So what’s happening in the world of film photography?

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Do you know what? 

I don’t know!

After all the effort and work we put in though 2020 and 2021, introducing so many new things…with our extended family at BelliniFoto we cured the Rodinal drought with RDL and we cured the HC drought with Euro-HC…better still each of the new versions improve further on the old.

Then, together with Shanghai we brought GP3 out in 127, we returned 620 to the marketplace, we returned 220 to the marketplace.

It was a huge workload and it wore us out so for 2022 we decided to just step back and do our own thing…we kept out of the loop on purpose and though it’s been peaceful on one front, we have beavered away on all the others, taking care of those that give us the only true accolade we seek and that’s happy smiling customers who come back to us again and again and again.

So what’s happening in the Nik & Trick world of film photography?

Know what?

I’m not sure!

We worked so hard again this year, as Christmas approaches it brings with it much needed rest, away from the confusion! 😀

Pleased with all of these developers, they are getting the awards that we crave!

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Just returning to Euro-HC and RDL for a moment, these have both become best selling products with long established fans of the originals opting to come back for more…of course, they too are finding the same as us…they are both a new look at these classic developers and are both genuinely better, they are offered now in much more sensible volumes.

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Are we proud about those? 

Bloody right we are and it warms us with so many people finding out why it’s incredibly pleasing…they have contributed to happy faces, to people getting more out of their works, more enjoyment, what’s not to love about that?

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End users being a varied bunch including private users, colleges, but in the main the small guys that want to offer film processing.  

We’ve helped several get up and running with the perfect machine and the perfect chemistry, but also with to contacts to guys who do other specialist labs things…contacts we struggled to find when we started out in 2012

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Again this is where you, our happy customers who give the awards have been so crucial.

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So to move forwards, what’s coming up?

Well we want to make another developer with BelliniFoto, we are specifying a developer that, like their take on Xtol, Eco-Film will be a bit more concentrated but equally non-toxic and eco friendly and perhaps another dedicated to rotary processing.  Let’s see.

We are aware that there’s more tablet chemistry coming….but to be honest we’re not that bothered we shall of course show support and give it a go but remain concerned that it will do what the last tablet chemistry did and not sell.

If you want to try the b&w tablet stuff then watch out for a special offer to clear it over the Xmas season…we’re going to kick off a January sale offer for each of the 12 days of Christmas…or that’s the plan, you best hope we wake up! 😀

Sticking with chemistry, we always build a good friendly relationship with our suppliers, nice people make a difference you see and one in particular could get a much better presence in the UK if only suppliers made some noise.

That’s what we shall do for them.  Oh and looky here…they’ve just compiled a range of new high end photo chemistry that none of their current big guys have bothered about!

Talks are happening so let’s see!

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Ilford too have had similar struggles, quietly, I am reliably informed but the biggest void of decent info emanates from Orwo.

For years we’ve been openly hand spooling their films saying that they’re the most underused resource in modern film production and initially they came to us to speak about the stills market but right now, we’re not getting info nor regular supplies, the UK agent is equally frustrated.

The knock-on effect hits us, Lomo and Shanghai so we’d like that to be cured please guys!

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Am I boring you yet?  Hope so but remember this is just my take on what’s going on.

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Flirting gently with prices we have seen a lot of increases, increase that affect most other products, most other countries and most everything.

We have always done our best to keep prices as low as we can but we are in business, we too need the income but we don’t have nor do we want the privilege to strike.

The activities of Royal Mail and their Union have been causing us, and other businesses, a whole heap of lost orders and that we think, especially at these difficult times, really isn’t on anymore.

I hear you when you say “We know it’s going to be a hard Christmas (for you) but if we don’t do this there won’t be another Christmas” but boy I have some news for you.  Christmas 2023 will happen without you.

We have now done something that we wouldn’t previously have done, I know others have too:

That’s right, we have been looking at the competition and think we have identified a couple that could save us, therefore you, money on shipping.  Talks are about to happen 😉

Sorry about the above…nothing political in that, just neutral and street level reality of looking after our business and of course the all-important: our customers.  That is all!

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So for 2023?

Don’t ask me I don’t know! I’m guessing more of the same really.  There is predicted to be some easing of the current issues, I hope so but either way just work with what we got.

Hopefully we can manage to get Lottie trained up a bit better so a baby sitter can give us the breathing space to get back to France in May, maybe Italy in March but that too depends on you!

We’re trying to save but every order helps!   Another trip to Perugia we reckon would be most productive, there are things that are better done at the factory rather than Zoom etc. but the manager Filippo will most likely come to us too.

The new chemistry range to assimilate into our catalogue and we hope that more people will indulge the temptation to give large format some more attention, we have done a great deal of work in that area with hardware by Shen Hao, Gibellini and Chamonix, the latter selling out before they even arrive!

We’ve engineered the return of Bergger Pancro 400 to our shelves, that will arrive in January, Kodak…oh gee, same again, they do need to sort themselves out in the current market (Sorry Andy, but that’s the enduring feedback we get in the neck, here at the end that talks face to face with end users daily)

Good news comes from Pentax and Ricoh….phew, who have confirmed our prediction that they would be the first camera makers to break the new film camera deadlock…it will be fascinating to see what they do, click HERE to view that announcement.

So we start the year well stocked with a huge range of not just film but consumables too with what might be the best selection around as well as a range of chemistry that is second to none. Same applies to prices…we beat the big guys!

On that note…we invite more trade sales.   Yes we can feed your minilab, your dev.a your whatever and save you pounds!

Oh and more time off…I said that already really didn’t I?

My challenge to you however, remains, come join us at Rallycross, try photographing some real action using film…its rewarding, here’s some shots on film from this year.

Main thing is to not be miserable, get out there, do stuff, come to Folkestone, it’s nice to visit here, theres good eating, the infamous Kipps o’clock at weekends, plenty of photo opportunities and little day trips to do and of course nice shops here in The Old High Street.

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We’ve set up a load of film photography groups there and people are having great banter already, UK Film Photography being the nice one….thanks guys for making it that way, there are of course a few other groups and so far, it’s been a much less stressful experience 🙂

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That, from here seems to be the way 2023 will initiate! 

So from me, Nikki, a pair of parrots and a turtle (don’t ask) have a good Christmas time and a brilliant New Year.   Thanks for all the orders, the awards 😀 and all the kind words and feedback that has been so prevalent in 2022.

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Oh….two final things or Nik will kick my behind. Firstly we’ve done a lot of work and got Ambrose the S-Cargo up to a decent standard and folk are loving him!

…and she’s told everyone else including Colin the pigeon…did you know that Neil Tennant was in the shop?

Nice chap too, we had a good talk.

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The only other thing to say is to guide you over to my other website where you can read about some of the photographic stuff that we get up to and are responsible for…click HERE!

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