LF film and processing in Cambridge/Boston?

[sog1927]

I'm going to be spending several weeks in the Cambridge, MA area, and I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions about where to obtain LF film and processing (E6 and BW)?

Steve

[Oren Grad]

For Cambridge proper, Calumet, on the far eastern edge of town near Lechmere, is the likeliest bet to actually have 4x5 sheet film in stock. Hunt Photo is another good source, except that their Harvard Square store normally won't have much in the way of sheet film while the mother ship in Melrose will. If you're going to be primarily around Harvard Square, I suppose you could have them send what you need to that store.

Further afield, Newtonville Camera tries to keep some sheet film in stock. In Boston, EP Levine, in the Boston Marine Industrial Park, sells sheet film now, but it's been a long time since I've been out there so I'm not sure how much they actually keep in stock. Compared to the Cambridge stores, neither is terribly convenient if you're stuck using public transportation.

For sheet film larger than 4x5, all bets are off - you can't count on anybody having it in stock without a special order. Also, even for 4x5, if there's a particular emulsion you want, you'll need to call ahead to make sure it's in stock.

Afraid I can't comment on Boston/Cambridge labs because I haven't used any of them in years. I've recently run a fair amount of 35mm color neg through Color Services in Needham; they also do 120 and 4x5/5x7/8x10 sheet film, and run E-6 and B&W as well as C-41. That's a bit out of the way from Cambridge, though, especially if you don't have a car.

[jnantz]

as oren said, in cambridge, calumet is your best bet.
ep levines and newtonville camera are owned by the same folks ..

it has been 9 long years since i lived there and a lot of the labs have gone.
you might call calumet or levines and ask them seeing they are the only pro-shops left.

have fun

[sparq]

Dorian lab in Arlington is my favorite E6 lab. They do B&W, too.
http://www.dorianlab.com/

[Navy Moose]

Colortek on Atlantic Avenue, near South Station does 4X5. I second Dorian's. If you can bring your stuff in in the morning, you can have the sheets ready by 4pm. You'll have to call Dorian's to see how to get there by the T.

W.B. Hunt's in Melrose has 4X5 black and white, I can't speak for color or slides. They have a location near Kenmore Square, they should have sheets as well since there is a photography school across the street. Hunt's has decent hours and both locations I go to are T accessible.

E.P. Levine is located on Dry Dock Ave, I am not 100% positive how to get there by the T. The Silver Line might run by there. They are not open on weekends or after 5pm.

I hope you enjoy our fair city

Navy Moose

[Oren Grad]

ep levines and newtonville camera are owned by the same folks ..

As I understand it, Mike Bard, who used to be at Newtonville, joined Jay Callum to buy EP Levine from Steve Brettler. I don't think the two stores have ever shared the same owner.

[Oren Grad]

W.B. Hunt's in Melrose has 4X5 black and white, I can't speak for color or slides. They have a location near Kenmore Square, they should have sheets as well since there is a photography school across the street. Hunt's has decent hours and both locations I go to are T accessible.

The Hunt branch in Kenmore Square is in the small shopping arcade in the Hotel Commonwealth. It's worth a trip there to see the Panopticon corridor gallery (http://www.panopt.com/home.php), and it's actually not all that far from the MIT end of Cambridge; Calumet's on that end too. From the Harvard end of town, the Hunt branch in Harvard Square will be more convenient.

[jnantz]

As I understand it, Mike Bard, who used to be at Newtonville, joined Jay Callum to buy EP Levine from Steve Brettler. I don't think the two stores have ever shared the same owner.

you are right oren ... my bad.

i was told the good folks from
newtonville bought it, but i didn't realize
that they might have left one to run the other ...

thanks!

john

[Oren Grad]

I think the family that founded Newtonville Camera still owns it.

Anyway, what matters is that they don't look at you funny if you come in asking for film.

[sog1927]

Thank you all very much - now if I can just manage to get all the gear packed in such a way that United will transport (but not destroy) it, I'll be set!

Steve