thoughts on the announced Kodak film price increase?

[MattKing]

I think you would find conversations with people at each of Eastman Kodak, Kodak Alaris and Sino Promise Holdings to be quite illuminating.

 

[MattKing]

Perhaps, but I'm sure we wouldn't have Kodak (or Eastman) still film any more if the Kodak Alaris people were dispensed with.
To add some levity, let's wallow in days gone by a bit, with some of the stuff that I moved from one spot to another today as we prepare to put up a Christmas tree.
The empty envelope is what correspondence from Rochester would come in, and the address on the First Day Cover envelope was the address that my Dad (L. King) and my mom brought me home to, a couple of years later.
Note the postage - 3 cents to Canada on the First Day cover..
I didn't bother to scan the 50th Anniversary Canadian Kodak platter.

 

[Don_ih]

Please feel free to put me on your ignore list. I do not need to read posts from a dedicated dyed in the wool Kodak hater.

Kodak film is great. Kodak used to make some of the best papers that will ever be made. They did more than any other company to popularize photography. But they have not, as a company, done anything to support users of still film or darkroom workers in the last 20 years.

And, Mr. Gass, you don't ignore a pest. It might turn into an infestation.

Also, your petulance is just so endearing. It's like watching a baby weasel try to eat a cue ball.

 

[pentaxuser]

I think it's the other way around. They will find the conversation with me illuminating. EK should leave behind the Kodak brand, re-launch all of their products under "Eastman" brand, launch it on faire.com and maybe their cost of sales won't be so atrocious. The Wall Street will appreciate this. I will not take the meeting with Alaris or Sino Promise.

Anything that reduces the price of Kodak products to less than twice the price of Ilford gets my vote, Old Gregg, and while you execute this plan can you do anything about reducing the bulk roll price - there's got to be something wrong there

If you can pull this plan off on Wall Street will you come back to Photrio as Gordon Greggo?

pentaxuser

 

[Don_ih]

can you do anything about reducing the bulk roll price - there's got to be something wrong there

The bulk roll price is a mystery no one will ever solve. I'm not sure about right now, but a few years ago it was cheaper to buy Tmax in rolls than in bulk.

 

[pentaxuser]

The bulk roll price is a mystery no one will ever solve. I'm not sure about right now, but a few years ago it was cheaper to buy Tmax in rolls than in bulk.

Well there were a few stout defences of this practice based on reasons why it was more expensive for Kodak to make bulk rolls than cassettes and which did not apply to the other film manufacturers for whom it would appear to be not marginally but substantially cheaper to produce bulk rolls. However the problem is and always will be, finding the truth short of access to a Kodaker working at Kodak with the knowledge to really settle it once and for all

pentaxuser

 

[Don_ih]

Well there were a few stout defences of this practice based on reasons why it was more expensive for Kodak to make bulk rolls than cassettes and which did not apply to the other film manufacturers for whom it would appear to be not marginally but substantially cheaper to produce bulk rolls. However the problem is and always will be, finding the truth short of access to a Kodaker working at Kodak with the knowledge to really settle it once and for all

pentaxuser

Hard to believe though.
100 feet of film on a core in a plastic bag in a printed box
vs
100 feet of film cut into 18 pieces, spun on 18 plastic spools, put in 18 painted metal cylinders with two strips of fur and two metal end caps. put in 18 plastic containers with a cap (sometimes with a sticker on the cap), put in 18 printed boxes.

It's not like they aren't set up to make bulk rolls. They make them. But I guess there is a smaller market for their bulk film so it doesn't make sense to make much of it, which might result in needing to charge more for what they do make.....

 

[NB23]

Too much bullshit flying around. There is no reason why a bulk roll would be more expensive. Who even falls for that?

Read it on the internet?if you want I can create nice intelligent quotes and sign them Jesus...

 

[faberryman]

Hard to believe though.
100 feet of film on a core in a plastic bag in a printed box
vs
100 feet of film cut into 18 pieces, spun on 18 plastic spools, put in 18 painted metal cylinders with two strips of fur and two metal end caps. put in 18 plastic containers with a cap (sometimes with a sticker on the cap), put in 18 printed boxes.

It's not like they aren't set up to make bulk rolls. They make them. But I guess there is a smaller market for their bulk film so it doesn't make sense to make much of it, which might result in needing to charge more for what they do make.....

It is still cheaper to roll your own. For example, at B&H 100' of TMax400 is $119.99. That works out to 18 rolls at $6.66 each versus $10.99 for a single roll. Rolling your own Ilford and Foma is even less expensive.

