Film prices might go up

[Pál_K]

If Kodak film rises 17%, that’s less of an increase than what I see in other products. The so-called 7% to 8% inflation rate is a malicious lie: ordinary food items and necessities are up at least 50% from last year and in some cases even double. Simple foods: beans, rice, spaghetti, just to name a few things.

 

[CMur12]

Every price increase is a disappointment, but it still won't stop me from shooting film altogether.

In 1972 when I got my first SLR, I could buy a roll of 20-exposure Agfachrome CT18 (50 ASA) with processing for US $2.98.

- Murray

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Real world check.



Before Covid, X-Tra was about the same price if not more, but rare to see at local Walmart. Kodak was 15 CAD instead of 24.

I used to buy this Kodak 24x3 pack to keep my little stash. I looked at it is new price and ... screw da Kodak.

I got couple of Instax Mini film packs instead. BrouHaHa. :shootout:

 

[Deleted member 65559]

Nothing is as sure as death, taxes, & the price of film going up!

 

[Coldkennels]

If Kodak film rises 17%, that's less of an increase than what I see in other products. The so-called 7% to 8% inflation rate is a malicious lie: ordinary food items and necessities are up at least 50% from last year and in some cases even double. Simple foods: beans, rice, spaghetti, just to name a few things.

The price of milk here in the UK has absolutely sky-rocketed, and as I order groceries over the internet about once a month, I have an ongoing record. Turns out the price went from £1.15 for a 4 pint carton in November 2021 to £1.75 for the same amount in Nov 2022. That's a 52.27% increase since this time last year.

This got me curious, so I looked into where the official inflation rate (currently 11.1% in the UK) comes from. The data is available here: https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/infl...onsumerpriceinflationbasketofgoodsandservices

In short, the Office of National Statistics uses such staple goods as cat collars, the cost of a climbing session, a men's formal jacket, "Nanny fees", boats and avocados as part of the calculation to figure out the supposed rate of inflation. It's absolute nonsense.

 

[Tom R]

I recently came across an article (written by Robert Reich, writing for the NY Times) where he describes the 'balloon/feather principle' --i.e., prices go up like a balloon and drop like a feather. He goes on to propose that many companies will continue maintain as high a price as is possible for as long as possible for their goods and services. While supply chain, etc., problems were relevant a year ago, the situation does not warrant today's high prices ... it boils down to greed, pure and simple.

I suspect that this is more likely to be the case in a "niche" market, such as photographic equipment and supplies. But, I'm certainly no economist.

At this time of the year, I am planning next year's purchases and Ilford is figuring prominently as the most likely replacement for Kodak--this applies to films. I bet others are doing the same.

 

[Coldkennels]

I like Robert Reich and I don't disagree with him one bit, but with something like film there's very much a long tail to supply chain issues; don't Kodak basically make the film in one big batch, then cut and spool/roll it later? It's not impossible that price increases in raw materials from late 2021 or early 2022 are just coming into effect now.

Plus there's the ever-increasing cost of actually packaging and transporting the goods themselves, which keeps going up; DHL have announced my shipping rates at work are going up something like 9% next year to compensate for the increasing price of fuel, and a friend of mine is the editor of a national magazine here in the UK, and he said the cost of cardboard and pulp for paper has sky-rocketed in the last year due to the war in Ukraine for some reason.

Basically, the globalised "Just In Time" economy is great when it works, but spectacularly weak when there's a single thing wrong somewhere in the world. Add on top of that the insane levels of corporate greed and the poor folks at the bottom are just getting shat on left, right, and centre.

 

[Out to Lunch]

If I'm not mistaken, Robert Reich recently also wrote that inflation was the highest in 40 years, and corporate profits the highest in 70 years. Cheers, OtL

 

[jsrockit]

Well, another day, another increase!

 

[steveyork]

Not for everyone, but bulk loading e.g., Foma or Orwo can save a bundle. M y last purchase of a couple tins 400' Orwo comes out to US $2.50/roll, plus time. Even more savings if develop at home. You can even bulk load some color films, but I don't know much about that. You MF cats are out of luck.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Not for everyone, but bulk loading e.g., Foma or Orwo can save a bundle. M y last purchase of a couple tins 400' Orwo comes out to US $2.50/roll, plus time. Even more savings if develop at home. You can even bulk load some color films, but I don't know much about that. You MF cats are out of luck.

I went BL right at 2012, because per roll it was for hipsta/webster priced. By 2021 even BL became greed show. Foma is no good price film now, so is Orwo which is not real brand, but repackaging of Arista, West Europe something anyway.

