Kodak price increase, and reduction, for 2025

[brbo]

So explain it to me. I agree I';m no expert on the VAT system

@koraks already did that.

I wasn;t trying to get into a discussion about whether VAT or import duties are good or bad. Just that it affects the price difference between foreign and domestically produced film to us final users.

VAT doesn't affect the price of domestically and foreignly produced product differently and there are no tariffs on film in UK.

 

[koraks]

there are no tariffs on film in UK.

Indeed, there aren't: https://www.trade-tariff.service.gov.uk/commodities/3702390000?country=US&day=1&month=12&year=2024#
Only standard 20% VAT rate.

 

[GregY]

How about those Kodak price increases & reductions.
Long live Tri-X.....

 

[mshchem]

So if I buy something, say a really nice camera, used, from Japan, on ebay. There's no tariff, there is a state of Iowa sales tax of 6%, this is collected by eBay and sent to Iowa.

If I buy something from a private party, I am supposed to get with the state and send them 6% .

 

[Alex Benjamin]

Alex.... the price difference in Alberta is similar. About a $6 (Cdn) difference per roll of 120. I don't use much LF any more...so more MF & I order fair size quantities from B&H.... with their free shipping to Canada....it's a big saving.
BTW I remember ordering 50 roll boxes of HP5 from B&H!
Alex, in addition that' delivered to my door & saves me half a day to drive to Calgary and back.

I order my paper from B&H — Foma Fomabrom Variant III, can't find it in Canada —, but for some reason never thought of ordering some film with it . I always assumed that the exchange rate would nullify whatever price difference there is between B&H and the CND$ prices I see here. I'll have to investigate...

 

[GregY]

I order my paper from B&H — Foma Fomabrom Variant III, can't find it in Canada —, but for some reason never thought of ordering some film with it . I always assumed that the exchange rate would nullify whatever price difference there is between B&H and the CND$ prices I see here. I'll have to investigate...

Alex, Foma Variant is one of my favourites too, but unfortunately, it's getting harder to obtain even from B&H. (16x20 & 20x24....are by special order which means you pay now, & pay shipping when the goods arrive).
As for Kodak film it must come into Canada through a distributor who takes his cut..... for me buying film through B&H saves a substantial amount. We'll see how/if the Tri-X wholesale reduction brings retail savings.

 

[Milpool]

Alex, Foma Variant is one of my favourites too, but unfortunately, it's getting harder to obtain even from B&H. (16x20 & 20x24....are by special order which means you pay now, & pay shipping when the goods arrive).
As for Kodak film it must come into Canada through a distributor who takes his cut..... for me buying film through B&H saves a substantial amount. We'll see how/if the Tri-X wholesale reduction brings retail savings.

I used to buy my Kodak film locally but the store basically stopped carrying Kodak sheet film several years ago - when I asked them about it they were pretty honest in telling me they could order it but it would be significantly cheaper for me to just order it from B+H. At this point I get all my film/paper from B+H.

 

[GregY]

I used to buy my Kodak film locally but the store basically stopped carrying Kodak sheet film several years ago - when I asked them about it they were pretty honest in telling me they could order it but it would be significantly cheaper for me to just order it from B+H. At this point I get all my film/paper from B+H.

Likewise..... Also when I was shooting 5x7 no one had it in stock. I'd buy it from Keith Canham...

 

[Kino]

I only buy a few rolls of Kodak Color Negative each year, otherwise it's Kentmere and Foma B&W for me.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Well, sadly for me, once my small stash of 120 TMY, and 4x5 is gone, that'll be it... I'll just stick with Ilford's offerings, Rollei, and whoever is still making film... Once I'm retired, I will have to watch me pennies...My wife keeps reminding me...

 

[Radost]

Time to resume the 65 to 100 roller film splitter roller project. I am 90% motion picture for my 35mm. Time to switch to motion picture for 120 as well

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

B&H has something called PayBoo where if you use their credit card, they pay the sales tax for the state you live in where they ship the products to you.

 

[warden]

B&H has something called PayBoo where if you use their credit card, they pay the sales tax for the state you live in where they ship the products to you.

I will never use PayBoo. Mostly because they call it "PayBoo".

 

[logan2z]

Well, sadly for me, once my small stash of 120 TMY, and 4x5 is gone, that'll be it... I'll just stick with Ilford's offerings, Rollei, and whoever is still making film... Once I'm retired, I will have to watch me pennies...My wife keeps reminding me...

Besides price, the other reason I've sworn off of Kodak products is the intermittent availability and the seemingly constant churn of partners/suppliers - I'm never quite sure what I'm getting or if I can count on it behaving like the previous iteration. Ilford seems to be more reliable in that respect. The cherry on top is Ilford's excellent customer service, which Kodak is lacking, IME.

 

[warden]

Besides price, the other reason I've sworn off of Kodak products is the intermittent availability and the seemingly constant churn of partners/suppliers - I'm never quite sure what I'm getting or if I can count on it behaving like the previous iteration. Ilford seems to be more reliable in that respect. The cherry on top is Ilford's excellent customer service, which Kodak is lacking, IME.

The partner/supplier thing has bothered me too, and has eroded my confidence in their chemistry products so I shop elsewhere. Thankfully that isn't an issue with Kodak films, which I still purchase and enjoy.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Besides price, the other reason I've sworn off of Kodak products is the intermittent availability and the seemingly constant churn of partners/suppliers - I'm never quite sure what I'm getting or if I can count on it behaving like the previous iteration. Ilford seems to be more reliable in that respect. The cherry on top is Ilford's excellent customer service, which Kodak is lacking, IME.