 

[MattKing]

If individual cassettes of film were manufactured in the same small quantities as bulk rolls, using the same non-automated techniques, they would be more expensive than bulk rolls - by a long shot.
If volumes for bulk rolls were exponentially higher, and production was as automated as it is with the individual cassettes, bulk rolls would be a lot cheaper than with individual cassettes.
A large proportion of the price of film relates to the cost of confectioning. And the per unit cost of confectioning in Eastman Kodak's plant is much higher than the per unit cost for individual rolls.

 

[removedacct1]

It is still cheaper to roll your own. For example, at B&H 100' of TMax400 is $119.99. That works out to 18 rolls at $6.66 each versus $10.99 for a single roll. Rolling your own Ilford and Foma is even less expensive.

Where anyone got the idea that buying 100’ rolls is MORE expensive than individual cassettes is a mystery to me. It’s obvious that bulk is still cheaper.

 

[NB23]

Where anyone got the idea that buying 100’ rolls is MORE expensive than individual cassettes is a mystery to me. It’s obvious that bulk is still cheaper.

4 years ago a KODAK bulk roll was 129$ while 36exp canisters were 4.99/5.99.

During that period ILFORD were selling their bulks as follows
HP5 @49$
FP4 @47$
PAN-F @45$

The went up to 52, then 55, then 60... up to where they are now.

 

[removedacct1]

4 years ago a KODAK bulk roll was 129$ while 36exp canisters were 4.99/5.99.

During that period ILFORD were selling their bulks as follows
HP5 @49$
FP4 @47$
PAN-F @45$

The went up to 52, then 55, then 60... up to where they are now.

Why does anyone care about the price of bulk rolls FOUR YEARS AGO??

Right NOW, it is far cheaper to buy bulk than buying preloaded in cassettes.

 

[NB23]

Why does anyone care about the price of bulk rolls FOUR YEARS AGO??

Right NOW, it is far cheaper to buy bulk than buying preloaded in cassettes.

Just A FEW MONTHS AGO it was still cheaper to buy Kodak canisters vs bulk.

But hey, just shows how kodak is totally run by monkeys. Took them FOUR YEARS to corner the market. Basically they set the clock needles at whichever position and let time match the clock. Broken but accurate twice a day. So smart.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

I may have missed it here. But why does a 20% increase from Kodak Alaris translate to $23.99 per 35mm roll to end-users? Their increase is to distributors and resellers. The $23.99 is a retail price to end-users from a specific seller.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Just A FEW MONTHS AGO it was still cheaper to buy Kodak canisters vs bulk.

But hey, just shows how kodak is totally run by monkeys. Took them FOUR YEARS to corner the market. Basically they set the clock needles at whichever position and let time match the clock. Broken but accurate twice a day. So smart.

You realize that you have unfairly insulted monkeys. You owe them an apology!

 

[Don_ih]

Where anyone got the idea that buying 100’ rolls is MORE expensive than individual cassettes is a mystery to me. It’s obvious that bulk is still cheaper.

It was more expensive here a couple of years ago. It was $199 for a roll of Tmax 400 and $7.99 for a 36 exposure roll at one of the biggest camera stores here.

Now it's $239 for 100 feet and 13.99 for a 36 exposure roll at the same store.

 

[removedacct1]

It was more expensive here a couple of years ago. It was $199 for a roll of Tmax 400 and $7.99 for a 36 exposure roll at one of the biggest camera stores here.

Now it's $239 for 100 feet and 13.99 for a 36 exposure roll at the same store.

And yet, at B&H it’s $119 for 100’ of TMY. So whoever is charging $239 for a 100' roll of TMY, their price has to be at the far extreme of pricing (and I assume you're talking about a Canadian supplier, in Canadian currency).

So buy it from B&H, which states on the web site: "Most Orders over $99 ship free to Canada!"

 

[flavio81]

Alaris CEO is a finance guy, and his board is controlled by pension fund managers. So you're not too far off. Eastman Kodak must find a way to dump these clowns.

Agree.

 

[Don_ih]

So buy it from B&H, which states on the web site: "Most Orders over $99 ship free to Canada!"

I've done that. It would be nice to not have to.

 

[BrianShaw]

Alaris CEO is a finance guy, and his board is controlled by pension fund managers. So you're not too far off. Eastman Kodak must find a way to dump these clowns.

… or those clowns need to bring in more people who understand the market and products. Or have they already?

 

[pentaxuser]

Just A FEW MONTHS AGO it was still cheaper to buy Kodak canisters vs bulk.

.

Any idea as to how KA managed this change/ What actually changed? Was it something other than key executives' minds that changed and who then decided it was not a good idea?

pentaxuser

 

[BrianShaw]

So it’s hopeless; oh well, we tried.

 

[Don_ih]

All of this makes me want to buy some Tri-X....

 

[BrianShaw]

All of this makes me want to buy some Tri-X....

You do that… I’ll be buying Portra. Between the two of us we will single-handedly save them!