Breaking News: Kodak To Raise Prices of Film

[bmattock]

I had been expecting this - the price of silver has been at or near an 18 year high for weeks now. Spot silver is sky-high, and added to other pressures, Kodak is simply the first to cave. Get ready to hear the same from Fuji and Ilford.

http://www.mediainfo.com/eandp/departments/technology/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002345150

Kodak Hikes Prices for Plates, Film

By E&P Staff

Published: April 17, 2006 12:15 PM ET

NEW YORK Kodak's Graphic Communications Group announced today a double-digit worldwide price increase for prepress consumables.

The company attributed the increase to several years of "consistently rising energy and raw material costs." Price hikes affect digital and conventional offset printing plates, proofing media, film and chemistry.

Customers are being informed of pricing details on a country-by-country basis.

http://www.localnewsleader.com/elytimes/stories/index.php?action=fullnews&id=176877

Kodak to raise film prices, citing materials costs
Staff and agencies
17 April, 2006

NEW YORK - Eastman Kodak Co. on Monday said it plans to increase prices for its consumer, professional and movie films, citing the rising cost of raw materials such as silver.

Price increases for consumer and professional films will range from 3 percent to 17 percent, while increases on selected motion picture films will range from 3 percent to 5 percent.

"Over the past year, Kodak has been absorbing unrelenting increases in the costs of raw materials used to manufacture film, including silver and petrochemicals," the company said in a statement. "These pressures have reached a point where they can no longer be offset by Kodak‘s ongoing productivity programs."

Or, you can believe the comment made by Gizmodo:

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/digital-cameras/kodak-to-charge-more-for-film-167755.php

Or in other words, maybe it’s about time you tossed out that Instamatic and bought one of our friggin’ digital cameras, bee-atch.—Dan Havlik

I think it is the price of silver, but hey, I could be wrong.

In any case, get ready to see the spike.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[Fedzilla_Bob]

I'm sure increasing oil prices are having an effect on materials costs an addition to the cost of silver.

I would like to see what hapens with the other manufacturers- Fuji , Ilford and Agfa.

 

[sf]

Kodak stands no chance to survive for much longer in the film business, the way I see it. They don't have any real angle on the market. Except maybe with their portra line, but that is mostly for the professionals - and those pros are largely shooting digital now. Tmax is a hit - but not better than Neopan - and making it more expensive still, well, that'll put it over the edge.

Fuji's landscape and slide films are better (value wise), and Velvia is of course the best. Fuji's other films are pretty consistent winners over the Kodak. Big one, is that Kodak is so much more expensive than Fuji. And FUji has those nice little holes and hooks on their film and reels. Helps. Why spend $$ on Ektachrome when you can spend $ on fujichrome?

If they jack up the prices more, they're going to lose even more of the market to Fuji and digicams.

ANOTHER good reason to invest in piles of cheap (but quality) film from makers like Foma.

 

[bmattock]

I'm sure increasing oil prices are having an effect on materials costs an addition to the cost of silver.

I would like to see what hapens with the other manufacturers- Fuji , Ilford and Agfa.

I agree. Not only the cost of transporting / storing (climate controlled) film, but also the film base itself is made with fossil fuels - so rising fuel prices also affect the cost of raw materials used to make the plastic base layer of film. Silver is a kicker, however. I can't see how they can get away from that - essential to the process, and what it costs is what it costs. A lot would depend on what kind of stockpiles they have of silver (ag) and what kind of smart 'look-ahead' buying of contracts they do, plus whatever profit margin they can afford to eat up by absorbing the increased costs.

Eventually, however, they have to pay spot or nearly spot prices for silver. If it keeps going up and does not drop dramatically, they could all be left hurting. And that hurts us.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[bmattock]

Kodak stands no chance to survive for much longer in the film business, the way I see it. They don't have any real angle on the market. Except maybe with their portra line, but that is mostly for the professionals - and those pros are largely shooting digital now. Tmax is a hit - but not better than Neopan - and making it more expensive still, well, that'll put it over the edge.

Fuji's landscape and slide films are better (value wise), and Velvia is of course the best. Fuji's other films are pretty consistent winners over the Kodak. Big one, is that Kodak is so much more expensive than Fuji. And FUji has those nice little holes and hooks on their film and reels. Helps. Why spend $$ on Ektachrome when you can spend $ on fujichrome?

If they jack up the prices more, they're going to lose even more of the market to Fuji and digicams.

ANOTHER good reason to invest in piles of cheap (but quality) film from makers like Foma.

It is easy to hate Kodak, or just to point to how stupid they've been. At a certain point, losing Kodak hurts us all, whether you like Kodak or not.

In any case, the price of silver is the price of silver. Everybody who makes film is going to have to deal with that as best they can. I would imagine that Fuji, Ilford, et al, will have to dance this one, nobody will get a pass.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[sbug]

Despite the heart of this article being about silver, the Gizmodo line is GOLD. I'm not surprised to see the cost of film rising. Fortunately, I was just given a bunch of film from a photographer who finally made the switch to all digital. Nothing like a box of Portra showing up unannounced. I'll probably have a heart attack when I get around to buying film again.

