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

[logan2z]

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

 

[BrianShaw]

Consider it suffering for your art.

 

[logan2z]

Consider it suffering for your art.

I do enough of that already

 

[sterioma]

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

 

[Tom Kershaw]

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

Oddly not that long ago Kodak was competitively priced with ILFORD film.

 

[darkosaric]

10,80$ (9€) here in Germany.

 

[ChristopherCoy]

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]

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.

 

[logan2z]

I've long considered the move from TriX to strictly HP5

I've been considering the same thing. I'm going to pick up a few rolls and see how I like it.

 

[ChristopherCoy]

Kodak films, including Tri-X are wonderful, but you can easily use HP5+ and make the same prints.

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]

Of course Tri-X has changed over time (so has HP5 and every other film) but I don’t entirely agree Kodak isn’t Kodak anymore. I know what you mean, but specifically regarding the films, they are still made by Eastman Kodak in Building 38 in Rochester.

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.

 

[pentaxuser]

Oddly not that long ago Kodak was competitively priced with ILFORD film.

There will be one or more good reasons for this but I keep forgetting what they are

pentaxuser

 

[John Wiegerink]

There will be one or more good reasons for this but I keep forgetting what they are

pentaxuser

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]

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.

 

[Auer]

Other interesting ISO 400's are Bergger Pancro and Ilford XP2.

 

[lantau]

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.

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]

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]

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.

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]

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]

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.

 

[Patrick Robert James]

I should have also added that if you like TriX then you will probably also like Eastman XX 5222. You'll have to bulk load it but it is less expensive.

 

[Wayne]

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

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

 

[logan2z]

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

 

[Vaughn]

...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.

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]

Good lord..... $10 per sheet? I couldn't fathom that.