Heads up - Ilford increasing prices worldwide from 11th May

[HHPhoto]

I've shot 8 rolls of C41 with lab dev/scan the past couple of weeks and it's cost me about £160. I can suck that up as a one off, but can't sustain that week in/week out throughout the year.

If you are shooting CN film on a regular basis there is an easy way to reduce costs, and even increase quality at the same time:
Do processing at home!
It is very easy (easier than BW) and extremely cheap. Much cheaper than most prof. labs.
And you have complete control over the process and can process at highest possible quality.

And concerning the next steps to get positives:
Scanning at home reduces costs, too.
And the best quality at the lowest costs is offerd by making optical colour prints at home. Colour paper(RA-4) is extremely cheap (much much cheaper than BW paper), but has outstanding quality. RA-4 chemistry is very cheap, too.

Cheers, Jan

 

[RObert Budding]

The cost of film vs camera or film vs starbucks coffee is fine if you shoot one roll a month.
I've shot 8 rolls of C41 with lab dev/scan the past couple of weeks and it's cost me about £160. I can suck that up as a one off, but can't sustain that week in/week out throughout the year.

Most Starbuck's drinkers consume more than a few cups per month . . .

It isn't that difficult to develop C41 film at home. And it's very economical. Yes, a good scanner does cost money, but it will save you money over time.

 

[RObert Budding]

So, 1-15% increase and "The prices increases are part of a planned annual schedule".

Makes sense to me. Cost of living raises for employees would be minimum 3% per year alone, cost of raw materials may be up, etc etc. These increases are normal. Now if the increases were 75% instead of this I'd be wondering about the health of their business. But this is barely news.

And the price of silver is somewhat volitile . . . .

 

[steveyork]

Thank goodness for Fomapan/Kentmere, reloadable cassettes and home development.

If folks are freaked with a price increase, just start spooling your own rolls. Save 30-40% on film.

 

[Ricoh]

Well as long as Fomapan don’t raise their prices by more than inflation, they will have a customer. By-by Ilford.

 

[css9450]

I prefer Ilford products, so I'll just tighten the belt and pay the price. Cheaper than, say, Acros and I like the results better anyway.

 

[jawarden]

Well as long as Fomapan don’t raise their prices by more than inflation, they will have a customer. By-by Ilford.

So your demand of Foma is mere survival as a cheap, lower quality also-ran, right? You don't want them to improve their products, invest in new equipment, hire more people, or expand their market? To earn your business you insist that Foma stagnate while their competitors invest for the health and growth of their businesses? And if Illford dares more than utter cost-of-living stagnation it's bye-bye?

If Foma raises their prices beyond inflation (lining their pockets!) who's next on the race to the bottom? Or will you wash your hands of all these "greedy" film companies and switch to a greed-free (haha) phone or digital camera?

 

[Michael Markey]

So your demand of Foma is mere survival as a cheap, lower quality also-ran, right? You don't want them to improve their products, invest in new equipment, hire more people, or expand their market? To earn your business you insist that Foma stagnate while their competitors invest for the health and growth of their businesses? And if Illford dares more than utter cost-of-living stagnation it's bye-bye?

If Foma raises their prices beyond inflation (lining their pockets!) who's next on the race to the bottom? Or will you wash your hands of all these "greedy" film companies and switch to a greed-free (haha) phone or digital camera?

Totally agree.
Ilford provide a good service.
I remember some years ago sending them some MF negs to develop.
They were from a Kodak Hawkette Number two which belonged to my father.
Last use by me at the 1971 Isle of Wight Festival.

Ilford phoned me …. apparently the negs were ruined, the bellows were shot.
They didn`t charge me for the developing.

I`ll stick with a company which provides customer service like that.

 

[phrons]

Ilford make some of the best films. Especially for today’s most self developers and scanners.

Film dries flat, unlike Kodak who has had many years to make a better product but don’t care

 

[ACullen]

Nobody like price rises but compared to how Fuji and Kodak hiked things then this seems pretty mild. Ilford produce a quality product. As time passes I’ve become more and more aware of the quality of what they do that other manufacturers can’t reach. Their films are flatter, less prone to scratches and have better tonality. I’ve not found the same true of Kodak , Rollei, Ferrania let alone JCH ...

 

[benlees]

French loaf? Is that a baguette or does it just really only get along with good cheese?

Marty

The French loaf is more oval shaped and is bigger; slightly less crusty with a softer crumb. God forbid; can be sliced to make sandwiches. Both are made from bland white flour😛 Excellent with a host of tasty whatever you have on hand items...

 

[vlouekari]

I do not shoot much, 100+ rolls a year. But I shoot almost exclusively Ilford and will keep doing that. Not only to support them but mainly because their films and DD-X suit me best.

 

[Prest_400]

I did order a bit extra HP5 120 on the last order I had, so am sitting on perhaps enough 120 film for a year.
35mm Kentmere has been fantastic, I've shot a first roll of K400 and the more affordable price makes it great for P&S and more casual use. Also shot the Agfa APX's which seem to be made by Ilford.

Foma is good but I noticed Maco (where we order) rose prices of the Fomapans (at least in 120) and they don't really sit that far away in price compared to FP4/HP5. Ilford film is excellent and very reliable.

OTOH Foma is great too, as well as a different choice. I should try out some of their FB paper in the future. Ilford paper has been so far excellent but I all I used is legacy MGIV and still haven't bought my own boxes of paper.

Film itself is cheap for what it does, keep an image as a negative that can last (more than) a lifetime. Compare having a frame of a loved person with a cup of fancy coffee that's gone in less than a day.

Kodak... I wanted to try TMY but at 8.4€/120 roll compared to Delta's 6.2€/120 or HP5's 5.2€/roll it's a quite large price difference [EU Maco prices]. I understand from ADOX's insight that for attaining long term sustainability in the film industry, prices should rise and converge to a 30% increase per Q1-2 2019 prices.

 

[phrons]

Considering getting another 100ft roll of hp5.

Have about 30ft left of one. Also, an opened trix 100ft roll. So I should be good for the next price increase in the next two years