I am not making this thread to be a rant, at least in spirit. I just don't understand the prohibitive pricing of large format film. take any larger than 4x5 large format panchromatic film price, and it's absolutely prohibitive. My first thought is to wonder what the 8x10 and larger panchromatic film prices were, say in the 40's through 70's, inflation adjusted? Until I know that, I can't rant about pricing today. I'm talking about B&W film now. Color I can understand, as it requires much more production machinery and chemistry. Let's take X-ray film, which I'm limited to... Last I saw, it's still quite low compared to pan film. X ray film can get me from violet to green. All I'm missing is yellow to red. What's the big deal on the last few steps through the spectrum? Although as digital replaces it, I have little hope for that either. But 8x10 pan film B&W is at least $4.00 a sheet? (or is it even more now)?
Something seems totally out-of-kilter to me.