What's with Kodak film pricing?

Paul Verizzo · May 9, 2015

Looking over my primary sources, Freestyle, B&H, Adorama, and Photo Warehouse, prices for TMY and Tri-X might as well been picked via a dart board.

You've got 36 exposure rolls of TMY for $5 from Adorama and NYC, no bulk from the former, but instead of buying a roll at B&H, heck, just pay $5 more for 18 rolls and forget the hassle of rolling your own!

Photo Warehouse/Ultrafine has no price differential between Tri-X and TMY, never have seen that. And they want $8 for a single roll and $152 for the 100 footer, closing in on twice what B&H wants.

Freestyle charges $5.39 per roll and $128 for a 100 footer! Once again, do the math. And they want just as much for Tri-X and TMY. And for some reason, the roll of TMX is "only" $82.

I certainly understand how different retailers have different pricing strategies, but this is way outside my experiences. Ever. It's my understanding that all of these films are in current production and there is no official indication of their demise.

So what gives?

MattKing · May 9, 2015

Intervening distributors.

Kodak no longer does its own distribution.

gzinsel · May 9, 2015

I will not support kodak. If they dont care about me, why should i care about them? I have not purchased any kodak product since 2000. I hope they finally go bankrupt.

NB23 · May 9, 2015

Today at my local photo store: trix bulk 200$ (montreal, canada).

At this point, why not price it at 34,599$?

Ken Nadvornick · May 9, 2015

MattKing said:
Intervening distributors.

Kodak no longer does its own distribution.

It's not that the bus has no destination. It's that every seat has a steering wheel.

Ken

NB23 · May 9, 2015

Who's crazy to use tri-x when there's the excellent and legendary HP5?

Richard S. (rich815) · May 9, 2015

Ken Nadvornick said:
It's not that the bus has no destination. It's that every seat has a steering wheel.

Ken

Ha. Good one.

Richard S. (rich815) · May 9, 2015

NB23 said:
Who's crazy to use tri-x when there's the excellent and legendary HP5?

Sure, except they are not really that similar.

Prof_Pixel · May 9, 2015

gzinsel said:
I will not support kodak. If they dont care about me, why should i care about them? I have not purchased any kodak product since 2000. I hope they finally go bankrupt.

If you haven't purchased anything from them in the past 15 years (and seem proud of it), why should they care about you?

Richard S. (rich815) · May 9, 2015

Prof_Pixel said:
If you haven't purchased anything from them in the past 15 years (and seem proud of it), why should they care about you?

Or why should he hope they go bankrupt?

Johnkpap · May 9, 2015

Why buy T-Max from a retailer when it is listed on $bay for between $66-79 plus shipping

$200 a bulk load WTF ??

Johnkpap

Sirius Glass · May 9, 2015

gzinsel said:
I will not support kodak. If they dont care about me, why should i care about them? I have not purchased any kodak product since 2000. I hope they finally go bankrupt.

Why should I care about you? I care about all the film manufacturers whether or not I am using their film.

Rodinalforever · May 9, 2015

Here in Italy there is an increase ok Kodak's price year by year. Now Tri-x, both in 35mm and 120 format, is more expensive than TMAX. Ilford prices are almost steady and lower, but I prefer Tri-x over Hp5.

Xmas · May 9, 2015

http://shop.silverprint.co.uk/Kodak-Tri-X/products/191/

Bulk is just outlandish here in UK...

NB23 · May 9, 2015

Hp5 has its own unique look. In rodinal or hc110, it is hard to beat.

Yes it's subjective, but so is the "tri-x unique look".

removed account4 · May 9, 2015

Prof_Pixel said:
If you haven't purchased anything from them in the past 15 years (and seem proud of it), why should they care about you?

hi professor while i see where you are coming from
i unfortunately see where the other poster is coming from ( not the going bankrupt part ).
i have purchased armloads of materials made by big K,
they never cared about me at all. they made a nice product though ( and still do )

--
OP the crazy prices of film has lead me to only shoot expired film and paper
and coat my own. places like the light farm give information about making your own emulsion
( really not too hard, even a tenderfoot / green college student managed to do it in the middle of the night
with all his housemates asleep ) ... seems like the way to go, seeing its almost 1890 all over again ...

vive la difference!

mrred · May 9, 2015

NB23 said:
View attachment 108830Today at my local photo store: trix bulk 200$ (montreal, canada).

At this point, why not price it at 34,599$?

I used to buy a five-pack of tmy 120 from them every week. It was $21, just like everywhere else. One day I went in, and it jumped to $32. They got greedy. I only buy film online now.

Theo Sulphate · May 9, 2015

mrred said:
I used to buy a five-pack of tmy 120 from them every week. It was $21, just like everywhere else. One day I went in, and it jumped to $32. They got greedy. I only buy film online now.

Who is the "they" you refer to? Kodak or a retailer?

JackRosa · May 9, 2015

+!

Richard Sintchak (rich815) said:
Or why should he hope they go bankrupt?

+1

The fact that the company did not navigate well the waters of competition and change does not mean one should hope they go bankrupt. They still employ people and these people would be sans job if the company goes completely under. Additionally, they still have wonderful products (e.g. Tri-X - all formats, Selenium toner, D76, wash aid, and a host of other products).

JackRosa · May 9, 2015

+1

Rodinalforever said:
Here in Italy there is an increase ok Kodak's price year by year. Now Tri-x, both in 35mm and 120 format, is more expensive than TMAX. Ilford prices are almost steady and lower, but I prefer Tri-x over Hp5.

Agree 100% ... although HP5 is very good, I still prefer Tri-X (120, 4x5, 8x10 formats)

JackRosa · May 9, 2015

Tr-X

NB23 said:
Hp5 has its own unique look. In rodinal or hc110, it is hard to beat.

Yes it's subjective, but so is the "tri-x unique look".

Try Tri-X in D76 and compare!

Now . . . . HP5+ in PMK Pyro ... that's gorgeous!

mrred · May 9, 2015

Theo Sulphate said:
Who is the "they" you refer to? Kodak or a retailer?

That would be the retailer, Lozeau LTEE. Where the package was pictured from.

mrred · May 9, 2015

NB23 said:
Yes it's subjective, but so is the "tri-x unique look".

I don't think TriX has a unique look. It's not like you can look at a photograph and say.....that's TriX... But it does have a fan-boy following.

chriscrawfordphoto · May 9, 2015

JackRosa said:
Try Tri-X in D76 and compare!

Now . . . . HP5+ in PMK Pyro ... that's gorgeous!

I agree with you on both counts. Tri-X is best in D-76 1+1 and HP-5 is best in PMK. I've shot a couple hundred rolls of 120 size HP-5, developed in PMK over the last couple years.

These are all HP-5 in PMK.

zehner21 · May 9, 2015

Rodinalforever said:
Here in Italy there is an increase ok Kodak's price year by year. Now Tri-x, both in 35mm and 120 format, is more expensive than TMAX. Ilford prices are almost steady and lower, but I prefer Tri-x over Hp5.

Bizarre. I have always found Ilford films to be more expensive than the Kodak ones.

What's with Kodak film pricing?

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