Ilford film price increase

Craig said:

Does that price include 20% VAT?

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I just checked - it includes VAT.

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.

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.

mshchem said:

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.

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loccdor said:

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%).

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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.

MattKing said:

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.

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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%.

loccdor said:

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%.

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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

chuckroast said:

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?

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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/

No mention of a price increase on the U.K. Harman site that I can see. Might this mean that the price increase reported is being applied by only U.S. retailers and even then only the ones mentioned in the post?

pentaxuser

pentaxuser said:

No mention of a price increase on the U.K. Harman site that I can see. Might this mean that the price increase reported is being applied by only U.S. retailers and even then only the ones mentioned in the post?

pentaxuser

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There is a single USA distributor for all Harman products.
Just as there is a single, different distributor for Canada.
I understand that Harman do their own distribution in the UK.
I expect that there are other distributors in other markets that have the same exclusive distribution arrangements as exist in the USA and in Canada.
The currency exchange and taxation issues probably apply to each particular distributor first. Then the retailers that buy from the distributors in their particular markets will all be visited with the same currency exchange and taxation realities.

I've been tracking US prices for consumables from B&H because I shop there often. Here's some data comparing Kodak and Ilford for what it's worth.

If you're in the US and want lower prices than B&H can offer on HP5 and FP4 in 35/120 I recommend Rivendell. You can get your film and a new saddle for your bike in the same order. Good people who love film and bikes.

Thanks Matt Not sure how explaining how distributors work in various markets answers my questions I am simply trying to find out if what shocked the OP is a result of a Harman hike to its U.S prices with subsequent effects on all retailers

I can't even be sure if there has been a general Harman price increase affecting all markets albeit differently in each case as all I can say is that I haven't seen any mention of a price increase on the U.K site.

While I was writing this post warden has provided answer in the form of a Rivendell announcement that does state that Harman has in fact raised its prices so presumably all U.S. retailers will be affected but the end result in consumers prices may vary from one retailer to the next

pentaxuser

warden said:

Rivendell

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Nice price! How random.

loccdor said:

Nice price! How random.

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Yeah a few guys in the shop got the film photography bug and they are definitely Ilford fans so they decided to start carrying their favorite film. I suspect they’re mainly doing it so they can buy their favorite film cheaply for themselves.

they’ve been open about this little side project and now that they are offering these films they’ve said that they feel badly for anybody that’s actually trying to make a living selling film because the margins are just not there. they don’t have to make money selling film because it’s not their core business.

pentaxuser said:

Thanks Matt Not sure how explaining how distributors work in various markets answers my questions I am simply trying to find out if what shocked the OP is a result of a Harman hike to its U.S prices with subsequent effects on all retailers

I can't even be sure if there has been a general Harman price increase affecting all markets albeit differently in each case as all I can say is that I haven't seen any mention of a price increase on the U.K site.

While I was writing this post warden has provided answer in the form of a Rivendell announcement that does state that Harman has in fact raised its prices so presumably all U.S. retailers will be affected but the end result in consumers prices may vary from one retailer to the next

pentaxuser

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Where you see "Ilford" in that announcement, it might be referring to Harman in their guise as the owner of the Ilford brand name.
It also might be shorthand for what is really the USA distributor for Ilford branded prices - Roberts Cameras distribution business.
Or it might refer to a combination of both, given the apparent current situation where many of the taxes have to be pre-paid before product can be exported to the USA.
Rivendell of course can't buy directly from Harman. They can only buy from the USA distributor.
In any event, any such price changes are going to be distributor specific, as an increase at Harman's door - say 10% - is going to have different effects in different markets, due to those currency and taxation issues, along with differences like shipping costs.

pentaxuser said:

.While I was writing this post warden has provided answer in the form of a Rivendell announcement that does state that Harman has in fact raised its prices so presumably all U.S. retailers will be affected but the end result in consumers prices may vary from one retailer to the next

pentaxuser

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Actually that announcement from Riv was from April of last year.

P Sanders said:

Was totally floored this morning ordering film (I usually stock up during the winter months). Ilford HP5+ and FP4 at 120 size now costs $11 per roll (B+H and Adorama) and 4x5 HP5+ costs a whopping $95 for 25 sheets!! Kodak prices have remained stable. . . . is it wrong to understand this is a senseless tariff hike?

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