Fuji price increases

[anjoca76]

You just knew that once Kodak went bankrupt and, among other things, bowed out of the slide film game, that Fuji would up its film prices. Economically, it makes total sense for them. There is no other competition. These days if you want to shoot slides, all you have is Fuji (at least here in the US anyway). They know that, and therefore they've got us.

In any case, I just ordered a bunch of Provia and Velvia while the prices still are reasonable. And if I can scrounge up some more money in the next week, I'll put in another order and try to stock up. It sucks, but it's the way it is. I'm just happy they're still making it.

[semilog]

Originally Posted by anjoca76

You just knew that once Kodak went bankrupt and, among other things, bowed out of the slide film game, that Fuji would up its film prices.

I'm doubt it's easy to run a large company in Japan right now, and I doubt that the thing foremost in the minds of Japanese executives at the moment is gouging the small and delining number of American film users.

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/201...aftermath.html

[Bob Michaels]

Originally Posted by cosmonaut

................... It is ashame we live in a world were someone can't make a small profit and be happy. .................

Same chance as an employee saying they will just take a small paycheck and be happy. Maybe less so since the owner(s) put up their capital at risk and will always have the chance of losing their investment (ala Kodak)

[anjoca76]

Originally Posted by semilog

I'm doubt it's easy to run a large company in Japan right now, and I doubt that the thing foremost in the minds of Japanese executives at the moment is gouging the small and delining number of American film users.

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/201...aftermath.html

I never said anything about the Japanese and their intent toward US customers. My point was that, just as with anything else, if you are the only one making a certain product you can pretty much charge whatever you want for it. Whether they said so or not, they know it's basic economics.

[boomguy57]

Isn't there a problem with the "be happy they're making it at all" arguments here? If they are charging $10/roll, they might as well not be making it once you factor in processing costs.

Any chance Fuji has seen how well their digital cameras have done recently, and would prefer to just be done with the whole film thing altogether? Perhaps they are just trying to drive more people out before ultimately ending production soon.

[btgc]

Originally Posted by anjoca76

if you are the only one making a certain product you can pretty much charge whatever you want for it.

Does it makes sense if product is primary or secondary? Say, food is primary product. Film is...well, people can live without it.

If economy is good, people willingly pay for secondary goods. If people are on tight budget, then raising price doesn't mandatory raise income to manufacturer. No point beating tired horse for too long.

Originally Posted by boomguy57

Any chance Fuji has seen how well their digital cameras have done recently, and would prefer to just be done with the whole film thing altogether?

Done? If you have a hen which isn't as good as ten years back but still lays some eggs - would you kill it or sell if there's buyer? Right, probably Fujifilm may want to concentrate on digital imaging but I don't think they would throw film out of window. Probably Asian investors would buy FF's film business.

[anjoca76]

Originally Posted by boomguy57

Isn't there a problem with the "be happy they're making it at all" arguments here? If they are charging $10/roll, they might as well not be making it once you factor in processing costs.

Any chance Fuji has seen how well their digital cameras have done recently, and would prefer to just be done with the whole film thing altogether? Perhaps they are just trying to drive more people out before ultimately ending production soon.

Definitely true, and I admit I am among those who said that. But I guess the way I see it, I love my film cameras, I want to keep using them, and I especially like slide film. If the only way I can shoot slide film in the cameras I love to use is to spend an extra $3 per roll, then I guess that's what I'll do. If I were going through 20 rolls a month, then I suppose that could become a deterrent, but at the rate I shoot the price difference isn't enough for me to sell off all the gear I enjoy using and go all digital.

[Nikon Bob]

Originally Posted by boomguy57

Isn't there a problem with the "be happy they're making it at all" arguments here? If they are charging $10/roll, they might as well not be making it once you factor in processing costs.

Any chance Fuji has seen how well their digital cameras have done recently, and would prefer to just be done with the whole film thing altogether? Perhaps they are just trying to drive more people out before ultimately ending production soon.

There is no problem with being happy that they still make film at all because the cost is the new reality. You either accept that or stop using film. To make the profits at the levels they need to the charge a certain price. When the price they have to charge to meet their profit expectations reaches a point where users balk at it they will likely call it a day and cease film manufacturing. You might see some cheaper film then on inventory close outs. I don't think any company deliberately sets out to destroy a profitable part of their company. OTH if it becomes unprofitable it is gone.

Bob

[Keith]

I find it interesting that many people here will religiously buy Leica products at whatever price. $4000 for your favourite lens, $6000 for a digital body to use it on ... no worries it's the best after all so why not?

I think film shooters are cheap!

[koven]

Originally Posted by Keith

Maybe this should have gone in the 'film forum' so all the potential Xpro and X100 buyers don't hyperventilate when they see the thread title!

Too late

[starless]

Does anyone actually know what the new prices would be, or at least approximately?

I don't believe they would be much higher than the current Kodak prices for similar types of film.

[jsrockit]

Originally Posted by Bob Michaels

Same chance as an employee saying they will just take a small paycheck and be happy.

