Fujicolor C200 and cheap consumer film price prospectus

[Grim Tuesday]

I think Fujicolor C200 is a great film. I noticed it wholesaling on eBay for ~$2.50/roll last year and held off buying because I didn't have freezer space. It now seems closer to $4.00/roll around eBay. It's still available for $10 for a 3 pack at B&H/Adorama, up from $9 a week ago. I see it listed at $12 elsewhere. What I'm wondering is whether we are watching in real time the end of truly cheap consumer film. Is now the last chance to stock up?

 

[MattKing]

Film prices are almost completely related to distribution and marketing costs.
So if volumes increase, prices will stabilize or go down.
Otherwise, they will go up.
B&H and Adorama distort almost all the rest of the market.

 

[Grim Tuesday]

Film prices are almost completely related to distribution and marketing costs.

And here I was thinking it was supply and demand...

 

[MattKing]

And here I was thinking it was supply and demand...

Nope - except in a market where there is a lot of margin built into prices.
As an example,for Kodak products, my best source local retailer often pays more buying wholesale from the Canadian distributors than it would cost them to buy retail from B&H, have it shipped, and import it.
They have to divide their orders between a bunch of distributors because some of the distributors' prices on some products are crazy.
In the past, they have actually bought consumer colour Kodak film from grocery and drugstore focused distributors, because their minimum order and shipping cost terms were better than the distributors that specialize in the photo world.

 

[Agulliver]

Kodak Color Plus can still be had for £2.50 (under $3 or EUR3) if you shop around. That is an incredible bargain really.

 

[mgb74]

... As an example,for Kodak products, my best source local retailer often pays more buying wholesale from the Canadian distributors than it would cost them to buy retail from B&H, have it shipped, and import it..l.

This is not unique to Kodak or film. Many times small businesses pay more from distributors than they do from volume, mass market stores - even when those mass market stores are authorized retailers.

 

[Cholentpot]

Kodak Color Plus can still be had for £2.50 (under $3 or EUR3) if you shop around. That is an incredible bargain really.

I think you mean Kodacolor 200.

I bought a brick of ColorPlu- I mean Kodacolor 200 for the summer. I rarely shoot fresh color but decided for this summer I will. I think I've had enough practice in shooting and developing over the last half decade that I can now move to fresh color. Color+200 seems a good price for me. Maybe next season I'll get a brick of C200.

 

[Agulliver]

I think you mean Kodacolor 200.

I bought a brick of ColorPlu- I mean Kodacolor 200 for the summer. I rarely shoot fresh color but decided for this summer I will. I think I've had enough practice in shooting and developing over the last half decade that I can now move to fresh color. Color+200 seems a good price for me. Maybe next season I'll get a brick of C200.

It's sold as "Kodak ColorPlus" these days. But is widely believed to be the older Kodacolor VR. I like it, but then I always liked VR and didn't like Gold.

 

[Ste_S]

Luckily my lab is still selling C200 for £3 a roll, elsewhere seems to be about £5. Might have to buy a brick now.
I'll probably be back to Gold (and Ultramax) if my lab raises prices of C200

 

[Cholentpot]

It's sold as "Kodak ColorPlus" these days. But is widely believed to be the older Kodacolor VR. I like it, but then I always liked VR and didn't like Gold.

It comes in a can that says Kodacolor 200. The box says color plus 200.