Ilford, easy on the price increases...

[haliderollei]

It seems that every 3 months the price of Ilford films are skyrocketing. 10 euro's for a roll of Delta 3200? I've paid 7 euro's just 2 years ago for this. I get it inflation, but many are getting priced out it seems. I'm starting to sell off my Rollei's because it doesn't seem sustainable anymore for me. Excuse me for venting.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Ever since I started in 1958 the price of film and photographic supplies have continued to go up. Photography has always been a costly endeavor, so give up the lattes, tighten belts, grit your teeth and enjoy photography. If you use enough film, the supply will increase and you will help keep the prices down.

 

[laingsoft]

A head of cauliflower is $6 now. All the base inputs that ilford needs have increased substantially. Gelatin is more expensive, silver is more expensive, even PET plastic is more expensive. Film is only gonna get more expensive and more niche as time goes on unfortunately, so load up now!

 

[Sirius Glass]

Buy film when it is on sale and store it in the freezer. Thaw it out and make sure it is warm before opening. When you buy up film you are keeping it from the hoarders!

 

[koraks]

10 euro's for a roll of Delta 3200?

Doesn't store well, doesn't sell in as high volumes as HP5+ or FP4+. Not saying this justifies the price - that's a call each person has to make for themselves. But it does explain it to a large extent.

 

[L Gebhardt]

Buy film when it is on sale and store it in the freezer. Thaw it out and make sure it is warm before opening. When you buy up film you are keeping it from the hoarders!

When I buy up film I'm adding it to my hoard

But don't hoard Delta 3200. Even in the freezer it doesn't keep well.

 

[snusmumriken]

But don't hoard Delta 3200. Even in the freezer it doesn't keep well.

I didn’t know that. I don’t use it often, so I have a few rolls in the fridge. What’s a reasonable expectation of its life?

 

[bjorke]

I didn’t know that. I don’t use it often, so I have a few rolls in the fridge. What’s a reasonable expectation of its life?

A couple of years s probably okay. A fridge slows down many chemical reactions, but not cosmic-ray exposure, which affects higher-speed films... well, faster!

 

[L Gebhardt]

I didn’t know that. I don’t use it often, so I have a few rolls in the fridge. What’s a reasonable expectation of its life?

I don't know. I found some I had put in the freezer when new. It was only a few years (3-4 if my memory is correct) out of date when I tried a roll and it had pretty heavy fog, but was still useable with extra exposure. But with a high speed film you don't usually want to lose speed and gain grain, so I'd try to use it within it's expiration date.

 

[georg16nik]

A couple of years s probably okay. A fridge slows down many chemical reactions, but not cosmic-ray exposure, which affects higher-speed films... well, faster!

Besides cosmic-rays, some stones or stone aggregates in concrete can emit sufficient radiation (average up to 0,516 × 10−4 C/kg/yr) to fog sensitive films like Delta 3200 after long storage (> 1 year) per ISO 18928:2013: Imaging materials — Unprocessed photographic films and papers — Storage practices.

 

[pentaxuser]

Besides cosmic-rays, some stones or stone aggregates in concrete can emit sufficient radiation (average up to 0,516 × 10−4 C/kg/yr) to fog sensitive films like Delta 3200 after long storage (> 1 year) per ISO 18928:2013: Imaging materials — Unprocessed photographic films and papers — Storage practices.

Mmm... I wonder how long it lasts in houses built of granite such as most in the city of Aberdeen, Scotland. Is a lead-lined box any good in such houses?

pentaxuser

 

[koraks]

A couple of years s probably okay.

You're being generous, I'm afraid! My experience is in line with @L Gebhardt's.

Is a lead-lined box any good in such houses?

Dunno, depends on how much lead, I suppose. A concrete 'film storage pit' would probably make more economic sense. While a little less effective at shielding than lead, it's much cheaper to get the same shielding effectiveness with concrete than with lead.

Or...just keep it in the fridge and use the film within its use-by date. On the rare event I've felt I 'needed' it, I planned ahead and bought it for the occasion.

 

[Arthurwg]

Just paid $177.50 for a box of 100 8x10 classic Matt paper. Seems rather expensive.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I had better use the tiny stash of D3200 I have in the freezer, then!

