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Fans rush to snap up film rolls
By Zha Minjie |
January 20, 2012, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
KODAK'S overseas business will be relatively unaffected by the parent company's bankruptcy filing as its non-American subsidiaries are not included.
Nevertheless, many photographers rushed to snap up rolls of film from Shanghai suppliers.
Shen Jie said: "My childhood is reflected back to me via Kodak film, even though the pictures are in black and white. Now that I have a job and can buy film myself, the company is closing."
Shen said he has a digital camera but prefers film.
Even before the announcement, many people were rushing to buy film stock as they'd heard a rumor the company was in trouble.
A store owner at a photography market near Shanghai Railway Station said sales of Kodak film had been increasing recently with many customers fearing that it would not be on the shelves for much longer. He sells 36-frame color film for 11 yuan (US$1.74) to 12 yuan while black-and-white film is more expensive.
Most of the film sold at the store is the Kodak brand while the rest is from Fuji.
"Many young people are falling in love with film photography," the store owner said, "and trying out the old-fashioned way."
However, the days of film have been in decline ever since the world embraced digital cameras.
At the market, there are only two stores selling film out of more than 50 on two floors. All the rest concentrate on digital photography.
"The old days will never come back," sighed a professional photographer working for a local newspaper.
He said that back in the 1980s and 1990s he had a full set of equipment for developing film.
"It was fun developing film in a darkroom, which could even be your own room with the lights out. Processing the film was then your whole world."
He added: "Film also demanded high standards from us technically when we were taking photographs." Film had to be delicately handled, too. In hot weather, he said, the precious film was kept cool in a refrigerator.
Nevertheless, many photographers rushed to snap up rolls of film from Shanghai suppliers.
Shen Jie said: "My childhood is reflected back to me via Kodak film, even though the pictures are in black and white. Now that I have a job and can buy film myself, the company is closing."
Shen said he has a digital camera but prefers film.
Even before the announcement, many people were rushing to buy film stock as they'd heard a rumor the company was in trouble.
A store owner at a photography market near Shanghai Railway Station said sales of Kodak film had been increasing recently with many customers fearing that it would not be on the shelves for much longer. He sells 36-frame color film for 11 yuan (US$1.74) to 12 yuan while black-and-white film is more expensive.
Most of the film sold at the store is the Kodak brand while the rest is from Fuji.
"Many young people are falling in love with film photography," the store owner said, "and trying out the old-fashioned way."
However, the days of film have been in decline ever since the world embraced digital cameras.
At the market, there are only two stores selling film out of more than 50 on two floors. All the rest concentrate on digital photography.
"The old days will never come back," sighed a professional photographer working for a local newspaper.
He said that back in the 1980s and 1990s he had a full set of equipment for developing film.
"It was fun developing film in a darkroom, which could even be your own room with the lights out. Processing the film was then your whole world."
He added: "Film also demanded high standards from us technically when we were taking photographs." Film had to be delicately handled, too. In hot weather, he said, the precious film was kept cool in a refrigerator.
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