Freestyle Film Price Increases. Yikes!

[Sonnar Brian]

This is a Photography Forum.

The Political/Socio-Economic discussion has been removed from this thread.

I'm sure people can find a Political Forum for these discussions. Try Fox News.

 

[paulfish4570]

thank you.

 

[semilog]

Has film gone up in price recently? Yes. But in constant dollars, the price of bulk-loaded Tri-X (a reasonable benchmark, I'd think) is still pretty close to constant since the mid-1980s.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

I bought a Brick of Panatomic-X and paid for an entire semester of college with $15 of silver coins when it hit $50 per oz, 30 years ago. Film prices went up dramatically back then as well.

 

[Keith]

The problem with Freestyle increasing prices is that their freight charges to Oz are on the high side and any price increase starts to make me look at alternatives like Maco Direct!. The film is very reasonably priced and the freight charges seem a lot fairer.

After looking at their site (Freestyle) I notice they now have a special on HP5+ in three packs ... $9.79 per pack. This equates to three rolls for the price of two so Ilford are obviously still discounting their mainstay 400 film. Just over three dollars per roll for HP5+ is stll exceptional value which ever way you look at it!

 

[Bingley]

Freestyle is selling Plus-X 36 exp rolls for over $6 a roll.

B&H has a special on the same film for $4.89 per roll.

Guess where I just placed my order...

 

[dallard]

I was reviewing some purchases for this year, yesterday, and noted a purchase from Freestyle.

In the first week of January, Arista Premium 400 was $34.99 for a 100 ft roll.

Glad I bought 6 x 100', wish I had bought twice that much.

*************************************************

The price of Efke KB-25 in 100' rolls is unchanged from January, still $49.99 per roll for this very beautiful film.

Shouldn't Efke KB-25 be going up more than other films due to the high silver content?

 

[Sonnar Brian]

30 years ago, I filled the fridge with film when the Hunt brothers did their thing. Silver came down, film prices came down. I've got a few (8) silver 1-oz commemeratives bought for $2/oz after the Hunt's folded. Not really big into investing in silver, but bought 80 or so Silver dollars in the 80s when silver was cheap- $6 or so per coin. That's a lot of film!

 

[Keith]

Obviously we are seeing the beginning (understatement methinks) of a trend where creeping film prices, reduced options and increased costs for developing, and a glut of very high quality compact digicams are going to push film even more rapidly into that potentialy pricey niche market it's been heading towards ... inexorably!

 

[Sonnar Brian]

So far, i can walk into the local Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, and get C41 fairly cheap. The B&W films- not so much.

For black and white- time to go Bulk and roll your own.

 

[Keith]

So far, i can walk into the local Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, and get C41 fairly cheap. The B&W films- not so much.

For black and white- time to go Bulk and roll your own.

Which is something I've been doing for several years now but it doesn't solve the impending problem of potential medium format increases. Considering that MF is really a niche within a niche and production of 120 film is probably quite low compared to 135mm I can see this type of film suffering reduced options along with substantial increases in the not too distant future.

I've only been into photography for a few years and I've definitely noticed a reduction in options since I started. The surges created by Legacy Pro and Arista Premium were nice and I wish I'd stockpiled more while it was readily available.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

I miss Panatomic-X and Verichrome Pan. The reduction in choice and increase in price started a long time ago for Black and White, it was called "Color film".

 

[Tim Gray]

I miss Panatomic-X and Verichrome Pan. The reduction in choice and increase in price started a long time ago for Black and White, it was called "Color film".

I still need to crack open that bulk roll of Panatomic-X I bought this year 😀

 

[Vics]

Hit CVS and stock up on their color 200 ASA clearance sale. Just not those of you who live in my area 😀

All gone here in Sonoma County, CA

 

[gb hill]

walgreens now charges $9 to develop and scan a 24-exp roll of c-41. it was $6 last summer ...

At least I now know it's not just my Walgreens. Picked up a order yesterday & it was 9 bucks. Worse part is there is hair in some of the scans!🙁

 

[gb hill]

I'm still finding C-41 color film cheap. It's the processing that stings.

 

[raytoei@gmail.com]

Keith,

thanks for the info on Maco Direct. I have been looking at Freestyle and Ultrafine.

I can still find bargains in Ultrafine, some rolls are priced at 1.59.

raytoei

 

[Colin Corneau]

Neopan 400 for 2 bucks/roll, on another thread on this site...seems to me it's always been work to find a low price and that isn't going to change.

Ilford has competitive pricing but once again it takes work to find it. I've often paid a bit more per roll to help out a local business, just to do my part to keep the place going.

I just don't find it exorbitant, given the escalating cost of materials and permanent effect that digital has had. What's clear to me is that while film will always be a smaller perentage of the market compared to digital (and that's just logical) it's become clear as the dust's settled that a substantial amount of people use film - it's hung on and while a niche has attracted new (and young) users.

I'm optimistic and I vote with my wallet.

 

[Keith]

A classic example of Freestyles over the top freight charges:

Ten 100ft rolls of 135mm film to Oz are quoted at $75.00 to $85.00 depending on your choice of shipping ... then they add a handling charge of around $25.00 which isn't mentioned until you go to checkout.

From Macodirect ten bulk rolls costs 36 euro which is about $45.00 AUD ... no handlng charge!

I'll use any film provided I'm happy with the results and I've certainly had no isssues with Rollei films ... so I don't think Freestyle will be getting much more business from me. While B&H appear to more reasonable in some areas the shipping is not far behind Freestyle!

 

[Steve M.]

I've always been sad that film in Europe, generally, seems to cost much more than film in the US. Now it looks like we're going to be seeing cost increases here too. I just can't see paying that sort of money for a roll of 35mm film unless it's for a special assignment or project. For now, I buy C-41 B&W from eBay for $1.25 a roll, and Arista Premium from Freestyle at $2.59 for a 36 exposure roll. Those prices I can live with, and the films are excellent for my needs.

Thank goodness some things in photography are still affordable.