It is always fun when the new Freestyle catalog shows up in the mail. Mine arrived a few weeks ago but I've been too busy to review it until now. I think it is a good indicator of what current photo materials are available and where the industry is headed. Even if Freestyle wasn't one of the major suppliers of my materials I think I'd find something to order from them just to stay on their mailing list to receive the catalog (come to think of it, why am I even on their mailing list? I usually make my purchases in person during visits to LA rather than through the mail/internet)
The cover:
I see there is now a panoramic Holga and some more Rodinal replacements. I'll look for the details inside. There also is a cool picture of an oil painted photo by Kim Weston--- interesting.
Inside cover:
Freestyle continues to assert it's support for traditional photography with a statement by Mr. Eric Joseph, Sr. VP. I realize this is "marketing" but I find these messages reassuring. Ten new products are announced in the following pages, but I'll skip to what interests me personally.
Page 13:
Fomabrom glossy N111 is still listed! This is "my" current paper so I always get a bit apprehensive until I find the stuff listed. I've got 2-300 sheets in the freezer.
Page 16:
Fotokemika EMAKS papers are still imported as well---this is another paper that floats my boat! Unfortunately Slavich papers are nowhere to be found, but two out of three ain't bad at all!
Page 18:
Adox CHS B&W film in 120 format looks interesting. My modest stash of 120 Verichrome Pan is slowly vanishing and Adox looks like a promising heir to the throne. My VP likely won't last through the summer so I'll be looking foreward to taking some CHS on a test drive.
Page 19:
Ilford, of course!
Kodak 5x7 Tri-X in 50 sheet boxes for $144.99. Expensive but being a sentimental favorite in other formats, it is something i would like to try someday.
Page 20:
Efke R-100 is still available in 127 format, but at $9.49 a roll I'm afraid my favorite Brownie Reflex is going to be under employed! Efke PL-25 is still available in 8x10 and at $169/50 sheets thats not too bad. PL-25 is probably my favorite Efke film but I seldom require a film that slow.
Page 22:
Arista.edu Ultra films are here en force. These privately labelled Foma films are IMHO some of the best deals in 8x10 B&W films available. I'll be shooting a lot of this stuff this summer.
Page 25:
Kodak chemicals are getting fewer and fewer and this issue is no exception. D-76 is still around though, as is Rapid Selenium toner & Photo-flo.
Page 26:
R09 One shot film developer sounds interesting since I use one shots in the Unicolor processor. This may be worth looking into!
Pages 62-67
All the handy dark room stuff that used to be easy to find locally but has vanished with the coming of digital potography.
Page 69:
The Port-a-stand I traded (along with my soft boxes) for the travertine tiles we used to rebuild the bathroom is going to take $189.99 to replace!
Page 70:
Arista mat board is still a good deal.
Page 80:
The 6x12 Panoramic Holga makes it's debute. I have a love/hate thing going with Holgas, but a 612 Holga sounds tempting---very tempting!
Conclusion:
There are still quite a few alternatives for 8x10 shooters as far as film goes. Graded FB papers haven't fallen completely off the face of the earth either. Chemicals are widely available (I didn't even tap into all the B&W chemicals availbale from Freestyle but they certainly have the quantities and options to supply any academic photo programs!) In short, LF photography materials are plentiful and there are lots of options to explore if you've the hankerin' and there are plenty of other tradional photography products to pique the curious as well.