Anybody buying Kodak B&W films nowadays?

darkosaric · Jun 26, 2023

I mean - 14€/14$ for Trix or Tmax iso 400... double to cost of Ilford, and triple the cost of Foma.
As much as I want to buy and support them - I just cannot give 140€ for a box of 10 films.

baachitraka · Jun 26, 2023

yes, 140 euros is a lot of money. I am with Foma and hope they stay cool with the prices.

lamerko · Jun 26, 2023

Yes, I am buying 400ft rolls of Kodak 5222 - it costs $357 inc VAT (in Europe). That's a 135/36 equivalent of 72-73 rolls at $4.90 each.

ooze · Jun 26, 2023

I used to use Tmax400, but stopped buying it because of the price. Switched to FP4 a few years ago, but even that is getting too pricey. I’m experimenting with Kentmere these days.

Prest_400 · Jun 26, 2023

Kodak for color where they are about the option nowadays.

I still have film stock bought in 2021-22 where I didn't also shoot much. On the recent price checks, wow what an increase across the board! I know the scope of the topic is BW but I am seeing 80-90-120€ for some Kodak color films around EU stores
I do have some envy at US Kodak prices.

Even then (after 2019) I chose the Deltas over Tmaxes for fine quality and then HP5 as a standard. I finished shooting some TMX I had, replaced by new D100 rolls.

Always bought a bit of foma for more careless (cost wise) shooting in 120. Kentmere seems interesting and has been good in 35mm where I have shot it, together with seemingly rebranded Kentmere stock (APX)

Of course film shooting is a fine vice and art ro be in that I will pay every so often for (color) Kodak. I am also rather selective and shooting medium format so the consumption is low, good films (Ilford) are worth it.

albireo · Jun 26, 2023

darkosaric said:
I mean - 14€/14$ for Trix or Tmax iso 400... double to cost of Ilford, and triple the cost of Foma.
As much as I want to buy and support them - I just cannot give 140€ for a box of 10 films.

I shot my last roll of TriX in 120 in 2019, then stopped. I'm happy with Ilford, Kentmere and Foma for the type of amateur-level work I do. Occasionally, I will treat myself to a brick of Gold 200 or Ektar 100 which is of course extraordinary stuff, but as far as black and white is concerned I have happily moved on from my Kodak days.

Tel · Jun 26, 2023

I'm happy shooting HP5 and 5222. Used to shoot whole bricks os Tri-X but it's been a long while since I bought any.

darkosaric · Jun 26, 2023

lamerko said:
Yes, I am buying 400ft rolls of Kodak 5222 - it costs $357 inc VAT (in Europe). That's a 135/36 equivalent of 72-73 rolls at $4.90 each.

Where do you buy it? I have seen one ebay listing, but for expired roll. I would be happy with Eastman XX.

lamerko · Jun 26, 2023

darkosaric said:
Where do you buy it? I have seen one ebay listing, but for expired roll. I would be happy with Eastman XX.

I buy from Frame24 - the prices are very good. The Kodak 5222 is currently out of stock, but they are stocking it in a week or two. I'm guessing it will be available in a few days. They are in the UK - I order to a UK address, you can contact them for shipping and taxes. The prices on the site are without VAT, it is charged when ordering.

ic-racer · Jun 26, 2023

I stopped buying Tmax 8x10 when it went over $4 per sheet. I think this was around 2008. Too bad because I think it was the best 8x10 BW film ever made.
I stopped buying Kodak 100ft rolls when it went over $100 in 2014.
.

ic-racer · Jun 26, 2023

I stopped buying Kodak 8mm film when they stopped supplying it to film makers in 2012:

8mm Bolex Users Urgent! Kodak Tri-X Reg8 Movie -- Chance for one more batch...

Those of you that shoot Kodak Regular 8 Movie film probably know John Schwind at International Film. He has been supplying me with film for about 10 years. Earlier this year he informed me the Cine-X (plus-x) is no longer available from Kodak and earlier this week I found out the Super Cine-x...

www.photrio.com

Saganich · Jun 26, 2023

lamerko said:
Yes, I am buying 400ft rolls of Kodak 5222 - it costs $357 inc VAT (in Europe). That's a 135/36 equivalent of 72-73 rolls at $4.90 each.

