Personal ramblings on photography
News (industry, events)
Kosmophoto tells us Kodak Alaris announces price rises for January 2025 – but Tri-X is getting cheaper:
In contrast to previous price increases, the majority of price increases will under 10%, with most falling between 5% and 8%.
It’s a mixed bag, some film raising in prices and some falling, with 120 rolls rising more than 135.
To be continued…
Previously: Kodak pauses film production for factory upgrades, Fujifilm film price increase, Price hike on Kodak film
The Verge signals us that Kodak pauses film production for factory upgrades to help meet demand:
Eastman Kodak has temporarily paused all film production. The news comes as part of a shutdown in November allowing the company to upgrade and modernize its Rochester, New York factory,
I tried to not make the headline click-bait, like the bits I saw earlier this week.
This is actually a good news in which Kodak need to pause production to better produce, due to increased demand. Increased demand is good, as it means film is alive.
In 2020, Eastman Kodak said demand for film had doubled between 2015 and 2019, after a decade-long period of decline following the start of consumer digital photography.
Let’s hope this is a positive signal from the previous news of Kodak photo businesses being sold to private equity.
After a week of rumors, Monday 14 October 2024 set as the date by Fujifilm for the X-Summit, and an announcement about some firmware updates, we now know about the Fujifilm X-M5.
The X-M5 is the smallest Fujifilm X body. Without viewfinder, but a tilt screen, it is geared towards “creators” — think of it as a video camera. It presents as the inexpensive video body in the Fujifilm X lineup, a market cornered mostly by Sony, Panasonic and Canon. The Panasonic S9 is a prime example albeit at a much higher price point.
The X-M5 doesn’t have IBIS (In Body Image Stabilizer), however it has electronic stabilization for video, a system which dampen the camera motion shake at the price of a 1.33 crop. With 26.1 megapixels, it uses the older X-Trans 4 image sensor, albeit with the 5th generation X-processor. It uses the NP-W126S batteries (that’s the smaller ones as found on the X-Pro and earlier X-T), has a mic and headphone jacks, and HDMI Micro.
On the controls, I’m just skeptical of the film simulation dial. Why a dedicated dial for this? I just hope it can be reconfigured to something more useful.
The camera comes either body only or with a kit lens XC 15-45mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS PZ, the most compact zoom lens in the line. The OIS helps with the lack of IBIS. And two colours: silver or black, the latter being for April 2025.
The MSRP for the X-M5 is to be €899 / £799 body only. Add 100 in either currency for the XC 15-45 zoom in kit. Canadian price is CAD1079 body only, and CAD1199 with the 15-45.
Other announcements today included the XF 16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR II zoom lens, an update to the previous model, and the XF 500mm f/5.6 R LM OIS WR telephoto lens.
The Widelux X website is up.
SilverBridges is Jeff Bridges (the dude) company to revive the Widelux. It will be mechanical, planned for a 2025 release and called the Widelux X.
Turns out the dude was serious and now we know a bit more.
Previously: The Widelux Revival Project
Kosmofoto tells us Harman Technology releases 120 version of Phoenix 200 film.
Harman Technology is the owner of Ilford, the well known black & white film photography brand and Kentmere. Phoenix is their brand new colour negative film. It’s an original emulsion, not a repackaging that was released in 135 format last December. The 200 ISO film is now available in 120 format.
This is great news.
Back in March 2024, Rollei announced the Rollei 35AF. A newly redesigned version of the Rollei 35 film cameras. The pre-orders will be opening 10 September 2024.
What is the Rollei 35? It’s a long line of high-end (it’s called “premium” these days) compact 35mm film camera that sold over 2 million units since the late 60s. The Rollei 35AF is a redesign, developed by MiNT over the last few years (read all the updates, it’s interesting).
With a newly designed 35mm f2.8 fixed lens, a built-in flash, it features auto-focus (hence the AF moniker), auto-exposure, and retain mostly the appearance of its predecessors. At around USD650-800, this provides a new alternative for film shooters that is less expensive than the Leica and that is not doomed to break down due to age like most vintage camera are.
DPReview: Kodak photo businesses sold to private equity
Well….
This is not good news. Private equity are the corporate looters. And this one is the one that removed “Co-op” from “Mountain Equipment Co-op”…
I don’t expect Kodak film product to be developing. Maybe it’s time to stock up. And when some Fujifilm are suspected to just be Kodak, I wonder about the broader impact.
I talked about rangefinders and mentioned the Pixii, and how it being APS-C sized sensor was, an issue given that it uses Leica M-mount lenses.
Turns out as DPReview tells us that Pixii launches 24MP Pixii Max, its first full-frame rangefinder:
The Pixii Max (Model A3410) is the company’s fifth camera and the first to move from an APS-C sensor to full frame.
Feels like a good revision. At €3999 without taxes (about CA$5900), it’s less expensive than a Leica M.
PetaPixel inform that Fujifilm Set to Restart Color Film Production in China:
Fujifilm reportedly held a color film launch event in China where it announced it would restart the production of its C200 and C400 color negative film through production partner Yes!Star.
C200 and C400 are the successor of the Superia line of films: consumer grade (but high quality) colour negative film. With film prices rising, and choice reducing, it seems like good news.
More supplies is better. With Ricoh releasing a new film camera, it seems that film is not dead.
I previously mentioned the Pentax film renaissance. Today Pentax announced the Pentax 17 (via DPReview).
This gives the details we didn’t previously have.
It’s a vertical half frame (17 mm wide, 24 mm tall) 35mm millimeter compact camera, with a manual focus fixed prime lens. It has program exposure with a few modes, and built-in flash with sync at 1/125. It will be priced at USD$499.95, to be available in late (aren’t we already in the second half?) June 2024.
The manual focusing is zone based, reminiscent of non auto-focus compact cameras, and the viewfinder is parallax corrected, and centered on the lens in the middle of the camera. This is neither a reflex (through the lens) nor a rangefinder.
The body construction has metal, i.e. it’s not a cheap plastic blob. The leaf shutter goes from 4 sec to 1/350 sec, with also a bulb mode. The lens is a fixed 25mm (37mm equivalent) with f/3.5 aperture closed down to a max of f/16. Film advance is mechanic with a lever, so is ISO setting (no DX). The camera uses a CR2 battery for the metering and the flash.
The half frame allow 48 and 72 shots on 24 and 36 exp rolls respectively. If you want to shoot in landscape mode, just flip the camera.
This camera could totally be from the late 1970s, minus a couple of things. According to Ricoh-Pentax, the lens is based on the 1994 Pentax Espio Mini, but using the same attribute as was used on the 1962 RICOH Auto Half
At USD$500 I am not sure whether this is right-priced or not.