A recent press release by Fujifilm announces that photographic film prices are expected a “minimum increase” by 30% effective April 1, 2019. In addition to the photographic film price increase, photographic paper is expected to have a minimum ‘double-digit percentage’ increase, meaning as little as 10 percent. Instax film does not seem to be in the scope of the price increases.
The photographic film price increases are for the following lines of film:
All Color Negative
- Fujicolor (100 & 200 ISO)
- Fujicolor Superia (X-TRA 400, Premium 400, Venus 800)
- Fujicolor Pro (160NS, 400H)
All Chromogenic Slides
- FUJICHROME Provia 100F
- FUJICHROME Velvia (50, 100, 100F)
According to Fujifilm, the reason for the price increase are due to the increased prices in raw materials.
Over the past several years, Fujifilm has faced the rising cost of raw materials and logistics. In the past Fujifilm has absorbed some of the costs by undertaking intensive structural reforms and communalization of production facilities, but as a responsible manufacturing company and to provide the high-quality products our customers expect, the company will institute a price increase.
Fujifilm Press Release, February 25, 2019
While the price hike is not welcomed by Fujifilm photographers, the price hike may be the result of controlling demand. Film demand has been increasing drastically as a result to the film resurgence; an anomaly not foreseen by Fujifilm. It is rumored that Fujifilm has long discontinued its film manufacturing and plans to dwindle out the last of their film stocks. This price increase may be a way to control the increased demand on a limited supply of photographic film to last to their projected termination date, rumored for 2020.
Film list referenced from Emulsive.org.
Bill Manning
Host and Executive Producer for Studio C-41
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