Well, many employees do make do with small paychecks (incomparison to where they live and what others earn). I guess they may not be happy though.

[hipsterdufus]

Originally Posted by starless

Does anyone actually know what the new prices would be, or at least approximately?

I don't believe they would be much higher than the current Kodak prices for similar types of film.

Based on what someone was saying on here, there will be a 20% increase on film. So take any price on B&H or freestyle and multiply it by 1.2. So, Neopan 400, which was $4.50 on B&H will now be $5.40.

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

$10 a roll too much? Most of Fuji's product has been way north of that in Australia for years.

Surely, if Fuji "would prefer to just be done with the whole film thing altogether" they would simply stop making film? It's not as if they need our permission to discontinue it. And yet, here we are in 2012 and Fuji offer more options than Kodak, despite all the naysayers over the last few years in all the other threads like this one. I can't believe the amount of Fuji-bashing that happens on this site. It was Kodak that discontinued reversal films recently, not Fuji, wasn't it?

And I think Keith's right.

Regards
Brett

[hipsterdufus]

Originally Posted by hipsterdufus

Based on what someone was saying on here, there will be a 20% increase on film. So take any price on B&H or freestyle and multiply it by 1.2. So, Neopan 400, which was $4.50 on B&H will now be $5.40.

Whoops, it wasn't on here; it was on apug:

http://www.apug.org/forums/viewpost.php?p=1334275

[anjoca76]

I think Fuji has done a great job in providing us products that we RFF folks can use. Not only are they still producing great films, but they have put out a line of digital cameras that tips a cap to the old classic rangefinders. As much as I kid the X100 as being a digital p&s in a classic rangefinder's clothes, if there is one digital camera I would want (that I can afford) it's that one.

I don't know if it's so much that Fuji is getting bashed here as it is we consumers have become jaded, and often rightfully so, in regards to the way large corporations operate.

Kudos to Fuji for staying in the film game. Considering how much I see spent on film gear here, a couple bucks more on film is not cause for mass panic.

That said, the day Fuji ends its film production, they are dead to me!

[froyd]

We just need to mimic the auto industry, which is developing more fuel-efficient vehicles to offset raising gas prices.

In photographic terms, let's all move to half-frame cameras

[kshapero]

Logged on to Ultrafine to get some Fuji film, saw a great price on Agfa color print film. Anybody have experience with Agfa 400?

[dcsang]

Film is a niche medium now... it wasn't always this way but, as for right now, that's the way it is. I've heard arguments of a "film resurgence" but I have yet to see it. In the grand scheme of things there may be a metric tonne of film shooters here but that's because this place is pretty much a niche forum as well. So you have niche within a niche all clamouring that the "big" film makers aren't listening and that they'll rue the day for all this business they're missing out on. In the end, the "big" film makers don't care because, for the most part, they've diversified enough to just consider film shooters as nothing more than an annoying gnat.

Just my opinion mind you

Cheers,
Dave

[135format]

people keep saying film is a niche but I disagree. There are major manufacturers out there including Kodak, Ilford and Fuji. Lucky in China and other smaller ones. It might be much smaller demand than before but the whole market is still sizeable. I conclude that the right sized film manufacturing company can still be well into profit.
The problem for the likes of Kodak are caused by being oversized in todays market but Ilford seem to be doing OK and Fuji still have a large market.
All these price rises are inevitable in the world market today. Cost of Silver shot through the roof a short while ago. Increasing oil and gas prices. Japanese Tsunami etc etc. Just be thankful that the likes of Fuji and Ilford are committed to keeping film production alive and pay the price. You have no other option than to go digital 100% and no one wants that.

[dallard]

Originally Posted by dcsang

Film is a niche medium now... it wasn't always this way but, as for right now, that's the way it is. I've heard arguments of a "film resurgence" but I have yet to see it. In the grand scheme of things there may be a metric tonne of film shooters here but that's because this place is pretty much a niche forum as well. So you have niche within a niche all clamouring that the "big" film makers aren't listening and that they'll rue the day for all this business they're missing out on. In the end, the "big" film makers don't care because, for the most part, they've diversified enough to just consider film shooters as nothing more than an annoying gnat.

Just my opinion mind you

Cheers,
Dave

You're right. It's why small film makers like Adox and Ilford are able to do good business and expand their offerings.

[jsrockit]

Originally Posted by froyd

We just need to mimic the auto industry, which is developing more fuel-efficient vehicles to offset raising gas prices.

In photographic terms, let's all move to half-frame cameras

Oh no, Olympus Pen (film) cameras just doubled on ebay!

[jalLee2001]

I just saw Provia 100 for 6.49/roll-which is not bad in my opinion. But 400 at 10.50/roll. Why the rice difference?

[FA Limited]

Originally Posted by jalLee2001

I just saw Provia 100 for 6.49/roll-which is not bad in my opinion. But 400 at 10.50/roll. Why the rice difference?

cuz 400X is rare and awesome

[msbarnes]

This really saddens me because I just got into shooting slides. They're magic. I won't stop buying film, I'll just have to shoot less.