Price Increase, Ilford 5x7?

[seadrive]

Hi guys and gals,

I just got around to looking through the Spring Freestyle catalog, and got a real shock when I checked the price of 5x7 film, as I usually do.

Prices for Ilford sheet film are up quite a bit, but the increase for 5x7 FP-4 and HP-5 are about twice that of the other sizes.

Here's a comparison of Freestyle's prices for HP-5, from the Spring 2007 catalog and the Fall 2006 one (all prices are for 25 sheets):

Size Spring '07 Fall '06 Increase
---- --------- -------- -----------
4x5 $25.89 $22.99 12.6%
5x7 $42.99 $34.59 24.3%
8x10 $83.99 $74.99 12.0%
11x14 $169.99 $156.99 8.3%

(sorry if the numbers don't line up)

Similarly, B&H's price for Ilford 5x7 is now $39.95, whereas I seem to recall it was $32.95 or $33.95 not that long ago.

I know the dollar is in the crapper against the pound and just about every other currency, but why the disproportionately-large increase in the price of 5x7, twice that of 8x10 and three times the increase in the price of 11x14?

 

[Michael Kadillak]

Hi guys and gals,

I just got around to looking through the Spring Freestyle catalog, and got a real shock when I checked the price of 5x7 film, as I usually do.

Prices for Ilford sheet film are up quite a bit, but the increase for 5x7 FP-4 and HP-5 are about twice that of the other sizes.

Here's a comparison of Freestyle's prices for HP-5, from the Spring 2007 catalog and the Fall 2006 one (all prices are for 25 sheets):

Size Spring '07 Fall '06 Increase
---- --------- -------- -----------
4x5 $25.89 $22.99 12.6%
5x7 $42.99 $34.59 24.3%
8x10 $83.99 $74.99 12.0%
11x14 $169.99 $156.99 8.3%

(sorry if the numbers don't line up)

Similarly, B&H's price for Ilford 5x7 is now $39.95, whereas I seem to recall it was $32.95 or $33.95 not that long ago.

I know the dollar is in the crapper against the pound and just about every other currency, but why the disproportionately-large increase in the price of 5x7, twice that of 8x10 and three times the increase in the price of 11x14?

Unless you can honestly tell me that there is a cost where you would no longer purchase Ilford sheet film these facts while of interest are nothing more than informational. The sheet film market is 100% inelastic as far as I am concerned because I am not interested in coating plates or succumbing to digital. The marvelous news is that the price increase means that Ilford wants to continue to sell sheet film for the immediate future.

Cheers!

 

[seadrive]

I honestly don't understand your point, Michael. I'm simply curious as to why the price of 5x7 sheet film went up 24%, compared to an increase of 12% percent or less for the other sizes.

 

[Curt]

The increase is due to the increased demand for 5x7, or the increase is due to the lack of demand for 5x7 film.

Or money is needed to make other film sizes or production and labor cost have gone up.

Or ask Simon what he thinks so we all can find out. I'm interested, 5x7 is my favorite format, I have three 5x7 cameras and one on the way.

 

[Michael Kadillak]

I honestly don't understand your point, Michael. I'm simply curious as to why the price of 5x7 sheet film went up 24%, compared to an increase of 12% percent or less for the other sizes.

Reading between the lines we can deduce that the volume cut for 5x7 must not bear enough of the format specific manufacturing costs to allow the price increase to be proportional relative to other formats. My point is that it is only a speculative conclusion but at the end of the day even if we worked at Ilford and were involved in the decision it does not matter because we will continue to consume the film and that is a very good thing.

Best thing we can do is to accept the fact that inflation (energy costs among the variables) have had an adverse effect on sheet film and continue to purchase sheet film as regularly as we can.

Cheers!

 

[Colin Graham]

Small consolation I know but it is still cheaper per square inch than 4x5.

 

[Ole]

It's also a lot cheaper than in Europe!

 

[Chazzy]

Ilford is in a ticklish situation. They need to be profitable, but if they raise their prices too far, they will lose market share to Foma and other suppliers. I'm glad that I'm not the one who has to make those calculations.

 

[jd callow]

I would imagine that 5x7 produces greater waste, and has a smaller market.

 

[Simon R Galley]

Dear All,

Firstly, price increases of any sort are regrettable, and has been about a range of issues, the $ USD, silver continues to be incredibly high in the $ 12.00 + range ( same for all suppliers of course ) energy costs we all know about, but specific raw material prices are increasing as volumes purchased decrease due to the big players buying less ( or none ). All we can say is that our costing methods are now very exact, which gives us the information required to make the most accurate ( and fair ) calculations. One consideration certainly is batch size, the more you make of one item the lower the cost and less waste, problem is you then have to turn the stock, on some of the small runners its a very difficult balance, what we have always said is that WE WILL DO OUR ABSOLUTE UTMOST TO KEEP THEM IN THE RANGE, what we have to do is make a profit. Also you must also remember we supply via distributors who in turn supply to resellers, they make the end user price calculations by product.

Simon ILFORD photo / HARMAN technology Limited :