Kodak's breathtaking film prices increases (at least) in Japan

SWphoto · May 5, 2014

From bythom film bodies blog May 5, 2014:

[h=2]Kodak Film Prices Going Up?[/h]

Kodak film prices will be going up on June 1st, at least in Japan. Its unclear whether this is a global price increase or just a delayed response to the yens slide against other major currencies.
The price increases are variable, ranging from 30% to 80% in the T-Max 35mm line. 4x5 users will find T-Max 400 increases 120% for 50 sheets.
The high percentages of the increases would tend to indicate to me that well see global increases, as theyre more than the yen slide would demand. Indeed, lower global demand and high raw materials prices were quoted as reasons for the increases.
If you do a lot of film shooting, it probably pays to be keeping a reasonable stock in your refrigerator until ideal storage conditions. Weve had a steady increase in prices and removal of less popular stocks for several years now, and theres no end to that in sight.

May 5, 2014

JW PHOTO · May 5, 2014

Seems like the big "Yellow God" is at it again. If this rumor is true? It will get to the point where they'll start crying because they're not selling enough film and in turn not making enough profit. Next step? Yup, no more film! Some companies just can't be satisfied making a profit off modest amount, but think they must have the largest margin of profit law will allow. At least we have Ilford and even some of the Chinese films are much better then they use to be. This profit greed is exactly why there are so many people without jobs in the U.S. right now. Corps. like Kodak were making profits, but were greedy enough to want a larger margin of profit and decided to screw the American worker in order to get that larger profit through cheaper, sometimes slave labor. Of course poor management figures in here also. Sometimes you can get away with it and sometimes you can't. We'll just have to wait and see I guess. JW

snapguy · May 5, 2014

bash

Oh, yes, bashing Kodak will really help.

JW PHOTO · May 5, 2014

snapguy said:
Oh, yes, bashing Kodak will really help.

Oh, trust me, I'm not just bashing Kodak! Also, I'll let Kodak's recent track record and management staff speak for themselves. You won't hear me bashing the current Ilford and their new management style. Now, if they change I'll be very unhappy and say so. I do know that the cost of raw materials does fluctuate, but remember years back when silver fluctuated way up and paper and film followed suit? How far back down did the film and paper prices fluctuated after the price of silver dipped back down? I still like and buy Kodak film, but if the price ends up being to unreasonable I'll be shooting much more Acros, Ilford and a ton of GP3. In this small market you cannot price yourself out of range from the competition or you're dead. Now, if you have a product that is far superior that's different. Kodak B&W films are really great, but they're not better than some others, just different. I really would hate to see them go, but then it's not my problem, it's theirs. JW

Hatchetman · May 5, 2014

Good news!!

for Ilford.

Alan Klein · May 5, 2014

Kodak no longer makes its film. The previous Kodak film division is owned by the UK Kodak Pension Plan (KPP) under Kodak Alaris. I wouldn't think the pensioners want Kodak film to go away as that would destroy their pensions. Price increases for all kinds of products usually are based on costs and competition. Also, there could be local effects, such as in Japan, due to changing money exchange valuations, local tariffs and taxes.
http://www.kodak.com/ek/US/en/NewCo_Home_Top/About_Us/Frequently_Asked_Questions.htm

RattyMouse · May 5, 2014

Hatchetman said:
Good news!!

for Ilford.

No doubt they are popping some champaign over in Mobberly after hearing this news.

80% price increases are simply stupid. 120% price increases are ludicrous. Kodak is doing nothing more than extending their middle finger to their customers.

EdSawyer · May 5, 2014

"Kodak no longer makes its film"

Of course they do. Alaris is just doing the marketing. The production line is the same one as it has been in Rochester.

Barry S · May 5, 2014

Is there any attribution for this?, because it doesn't make sense. HP5 4x5 current;y costs $1.23/sheet. TMY 4x5 costs $$2.20/sheet, so a 120% increase would mean $4.84/sheet. I believe that would plunge TMY into a death spiral, similar to when Kodak went to 10 sheet packaging for 8x10 film and jacked up the prices.

pentaxuser · May 5, 2014

Alan Klein said:
Kodak no longer makes its film. The previous Kodak film division is owned by the UK Kodak Pension Plan (KPP) under Kodak Alaris. I wouldn't think the pensioners want Kodak film to go away as that would destroy their pensions. Price increases for all kinds of products usually are based on costs and competition. Also, there could be local effects, such as in Japan, due to changing money exchange valuations, local tariffs and taxes.
http://www.kodak.com/ek/US/en/NewCo_Home_Top/About_Us/Frequently_Asked_Questions.htm

Alan Klein, if you continue to spout such commonsense and this isn't the first time I have spotted you doing this I shall have to ask for your impeachment

pentaxuser

wblynch · May 5, 2014

Well it's a good thing that Fujifilm has not had so many massive price increases lately! :/

MDR · May 5, 2014

Mr. Lynch you are a very bad boy reminding us of Fuji and their never ending price increases :devil:

Andrew Moxom · May 5, 2014

In the end, there can only be one.... Ilford, after the big yellow bird, and grouchy green company will price themselves out of the market... Unless they get down to marketing, and participating in what its user base wants and needs. Ilford does this very well, while the other two cut their noses off to spite their face....

