the parent company of Ilford, do have a UK-based online outlet to sell film and papers at http://www.harmanexpress.com/prods/22/ILFORD-FILM.htm – however it doesn’t seem to be any or much cheaper than retail outlets.
Likewise, Fuji have a site at http://shop.fujifilm.co.uk/accessories/instax-film but the only film they list is Instax.
Neither is the price point dealers get and that has to change….
Well…maybe. Were that it was so simple. Ilford already does an annual ULF special order program. Not sure there’s enough $$$ left in the already residual film market to warrant the staff costs to handle small order logistics. Minimum orders? Sure but many film shooters are pathological cheapskates who seem keener on scarfing up expired film than shooting fresh, full-price material.
Sorry but your farm-to-table analogy doesn’t square with the economies of scale and technical indivisibility of film manufacture as opposed to marketing the stuff. Look at the trials of Ferrania taking wire brushes to old coating machines and dealing with a crumbling derelict plant with bad plumbing. If they’re the future of film, we’re doomed. We’ve no way of knowing the trend line for Kodak/Alaris or Fujifilm’s physical output and probably never will. But I suspect they’ll kill film before they retool distribution to service a future market even smaller than today’s.
I don’t agree and my conversations within the industry run contrary to what you post…. But in any case I keep several freezers full of film and a wide variety of fun at all times….
“my conversations within the industry run contrary to what you post”
OK, so what are they saying? We’re waiting…
chill… a lot of my conversations are covered by a NDA…. did ya see Bergger is introducing a new 4×5 BW film this month… nice.