Same in NYC

Don_ih · Jun 26, 2023

They'd probably sell more 400 foot rolls if you could just order it online. Needing to call gives you just enough time and inconvenience to change your mind.

GregY · Jun 26, 2023

I'm still buying Kodak. Here in Western Canada a roll of 120 is 1.8 x the cost of HP5. I still have a good fridge full of film. I mostly order film & paper from B&H....& their prices on 120 Kodak and Ilford are very close. HP5 is $8.50 a roll and TMax 400 is $8.80 USD.

juan · Jun 26, 2023

I shot Tri-X from the time I could buy a 24-exposure roll for 72-cents at Kmart. My last Kodak film was some of the 120 with the backing paper issues. Fuji X-ray film works fine for me in large format. I'm trying Kentmere in small formats.

George Collier · Jun 26, 2023

At this point for me (been shooting since the late 50's, when Trix was rated at 200 ASA) I do a lot of image editing before shooting, now mostly with 35mm. By editing, I mean I just am much more selective about what I shoot, trying to process 3 rolls per month.
These are Trix and FP4, both in Rodinal. I never did like Plusx, but Trix was my film for life for many decades, in various developers at different times, but with Rodinal always in the darkroom. I'm disappointed to find that the Trix and Rodinal combo no longer yields the sturdy, beefy grain of the 70's, probably both have changed. I've been feeding rolls of HP5, in Rodinal, into the mix and like it a lot, and am considering dropping Trix, but can't make the move, I suppose for sentimental reasons. I started using Ilford films in the early 2000's, just because I didn't know when Kodak would close their doors.
The cost difference doesn't bother me for the amount I shoot - I guess I'll use both Trix and HP5 until I see no reason to use Trix.

relistan · Jun 26, 2023

I used to shoot Tri-X, but completely replaced it with Ilford films. I have a few frozen rolls of Tri-X but that is probably the last I will shoot of it unless something changes drastically. IMO it's not better than HP5+ and even if it were, it wouldn't be THAT much better.

darkosaric · Jun 26, 2023

lamerko said:
I buy from Frame24 - the prices are very good. The Kodak 5222 is currently out of stock, but they are stocking it in a week or two. I'm guessing it will be available in a few days. They are in the UK - I order to a UK address, you can contact them for shipping and taxes. The prices on the site are without VAT, it is charged when ordering.

This Brexit! Now I need to add custom cost to this :/

lamerko · Jun 26, 2023

darkosaric said:
This Brexit! Now I need to add custom cost to this :/

Yes, annoying. But there are loopholes. Contact them - they respond quickly. They will tell you the available options.

logan2z · Jun 26, 2023

I've completely switched over to Ilford FP4 and HP5. I've got a few rolls of Tri-X 120 in the fridge but won't be buying any more.

Roger Cole · Jun 26, 2023

I changed completely to Ilford when Kodak priced themselves out of 4x5. I could afford to shoot Kodak in 35mm and 120. It costs more but not as drastically more as it does in Europe. But their sheet film prices are just crazy and I like to standardize across formats. Ilford makes excellent products anyway. A bit different, but I don't feel like I'm giving up anything at all.

Radost · Jun 26, 2023

XX 5222 400 feet - $4.20 a roll

Paul Howell · Jun 26, 2023

When shooting MF and 35mm I buy Tmax 400 and few rolls of Tmax 100 when traveling. When shooting locally and I am not concerned about film speed as much I shoot Foma 400 at 320 or 200 depending on the camera and light meter. 4X5 Foma 400.

Alex Benjamin · Jun 26, 2023

No, just color. Can't afford both Ektar and Tri-X. All my B&W are Ilford.

GregY · Jun 26, 2023

Paul Howell said:
When shooting MF and 35mm I buy Tmax 400 and few rolls of Tmax 100 when traveling. When shooting locally and I am not concerned about film speed as much I shoot Foma 400 at 320 or 200 depending on the camera and light meter. 4X5 Foma 400.

Me too re Kodak.... especially if i've paid $1k+ for an airline ticket and am printing on 16x20 FB paper @ $450 USD for warmtone!

Anybody buying Kodak B&W films nowadays?

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