 

[bmattock]

Despite the heart of this article being about silver, the Gizmodo line is GOLD. I'm not surprised to see the cost of film rising. Fortunately, I was just given a bunch of film from a photographer who finally made the switch to all digital. Nothing like a box of Portra showing up unannounced. I'll probably have a heart attack when I get around to buying film again.

Kodak's CEO has previously made public statements to the effect that Kodak will stop producing film and soon. He's a former Hewlett-Packard guy, digital all the way. However their PR flacks soon did damage control and asserted that Kodak would support film and film users until the end of time, blah blah blah. Clearly, that's a bunch of hooey designed to soothe ruffled feathers.

However, it was not my intent to fire off another round of anti-Kodak wars or film-vs-digital wars. I am reporting what I've just read - Kodak announces price hikes, blames rising costs of materials including silver. I think that's of interest to all of us, regardless of how one feels about film, digital, or Kodak as a company.

I do understand the sentiment, however - Gizmodo is cynical, and rightfully so. Still, silver costs what it costs. Kodak didn't have a hand in making the price of silver go up.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[RJBender]

Let them raise their prices. I don't buy Kodak products anymore.

R.J.

 

[Socke]

Let them raise their prices. I don't buy Kodak products anymore.

R.J.

And the others don't need oil and silver to produce their film? Just asking 🙂

 

[BrianShaw]

And the others don't need oil and silver to produce their film? Just asking 🙂

Actually, you raise a good question. I've been shocked by the price of HP5+ -- $5.30 for roll of 36 at my local camera stores. Drive 20 miles and it's around $3.25 for the same roll. Perhaps that's a 'loss-leader' price... I dunno. But at over $5 a roll, it hurts to buy film.

 

[ruben]

No, no, no. Its' not the oil, nor silver, no nothing. They just must pass on film users part of the burden of digital research. The crazy digital war is going to change the big bussiness map. But film will stay long after some of the bigs be buried. Film is simply better.
Cheers,
Ruben

 

[BrianShaw]

The only store around here that sells HP5, gets $5.00 for a 12 shot roll!
Needless to say, I don't buy from them.

Okay... I guess I'll stop complaining.

 

[filmgoerjuan]

Here in Vancouver (Canada) Kodak's Pro B&W film is currently $1+/roll cheaper than Ilford's offerings right now, so a price hike won't hurt so much (plus I've been buying bulk rolls which helps cushion things).

I love my Tri-X/Plus-X and would hate to see them go 🙁

 

[Socke]

Just paid 4 Euro for Elitechrome 200 and 5.50 for Elithechrome 400. XP2 is 6 Euro a roll and the "Pro" films are all around 5 Euro.

Traditional B/W is anywhere between 2.50 for the photostore branded whatever and 5.50 for Neopan 400. T-Grain starts at 4 Euro Delta 100 and ends at 7 Euro Delta 3200 here.

I usualy buy on ebay or fotoimpex.


Edit:

Sorry, should read the "Pro" films are all above 5 Euro

 

[bmattock]

And the others don't need oil and silver to produce their film? Just asking 🙂

Well, you beat me to it. That was my point as well. I frankly don't understand the knee-jerk reaction - like Fuji and Ilford, et al, don't have to buy silver also. Yes, that's the answer, blame Kodak.

And as well - when Kodak is gone - with less competition, what keeps prices down? That's kinda how free markets work, in theory, anyway. So when Ilford announces their price hike due to the price of silver - that will be Kodak's fault how, exactly?

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[RJBender]

And the others don't need oil and silver to produce their film? Just asking 🙂

Volker, by the time I use up my 150 rolls of Walgreen's Agfa that are stored in my refrigerator, the "crisis" should be over.

R.J.

 

[bmattock]

No, no, no. Its' not the oil, nor silver, no nothing. They just must pass on film users part of the burden of digital research. The crazy digital war is going to change the big bussiness map. But film will stay long after some of the bigs be buried. Film is simply better.
Cheers,
Ruben

Ruben, no one is disupting whether film is better than digital. That's not in contention, and not the point here. Silver *is* at a 23 year high in price. Kodak didn't do that, that's the way it is. Silver is required to make film. Higher costs eventually have to be passed on, or the company that uses it will go out of business.

I could get way into the finances of Kodak to prove that you're wrong about where the money is coming from to fund digital research too, but let's leave that be - too many people here have heard too much about it from me, especially.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[bmattock]

Volker, by the time I use up my 150 rolls of Walgreen's Agfa that are stored in my refrigerator, the "crisis" should be over.

R.J.

Head way up in the ... sand.

But ok, let's play the 'ignore it until it goes away' game. Sorry I mentioned it, thought people would like to know.

That's some pretty thick denial, bub.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[RJBender]

... or I will have made a complete switch to digital and it won't matter anymore.

R.J.

 

[ruben]

Ruben, no one is disupting whether film is better than digital. That's not in contention, and not the point here. Silver *is* at a 23 year high in price. Kodak didn't do that, that's the way it is. Silver is required to make film. Higher costs eventually have to be passed on, or the company that uses it will go out of business.

I could get way into the finances of Kodak to prove that you're wrong about where the money is coming from to fund digital research too, but let's leave that be - too many people here have heard too much about it from me, especially.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

Anyway I was hoping digital fury will lower/subside film. What a shame !