Weekly News Roundup
Kodak rewrites its film catalog, Martin Parr gets his due in Paris, and there is new gear worth knowing about.
This week's photography news: Kodak renames T-Max and Portra, Martin Parr's first posthumous exhibition opens in Paris, Panasonic announces the Lumix TZ300, and Viltrox expands its lens lineup.
Kodak Announces Ektapan Black and White Film
This is the story of the week for the Collective. Eastman Kodak has announced three new black and white films under the Ektapan name: Ektapan 100, Ektapan 400, and Ektapan P3200. The name itself is a revival, Ektapan was a discontinued Kodak black and white film that disappeared from shelves around 25 years ago. It is now back, and the new films are widely understood by the film photography community to be the same emulsions as the existing T-Max line, rebranded as Eastman Kodak continues the process of bringing its still film distribution back under its own roof from Kodak Alaris.
The films use T-Grain emulsion, the same flat tabular silver halide crystal technology that gives T-Max its characteristic clean, high contrast look with fine grain and exceptional sharpness. Ektapan 100 is described as the world's finest grain 100 speed black and white film. Ektapan 400 is positioned as the sharpest and finest grain 400 speed black and white film available. Ektapan P3200 is a multi-speed film designed to be pushed to ISO 3200 or beyond, suited to low light and fast moving subjects.
Both 100 and 400 are available in 135 and 120 formats. P3200 is 135 only. Pricing at B&H sits at $10.99 per 36 exposure roll for 100 and 400, and $13.95 for P3200. Five rolls of 120 format Ektapan 100 are $44.99.
If you have been shooting T-Max and are wondering whether to make the switch, the answer is probably that you already know what these films can do. The emulsion has not changed. The box has.
Kodak Also Renames Portra as Ektacolor Pro
Alongside the Ektapan announcement, Eastman Kodak released three Ektacolor Pro color negative films in 160, 400, and 800 speeds. These are almost certainly Kodak Portra under a new name, with the same speeds, same formats, and the same image quality promises that have made Portra the most beloved color negative film in the world.
The renaming has caused a genuine stir in the film community and the reasons behind it are worth understanding. In 2012 Kodak went through bankruptcy proceedings that effectively split the brand. Eastman Kodak retained the manufacturing operation while a new company, Kodak Alaris, took over distribution and sales of still photography films. This created the unusual situation of one company making the film and another selling it under names it controlled. As Eastman Kodak has steadily brought distribution back in house over the past year, it has had to release its films under new names because the rights to Portra, T-Max, and other brand names belong to Kodak Alaris.
The films themselves are unchanged. Ektacolor Pro 160, 400, and 800 match the speeds and format availability of the Portra line exactly. If you love Portra you will love Ektacolor Pro because it is the same thing in a different box. The transition is a business and legal matter, not a photographic one.
What this does mean, practically, is that the entire Kodak professional still film catalog has now completed its move from Kodak Alaris to Eastman Kodak. Tri-X, Ektachrome, Gold, Ultramax, Ektar, and now T-Max and Portra under their new names are all now distributed directly by Eastman Kodak. The company has consistently said this move is designed to increase supply stability and reduce the price fluctuations that have frustrated film photographers in recent years. That is good news regardless of what name is on the box.
Martin Parr's First Posthumous Exhibition Opens at Jeu de Paume in Paris
This one matters. The first major exhibition of Martin Parr's work since his passing is now open at the Jeu de Paume in Paris. For those unfamiliar with Parr, he was one of the most significant and distinctive photographers of the past half century, a Magnum photographer who spent his career documenting the quietly absurd behavior of human beings in public. His eye was sharp, his use of color was saturated and deliberate, and his subjects were almost always people doing something that revealed something uncomfortable about consumerism, mass tourism, and the way we present ourselves to the world.
The exhibition focuses on the themes that ran through Parr's work throughout his career. The excesses of consumer culture. The homogenization of the global experience. The strange, repetitive rituals of leisure and tourism. A publication co-produced with Phaidon accompanies the show.
Parr was not always an easy photographer to like. His images could feel cruel in the wrong light. But looked at carefully they are something much more interesting than cruelty. They are a sustained, decades-long argument about what we value and how we spend our time. For photographers interested in documentary work, humor in photography, or the relationship between photography and social criticism, this is an essential exhibition. If you are in Paris it is worth going.
Panasonic Announces the Lumix TZ300
Panasonic has officially announced the Lumix TZ300, a new entry in its long running travel zoom compact camera lineup. The TZ series has been a reliable presence in the travel photography market for years, offering significant zoom range in a pocketable body at a price point well below interchangeable lens systems.
Details on full specifications are still emerging but the TZ300 continues the series tradition of combining a large zoom range with a compact form factor suited to travel and everyday shooting. For photographers who want one camera that covers a wide range of situations without carrying multiple lenses, the travel zoom format remains a practical and underrated option. The TZ300 slots into a market that has been growing as photographers look for capable alternatives to their smartphones without committing to the size and weight of a full mirrorless kit.
Viltrox Announces AF 35mm f/1.8 EVO and 55mm f/1.8 EVO Lenses
Viltrox has announced two new lenses for Nikon Z and Sony E mounts, the AF 35mm f/1.8 EVO and the AF 55mm f/1.8 EVO, both now available for pre-order. These join the existing AF 85mm f/2 EVO in what appears to be a growing family of optically ambitious, competitively priced full frame primes.
The EVO designation in Viltrox's lineup signals lenses designed to compete with first party glass on optical quality rather than simply undercutting on price. The 35mm and 55mm focal lengths are both highly useful for street and documentary photographers, covering the classic wide and short telephoto perspectives that have defined the genre.
Viltrox has been one of the more interesting stories in the lens market over the past few years. The Chinese manufacturer has moved decisively upmarket, delivering lenses that the broader photography community has taken seriously on their optical merits. For photographers who want high quality glass at a price significantly below Nikon or Sony's own offerings, these two lenses are worth watching. Pre-orders are open at Foto Erhardt in Germany and should be available at B&H Photo shortly.
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