Don't complain about the cost of paper or film

[unityofsaints]

Here in Australia, many are now abandoning film because of the high cost of buying even B&W

This statement surprises me - especially in 35mm, B&W is cheap as chips. Yes, it may have gone up in the past few years but so has everything. A 100 ft bulk roll of Foma 100 is currently 94 AUD, thats 5.22 AUD per roll or less than the cost of a takeaway coffee in the city! That's not even the absolute cheapest cost per roll either, I just chose to pick something local and easily accessible - for example I import APX 100 from fotoimpex for about 75 AUD for 100 ft or about 4.20 AUD per roll.

Don't like to bulk roll? No problem, Arista EDU can be had from B&H for about 6.75 AUD, hardly what I'd call expensive.

 

[Paul Howell]

20 times greater is a significant amount no matter how you consider it - unless he was making nothing in 1981.

Not 1981, but from 66 to 70 college student made less than a $3000 a year, mostly freelance with some income from working commercial and sports fishing during the summer. Graduated and joined the AF to avoid the Army, draft number 12, and made a bit less as an E2 $186 a month.

 

[VinceInMT]

So in real terms you are saying that your real income has risen 20 times since 1981 i.e. you are now able to buy the same basket of good and services that you bought in 1981 20 times over?

Yes.

That's amazing but does this represent what Mr average can buy now compared to what he bought in 1981?

Is Mr average really 20 times better off now that he was in 1981?

If “Mr. average” was around in 1981 and, since then, had made good choices in terms of career, savings, investing, and, most importantly spending vs. frugality, then, yes, he could be 20 times better off than he was in 1981.

And, no, I didn’t work in a career path that was a big money-maker. I was a high school teacher. But I lived frugally, invested and saved wisely, and now, retired, my income is greater than it was when I was working. I drive the same car I did back in the 1980s. I shoot the same cameras I did in the 1970s. Except for my first house which I bought on the GI Bill, I have never taken on debt. So, it is possible.

 

[Pat Erson]

What makes film feel expensive now was the big dip about 12-15 years ago. Film was being dumped on the market. I remember buying HP5 for less than $2 a roll in foil.

Yup! 2,85 Euros (!!??) for a 135-36 roll of TRI-X on this side of the blue planet...