Thom Hogan: Kodak Prices Increase in Japan

RattyMouse · May 5, 2014

30-80% increase in TMAX prices in Japan, among other increases.

http://www.filmbodies.com/newsviews/kodak-film-prices-going-up.html

MDR · May 5, 2014

There's already a thread about this

RalphLambrecht · May 5, 2014

not a problem;at least, you can get it.

Brian C. Miller · May 7, 2014

There's already a locked thread about this.

http://www.nationalphoto.co.jp/1F/kodak_news_06.htm

The rate hike is rather peculiar. The products prices have not been evenly raised, as I would expect from "high raw material costs." The price hikes seem a bit random, with some going up nearly 100%, and some only being raised slightly. When I recently did a price calculation of Ilford film per square inch, 135 came out the most expensive, while 11x14 was the cheapest. From looking at these figures, I think that the price per square inch for Kodak films will be all over the map.

Prof_Pixel · May 7, 2014

I know from my Kodak days that sheet film production (cutting and packaging) is done by hand and is VERY labor intensive. It may be that the bean counters have finally figured this out and are adjusting prices to reflect the true total cost of production.

Brian C. Miller · May 7, 2014

It still looks fishy:

T-MAX 100 135-36 -- 36.36%
T-MAX 400 135 100 -- 50%
T-MAX 100 4×5 -- 83.41%
T-MAX 400 135-24 -- 62.22%
T-MAX 400 135-36 -- 65.62%
T-MAX 400 135 100 -- 77.31%
T-MAX 400 120 -- 51%
T-MAX 400 4×5 -- 108.38%
TX 400 135-24 -- 44.44%
TX 400 135-36 -- 48.43%
TX 400 135 100 -- 64.17%
TX 400 120 -- 43%
TXP 320 4×5 -- 66.72%
TXP 320 8×10 -- 20.09%
BW400CN 135-36 -- 4.90%
Portra 800 120 (5 rolls) -- 25.05%

For sheet film:
T-MAX 100 4×5 -- 83.41%
T-MAX 400 4×5 -- 108.38%
TXP 320 4×5 -- 66.72%
TXP 320 8×10 -- 20.09%
Isn't it odd that 8x10 is only up 20%, yet 4x5 has a significant jump, and there is a remarkable jump for T-Max 400?

And from what I understand, EK revamped their cutting equipment so that sheet film in the standard sizes is cut using automated equipment.

Barry S · May 7, 2014

Here's the blurb from the press release laundered through Google translate---

From Kodak, due to lower demand worldwide as well as high raw material costs, such as acetate, price changes color negative film and black-and-white film of (some) have been announced. Please refer to "NP film price list 2014.6.1 (2014 end of May update plans)" for our sales price.

From June 1, 2014: Price Revision Date.
※ For a massive hike in prices, holding is expected to buy by the user in the world. Please contact us as soon as possible for the possibility of short supply is high.

The last sentence seems to say--expect hoarding and shortages before the price increases.

Xmas · May 7, 2014

Thanks for the %s

Id be very worried if I used any Kodak other than cine...

I thought the 15% it went up by in Jan14 was bad

I'll be buying Ilford and Forma tomorrow just in case they are bitten by same dog.

pentaxuser · May 7, 2014

So are these only Japanese price rises and if so why do the factors only apply to Japan? If TMax is made elsewhere such as Rochester, U.S.A. then the factors applying to its production surely will affect the rest of the world prices

In all of this why is Ilford and Fuji not affected or can we expect similar increases from both?

None of this makes any real sense to me. Has Kodak in Japan decided to follow the famous Japanese Hara Kiri tradition? It looks like it with these increases and if it is applicable to Japan only then unless the tariff barriers preventing importation from the U.S. or Europe are massive then Japanese users will simply use the grey import route and circumvent Japanese stockists

So no-one in his right mind buys any TMax in Japan and in the meanwhile Kodak's reputation takes a nosedive from which it may never recover.

Ilford may not recover either. That is to say it may not recover from the Grandaddy of all hangovers that will follow it many days of celebration at these increases

Here's a short British understatement to end with: I am puzzled about all of this

pentaxuser

MattKing · May 7, 2014

If these price increases are due to manufacturing costs, does anyone else wonder why we haven't seen anything similar from:
1) the Japan distributor;
2) retailers in other parts of the world; or
3) distributors selling into other markets; or
4) Kodak Alaris?

The only pricing information that I have heard in respect to Kodak Alaris is the comments from Keith Canham wherein he advised that a fairly recent special order of Large Format film was available at a lower price than it had previously been offered by Eastman Kodak.

RattyMouse · May 7, 2014

Tri-X will be $9.50 a roll now in Japan! Absolutely amazing how Kodak is positioning themselves in the market.

pentaxuser · May 7, 2014

I am trying to make a neutral statement here which is: that I think we can rely on Rattymouse to bring us the latest "news" on Kodak. Of course separating the messenger from the message on any thread can always be difficult and in anything connected with Kodak it is becoming double difficult

I think I have made another British understatement

pentaxuser

RattyMouse · May 7, 2014

pentaxuser said:
I am trying to make a neutral statement here which is: that I think we can rely on Rattymouse to bring us the latest "news" on Kodak. Of course separating the messenger from the message on any thread can always be difficult and in anything connected with Kodak it is becoming double difficult

I think I have made another British understatement

pentaxuser

You poor, poor baby. The internet is no place for fragile craven souls such as yourself.

David A. Goldfarb · May 7, 2014

Even if the price goes up, I'll continue shooting Tri-X, because I like the way it looks. Maybe I'll shoot it differently, if it gets too expensive, but it has to get pretty outrageous before I rule it out on the basis of cost.

I gave up on 8x10" Polaroid when it was getting to be over $15 an exposure.

RattyMouse · May 7, 2014

David A. Goldfarb said:
Even if the price goes up, I'll continue shooting Tri-X, because I like the way it looks. Maybe I'll shoot it differently, if it gets too expensive, but it has to get pretty outrageous before I rule it out on the basis of cost.

I gave up on 8x10" Polaroid when it was getting to be over $15 an exposure.

I can't imagine what a Polaroid shot at that size must have looked like. I'm sure it was fine.

pentaxuser · May 7, 2014

RattyMouse said:
You poor, poor baby. The internet is no place for fragile craven souls such as yourself.

True and said, I feel, with the kind of Schadenfreude that you apply so well to anything Kodak.

pentaxuser

Ken Nadvornick · May 7, 2014

David A. Goldfarb said:
I gave up on 8x10" Polaroid when it was getting to be over $15 an exposure.

Yikes. I just spent that for 20 sheets of doesn't-even-exist-yet 4x5 New55 sheet film.

:eek:

(Well, OK. Not really just for the 20 sheets. Rather for the elephant to try to stand up and start walking. And there's not even a guarantee of that. But still...)

Ken

David A. Goldfarb · May 8, 2014

8x10" Polaroid was beautiful stuff. There was nothing quite like Type 809. At the end, speculators started buying it up and selling it on eBay. I think there were boxes that went for upwards of $25 an exposure at the peak, and retailers that had any left were also raising the price to around $20 an exposure.

Xmas · May 8, 2014

RattyMouse said:
Tri-X will be $9.50 a roll now in Japan! Absolutely amazing how Kodak is positioning themselves in the market.

Well it depends on what you pay for Fuji or Ilford by this fall - because in my shop

http://www.silverprint.co.uk/ProductByGroup.asp?PrGrp=2241

Trix is comparable in GBP already Ja and USA prices have been cheap.

The only Trix I have ever bought is the 220 but it has gone years ago.

HP5+ is only cheaper in bulk

http://www.silverprint.co.uk/ProductByGroup.asp?PrGrp=2235

I use rebrands and cine film already some short ends some decades old.

Your increases are Kodak Alaris Yen %s Eastman Kodak upped all the cine materials and film 15% in Jan14. Alaris should have had agreements with EK when they spun off so more than 15% is possibly either supply chain risk management or KA greed or both.

Resellers might reduce stock holdings and increase margins.

So Id expect some panic buying of film.

Lemmings are us.

MDR · May 8, 2014

Is Nationalphoto the Kodak Alaris distributor in Japan? Maybe this price hike is not KA faults but again a distributor who gets greedy. Wouldn't be the first that something like this happened. Kodak had problems with japanese pricing several times before. Let's hope so and let's hope that if it is a distributor problem that KA gives them a swift kick in the butt.

Xmas · May 8, 2014

MDRLet's hope so and let's hope that if it is a distributor problem that KA gives them a swift kick in the butt.[/QUOTE said:
Don't think it works like that.
Our largest pharmacy chain (currently) stocks lots of 135 c41 and three 135 mono only one of the mono is Kodaks.
Few other pharmacies carry any film.
The resellers take the risk of it going outdated if the risk is higher they carry less stock and charge more.
If KA put up the price to reseller the resellers will magnify the increase.
Id say volume is still decreasing

Thom Hogan: Kodak Prices Increase in Japan

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Thom Hogan: Kodak Prices Increase in Japan

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