Fuji announces the end of its Single8-production :(

[John_Pytlak]

I have no idea about the real cost to keep film production running.
Maybe Mr. Pytlak knows more about this.

Fred.

There is considerable capital investment required (hundreds of millions of dollars each) for the huge machines that make film base and coat the emulsions. Likewise the development cost and capital expenditure for high volume slitting and perforating equipment can be tens of millions of dollars. Properly maintained and upgraded, this equipment has a useful life of decades.

Here is an example:

http://www.ny.gov/governor/press/older_years/may9.html

Kodak has selected New York over competing locations in the United States and Europe for a new $200 million film manufacturing plant, creating 50 new manufacturing jobs and retaining 500 jobs at Kodak Park in Monroe County.

In addition, up to 400 construction workers will be employed during the two years it will take to build the new film manufacturing plant.

Development costs for a new film formulation can be several million dollars.

Kodak still makes well over 10 BILLION feet of 35mm motion picture film each year, and annual volume continues to increase. 16mm and Super-8 films are generally drawn from Kodak's varied portfolio of motion-picture stocks.

[tlatosmd]

Damn. This is such shitty news. I had really been thinking about moving towards using Single 8 a lot more. Recently bought a couple of great cameras. What is happening? Don't these corporations see the changes that are going? The resurgence in popularity? What a total drag.

Seriously depressed.

Tim

Seconded. Absolutely the same here! It just ain't fair that it's the technically less sophisticated system that survives! Darn, darn, darn!

Anyway, for all we know the jury might still be out on Velvia in Single8. After all, that isn't spliced and put into carts by Fuji themselves.

[jaxshooter]

I'll never understand why companies like Pro 8mm don't step in and save the format. You can slit down any 35mm stock and perf it for super 8 right?Why not offer these films in single 8 carts?The extra thickness would mean you could only load about 35 feet inot a 50 foot cart, but so what?Maybe they could offer slit down mylar based SO stocks.While we're at it, why can't DS 8 be offered in these great stocks as well?There was an attempt at getting some Vision 2 stock in DS 8 but it fizzled out.Guess there's not enough of a demand.Damn shame, there's some really nice single 8 and DS 8 stocks out there.The designs for single 8 and DS 8 make so much more sense than the Kodak cart.

[jpolzfuss]

I'll never understand why companies like Pro 8mm don't step in and save the format. You can slit down any 35mm stock and perf it for super 8 right?

quess why single8film.com is going to sell reloadable Single8-cartridges soon and why GK/Retro8 are selling the Cinevia in both Super8 and Single8 and why Retro8 is selling the Retro-X in Single8 ;)