Why is large format equipment so expensive? For example, a new jade-green Toyo VX125 currently costs $4,674.95 from B+H. The Kelley Blue Book base value for a 1995 Toyota Corolla is $4625.00. The Toyo seems to have no electronic parts, w hile the Toyota has many. Admittedly, Toyota probably produced more 1995 Coroll as than Toyo did 2001 VX125 cameras. Still, why so much?
Robert White out of the UK sells the Black Toyo VX125 for $2316.45, almost cutting in half your price from B&H, but irregardless ,you can't really compare cameras and cars.
Since you bring it up, the cost of a car includes insurance, oil changes and maintenence and repairs, and a large fortune in gas for the length of time you keep the car.
Your comparing one thing that you never stop paying for with something that is essentially a one time cash outlay unless somebody drives over the Toyo with their Toyota.
Fortunes are blown on fast women and slow horses, drugs, clothes, jewelry, so in the scheme of things, a camera isn't such a bad deal.
"Since you bring it up, the cost of a car includes insurance, oil changes and ma intenence and repairs, and a large fortune in gas for the length of time you keep the car. " what about films, process, prints... While i find LF quite expensive, at the same time, i think they are courageous t o keeping producing new stuff for a small market like it, with so much second hand stuff available ! Here in france there is less people using LF each day ( process and film too exp ensive compare to 6x7 or digital), by the way how much does it cost for a 4x5 slide film + processing ? Here, to shoot 4x5 cost 5 time more than 6x7, and even more for color negs and contact print !
You gotta be kidding me, what about 'em? You're talking about two entirely different things. When was the last time you needed an oil change for your camera, or a wheel alignment?
You spend money on what a camera produces but you don't spend a fortune just to keep it running.
It expensive to eat, that doesn't have anything to do with a car either. I've had to shell out a few bucks for some of my gear, so I don't want to hear how expensive it is, you'll find a way to deal with it or you won't.
If you don't have $4625.00 for a 1995 Toyota Corolla it might as well be a million, but there are folks in and out of photography riding around on motorcycles that cost more than that.
You can't order from Robert White from France? Well I guess you do have problems.
Matthew, You have a point here; your comparision is completely sound. Yesterday I got a new reflex viewer for my Arca F, it is a simple plied metal sheet with a mirro r and two cheap plastic lenses. Cost was a bit more than my brand new dishwasher. The reasons are the very low production volume and, mainly, outrageously high margins, often in the 600%-900% range.
Life can be expensive in every aspect if you really think about it, but at the same time it does not have to be. Large format is the same. You CAN find cameras and lenses that are reasonably priced and buy your own chemistry ( including E6) and process it yourself or you can dream about the equipment that is at the upper end and complain about why you cannot own it. A new Lexus and a used Toyota will accomplish its objective in transporting you from point A to point B, you just need to determine if it fits into your budget. Similarly, a Casio will tell you the time as well as a Rolex. Why should large format be any different?
In the brave new world an economy of consumerism based upon free choice is the dominant criteria. Enterprising individuals and corporations develop products and compete for the consumer dollar with the expectation that they will illicit sufficient buy decisions from the individual buyers in the markets to recover their costs plus a satisfactory return on investment. If the high end products in every market does not continue to enjoy robust sales, it will suffer the wrath of the economy and fade away. Competition at its finest.
Bottom line - There has never been a better time to acquire high quality large format equipment at manageable prices. With people continuing to move to digital, there are many deals to be had.
Don't get discouraged. The quality of your photographs is not proportional to the cost of the camera. Large format is a fantastic way to express yourself photographically. Keep your head down and stay on the trail. You will not regret your decision.
Good Luck.
"Fortunes are blown on fast women and slow horses, drugs, clothes, jewelry, so in the scheme of things, a camera isn't such a bad deal."
Are you refering to yourself Jonathan, or the members of this board in general? I wish I had a fortune to blow period)
Matthew,
In short, the answer to your question is...
Mamiya America Corporation has an effective monopoly in North America and can charge what it pleases. Robert White sells for less but, he can't sell Toyo to North America as it will be confiscated.
There is nothing in the market that has risen in price faster than college tuition. Yet Congress seems to think hearings to discover why the price of gasoline went up a few cents serves the public interest.
For the most part things cost what they do because the market is willing to pay a price and the seller will charge as much as he can to the point that sales diminish due to competition or markets disappearing. Large format equipment is not too expensive as long as it sells at that price.
If you think large format equipment is expensive you ought to think about how much some people charge for photographs. You can't tell me that $300 for a 11x14 print is reasonable, that's outlandish when the sheet of paper costs 2 bucks, throw in the film, chemicals and the like and you're still under 10 bucks. All this for a photo taken by some no name photographer with a web site. Well, I guess that's not too much if people are willing to buy those photos at that price. It is all market driven in a free market system.
?You can't tell me that $300 for a 11x14 print is reasonable, that's outlandish when the sheet of paper costs 2 bucks, throw in the film, chemicals and the like and you're still under 10 bucks?
Don?t forget the enormous investment and hard work of getting just one image worthy of printing. If you do keep that in mind, I don?t think even $600.00 is too much for an 11x14 print. How much do you sell your photos? Perhaps $15.00? That is hell of a deal!
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks