Retail prices of film 1980/1990 (UK) ?

pdeeh · Dec 10, 2013

None of my old Camera mags from that era seem to have adverts with film prices, and googling has so far proved fruitless (google seems to be becoming increasingly useless at returning hits that are of any value to me)

So ... does anyone know approximate UK retail prices of black and white films (135/36 or 120) in (say) 1980 and 1990?

I'm thinking of films that were popular then & are still available: FP4, HP5 & Tri-X would be the best examples.

gone · Dec 10, 2013

A little off target, but years ago I read that google would become more and more useless over time due to the way it's configured. If I'm not mistaken, it makes selections based upon frequency of hits, not by relevancy. After a while, errors compound themselves.

It doesn't surprise me that there's no prices. Today's tv and print auto, camera, etc ads seldom show prices. They don't want to put that in people's minds and discourage them. Just get the sheep, er, consumers, er people interested, then a good salesperson can sell them stuff they cannot afford. There's always credit cards and in-store financing for that. Think about it. If I had a camera that had a certain amount of features that I advertised at $1000, and you had a similar camera to sell, you'd advertise yours at $975. Barring brand loyalty and ad saturation, which one do you think would sell?

pdeeh · Dec 10, 2013

Yes momus. wildly OT but I tend to agree all the same

Now .. anyone got them prices?

Tom Kershaw · Dec 10, 2013

I did see a scan of an old price list recently but do not recall the source. The black & white film was much cheaper but the colour film less so.

Tom

pdeeh · Dec 10, 2013

That rings a bell. I wonder if it was in an email from Ag Photo?

RalphLambrecht · Dec 10, 2013

You Brits are paying for the luxury of living on an island.that adds to the price of things.

pdeeh · Dec 10, 2013

That's quite an odd thing to say, but aside from that I also think you're assuming that I have it in mind that prices have gone up; whereas I'm interested to find out whether, once inflation is allowed for, film prices have risen, fallen or remained static over the decades. I've recently read statements from different sources for all three, but without what I'd regard as any evidence beyond memory (notoriously prone to error) or opinion; so I'm after some proper evidence.

There was, as it turns out, a marketing email from Ag that attached prices for processing of films from that era, but it doesn't mention film prices. It does however give a price for a Nikon F90 with Kodak DCS420 digital imaging system, complete with 28mm, lens for only £8995 ... that's the Autumn 1994 price list; the equivalent of about £15k today, for about 1½MP.

anyway I'm now taking my own thread wildly OT.

David Lyga · Dec 10, 2013

This is very indirectly related, even 'off topic' as it related to an earlier era, but I well remember B&W film prices from the mid-sixties in the USA. Verichrome Pan in 120 was 43 cents and Plus-X Professional in 120 was 55 cents. And in the mid-70s, 35mm B&W Plus-X (36 exp) was 63 cents at the Camera Barn chain in Manhattan. Sheet film was cheap also but I do not remember prices. B&W fiber DW paper was about $15 for 100 sheets of 8 X 10.

Bulk, 100 foot cans of 35mm, Plus-X or Tri-X, ran about USD 8.00 in the mid-70s at Manhattan discount stores. Compare that to minimum wage back then, which was about $2.50 per hour in the mid-70s. That bulk roll took about three hours to buy. NOW, a bulk Tri-X is about $60, which is about eight hours of minimum wage work to buy.

B&W film prices are obscene today. China, where are you in our hour of need? You supply us with everything else. Why can't we be so LUCKY with B&W film prices? LUCKY, LUCKY. (Hint, hint.)

NB: film prices were not listed in photo magazines until about 2000 because film was so damn cheap. - David Lyga

pdeeh · Dec 10, 2013

Is it that the film prices are obscene, or is it that the minimum wage is obscene?

anyhoo, I just found out that FP4 & HP5 was listed in one catalogue in 1982 at £1.06 (for 120); adjusted for inflation (as per the Bank of England inflation calculator here ) this is the equivalent of £3.16.

So FP4/HP5 seems to cost about 20% more today than it did 3 decades ago.

On the other hand, in 1966 it seems that FP3/HP3/PanF was all 7s.5d for 135(36), which seems to be about £15 in "today's money"; this seems extraordinary ...

pdeeh · Dec 10, 2013

David Lyga said:
TWhy can't we be so LUCKY with B&W film prices? LUCKY, LUCKY. (Hint, hint.)

Oh you can be Lucky Lucky Lucky David; It's cheap and the grain is nice. It pushes well. The tones are fine. Plus you get the additional free inclusion - on every roll - of a scratch the full length of the roll (several if you're particularly fortunate). as well as random abraded marks here and there. Sometimes you even get a whole printable frame!

pentaxuser · Dec 10, 2013

I'd have thought that the most accurate way to obtain this info might be to contact AP and any other mag publishers. They must keep archives on their mags which will contain prices in the adverts. Whether they will let you electronically look at their archives or do the search themselves may be another matter.

I wish you luck and if you find the info would ask that you share it with us. I'd certainly be interested

pentaxuser

Tom Kershaw · Dec 10, 2013

My understanding is that colour film in the 1950s and 1960s was a fairly high value item, relatively more expensive than today, although I don't have a price list to back that up.

Tom

L Gebhardt · Dec 10, 2013

David Lyga said:
Bulk, 100 foot cans of 35mm, Plus-X or Tri-X, ran about USD 8.00 in the mid-70s at Manhattan discount stores. Compare that to minimum wage back then, which was about $2.50 per hour in the mid-70s. That bulk roll took about three hours to buy. NOW, a bulk Tri-X is about $60, which is about eight hours of minimum wage work to buy.

Of course the minimum wage may not have kept up with inflation. Dead Link Removed

Xmas · Dec 10, 2013

pdeeh said:
Is it that the film prices are obscene, or is it that the minimum wage is obscene?

anyhoo, I just found out that FP4 & HP5 was listed in one catalogue in 1982 at £1.06 (for 120); adjusted for inflation (as per the Bank of England inflation calculator here ) this is the equivalent of £3.16.

So FP4/HP5 seems to cost about 20% more today than it did 3 decades ago.

On the other hand, in 1966 it seems that FP3/HP3/PanF was all 7s.5d for 135(36), which seems to be about £15 in "today's money"; this seems extraordinary ...

AP adv for Jessops July 91

FP4 120 1.66
30m 29.10
135-36 2.80
propacof 5
120 7.92
220 18.75
135-36 14.37
Microphen 1l 2.21

Xmas · Dec 10, 2013

Xmas said:
AP adv for Jessops July 91

FP4 120 1.66
30m 29.10
135-36 2.80
propacof 5
120 7.92
220 18.75
135-36 14.37
Microphen 1l 2.21

Jessops flyer Oct 86
FP4 120 1.09
30m 13.49
135-36 1.79
propacof 5
120 5.49
220 13.39
135-36 8.16
microphen 1l 1.54

There was galloping inflation between 86 and 91 cept in house prices don't ya love Tories, think my salary doubled: Plus sa change...
excuse my French

David Lyga · Dec 10, 2013

pdeeh said:
Is it that the film prices are obscene, or is it that the minimum wage is obscene?

...

pdeeh: It depends upon whether you wish to look at the fiat currency as intact or not. The depreciation of the US dollar has been striking. When I was in Switzerland back in 1971 I got four Swiss francs per US dollar. NOW one does not get even ONE Swiss franc per dollar. I will NEVER AGAIN be able to visit Europe. I know that there are worse things to happen but that situation is striking. Yes, the current minimum wage of USD 7.25 is a joke. Need I say more? - David Lyga

pbromaghin · Dec 10, 2013

David Lyga said:
Yes, the current minimum wage of USD 7.25 is a joke. Need I say more? - David Lyga

David, while I agree that living on minimum wage severely sucks and is not something I would ever want to to again, history shows that it has been in a relatively stable range for the last 30 years, was significantly above that for only 20 years before that, and way below for a decade or so before that. So it really isn't any more of a joke than it has been on average since it began.

onepuff · Dec 10, 2013

Xmas said:
AP adv for Jessops July 91

FP4 120 1.66
30m 29.10
135-36 2.80
propacof 5
120 7.92
220 18.75
135-36 14.37
Microphen 1l 2.21

Interesting. Looking at a Mathers ad in a February 2005 AP copy I kept - FP4 was £1.46 for 120 and £2.05 for 135-36 so a bit cheaper 14 years on.

Fanshaw · Dec 11, 2013

The price of film has risen sharply in the past few years. No doubt this is partly due to the reduction in quantities produced and the number of manufacturers as it has become less of a mass market product and partly because of the rise in the silver price.

Xmas · Dec 11, 2013

David Lyga said:
pdeeh: It depends upon whether you wish to look at the fiat currency as intact or not. The depreciation of the US dollar has been striking. When I was in Switzerland back in 1971 I got four Swiss francs per US dollar. NOW one does not get even ONE Swiss franc per dollar. I will NEVER AGAIN be able to visit Europe. I know that there are worse things to happen but that situation is striking. Yes, the current minimum wage of USD 7.25 is a joke. Need I say more? - David Lyga

You do realise you guys have been spending US$ on wars, borrowing the money and paying interest. The Swiss have not had one for a while.

pdeeh · Dec 11, 2013

@Onepuff. @Xmas - thanks very much for the examples.

@Fanshaw - it's precisely the kind of statement that you make for which I was seeking verification or falsification by means of actual data. Just saying it doesn't make it true

Steve Smith · Dec 11, 2013

RalphLambrecht said:
You Brits are paying for the luxury of living on an island.that adds to the price of things.

It's great living on an island. The smaller the better. Mine is only twenty six miles wide.

But in reality, we are all living on islands - unless we live on boats.

Steve.

David Lyga · Dec 11, 2013

Xmas said:
You do realise you guys have been spending US$ on wars, borrowing the money and paying interest. The Swiss have not had one for a while.

You will never find an argument with me on this disparity, Xmas. The disgusting management of the US Treasury is only slightly less ominous than our persistent and wanton killing in the misguided name of 'freedom' (a word even more abused than 'religion').

In sum, Xmas, I already knew that. - David Lyga

Xmas · Dec 11, 2013

David Lyga said:
You will never find an argument with me on this disparity, Xmas. The disgusting management of the US Treasury is only slightly less ominous than our persistent and wanton killing in the misguided name of 'freedom' (a word even more abused than 'religion').

In sum, Xmas, I already knew that. - David Lyga

HiDavid
Don't worry it is rare that we hold your coat in any of these ventures. I was only referring to the cost in US$ Neither morality nor lack of.
At one time most of our tourists were from the US, now mainly Asians.
Noel

paul_c5x4 · Dec 11, 2013

pdeeh - Not within the years you wanted, but www.silverprint.co.uk/PDF/PL2004-4.pdf‎ gives the 2004 prices that Silverprint were charging.

If you want even older prices, I have a book that includes prices for Ilford products being sold in 1895.

Retail prices of film 1980/1990 (UK) ?

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