What percentage price increase would it take before you reconsider using film?

[Keith]

We surmise about this quite a lot when discussing the future of film and generally seem to agree that when the big players eventually get sick of making it (Fuji and Kodak) it will inevitably become a little more of a niche product and will likely cost more ... but should continue to be available into the foreseeable future hopefully.

So the question is ... how far are you personally prepared to go up my hypothetical price scale before you opt out?

 

[rover]

I really have not found a digital camera which I can afford to use which I like. The ones I have used have driven me nuts. I guess if there was an alternative for me I would feel differently.

 

[Keith]

I meant to add ... when making your decision try making it on the assumption that the specials like Arista Premium and Legacy Pro that we've been celebrating for the last few years probably won't exist in the film shooter's future ... this is surely excess production being cleared by the big two and can't be assumed to be permanent.

Tri-X will be Tri-X and Neopan will be Neopan ... and priced accordingly.

 

[SteveM_NJ]

I would not expect I'd stop, just use less, as price climbs.

 

[rizraz]

If it goes up 200% today, I might consider stopping but if it is in 10 years time........

 

[rover]

I meant to add ... when making your decision try making it on the assumption that the specials like Arista Premium and Legacy Pro that we've been celebrating for the last few years probably won't exist in the film shooter's future ... this is surely excess production being cleared by the big two and can't be assumed to be permanent.

Tri-X will be Tri-X and Neopan will be Neopan ... and priced accordingly.

I guess I could state my opinion differently by saying my threshold would be lower if there was something else to use that I liked.

 

[maddoc]

A 100% price increase (Japan price level) for films like Tri-X, HP5+ would be acceptable for me. However, I hesitate to buy the wooden-box Rollei film-sets sold for greatly > US$120 (per 10 rolls 135-36) here in Japan...

Just recently I have for the first time bought the re-badged films from Freestyle and like it a lot.

 

[Steve M.]

I shoot film because it's my idea of what photography was, and should be, about. Give me a nice sharp B&W print that's been enlarged to 16" or more, with all of those beautiful tones, and I'm happy. Digital offers zero attraction, so I would pay whatever it would cost to use film, but I don't expect any supply or price issues within my lifetime. If I did, I would buy up a bunch now and not worry about it anymore.

This goes against popular wisdom, but I think in the future there will be a more varied supply of excellent films. People always complain about all the films they don't make anymore, and they have a point, but they forget that some of them were pretty lousy. I feel that the selection we have even today is still more than adequate. If you can't do it w/ today's films, it's not the film that's the problem.

 

[FrankS]

I'd pay pretty much whatever, but would use it correspondingly more sparingly. Kind of like how 8x10 and larger format photographers do now.

 

[Roberto V.]

With my current income, I'd probably stop buying it if it went up 200-300%, but after finishing college, I'd keep buying it no matter what it costs.

 

[Mister E]

Film is basically at the level of unaffordability for me. It's not the film price so much as the scanning costs.

 

[barnwulf]

I voted for whatever it costs, but I think that the film manufacturers will make this decision for us. When they deem it no longer practical to manufacture and distribute film it will disappear even if there are some people still willing to pay. Jim

 

[Keith]

One thing that could make a difference for me would be if the US and Australian economies went through a reversal of fortunes.

If the Oz dollar got back to fifty something US cents where it slumped to some time ago, it could be tricky ... because I ain't about to pay the local price of $9 - $10 per roll for Tri-X or similar!

 

[gb hill]

I shoot pretty sparingly now. I constantly tell myself I need to shoot more. I will contuinue to pay whatever film cost. I expect it to increase since the cost of silver has gone up.

 

[Pickett Wilson]

I would guess that if costs increased 200 percent, young folks would stop feeding it through toy cameras, setting up a rapid death spiral for film in general and commercial processing in particular.

 

[barnwulf]

I have so much money invested in film cameras that I will not give up buying film easily. I will pay a lot and If I have to buy a big number of 100 ft rolls and freeze it I will. I think there will be a point where other equipment or chemicals are no longer carried by retailers. I think there will be a time when it will collapse fairly quickly over a year or so. Film prices may be a moot point. I am hoping that time doesn't come along for another 10 years. Jim

 

[tj01]

would not stop, just use less.

 

[Phil_F_NM]

While I'm completely wed to my M9 and the digital workflow, if I didn't need to use it for deadlines, I'd not use digital at all and would shoot my M4 and IIIf with Plus-X 125, Tri-X and Delta 3200.
The way it stands these days, I don't have the time or space to do all the developing myself, even though I'd love to. I own a Nikon scanner, so that's taken care of. I guess the biggest issue is the landlord, his cat (hair everywhere) and the lack of space for development/hanging negs.

Hell, I love the M9 and the instant gratification I get with it, but I love that M4 more. It's just the different processes and the time/space issue that keeps me from exposing the amount of film I want to.

Regardless, I do get out a bit and shoot film but have to send it to a lab. Once the price of film plus developing goes up over 200% of the current cost here in Philly, I'm done.

Phil Forrest

 

[mooge]

well, I'm pretty glad that Legacy Pro does exist.

if not, bulk loading (or digital) it is.

 

[Keith]

So what the (numerous) people who ticked the last couple of boxes are saying is that if Tri-X reached $15.00 per roll or higher they'd still be using it!

Brave words, I admire your stoicism! 😀