Kodak increasing film prices by 15%

[adam satushek]

Of course I'm not happy to pay more for film. But honestly, if it helps Kodak continue to produce Portra sheet film I'm fine with it. Just have to be more discerning about what is worthy of the film. Seems only natural to me that as the market shrinks prices go up.

[vinny]

I wonder if they're using yellow nails in this coffin?

[Daniel Stone]

Golly, I'd have loved if they'd have just kept (1) E-6 emulsion in the lineup, I mean, they've already done the R+D, they've already got the setup down for it, why not just put it on S/O status? I mean, if they coat (1) run a year of 35mm, (1) of 120, and (1) of 4x5, 8x10, I'd imagine they'd be breaking even at least, and still keeping a slide emulsion in the lineup.

But NOOOOOOO .... they axe the whole thing... I wonder if there were any people who lost their jobs because E-6 got killed... Hopefully not...

-Dan

[Vaughn]

I would ask anyone on this board if they would like to go back to what they were earning 10-15 years ago?

I am earning the same as 10-15 years ago! (darkroom tech for a university).

[Ron McElroy]

I would ask anyone on this board if they would like to go back to what they were earning 10-15 years ago?

Absolutely!!! I took a cut in pay in 2008 during the meltdown and that dropped me to below what I was making in 1997.

[sully75]

Golly, I'd have loved if they'd have just kept (1) E-6 emulsion in the lineup, I mean, they've already done the R+D, they've already got the setup down for it, why not just put it on S/O status? I mean, if they coat (1) run a year of 35mm, (1) of 120, and (1) of 4x5, 8x10, I'd imagine they'd be breaking even at least, and still keeping a slide emulsion in the lineup.

But NOOOOOOO .... they axe the whole thing... I wonder if there were any people who lost their jobs because E-6 got killed... Hopefully not...

-Dan

My understanding is that when they do a run of film, it's an insane amount. Maybe it's more than several years worth for certain films? It sounds like they are really screwed. They are tooled up for 1980's style film production. They can't scale down without investing in a smaller scale facility, which they probably can't afford to due based on the limited future global film market. So they have to raise prices. Seems sort of logical to me. Kind of a good sign in a way. I don't know. I'm shooting Arista.edu! I mean, I'm shooting arista.edu.

[Bruce Watson]

http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk...7.html?aff=rss

It's either raise prices now or exit the film business entirely now. Which would you have them do?

As volume goes down, there's less film to carry the fixed costs of the factory and the labor; Kodak's cost to produce the film therefore goes up. They are just passing that cost along to us. You didn't really expect a bankrupt company to sell you film at a loss did you?

[vinny]

Wait, isn't this the second price increase in three months?

[Erik Larsen]

I sure hope the other film manufacturers don't follow suit!

[Drew Wiley]

Oh get real! Looked at a gallon of gas or a can of paint lately? Petrochemical and distribution costs are up all across the board. Film was probably kept artificially low for quite awhile due to direct competition. Now that they're tending to specialize in color neg
vs chrome, each is at liberty to make more profit. Sure it hurts to be spending almost double for a box of 8x10 color film compared to just a couple years ago. But it's gonna
keep happnin'. Look at current prices of even Ilford b&w paper compared to a year ago.
It's called inflation. And in this instance, it's a rubber band that has been too tight for too
long and is suddenly snapping.