I Want Kodak 8x10 B&W Film in Larger Boxes

[Bruce Barlow]

I want Kodak to package Tri-X and TMax 8x10 film in 25 (or even 50) sheet boxes. 10 sheet boxes are way too inconvenient, especially when traveling.

If you'd like to see Kodak B&W 8x10 film come in bigger quantities per box, too, add a reply and I'll send it to Kodak.

A recent email reply from Kodak on this issue told me to go find a Kodak rep and "build a business case." Well, let's try this.

Please stay on this specific topic in this thread. Just quantities, just B&W, just 8x10, just Kodak. That'll help when I forward it.

Help! Thanks.

[Fred L]

Would love to be able to buy Tri X in 50 sheet boxes and would be down for 2 boxes for sure.

[memorris]

I have been shooting 8X10 for about 1 year now and have shot about 150 sheets of film. The 10 sheet boxes are too small and inconvenient and in part because of this I am looking at other films which do come in larger boxes. I typically shoot about 1 50 sheet box of 4X5 film every month. When I find an 8X10 film that I like and is available in larger boxes I will be switching the 4X5 to the same film.

[John Bowen]

I too would appreciate 8x10 TMY in 25 or 50 sheet boxes. When traveling (and most of my LF photography is done on photo trips) the larger boxes are MUCH more convenient. Thanks Kodak for listening.

I typically shoot between $1,000 - $2,000 of Kodak LF film per year.

[BILL3075]

I AGREE! The Minimum, even number for Kodak's 8x10 B&W film should be 20 sheets/box. 50 would be better. Over the last 3 months I've bought 5 of the current boxes. What a waste of cardboard, not to mention extra bulk and weight.

BILL

[Sal Santamaura]

...What I suspect is going on is:

1) Kodak is marketing to Pros who shoot a very small mount of 8x10 and don't want to pay for any more film they have to...

What I suspect is that there are virtually no professional photographers using 8x10 film for paying work and haven't been for years. Fewer and fewer of them are even using film. The 8x10 market is down to mostly amateurs plus personal work by a smattering of professionals. The move to 10-sheet 8x10 boxes was a reaction to this situation and the sales figures that result from it.

The only way Kodak could sell to those amateurs was by making per-box cost low enough for them to afford. There's no reason to suspect trends have changed. Numerous posts here and elsewhere since the smaller quantities became standard indicate that even fewer people are purchasing Kodak 8x10 film. Don't hold your breath on making a "business case" for larger boxes. Especially if you're looking for TMY-2. That emulsion has only been sold in 10-sheet boxes since its introduction, meaning Kodak doesn't even have an SKU for anything larger. You'd probably need to find even more people willing to step up to a special order for something completely new than you would for, say, 25-sheet or 50-sheet boxes of 320TXP, for which earlier SKUs did exist.

I think this contiuous whining about 10-sheet boxes accomplishes nothing. If someone is a fan of Kodak film, the real problem facing them is its viability in the medium to long term. Ilford has around fifteen years left on its site lease, so, as long as sales remain strong, I expect it to last at least that long. However, if one wishes to use Kodak film for the same period of time, it may be necessary to purchase a large stock and freeze it. For that, TMX is worth considering. It comes in vapor-sealed envelopes and has excellent keeping qualities. In 4x5 and 5x7 it's even available in 50-sheet boxes.

In the meantime, here are a couple of suggestions. If you're a 320TXP fan, buy it in 5x7 and enjoy. Fifty sheets per box, good size for contact printing and stands up to moderate enlargement. An 8x10 print from one of those negatives is not a contact print, but mighty fine nonetheless. Or, if you think the Kodak product is so superior to Ilford's, bite the bullet and purchase whatever quantity of 8x10 you "need." Consolidate two 10-sheet envelopes into one box and responsibly recycle the extra box. Realize that you only paid pennies for that box. The film would cost almost as much per sheet regardless of quantity per box. Otherwise, just purchase HP5 Plus. It's got a different curve than 320TXP, but one that's, in my experience, fairly similar to TMY-2's.

Seriously, good luck with this attempt. Just understand that, by "build a business case," Kodak means assemble sufficient folks willing to lay down cash for a special order. Size of such a special order would be challenging for 320TXP and even more so for TMY-2.

[A49]

I agree with Barlow´s initiative. If someone decided for shooting one special Kodak 8x10 inch film, a box of 10 seems like a joke to me. A box 25 would be a good amount. But it was a bad thing for those who are searching, trying or shooting little projects, if the 10 pieces boxes would be canceled. If I as a consumer could wish for something, then it was a more expensive box of 10, for trying or little projects, one economy priced of 25 for larger things and one (even a little more) economy priced of 50 for those who are shooting much or always with the same film.

The market for 8x10 inch is not as big. Maybe some 100 requests to Kodak could move something.

Andreas

[jp]

I've preferred Kodak film for 20+ years of photography for B&W. TMY has been an excellent film in 35, 120, 4x5 and I use it 80% of the time. I've tried lots of other stuff but end up reordering Kodak most of the time.

I recently started doing some 8x10 and I went with Foma film in a box of 50. ten sheets isn't much more than testing, so I didn't even consider Kodak really. If it were in 25 or 50 boxes, I'd be glad to keep it in personal stock.

[David E. Rose]

When I started using 8x10, Kodak's 10 sheet boxes made my decision for me- I use Illford HP-5+. If Kodak films were available in larger quantity boxes, I would consider them.

[Bob McCarthy]

It's about serving the non commercial market.

One box allows them to stay under $100 per box. With the latest film they now exceed $5 per sheet.

20 sheets exceeds the magic marketing number, $100.

Marketing 101' (though a pro pack of 50 sheets would work for the professional market).

Tells me, most sales are not to the commercial pro but the low consumption markets.

Bob