Topic: polaroid - Harman/Ilford ...

[LT]

this was just posted on APUG by Simon Galley from Harman Technologies (Ilford)

"Dear All,

We have received many, many e.mails from photo enthusiasts the world over regarding the possibility of our manufacturing monochrome POLAROID product. We have no idea whether this will be possible or practical, what I can tell you is that our Chairman and Managing Director Dr. Philip Harris has written to the CEO of POLAROID with the intention of discussing the possibility, should anything develop from this contact I will let you know.

Simon : ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology Limited"

Not sure how that changes things, but at least an official commitment to investigating the possibility.

now - Harman + polaroid = Harmaroids???

[traskblueribbon]

Harman + polaroid = Harmaroids???

I think they sell an ointment for that.   

good to see an acknowledgment of interest on the part of Harman.

http://www.savepolaroid.com

[seekingfocus]

Yeah- I got an identical letter this morning. Very promising... at least there is the possibility. I guess now it comes down to what price Polaroid will want for the recipes... Time to turn the tables and focus our energies on convincing Polaroid to give up the rights fairly easily for a willing and able company (like Ilford/Harman). I called them (Polaroid) this morning, but was unable to get through to anyone important... but at least it's one more voice that was heard.

-Jason

[formica]

well, that's good news at least. hopefully, something real comes of it. if ilford took over a lot of the bw films and fuji did a lot of the colour i'd be exceptionally happy. but it's really too early to see what will happen.

             william

[gothamtomato]

What's APUG?

And btw, I agree that we should also write to that putz who bought Polaroid to get him to do the right thing.

[Wally]

I guess now it comes down to what price Polaroid will want for the recipes...

that is my biggest fear. The way I see it one if two things will happen.

1.)Polaroid will do the right thing andpractically give it away for free or very low cost to keep it alive.

2.)Polaroid will demand so much money that it will not be financially viable for anyone to make it.

My hope is for #1, but my guess is that it will be number 2.

Another interesting thing is that once Polaroid exits the film business it would become pretty hard to enforce patents on something it no longer markets or makes. There really would be nothing stopping Ilford or Fuji from making their own instant films. They might not be compatible with Polaroid cameras but they could still make them.

I would find it very useful if Ilford for example made a 4x5 instant film that fit in regular backs and holders. You could take them into the field shoot away and then run them through a press at home to develop them sans darkroom. This would be a great thing for nature/landscape photographers in cold/hot weather.

[Francois]

What's APUG?

The Analog Photography Users Group

[seekingfocus]

What's APUG?

The Analog Photography Users Group

Candy land for filmwasters...

-Jason

[okayku]

An update from Ilford...some not so great news 

Dear All,

I have been out for a few days and several of you have sent me PM's re POLAROID : Please see below :

April 18th, 2008, Mobberley, Cheshire UK and Minnetonka, MN, USA -- HARMAN technology Limited and its monochrome brand, ILFORD Photo and Polaroid Worldwide have been in discussions about ILFORD Photo taking on production of Polaroid's black and white professional instant sheet film. Despite their best efforts, together the prospective partners have determined that they can not find a commercially viable way forward.

HARMAN's Chairman and Managing Director, Phil Harris said. " The processes involved in the manufacture and assembly of professional instant sheet film products are very demanding and it would require substantial investment to re-establish them at HARMAN technology's site in Cheshire, England. When compared with current and projected sales for the products, it was clear that such an investment could not be justified."

Phil Harris continues: " While we had hoped to work together on continuing the production of instant sheet film, it is cost prohibitive to meet the declining demand. As a company, we are saddened that such an inspirational form of expression will disappear, but we will always remain staunchly committed to the long term future of monochrome photography in all its facets and we will continue to do everything we can to support it".


Simon ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology Limited :

[traskblueribbon]

bless them for trying...


 

[gothamtomato]

This is disappointing, to say the least.

They were our best hope. I'm wondering how much of this outcome was due to Polaroid making it difficult or too expensive for the licensing.

[okayku]

This is disappointing, to say the least.

They were our best hope. I'm wondering how much of this outcome was due to Polaroid making it difficult or too expensive for the licensing.

In all fairness to Polaroid, I don't think it was a case of them making it too difficult or expensive to license.  Any for-profit company would rather sell something for a price (no matter how meager) rather than not sell at all.  The sad fact of the matter is that there just isn't a market where a company can continue to produce Polaroid film and recover the costs of manufacturing the film at a price that the market is willing to bear Aside from the film enthusiast, not many people are willing to purchase 20 shots of polaroid 600 film at $25 when they can go out and purchase a digital camera for a little bit more.   

[Heather]

To be honest your best bet is with Fuji. Ilford photo just do not have the machines to make instant film and they figured it was too expensive to do it. Having visited their factory site, they'd have to build a whole new building and may not have the land space (although they do have a patch big enough for another coating line... but i assume instant film making might be a bigger machine than the standard giant coating machine).
Fuji already make pullapart polaroid-type film,  I use it in my polaroid103 camera and I kinda like it better. Seems to have less caustic gel goo hanging off the end after pulling the picture off the backing so it's less messy. People are learning to do transfers/lifts with it although it is more difficult than using polaroid products.

So the only thing to cry about is polaroid integral films (image/spectra/600), which I will because I love the pictures from my sx-70.

[formica]

This is disappointing, to say the least.

They were our best hope. I'm wondering how much of this outcome was due to Polaroid making it difficult or too expensive for the licensing.

In all fairness to Polaroid, I don't think it was a case of them making it too difficult or expensive to license.  Any for-profit company would rather sell something for a price (no matter how meager) rather than not sell at all.  The sad fact of the matter is that there just isn't a market where a company can continue to produce Polaroid film and recover the costs of manufacturing the film at a price that the market is willing to bear Aside from the film enthusiast, not many people are willing to purchase 20 shots of polaroid 600 film at $25 when they can go out and purchase a digital camera for a little bit more.   

i don't think that is entirely true. there's definately a market out there for the 600 film. but my understanding is that ilford was looking at the 4x5 polaroid films which have a much more limited market.  some have suggested elsewhere if polaroid was serious about finding someone to continue the production of film they would have tried to line up buyers before they tore apart the factories.

             william

[formica]

So the only thing to cry about is polaroid integral films (image/spectra/600), which I will because I love the pictures from my sx-70.

me too. me too.

         william