If you think C41 or even fresh ECN2 film still comes in cheap bulk, you are in long illusion for a long time.

Here is no cheap film left, period.

 

[steveyork]

I went BL right at 2012, because per roll it was for hipsta/webster priced. By 2021 even BL became greed show. Foma is no good price film now, so is Orwo which is not real brand, but repackaging of Arista, West Europe something anyway.

If you think C41 or even fresh ECN2 film still comes in cheap bulk, you are in long illusion for a long time.

Here is no cheap film left, period.

Your information is somewhat incorrect, at least in regard to B&W film, which is what this thread started about. Orwo is a movie stock made in former East Germany. Bulk rolls 400' + comes out to about $50 per 100' or $2.60 per 36 exp roll. Fomapan made in Czech. a little more expensive at $65 per 100' roll. Simple math makes that about $3.40 per 36 exp. roll. They are "real brands" and these are "good prices" even from a historical perspective. In fact, very good pricing still historically. Double X is another B&W bulk load option w/o a cost premium. Other Ilford/Kodak bulk loads will be double or more these prices, and are perhaps less of a relative bargain.

Bulk loading Kodak Vision3 or Orwo color film is possible, more expensive yet, but still less expensive than commercial loads, which have gone totally out of whack. The trick here I suspect is to purchase directly from the manf. for best pricing. Don't buy bulk loads through B&H ect. They mark that stuff up 20% or more. Since I don't shoot color film, I'm not on top of pricing, other to say that you can probably save dollars by bulk loading versus commercial loads.

 

[neal3k]

I've been bulk loading Ilford HP5+ for a couple of years now. At $85 per 100', it is still not bad. Even better, bulk loading allows me to make 24 exposure rolls regularly and even 12 exposure rolls for camera testing. For these reasons, I would bulk load if it was not cheaper.

I do have a roll of Santacolor100 that I got at a good price with the crowdfunding. Now it is $206 shipped to the USA. I wish I had bought more at the introductory price.

 

[jsrockit]

$206 for a roll of 35mm film. That is just stupid. Maybe it its a typo? $26?

 

[raydm6]

Am I missing something? I am seeing it (Santacolor100 - 36 exp) for €14.90 from Nation Photo (Paris).

 

[neal3k]

$206 for a roll of 35mm film. That is just stupid. Maybe it its a typo? $26?

Sorry; I wasn't being clear. I was talking about bulk rolling film. The Santacolor100 price I mentioned was for a 100' roll. That makes it $10 to $11/ roll if you load your own cassettes.

 

[muser53]

As the bumper sticker says, Stay Calm and Shoot Film. Oh and by a freezer 😎

 

[PRJ]

Orwo announced their new color MP film a couple days ago. Only $800 for 400'. A total bargain! Lol. They say they are going to discount it but at that price even half off is still far more expensive than Kodak. And I still haven't been able to get my hands on any of their black and white film. The NA distributor must bury it all in his back yard or something.

I predicted a long time ago that film prices would get too high for the sustainability of it. I dont think it is there yet, but if you haven't noticed lately there is a big swing for young people over to the old compact digital cameras. Those are becoming cool. Those are the people who used to think film was cool but who now think film is far too expensive. I mean it is almost a no brainer. $10-100 for a cool old digital camera that can take pictures all night long or three rolls of film. No brainer for the youth. Not many of them have the stomach for a $3000 Contax T3 then tack on the price of film.

If you think 35mm film has gotten expensive, you should take a look at large format film.

 

[Retro-Grouch]

... If you think 35mm film has gotten expensive, you should take a look at large format film.

I was feeling the itch to shoot some 4x5 recently. A visit to the B&H site to price Ektachrome sent me screaming back to medium format. Of course, at the same time, it put 35mm back into perspective as an absolute bargain for cost-per-shot.

 

[jsrockit]

I dont think it is there yet, but if you haven't noticed lately there is a big swing for young people over to the old compact digital cameras. Those are becoming cool. Those are the people who used to think film was cool but who now think film is far too expensive. I mean it is almost a no brainer. $10-100 for a cool old digital camera that can take pictures all night long or three rolls of film. No brainer for the youth.

Yeah, we have noticed... there is a thread somewhere on RFF. Unfortunately, it is again instagram celebrity driven. Instead of the T3, they can go for a 5mp digital Contax at a bargain price of $699. Yeah, the pretty old school digitals are already going too high.

If you think 35mm film has gotten expensive, you should take a look at large format film.

Yeah, but at least you work carefully and deliberately in large format. 35mm used be something more casual and loose, but even with that you have to really start almost thinking like large format. 😉