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Thread: The New Freestyle Catalog arrived!

  1. #1

    Join Date
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    Talking The New Freestyle Catalog arrived!

    I always get excited about a new catalog---a little apprehensive as well. I'm not advertising for Freestyle here, but rather offering some opinions by the looks of things because this catalog is, for me a bellwether of the availability of photographic supplies.

    At the outset, Spring 2011 seems thicker and heavier than the last Freestyle Cataog, which has to be a good thing, right? It's got a nice photo of the Chrysler Building on the cover and the opening spread continues with a "snapshot of the industry" articleby Freestyle VP Eric Joseph, like in the last catalog. I found it reassuring, which I assume is the purpose.

    There are a few notices---Arista .eduUltra film & paper is in short supply, but the stiuation is being rectified and more.eduUltra materials is being ordered to satisfy future demand.

    Prices for silver products have increased (no $hi+) but rest assured that Freestyle is "grateful for your continued support of traditional photograhic materials." Freestyle is one of the biggies when it comes to traditional materials---to whom else will we turn? Well there are a few other excellent outfits, but the prices from the manufacturers have gone up across the board.

    And you can now buy a Holga 3D stereo camera but that dosen't interest me. If it interests you, get your own catalog!

    At this point I genreally rip into the catalog with fear and trepidation. Is what I want & use still in the catalog? Like the punk in the Dirty Harry movie, with Clint Eastwood pointing his .44 Magnum up my snout and growling: "Did Ifire five shots or six?" Like the punk replies: "I gots to know!"

    Foma 111 Glossy (N) is still listed (my current favorite printing paper) So is Slavich Unirom and Fotokemika Emaks,which are viable alternatives

    Film: Arista.eduUltra 100 in8x10 is still listed although I've been warned about possible short supplies. I see the price went up $10 for a box of 50, which is at last reasonable.

    FujiB&W Neoan 400 is available at least in 35mm, although Kodak TMY 35mm is a buck cheaper.

    Ilford HP-5+ & FP-4+ in 8x10 are now $101 plus change for a box. Living in California I find ordering Ilford out of state without sales tax a better deal.That Badger Graphic and B+H have so far been able to post substantially better prices is an even bigger plus.
    Freestyle does carry Efke film is sizes I use, and thankfully they still have R100 in 127 format so my Brownie camerawill continueto be well fed, and 8x10 format PL25 is still available. The same deal applies to Kodak sheet film although I've sworn off Kodak 8x10---for at least the "duration."
    But I didn't see any APHS or it's replacement! This is troubling. Perhaps it is still listed on their website---I don't know and I'll have to check it out when I'm done with this post.
    Now that I've got the vital products covered I can return to the front of the catalog and proceed in an orderlyfashion. Freestyle is selling a bunch of designer Holgas and some special FX 35mm films from Rollei. Turn the page and there is kind of an interesting UV light source for contact printing, then there is some sort of product that makes a Holga into a digital camera Then I am informed that Fuji color paper is in stock and available(I didn't know there was a shortage! Could this have had some thing to do with the tsunami/earthquake?) and ends with a plug for cyanotype paper.
    Now its back to the meat of the catalog!
    Since digital isn't part of my photo world I speed through that section.

    There are still plenty of darkroom thingamajigs and as always an excellent offering of photography books at excellent prices. Including dvds theres five whole pages of the stuff--including a3rd edition of the Darkroom Cookbook by Anchell, Shelter From The Storm by Kirk Gittings, and an interesting looking dvd on Andre Kertesz among many other offerings.
    It is of course impossible to flip through a Freestyle catalog with getting a dose of Holga exposure--but this time there is something I'm actually tempted by---a 6x12cm pinhole panoramic Holga.

    Well, thats my review of the latest Spring 2011 Freestyle Catalog.
    "I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority"---EB White

  2. #2

    Join Date
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    Re: The New Freestyle Catalog arrived!

    I live about 12 miles from the store and i haven't gotten my catalog i requested AGAIN.
    Maybe i don't spend enough there.

  3. #3

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    Re: The New Freestyle Catalog arrived!

    As for the APHS - I don't know about it's availability in the US, but our "local" darkroom guru Wolfgang Moersch promotes and provides a replacement that is called Wephota FE05 - I'm not sure aboout this forum's advertising policy so just google his website - and look at his flickr stream where he has some tests with that film. I've not tried it myself - yet - but certainly will once my APHS is gone.
    Website of sorts, as well as flickr thing.

  4. #4

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    Re: The New Freestyle Catalog arrived!

    No APHS or replacement is on Freestyle's website. I did a search as well. A sad casualty! There are a few ortho films listed, but nothing with the value of APHS.Perhaps I'll likely be exploring x-ray film in the near future!
    "I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority"---EB White

  5. #5

    Join Date
    Jun 2006
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    Pasadena, CA
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    Re: The New Freestyle Catalog arrived!

    Yep, no APHS...this has been known for a few months now.

    Try Ultrafine...they have their version there, albeit at a slightly higher price.

  6. #6

    Join Date
    Sep 2007
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    Brooklyn, NY
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    Re: The New Freestyle Catalog arrived!

    They also stopped selling Adox Pan 25 in 8x10 sheets. I was very disappointed, since this is by-far my favorite film. It has a perfectly clear base and amazing resolution. They still sell it in 4x5, so I think it is choice not to cut it or import it in 8x10. When I emailed them about it they simply said they do not see it listed in their inventory.

  7. #7
    Randy's Avatar
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    Re: The New Freestyle Catalog arrived!

    John, I purchased one of those Holga Pano pinhole cameras about 2 years ago. Only shot one role of 120 through it. Images are probably as sharp as with the other Holgas that have lenses

  8. #8
    Leon Aslan SocalAstro's Avatar
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    Long Beach, CA
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    Re: The New Freestyle Catalog arrived!

    Quote Originally Posted by Randy View Post
    John, I purchased one of those Holga Pano pinhole cameras about 2 years ago. Only shot one role of 120 through it. Images are probably as sharp as with the other Holgas that have lenses
    Nice stuff. I have this camera as well but haven't used it in while. I'll dig it up and shoot with soon -Thanks for reminding me :-)

    -Leon

  9. #9

    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Eastern Massachusetts
    Posts
    4

    Re: The New Freestyle Catalog arrived!

    Planning to order some Slavich single weight and was told Freestyle will not be carrying the line any longer. Sigh. Loved single weight and that paper was working for me...
    -bill

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