another fuji film price increase coming

[yossarian123]

Price hike in early 2014:
http://www.filmbodies.com/newsviews/fujifilm-to-increase-film.html

Well, I'm not really surprised. But let's imagine that double digits means a 15% hike. That would put the price at over $7.50 per roll for Acros 100 (using current prices at B&H). Time to start shopping for a new 100 speed film.

 

[noisycheese]

Fuji Pro 400H just went up by $0.99/roll, too. If it goes up another 15%, it will be $10.49 USD/roll.

B&H has RVP (Velvia 50) priced at $11.59 for 135/36 now. A 15% inncrease would put it at $13.33/roll. OUCH!! 😱

I'm starting to wonder if Fuji is trying to price itself out of the film market...

 

[thegman]

I do find it odd how Fujifilm prices seem to rise more often than Kodak, but increasing prices (or devaluation of currency, depending on how you want to look at it) is just a fact of life in most Westernized economies.

 

[noisycheese]

I do find it odd how Fujifilm prices seem to rise more often than Kodak, but increasing prices (or devaluation of currency, depending on how you want to look at it) is just a fact of life in most Westernized economies.

That plays a big role in the price increases, I'm sure. Film is a commodity - just like gasoline, meat, vegetables, gold, silver, copper, etc.

As the value of the U.S. dollar decays, prices of commodities creep ever upwards to compensate.

 

[philosli]

They already bumped up the price once in Summer 2013. Alas, this makes me nervous, not only the high price, but also the longterm outlook of films in general.

 

[yossarian123]

I'm starting to wonder if Fuji is trying to price itself out of the film market...

I wonder the same thing. It's too bad because acros 100 is a really amazing film. In my mind it's just a matter of time before they discontinue everything. I've got about 70 rolls of 35mm stockpiled, maybe 25 rolls of 120.

 

[Godfrey]

I suspect Fujifilm is just trying to stay profitable. If they aren't profitable, they'll stop producing film—and then where will we be?

G

 

[jsrockit]

I'm surprised by that arcos price if true. I have feeling color film in General will be gone in a few years. B&w is here to stay for awhile. Digital does a lot better with color. Ok, I'm done stating the obvious.

 

[yossarian123]

I'm surprised by that arcos price if true. I have feeling color film in General will be gone in a few years. B&w is here to stay for awhile. Digital does a lot better with color. Ok, I'm done stating the obvious.

You might be right. It doesn't really specify which products are getting an increase.

 

[thegman]

I suspect Fujifilm is just trying to stay profitable. If they aren't profitable, they'll stop producing film—and then where will we be?

G

I think this is probably it.

If they can creep the prices up, make film (more) profitable, it's easy to justify continued production to the board and shareholders. Trying to bottom out prices helps nobody.

 

[35mmdelux]

Hoping Fuji doesn't price themselves out of the film business. They got to justify the low production somehow.

 

[aoresteen]

Be happy you can still get it. I'd pay the same fro some fresh Verichrome Pan 127 🙂

 

[Frontman]

The yen has lost nearly 30% against the dollar over the last year, the price should actually come down as a result. But if this helps keeping the making film, why not,

 

[Noll]

Prices far outpacing inflation are not helping anyone in the long-run, it's just not sustainable...

Their consumer-grade films are still dirt cheap. Just picked up Fujicolor 200 24exp for about $1.25/roll.

Obviously their pro films don't cost 7-10 times as much to make. It's reasonable to expect a certain premium on pro-products, but It feels like we are now in price-gouging territory.

I hear the Aussies have been dealing with this crap for years now - hopefully their prices aren't going up on top of where they already are!

 

[btgc]

In my surroundings Portra is higher priced than comparable Fuji pro negatives. Prices you mention are what I already were paying and our salaries aren't up to yours. I don't see a real issue with this price hike.

 

[cat man]

I'm surprised by that arcos price if true. I have feeling color film in General will be gone in a few years. B&w is here to stay for awhile. Digital does a lot better with color. Ok, I'm done stating the obvious.

I think the bolded part of the statement would be better described as an opinion than an obvious verity.

 

[HHPhoto]

I suspect Fujifilm is just trying to stay profitable. If they aren't profitable, they'll stop producing film—and then where will we be?

G

Exactly.
And:
Looks like lots of film photographers have a bad memory:
Some years ago Ilford Photo / Harman Technology raised prices significantly, being the most expensive products in their range.
All the comments at that time have been the same as the comments now about Fujifilm:
"Hey they are pricing themselves out of the market".
But what happened instead?
Ilford has consolidated, is profitable, and is permanently introducing new products.

Maybe Fuji begins to learn from a successful competitor.

Cheers, Jan

 

[gdi]

That plays a big role in the price increases, I'm sure. Film is a commodity - just like gasoline, meat, vegetables, gold, silver, copper, etc.

As the value of the U.S. dollar decays, prices of commodities creep ever upwards to compensate.

This usually pops up when any manufacturer raises prices - it is the dropping value of the dollar. In this case the dollar is at its highest versus the yen for years - so devaluation of the dollar versus yen is not a driver here.

If we are trying to be simplistic and find an economic culprit, I would point to japanese inflation, which I read is at a 15 year high, as being more likely.

 

[Mark Wood]

A very simplistic view here but when you actually look back over the last 20-30 years (certainly in the UK at any rate), film prices actually remained remarkably stable for a long time and these recent price hikes are to some degree, only bringing prices into line with the inflation we should perhaps have expected over those years. Here's an example:

Discount Films Direct were selling 35mm Velvia for £6.32 a roll in 1994 according to a July copy of Practical Photography I still have. Put that price into an inflation calculator:

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/...tion-calculator-value-money-changed-1900.html

and you get a current estimated cost of £10.65. OK these calculators can't possibly be accurate but they do give a very useful guide. The same company are currently advertising the same film (I know it's changed in formulation slightly since then) for £10.10.

Put some 1980s UK film prices into the same calculator and it quickly reveals that we should really expect some more film price rises to bring current prices into line with those from that era! (That holds true for Ilford's current prices in comparison with those in the 1980s too.) In real terms, we're not really paying significantly more for top quality film in the UK now than we were 20 years ago - yet!!

 

[noisycheese]

The yen has lost nearly 30% against the dollar over the last year, the price should actually come down as a result. But if this helps keeping the making film, why not,

My thought exactly.

B&H currently has Acros 135/36 priced at $6.59 USD per roll while Tri-X 135/36 is $2.00 USD less; that's a pretty steep premium for Acros, but it is a unique emulsion and that is no secret to anyone; it is priced accordingly.

I'm going to stockpile as much film and chemistry as I can...