I must have missed the memo on a Tri-X 400 price increase

logan2z

Subscriber
Joined
Jan 11, 2019
Messages
3,721
Location
SF Bay Area, USA
Format
Multi Format
I ordered a bunch of rolls of 36 exposure 35mm Tri-X 400 from BH back in February at $6.49 a roll. I just went to place an order for some more and it's now $7.99 a roll - nearly a 25% increase. I see that Kodak did announce an increase for 2021 at the end of last year, but I guess I somehow overlooked it. Should have stocked up
 
Last edited:

sterioma

Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2004
Messages
518
Location
United Kingdom
Format
Medium Format
Tri-X used to be my main film in the 2000's.

Here in the UK the price for a 36mm roll is now around £10 (around 14$). HP5 costs half of that.
For someone to shoot Tri-X over here, you must really be committed to it, or just have deep pockets
 

ChristopherCoy

Subscriber
Joined
Aug 9, 2011
Messages
3,599
Location
On a boat.
Format
Multi Format
I've long considered the move from TriX to strictly HP5 and Ilford chems. I guess this is another reason to add to the list.

I wonder if they raised prices because materials actually rose in cost, or if they are just raising their prices because of increased interest in film photography.
 

Danner

Member
Joined
Feb 5, 2021
Messages
182
Location
Fort Worth
Format
Medium Format
I wince when "Tri-X" is referred to as a "Kodak" film. If the bankruptcy administrator had withheld rights to the Kodak® and Tri-X® trademarks, then the film would be referred to as Alaris 400 Speed. As to the price increases, those pension obligations aren't going to pay for themselves, so the price has to go up as sales volume goes down.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kodak_Alaris

Full disclosure, I only shoot Ilford films these days.
 

ChristopherCoy

Subscriber
Joined
Aug 9, 2011
Messages
3,599
Location
On a boat.
Format
Multi Format
michael_r said:
Kodak films, including Tri-X are wonderful, but you can easily use HP5+ and make the same prints.
Click to expand...

I know. @Greg Davis has a great video on youtube comparing the two side by side. Even though I know that TriX isn't really TriX anymore. Even though I know that Kodak isn't Kodak anymore. And even though I know that Ilford is a small company still making things the way they always have and produces film that would give me the near exact results I get by using TriX - I still can't get over whatever that feeling is that TriX gives me. And it's totally just a feeling.
 

ChristopherCoy

Subscriber
Joined
Aug 9, 2011
Messages
3,599
Location
On a boat.
Format
Multi Format

The other thing that bothers me is that you always hear about price changes, batch issues whether it be film or chemicals, and formulation changes from Kodak. Not so much from Ilford. Kodaks like the chaotic, dysfunctional family that lives in the really loud house on the block. Ilford's the cute little Tudor style on the corner with the white picket fence owned by the Cleaver family.
 

John Wiegerink

Subscriber
Joined
May 29, 2009
Messages
3,668
Location
Lake Station, MI
Format
Multi Format
pentaxuser said:
There will be one or more good reasons for this but I keep forgetting what they are

pentaxuser
Click to expand...
Pete,
Try Covid-19? Here in the good old USA it seems price increase excuses now center around Covid-19. I guess that's as a good excuse as any, be it true or not.
 

gone

Member
Joined
Jun 14, 2009
Messages
5,504
Location
gone
Format
Medium Format
Christopher Coy here posted a couple of photos of HP5 (think he developed them in HCC 110) and they looked just like Tri-X to me. I've never had that result, but have only developed HP5 in Mic-X. I'm burnt on Kodak and won't use any of their products anymore. Looking forward to trying some Fomapan 400. The shots I saw on flickr look great.
 
Last edited:

lantau

Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2016
Messages
826
Location
Germany
Format
Multi Format

Actually there is no Ilford company. At least none, which is making film. That business has been sold to a new company called Harman. And they managed to license the Ilford name for film, paper and chemicals. Their direct positive paper isn't carrying the Ilford name. Maybe it isn't covered by the license.

Kodak film is still made by Kodak. But is is still the same corporate entity after bankruptcy?

I switched to HP5 because I can buy it in bulk rolls at a somewhat reasonable price.
 

radiant

Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2019
Messages
2,135
Location
Europe
Format
Hybrid
HP5 135 is 87.95 euros in bulk. 36 frames will cost 4 euros per roll. Manufactured rolls are 6.5 euros. Self-rolled is 39% of the price.
 

pentaxuser

Member
Joined
May 9, 2005
Messages
19,983
Location
Daventry, No
Format
35mm
John Wiegerink said:
Pete,
Try Covid-19? Here in the good old USA it seems price increase excuses now center around Covid-19. I guess that's as a good excuse as any, be it true or not.
Click to expand...
Ah yes Covid -19. I'll add that to the list By the way I am not pete as in pentaxpete which is his "handle" We both just happen to be users of Pentax cameras

pentaxuser
 

Patrick Robert James

Member
Joined
Jul 31, 2012
Messages
3,360
Format
35mm RF
I much prefer HP5 to TriX. TriX is pretty far down on my list to be frank. I do like what others do with the film but I just never jive with it. I'd be totally fine if HP5 was the last film standing in however many years from now.

You can't really look at price though. Film is really cheap when you factor in your time and energy. A few bucks here or there isn't much in the grand scheme of things. Skip that Starbucks if TriX is more important to you. Do the math on how many rolls of film you use in a year and you'll see that the difference probably won't bother you unless you are pretending you are Garry Winogrand.
 

darkosaric

Member
Joined
Apr 15, 2008
Messages
4,568
Location
Hamburg, DE
Format
Multi Format
I agree that film is cheap, if you consider not only your work, but also paper price - this is where it starts to be expensive (at least to me as I print almost exclusively 30x40cm size nowadays).
But when you pay 90€ for box of 10 films, instead of 35€ for Fomapan or 50€ for other - if feels even more expensive, as you paid double / triple the price.

I calculate like this: for my Hobby I give 50-100€ per month: films, papers, lenses...You buy one PC Game or you go to a bar (if you can) - and you give this amount in one go. So for me - it is ok.
 
Last edited:

Wayne

Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2005
Messages
3,614
Location
USA
Format
Large Format

They raised prices to celebrate their new "molasses&brown sugar" boutique developers and their boutique-y unreadable frame numbers on 120 film
 

Vaughn

Subscriber
Joined
Dec 13, 2006
Messages
10,102
Location
Humboldt Co.
Format
Large Format
darkosaric said:
...I calculate like this: for my Hobby I give 50-100€ per month: films, papers, lenses...You buy one PC Game or you go to a bar (if you can) - and you give this amount in one go. So for me - it is ok.
Click to expand...
I am loading up some semi-fresh 11x14 FP4+ in holders this evening (when my darkroom is dark enough) for the weekend -- at about 10 bucks a sheet, maybe add a couple more for taxes and shipping. One just can't worry about it. When the cash-flow balance is a little favorable, buy some film. For some of us lucky people who have been able to maintain an income over the past year (in my case, pension and social security -- and kids out of college), and have spent less on driving, traveling, eating out, and such, have a few more bucks available for more film. It's that dang platinum and palladium that really drains the old account.

But I have some 8x10 and 5x7 loaded, also, for when I want to play around with cheaper film (TMax400...it's all relative, like a favorite out-of-date uncle), or want to walk further from the van.

Memo for price rises? That would be like getting a memo that the sun also rises.
 

ChristopherCoy

Subscriber
Joined
Aug 9, 2011
Messages
3,599
Location
On a boat.
Format
Multi Format
Good lord..... $10 per sheet? I couldn't fathom that.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn more…