[news] kodak drops b&w photographic paper

interesting news today...

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Kodak today quietly announced that as of 2006, it will no longer be producing black and white photographic paper. The surprise announcement was made to PDN via a phone conference on Monday.

"Kodak will discontinue the production and sale of black and white photographic papers as part of its worldwide digital growth strategy," said a company statement. "As the imaging industry transitions from film to digital technologies, demand for B and W paper is declining by 25 percent per year and no longer represents an attractive market for Kodak."

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linky

kind of weird, but it makes sense. i still have some old sheets in a box somewhere, but you better believe i have NO plans to actually use them (and the fact that they are 15 years old). still, this is a clear sign that the digital revolution is indeed being televised...

so, what are the youngsters going to do in high school? i took photography for 3 straight years, and used reams of this stuff. what do schools do now...is it all digital or something?

all digital in schools. well, mine anyway.

Its not digital at my school, not sure what they use though.

i'm assuming that other manufacturers will continue to make b&w paper to serve a niche market...kodak is probably just exiting because of margin issues. but in high school, 50% of the class was learning your way around a darkroom. maybe photoshop is the new darkroom?

We used Ilford papers in college.
Looks like they still are supplying b/w.

Personally I always preferred Ilford. When I was in college they supplied Kodak but I'd always bring in my own paper.

B&W paper and analog audio tape what next is on the chopping block?

analog tv and gasoline :)

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Originally Posted by admedia

We used Ilford papers in college.

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Herumph! This was only logical seeing as they no longer make film cameras?

I enjoyed B&W photography in school. Taking pictures, developing, printing, knowing all the equipment in the darkroom. That is where my love of photography really started...if kids just jump right into digital they won't appreciate photography like we do. With film there is so delete button and can't take 10000 pictures of one thing to get it right(unless you are rich and have 1000 rolls of film) you really have to think out your shots before taking them. And we used old minolta slr's FULLY manual. These kids will use point and shoot crap cameras. I feel sorry for them

One thing about point and shoot 1000 pics.
If you don't develop the knack for composition a 1000 pics won't change, Most likely you'll have 1000 lousy pics.

That happened to me.....took me 1,000 shots to figure out the camera, but after that something just clicked ( <---pun ) and I really started improving. The process of getting out and taking photos everyday really helped me. If I would have to worry about film there is no way I'd be the photographer that I am today (whatever that's worth), so I think there is a place in the learning curve for digital photoraphy. I do lack some film processing skills, like a few photographers I know, but I'll also never need them shooting digital.

Art is art, mediums change.

Our school uses this Kodak paper exclusively...time to switch to Ilford I guess. I might go ahead and stock up on this in bulk while I still can though. Anyone know where I can get it online cheap?