 

[Sirius Glass]

I have color, black & white, and infrared film frozen for over 20 years and I have not had any problems.

 

[snusmumriken]

I don't know. I found some I had put in the freezer when new. It was only a few years (3-4 if my memory is correct) out of date when I tried a roll and it had pretty heavy fog, but was still useable with extra exposure. But with a high speed film you don't usually want to lose speed and gain grain, so I'd try to use it within it's expiration date.

Oh dear, that was 2008!

 

[MTGseattle]

When/where does film go on sale? I've seen the "short dated" stuff here and there, and it wasn't even enough of a sale to offset sales tax.

 

[Brad Deputy]

Even the last few months, and Ilford prices jump. Saw bulk Delta 400 around $105-115 earlier this year. Thought to pick one up, now it's $135-140. . Please don't chase Kodak..

 

[haliderollei]

Even the last few months, and Ilford prices jump. Saw bulk Delta 400 around $105-115 earlier this year. Thought to pick one up, now it's $135-140. . Please don't chase Kodak..

Exactly. It's really worrisome now.

 

[georg16nik]

Mmm... I wonder how long it lasts in houses built of granite such as most in the city of Aberdeen, Scotland. Is a lead-lined box any good in such houses?

pentaxuser

Delta 3200 and the likes are best shot while still fresh.

Lead-lined box might help but granite lower floors, cellars / basements are radiation traps...

Furthermore, ISO 18928 — 3.4 Gases

Storage rooms shall be protected against harmful gases such as hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide, formaldehyde, oxidizing gases, industrial emissions, and mercury vapour. Any of these may penetrate the container seal and fog or desensitize the material.

Materials shall not be stored in the same area as developer or activator solution

 

[pentaxuser]

Thanks koraks and georg16nik. I think the practical answer on lead-lined boxes may be don't worry about them just use the D3200 quickly The cost to benefit ratio of lead lining for fast films is at best problematical. Indeed the diktat of financial prudence in general and from what I've seen of what HP5+ at 1600 and possibly 3200 can do, indicates that it is the one to use

Indeed over a lifetime and the way film prices are rising, especially fast films, it may be possible to save enough money by buying HP5+ instead of D3200 and then buying a lead lined box for nuclear Armageddon instead. That plus a reasonable supply of Andy O'Neill's favourite donuts, apple fritters and some Labatt lager might save me

pentaxuser

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Thanks koraks and georg16nik. I think the practical answer on lead-lined boxes may be don't worry about them just use the D3200 quickly The cost to benefit ratio of lead lining for fast films is at best problematical. Indeed the diktat of financial prudence in general and from what I've seen of what HP5+ at 1600 and possibly 3200 can do, indicates that it is the one to use

Indeed over a lifetime and the way film prices are rising, especially fast films, it may be possible to save enough money by buying HP5+ instead of D3200 and then buying a lead lined box for nuclear Armageddon instead. That plus a reasonable supply of Andy O'Neill's favourite donuts, apple fritters and some Labatt lager might save me

pentaxuser

It's been a while since I washed an apple fritter down with a Labatts... I think Bob and Doug MacKenzie were still on TV and beer came in stubbies!

 

[Don_ih]

It's been a while since I washed an apple fritter down with a Labatts

That sounds particularly disgusting, actually. It'd make more sense to wash an apple fritter down with a cider.

 

[pentaxuser]

That sounds particularly disgusting, actually. It'd make more sense to wash an apple fritter down with a cider.

Well to be honest I'd prefer it to be tea but lager is refreshing and alcoholic enough to be soporific. Plus it has to be Canadian lager with Canadian donuts, surely?

Given the circumstances of high radiation I'll need to remember to take my Pentax Thorium lens out of my pocket before I jump into the box - just in case

 

[Don_ih]

lager is refreshing and alcoholic enough to be soporific

Well, cider is alcoholic and is already apple-tasting, so you don't get that clash of flavours you'd get with lager. Tea or coffee is generally better suited to donuts.
And I don't like Labatts.
Or apple fritters, for that matter....