Prof_Pixel · May 5, 2014

If KA and Fuji disappear, what make you think Ilford would keep their prices down. It's competition that drives prices, NOT 'niceness' - no matter what you may wish.

RattyMouse · May 5, 2014

MDR said:
Mr. Lynch you are a very bad boy reminding us of Fuji and their never ending price increases :devil:

A 10% price increase is far more reasonable than one that is 80% or even 120%.

JW PHOTO · May 5, 2014

RattyMouse said:
A 10% price increase is far more reasonable than one that is 80% or even 120%.

Yes, that was my point about being greedy. Maybe they want to increase the price that much all at once so they won't have raise it that little dinky 10% each year or so. That's about how unintelligent some of these CEO's are. Shoot themselves in the foot instead of one toe at a time. I would have made no comment here had the increase been reasonable, but a hike like that borders on insane in my book. JW

Poisson Du Jour · May 5, 2014

RattyMouse said:
A 10% price increase is far more reasonable than one that is 80% or even 120%.

Why? Explain. If you want Kodak stuff badly enough, you'll pay twice to three times more for it.

RattyMouse · May 5, 2014

Poisson Du Jour said:
Why? Explain.

Really? It's come to this?

Roger Cole · May 5, 2014

Poisson Du Jour said:
Why? Explain. If you want Kodak stuff badly enough, you'll pay twice to three times more for it.

Well I, and I suspect many others, simply don't want it that badly, at least not in black and white sheets. I've already said my current box of 4x5 TMY-2, good as it is, will be my last. Hello HP5+. For right now roll film is still close enough that I'm not giving up Tri-X but that can change quickly to if need be, more quickly than sheets for me considering how much faster I use my roll stock.

Hey Simon, can we have Delta 400 in sheets again now, pretty please?

Sent from my iPhone via Tapatalk using 100% recycled electrons. Because I care.

Poisson Du Jour · May 5, 2014

RattyMouse said:
Really? It's come to this?

I'll say it again.
If you want to use Kodak products then be well prepared to pay for them there will be more price rises in time (I expect Fuji to raise prices in Q4). Same with Ilford. If all that sounds very unappealing, move to digital. Oh, you didn't know that is where the money is for these companies? With a persistently shrinking global market and low demand, there certainly is not money in film I strongly suspect there is a huge financial loss in providing for film. Might be best to cut the business of using Kodak as a whipping boy and confront reality.

Roger Cole · May 5, 2014

The "reality" is that I can get superb black and white sheet films from Ilford for substantially less than Kodak films, and that's what I intend to do. Will it go up over time? Almost certainly but not so much at once and it has a long way to go to catch Kodak already.

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MattKing · May 5, 2014

Roger's post illustrates the roll that distribution plays in the equation. In the UK, it appears that Kodak film is priced competitively with Ilford. Here in Canada, it is the same. But in the USA?
Who knows whether the source of this information is accurate, or limited to Japan only, or related only to a single distribution source.

wblynch · May 5, 2014

There is an old contractor's adage: If you really don't want the job, submit an outrageous bid.

It seems more and more that these film producers don't want the job.

Poisson Du Jour · May 5, 2014

I would prefer the source of the information to be disclosed so that it can be verified, or at least a Dealer Bulletin published. Nothing to my knowledge. Too much of this stuff is second- or third-hand reporting.

DREW WILEY · May 5, 2014

Two things to think about here before everyone starts shooting from the hip once again. Profit structures in Japan are not necessarily what they are elsewhere; and the yen is a bit weak at the moment in relation to the dollar. But going around saying you're going boycott Kodak
almost amounts to saying you're about to give up color film photography at this point in history. Color neg is where it's at right now, and that
implies Kodak. Not much choice left in chrome films. But is their black and white film outrageously priced too? Seems like it until you understand
how versatile it is, and that sometimes one good neg costs no more than two or three so-so ones with a cheaper film. Of course, I'm not going
to whine if Kodak prices happen to come down.

Kodak's breathtaking film prices increases (at least) in Japan

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