Is there really a revival of analog photography

[removed account4]

I can't imagine the announced Kodak price increases for Jan 2022 doing much for the revival either. If I was a newcomer and young, free and single as the saying goes, the price of one or two rolls might not dampen my curiosity to try film but unless the hobby becomes so absorbing that other distractions that consumes limited disposable income fail to matter much then it has to affect sales adversely, doesn't it?

pentaxuser

wouldn't people have enough wherewithal to look for film they can afford, if the one in the yellow box is too expensive?

 

[George Mann]

wouldn't people have enough wherewithal to look for film they can afford, if the one in the yellow box is too expensive?

It's not just Kodak. Adox, Fuji and even Ilford is bordering on absurd prices these days.

Sure, we still have the Arista, Foma, Kentmere and at times Shanghai offerings to choose from, but often at a higher price than these films should sell for.

Who else has been producing readily available film for the last few years?

 

[MattKing]

I can't imagine the announced Kodak price increases for Jan 2022 doing much for the revival either. If I was a newcomer and young, free and single as the saying goes, the price of one or two rolls might not dampen my curiosity to try film but unless the hobby becomes so absorbing that other distractions that consumes limited disposable income fail to matter much then it has to affect sales adversely, doesn't it?

pentaxuser

You obviously haven't bought a drink in a "young person's" bar recently.
Or paid for a ticket to a recent concert.
Or bought a new LP - for those who are doing that.
And you are probably inured to the pain associated with filling the tank in your car.
The relative cost of film now is getting to be a lot more than it was for a while.
And if one has to balance priorities among discretionary expenses, film may have become relatively more expensive than some things that used to be more expensive.
But it isn't like the price to buy a home!

 

[removed account4]

Sure, we still have the Arista, Foma, Kentmere and at times Shanghai offerings to choose from, but often at a higher price than these films should sell for.

how much is it that these films should be selling for ?

 

[George Mann]

how much is it that these films should be selling for ?

A dollar or two less a roll would be a nice start.

 

[removed account4]

A dollar or two less a roll would be a nice start.

I guess, but last I checked I didn't think EK or KA or any other companies were running a charity.
its a nice thought but I don't think film today is ever going to cost less than it did 20 years ago ....
its never been a hobby for the faint of wallet.

 

[Pieter12]

Film is a commodity with a limited market and priced pretty fairly for that. Luckily enough, most of the infrastructure and technology has long been amortized by the manufacturers.
As far as the price of film affecting the resurgence of analog photography, those who are attracted to film seem to be motivated by artistic, snob appeal and societal factors (popular/hip/exclusive among their peers) and the price of film is still a mostly bearable cost for that. Unlike digital photography, analog needs a constant supply of film, processing and scanning or printing to be able to see the results, rendering it a more expensive endeavor than digital.

 

[Nodda Duma]

From what I have seen lately, only Shanghai is currently producing any.

But yes, the continuing price increase of film is untenable.

If you think only Shanghai is producing new stuff, you aren’t really looking.

 

[George Mann]

If you think only Shanghai is producing new stuff, you aren’t really looking.

No current production film is available for us to purchase in the US at this moment regardless of who is or isn't currently producing it!

 

[Sirius Glass]

The prices for just about everything is going up because of the COVID supply problems. After things smooth out, most prices will slowly drop back. Keep shooting film to stay busy.

 

[lecarp]

And the answer is, http://www.thelightfarm.com

 

[markjwyatt]

And the answer is, http://www.thelightfarm.com

Nice. I hope it never comes down to this being the only option, but if it comes down to that, you are ready.

 

[removed account4]

Nice. I hope it never comes down to this being the only option, but if it comes down to that, you are ready.

I know I am, its not hard and costs a fraction of what film and paper cost.

 

[markjwyatt]

I know I am, its not hard and costs a fraction of what film and paper cost.

Do you do any sensitization?

 

[removed account4]

Do you do any sensitization?

nah. I've made chlorobromide, something like Kevin Klein's recipe ( with a smidgen of dilute dektol instead of fixer, it was a mistake, and it made the batch super light sensitive!). I am currently super fond of Christopher Patten's Silver Chloride emulsion ( except I don't wash it ).
My last batch was IDK about 2 months ago, it took about 20 mins to make, and I'm about 1/2 way through it.
The hardest part was waiting for it to dry on the paper !
I guess if I wanted to I could add the additions &c but i haven't found the need ...

John

 

[Nodda Duma]

No current production film is available for us to purchase in the US at this moment regardless of who is or isn't currently producing it!

You’re not making sense, George

https://www.freestylephoto.biz/category/2-Film/Black-and-White-Film
https://bluemooncamera.com/store/ph...er_id&condition_id&keyword=&page=1&exhibit_id

or shoot currently produced dry plates
https://www.pictoriographica.com/st...a.com/store/c5/All_Production_Dry_Plates.html

or come to Amherst NH next weekend where my soon to be open brick and mortar has a crap ton of film in stock for opening day.

 

[pentaxuser]

or come to Amherst NH next weekend where my soon to be open brick and mortar has a crap ton of film in stock for opening day.

Best of luck in the venture. It will be important in all your advertising to ensure that words "crap ton of film" are retained in that order

pentaxuser

 

[George Mann]

You’re not making sense, George

https://www.freestylephoto.biz/category/2-Film/Black-and-White-Film
https://bluemooncamera.com/store/ph...er_id&condition_id&keyword=&page=1&exhibit_id

or shoot currently produced dry plates
https://www.pictoriographica.com/st...a.com/store/c5/All_Production_Dry_Plates.html

or come to Amherst NH next weekend where my soon to be open brick and mortar has a crap ton of film in stock for opening day.

All of the film I have seen for sale lately left their factories atleast six months ago!

 

[MattKing]

All of the film I have seen for sale lately left their factories atleast six months ago!

And the film they are making today probably won't get through the distribution backlogs until months from now as well.

 

[faberryman]

Obviously film is marked with an expiration date, but can you tell the date it was manufactured?

 

[George Mann]

Obviously film is marked with an expiration date, but can you tell the date it was manufactured?

Apparently, it is part of the UPC/serial number.

 

[faberryman]

Apparently, it is part of the UPC/serial number.

Apparently?

 

[Pieter12]

Obviously film is marked with an expiration date, but can you tell the date it was manufactured?

Not sure that it matters. Unless you know who was working that day and how it might make a difference. Or the weather, perhaps? The position of the stars in the sky?

 

[faberryman]

Not sure that it matters. Unless you know who was working that day and how it might make a difference. Or the weather, perhaps? The position of the stars in the sky?

Curiosity.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

You obviously haven't bought a drink in a "young person's" bar recently.
Or paid for a ticket to a recent concert.
Or bought a new LP - for those who are doing that.
And you are probably inured to the pain associated with filling the tank in your car.
The relative cost of film now is getting to be a lot more than it was for a while.
And if one has to balance priorities among discretionary expenses, film may have become relatively more expensive than some things that used to be more expensive.
But it isn't like the price to buy a home!

Due to inflation, the cost of all hobbies and discretionary fun things to do are going up. People will have to make decisions which discretionary things they'll have to stop doing. After all, food shelter and other necessities come first. This is going to affect a lot of hobby industries that are going to go out of business or cut back on marginal products.