Just pulled up Google to check on the price of roll of Tri-X 36 exposure and saw this from B&H: “Tri-X 400 Film – Hurry, Price Subject to Change”.  At $12.99 a roll I had to take a deep breath. I think the last time I looked several months ago it was $11.99

#$@%^&*!

It was then that I started hunting around on eBay and found some recently expired rolls for $7.99 with the same dates as what was in my freezer. Guess what … I grabbed it fast!

How about the cost of 100 sheet box of Ilford Classic Multigrade 8 x10 fiber paper? $139.90.

Ok, I think you get the point.

The cost of black and white analog materials has become pretty expensive. On the other hand, so has everything else. An era of high inflation, combined with the cost of manufacturing products for a somewhat small market is not a happy combination. Nevertheless, that’s the hand those of us dedicated to this wonderful medium have been dealt. We’re not alone. Photography is my avocation, but my very serious hobby is listening to vinyl.  I buy a lot of records. Just ask my wife about my habit. A typical audiophile grade gatefold reissue of say a classic 1950’s jazz title now costs between $35-$40, but more deluxe offerings can cost over $100. When I first started buying records in the Sixties they cost about $3-$4.

And while the vinyl resurgence together with digital streaming has helped to push aside CDs as a major media source, the record market is still a relatively small one like that for film. At least with a CD you get a plastic container, a little paper and a disc. With streaming you get nothing except greater convenience. And that’s what all of this is about for those that live in the digital world, be it photography or audio … convenience.

So you can let rising costs and all that digital convenience give you all you need to push you over the edge and embrace the dark side. But don’t be too hasty. The superiority of black and white analog photography and vinyl notwithstanding, do you really want to get onto the digital equipment merry go round, as new cameras with more megapixels and “features” make the shiny plastic model you just purchased obsolete? Just get the new one, but don’t worry, in two years you’ll want the new, new one. And on and on.

So what to do? If you care about your art and have a real passion don’t give up on what makes it all possible. Same with listening to music. You do get what you pay for, and in the end with film you’re going to save on all that constant gear churn and keep your stress down.

Maybe with film the price forces us to slow down a little more and be more selective when we click the shutter, and that’s not a bad thing.

And don’t forget about eBay.

Stay well,

Michael