OK, so for some perspective:
- Ilford put up their prices by more than this when they went belly up about ten years ago.
- Ilford's price hikes over the last few years (in the UK) have been substantial. I cannot quantify them but I am confident they are as large as anyone's.
- Ilford film might be cheaper in the US, but in the UK Kodak film is significantly cheaper. Go figure. It seems that you get screwed buying film in its home market. I do not understand this and it make me mad that reimporting Ilford sheet film from the US and paying for overseas postage... and paying the UK's high import duties is still cheaper than buying it next to the factory that makes it (once you buy a few boxes).
Personally, a 15% hike would seem much more reasonable if one was confident they are committed to film, but I sense the problem is that most people dont believe they are. When Ilford restructured and put prices up across the board, there were clear press releases and a strategy for making film sustainable. While Kodak has introduced new emulsions (e.g. TMY-2) which is commendable, they are not filling anyone with confidence that these increased prices will mean an assured future supply.
I am so glad Ilford is doing well as a result of their initiatives, but I can buy TriX for over £1 less per roll in the UK, compared to HP5+ and the gap is even larger with TMY-2 and D400 (almost £2). If I buy 50 rolls the savings are obvious. Kodak sheet films (esp 10x8) are obscene in the UK and Ilford prices double those in the US. Foma sheet films, or Adox, are less than HALF the price of Ilford in the UK and far cheaper still compared to Kodak.
Brits get screwed with both Kodak and Ilford sheet film. It seems that only Ilford sheet film users in the US and British users of 35mm/120 Kodak get a good deal. The result of this pricing mayhem is that I used various films from different manufacturers in different formats because it quite literally saves me hundreds of pounds a year.
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