Ilford film price increase

[Don_ih]

Does that price include 20% VAT?

I just checked - it includes VAT.

 

[MattKing]

As the USA is the largest market for Harman, it will be quite difficult for any other market to make up for a reduction in USA sales.
Harman has already suffered from one USA distributor going bankrupt, and they barely survived that. The current situation is bad for all the film industry.

 

[Prest_400]

In continental Europe at the moment (it's Sunday) no increase yet in some usual outlets.
Last summer there was an amazing distributor sale and got HP5 120 for about 7€ a roll. Bought 20 but should have stocked more!

Kentmere ranges from 5.30-6€ in Spain (120) and more expensive in central and north EU. Heck K200 locally to me in Sweden was at Delta prices!!

Recently bought some Kentmere, 200 and 400. It's a good general use film.

I think Ilford is finally working a strategy that makes sense. Good, Better, Best. Kentmere is Chevy/Pontiac. Ilford is Buick/Cadillac. Phoenix is a whacky sports rig.

Now there's a +50% price increase when going from Kentmere 400 to HP5+. Never more reason to try out the humble Kentmere (or use Tri-X or TMax 400 at only +~25%).

BTW on sunny 16 podcast (IIRC) the Harman reps said that Engineering Kentmere for sheet film formats would remove the price advantage.

Indeed the model is good, better/classic, best/hitech:
Kentmere, FP/HP, Delta

As to what @loccdor mentions, IMO it's a bit like the Gold vs Ektar/Portra prices in Europe. Either being just plain good (Gold) or being price sensitive/rationing use (Ektar/Portra).
Also definitely feel so with Kentmere vs Delta. The latter I have for more thoughtful shooting.

Partly OT (Kodak), but was thinking that from Europe we should be seeing some offset due to currency exchange on Kodak's film given that the USD has devalued against EUR.

 

[loccdor]

As the USA is the largest market for Harman, it will be quite difficult for any other market to make up for a reduction in USA sales.
Harman has already suffered from one USA distributor going bankrupt, and they barely survived that. The current situation is bad for all the film industry.

If that's the case it seems like the only thing it would take to put Harman out of business would be to drop the price of Tri-X and or TMax 400 by 20%.

 

[pentaxuser]

If that's the case it seems like the only thing it would take to put Harman out of business would be to drop the price of Tri-X and or TMax 400 by 20%.

I can see a discussion going on in some boardroom tomorrow about how long Kodak might be able to weather the storm of a further decrease in price to eliminate the main competition or are film manufacturers consist of a breed of gentlemen to even countenance such a thought?

pentaxuser

 

[bfilm]

Having never used Kentmere, I'm curious. What makes is different or lesser than the Ilford emulsions? Is it a quality thing or something else?

From the Ilford website, about Kentmere 400 and 100 films:

"While their emulsion is made using the same technology as HP5 and FP4, the key difference is that they contain less silver and therefore don't offer the same quality, versatility or characteristics."

https://www.ilfordphoto.com/choosing-your-first-ilford-film/