Price difference between 120 and 35mm film

[binglemybongle]

I've just bought a Rolleicord Vb and i'm itching to get some 120 film to get going.

I went online and braced myself for the (expected) price increase for 120 film compared to 35mm.

To my suprise its cheaper to buy 120 than a 24exp 35mm. Why?

For example:

Ilford FP4 PLUS for a 120 roll costs £1.99

Ilford FP4 PLUS for a 35mm (24 exp) roll costs £2.69

Am i making a school boy error here???!!! There is actually more film in a roll of 120 isnt there?

 

[tito_gh]

120 is only 12 exposures
tha might be why

 

[binglemybongle]

But 120 is 60 x 60 mm.

35mm is ..... well 35mm!!! x something like 25mm.

Theres about twice as much film in a roll of 120 if you work it in terms of area.

 

[Ghoste]

Yeah but still, 120 is larger... It's probally because the people that shoot it don't anymore and the places to get it developed are running low. My store is one of the very few that will develop pretty much ANYTHING now a'days. I have a price list of our film, lemme see if I can find it. Yeah all of our 120 is about 5-6 $. I get 50% off all that

 

[ksmattfish]

There is actually more film in a roll of 120 isnt there?

Yes, there is a little more film in a roll of 120 than a 24 exp roll of 35mm. There is about the same amount of film in a roll of 36 exp 35mm as a roll of 120 (approx 80 square inches).

I've noticed that if you can get a type of film in 35mm, 120, and 4x5 (4 sheets = 80 square inches) that the 35mm is the most expensive per square inch, and the 120 is the cheapest per square inch.

Freestyle sells Ilford FP4+ for:
36 exp 35mm = $4.29
120 = $3.09
4 sheets of 4x5 = $3.52

As to why the cost difference I don't know for sure. Possibly the metal cassette adds some? Cutting the sprocket holes? Maybe it's just easier to make 120 rolls? Although it would seem to me that 4x5 would seem to be the simplest, as it's just cut and put into boxes, but it's still more expensive than 120.

 

[ksmattfish]

Theres about twice as much film in a roll of 120 if you work it in terms of area.

Nope. 1 roll of 36 exp (35 exposures actually) 35mm and 1 roll of 120 each make an 8"x10" contact sheet.

 

[usayit]

I shoot primarily Kodak films and the cost per roll is about the same for 35mm and 120. 120 I get about 15 shots.... 35mm i get about 24. UC comes in 36 exposure rolls so those are about a buck more.

how much are yall paying for 120 processing ( C-41 ) plus 8x10 contact?

 

[ksmattfish]

I pay $4 for a roll of 120 C41 to be developed. A contact sheet costs $6, which is only about a $2 savings over prints (4x5 or 5x5), so I usually just get prints.

 

[binglemybongle]

Blimey!

Didnt expect such strong opinions.

I agree that its not been made clear to us why we pay more. I think we all should all lobby the manufacturers and form an action group called the

Committee of
Unity
Negating
Tremendous
Spending

We could have T-Shirts printed with the abreviation on and stand outside the factories with ................ Oh hang on, that wouldnt look to good would it?!

 

[ksmattfish]

I agree that its not been made clear to us why we pay more.

Well, in the predominantly digital future everyone who wants to shoot film is going to be paying more because demand for film and profits of film manufacturers are going to be down.