Shooting film has always been a little pricey, especially if you shoot a lot of it.
Now, though, it is getting downright unaffordable.
Earlier today, as I was placing a $100 order to get 3 rolls of film developed (yes, you read that correctly — $100 for 3 rolls, and only one had special instructions), I got to thinking about the cost of film photography in general and how, if film prices were what they are now when I was in college, I wouldn’t have been able to afford to shoot film the way I did — hell, I can barely afford it now.
For reference, back in 2017, I was paying $5.09 for one 24-exposure roll of Ilford Delta 400 on B&H’s website (yes, I pulled up some old order receipts to check); today, a 24-exposure roll of Ilford Delta 400 goes for $8.12 — $3.03 more. A 36-exposure roll of Ilford Delta 3200 back then cost $8.95 — now it costs $4.00 more at $12.95 per 36-exposure roll. A 36-exposure roll of Kodak T-Max cost $4.95 back in 2017, and, today, that same 36-exposure roll costs $9.19 — a $4.24 difference — nearly double! In only four years!
I understand that inflation is a thing, and I also understand that the pandemic that has been raging on for nearly two years now is also a thing, and that both are driving the prices of everything up (have you seen the prices of used cars lately!? Yikes). However, it does not change the fact that the cost of film, combined with the cost of development and scanning, if you don’t have the ability to do those things yourself (it still isn’t cheap even if you do), is becoming cost-prohibitive — and, though I haven’t asked around too much, I doubt I’m the only person who feels this way.
The good news in all of this is that the prices of used cameras seem to be coming down a little; when I was looking around at used Nikon film cameras a couple of months ago, I was shocked to see that most of them were going for at least double what they were worth. Looking at them today, however, the prices seem to be a little more in-line with what they should be, at least on eBay. The other good news is that, if you are a Polaroid shooter, Polaroid film is no more expensive now than it was pre-pandemic — an 8-exposure box of 600 film costs $19.99,, which is actually less than it cost back in 2016 — I was paying anywhere from $20.99 a box to $24.99 a box at that time, depending on the stock. I sure do feel lucky in that respect.
This is not one of my better blog posts, I know, but I wanted to throw this one out there because it has been on my mind lately and, again, I am certain I am not the only film photographer who is feeling this way.
Let me know your thoughts, and, as always, if you have any suggestions about future blog topics, feel free to share them, as I am (clearly) in a bit of a rut writing-wise!
Thanks for reading!