Agreed!

 

[GregY]

The partner/supplier thing has bothered me too, and has eroded my confidence in their chemistry products so I shop elsewhere. Thankfully that isn't an issue with Kodak films, which I still purchase and enjoy.

Likewise.....getting Kodak film has never been a problem for me, even when travelling in foreign countries.....neither has the quality failed.
"I'm never sure what I'm getting".....see Foma, Arista, Bergger & the flavour-of-the-month companies.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Sales tax, VAT and other taxes are just the cost of doing business in your country and their are few exceptions for normal people like us.

 

[Todd Niccole]

I wonder at what price point people decide to give up on analogue? I'm thinking around $15 a roll is the beginning of the end. Some films are not that far off from that. Color in many instances has even surpassed that. Who in the world buys Fuji slide film for $30 a roll?

 

[GregY]

I wonder at what price point people decide to give up on analogue? I'm thinking around $15 a roll is the beginning of the end. Some films are not that far off from that. Color in many instances has even surpassed that. Who in the world buys Fuji slide film for $30 a roll?

Todd, I haven't played in the big leagues (ULF)....but I've shot some 8x10" & a lot of 5x7" Kodak TMY-2.
There's not a chance $15 would scare me off. There are folks on this forum with houses full of cameras, others with $6500 Canon digital bodies or $9000 Leica M11.
I only work in B&W, but if I were shooting colour, i'd use digital.....hardly anyone prints colour optically these days.
Honestly it's the cost of paper that scares me..... Ilford Warmtone FB 20"x24" is now an earth-shattering $756 USD for a box of 50..... That's an eye-watering $1,100 Cdn by the time it gets to my door....
Not that long ago the cost was roughly $200 for a box of 16x20" and under $300 for 20x24".....

 

[DREW WILEY]

The nice thing about shooting 8x10 color film is that it will rapidly cure you of complaining about roll film prices. But I'm not going to thaw out another box of 8x10 until another special project opportunity arises. Going forward, cost-wise, 4X5 is the new 8x10.

I print color optically. RA4 color paper is surprisingly affordable compared to black and white paper, and a considerrable amount of it is still being used, at least commercially. Inkjet printing really isn't all that economical by comparison, although it is relatively ubiquitous these days. Not the same look. The markup on the inks is obscene; and one pays as much for a blank piece of paper as one coated with silver and gelatin.

Yeah, Ilford's recent climb in black and white paper pricing has been staggering. So has been the price of museum grade mounting board. I opened a fresh box of 16X20 MGWT this afternoon, and will have to be quite circumspect about which images I choose to print on it. And here the cost of MG Cooltone is now even higher than Warmtone. I need a fresh box of that too.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I wonder at what price point people decide to give up on analogue? I'm thinking around $15 a roll is the beginning of the end. Some films are not that far off from that. Color in many instances has even surpassed that. Who in the world buys Fuji slide film for $30 a roll?

Well, I've kind of given up on Kodak, especially their LF offerings. I haven't shot any TMY 8x10 for over 10 years. I have a small stash of it in 4x5. I think 10 sheet boxes is ridiculous. Ilford 8x10, I still use, but have cut way back, shooting more 4x5. I love HP5 in 8x10, so I can see myself picking up a box...but $365 CDN is pretty crazy! The day will come where I will not shoot 8x10, only 120. I will ALWAYS remain analogue, though. Now of course this could all change if I win the big lottery up here tomorrow

 

[GregY]

The nice thing about shooting 8x10 color film is that it will rapidly cure you of complaining about roll film prices. But I'm not going to thaw out another box of 8x10 until another special project opportunity arises. Going forward, cost-wise, 4X5 is the new 8x10.

I print color optically. RA4 color paper is surprisingly affordable compared to black and white paper, and a considerrable amount of it is still being used, at least commercially. Inkjet printing really isn't all that economical by comparison, although it is relatively ubiquitous these days. Not the same look. The markup on the inks is obscene; and one pays as much for a blank piece of paper as one coated with silver and gelatin.

Yeah, Ilford's recent climb in black and white paper pricing has been staggering. So has been the price of museum grade mounting board. I opened a fresh box of 16X20 MGWT this afternoon, and will have to be quite circumspect about which images I choose to print on it. And here the cost of MG Cooltone is now even higher than Warmtone. I need a fresh box of that too.

No kidding.... I went to Calgary last week. I needed some mat board for a commission. Usually I buy a box....but i bought a few sheets.....and it was virtually double the price/sheet ....compared to the last box i bought 2 yrs ago.
I have 20x24 paper, but I'm tempted to sell my 20x24" easel after that box runs out.....

 

[GregY]

Well, I've kind of given up on Kodak, especially their LF offerings. I haven't shot any TMY 8x10 for over 10 years. I have a small stash of it in 4x5. I think 10 sheet boxes is ridiculous. Ilford 8x10, I still use, but have cut way back, shooting more 4x5. I love HP5 in 8x10, so I can see myself picking up a box...but $365 CDN is pretty crazy! The day will come where I will not shoot 8x10, only 120. I will ALWAYS remain analogue, though. Now of course this could all change if I win the big lottery up here tomorrow

I will also remain analogue.....but I'm going to be less cavalier even on proof prints (i'll be cutting those into strips)..now that 8x10" FB is $160USD /$225Cdn for a box of 100. At the same time I need to use up my 20x24 for personal work before it fogs.....

 

[brbo]

I only work in B&W, but if I were shooting colour, i'd use digital.....hardly anyone prints colour optically these days.

Which is quite odd, since it's way cheaper than BW.