Where to buy film and paper in Canada?

[Ron Bose]

Now that Rob Skeoch appears to be closing his retail store, where in Canada can I buy sheet film (4x5,5x7 and 8x10) and paper ?

Thanks,
Ron

[hmf]

If B&H Photo and Freestyle ship to Canada, they would be the way to go, IMO.

[Andrew O'Neill]

Where are you located? I'm just down the road from Vancouver. I get film from B&H and Freestyle and have it shipped to Blaine, WA, where I pick it up. In the past I have also gotten film and paper from The Camera Store in Calgary, as well as Henry's in Toronto.

http://www.thecamerastore.com/Categories/38-Film-Black-And-White-Film.aspx/1/80000000%5e44

http://www.henrys.com/Categories/379-B-And-W-Film.aspx/4

There is also Beau Photo in Vancouver, but I find them to be expensive.

[Fred L]

FilmPlus (in Toronto) had 8x10 Ilford last time I was there (number of months ago). Think Downtown Camera and Henrys still sell 4x5. Otherwise B&H if you want to save money.

[Ron Bose]

My local Henry's here in Sudbury, Ontario told me they couldn't get 4x5 film today.

I know about B&H but hoped there was another source other than Rob. I may have to persuade him to do a once a year order type of deal .....

Thanks for the responses so far. I'll check out FilmPlus ...

[Greg Y]

Ron, The Camera Store in Calgary is the western pro store & has Ilford 4x5 all the time. Unlike the stores in Toronto it also lists the films & prices. They're great folks to deal with. I've ordered without problems from Glazers in Seattle (Kodak TMY2) Canham (Kodak TMY2), B&H in NY & lately from Freestyle. Freestyle has high shipping rates to Canada but B&H is very reasonable by comparison.

[Ron Bose]

B & H have excellent shipping to Canada via Purolater.

[Greg Y]

Ron, As an example, The Camera Store charges $159 Cdn for a box of 100 sheets of Ilford Delta 100. B&H charges $130 U.S. I'm betting the credit card exchange rate & the shipping cost would make it a wash whether you order from Canada or the U.S.....but I'm betting shipping from Calgary will take less time than crossing the border from the U.S. If you're shooting 4x5 you've got lots of great options, & it is a shame that Rob S isn't able to keep up & running for paper & film sales.

[Jacques-Mtl]

Just for fun I've compare the price for a box of 100 sheets of HP5+ 4x5 between The Camera Store (149.29$) and Photo Service in Montréal and Photo Service is selling the box at 124.98$ a 25$ difference.

[Ari]

You can also try Argentix.ca

[Andrew O'Neill]

Just for fun I've compare the price for a box of 100 sheets of HP5+ 4x5 between The Camera Store (149.29$) and Photo Service in Montréal and Photo Service is selling the box at 124.98$ a 25$ difference.

Jacques, where do you see film tab at Photo Service's website? My French is pretty poor... Thanks!

[adelorenzo]

I highly recommend Beau Photo in Vancouver. That's where I order the bulk of my film, paper and chemicals. They don't normally carry a lot of sheet film but they're good about ordering anything you need.

[Ginette]

Jacques, where do you see film tab at Photo Service's website? My French is pretty poor... Thanks!

Andrew, look for the ENGLISH tab on their website!
They have also a Price Match policy.

[Ginette]

You can also try Argentix.ca
Yes this is a very good choice for experimenting others brands and for ORMD chemicals.
I look again on their website and will prepare an order soon. They now had Fotospeed products.

[Greg Y]

Ginette, Do you know if they stock 5x7" film? Their prices are indeed good & the one cost shipping is a great deal. Thank You in advance.

[Ginette]

Greg, you means Photo Service ? I don't see 5x7 online but you can contact them.
Argentix.ca have in 5x7 Arista Edu Utra 100 or 200 50 sheets 80$/86$ and Fomapan200 in 50 sheets too 105$. Jacques is also a member here ArgentixCa

[Leigh]

I buy paper locally when possible. There's a store in Baltimore that carries Ilford.

I buy film there if they have it, but they really don't stock LF, so I get that from B&H.

- Leigh

[Ginette]

Leigh, OP is from Canada so the topic is more about finding stock in Canada instead of buying from US.

[Ginette]

A question for our canadian fellows, do you buy online from Amplis? I don't understand where the stock will come from, it look like it will depend on the availability. I don't know also how the shipping and the tax will be.

[Andrew O'Neill]

Thanks Ginette! I'll do that. I've heard of Amplis but I've never ordered from them...

[AtlantaTerry]

I am curious about something. I know the original question was about buying film in Canada. But why not buy film such as Shanghai from China?

I ask because that is what I do. I buy 4x5 Shanghai from an eBay vendor in China. It arrives via US Mail in about 20 days. I have never been charged US Duties.

So why isn't that an option for Canadian photographers? And could you not order Ilford sheet film from England?

Just wondering...
Terry

[Greg Y]

Terry, You could order Ilford film from the UK....but it is already cheaper in Canada in any store....& that is not taking into account credit card exchange rates & shipping you would pay by buying from the UK

[Jacques-Mtl]

Jacques, where do you see film tab at Photo Service's website? My French is pretty poor... Thanks!
You have to click on English, then on the left click on Shopping Online, then click on ONLINE PRODUCT CATALOG, then on the left go down until you see Film, then go down again and select Ilford and Sheet B&W film and click on search. I know it is not easy to find them even in French.

[Ron Bose]

Rob emailed me this morning, he told me that any camera store who deal with the distributor Amplis can get Ilford film and paper.

I looked at the Photosource web page, found 4x5, but no 5x7 or 8x10. Hopefully they can order it.

Rob's prices were pretty good, so now I'll have to check up prices from all of the suggested sources.

Thanks all !

[lbenac]

Timely thread.
I have just been re-stocking on 4x5 anticipating further down-slide of our CAD compared to EUR and USD.
I usually buy from B&H as I find them to have the best price for both the film and the shipping to Canada (often cheaper than shipping quote within Canada) but lately there was a price increase on the Ilford film and of course our CAD having gone down so:
1) I purchased two 50 boxes of Arist.EDU (100 and 200) at less than CAD $50 each from Jacques at Argentix (will go up soon as when inventory disappear)
2) I purchased four 25 boxes of HP5 from Photo Service in Montreal (they do not have 100 box but four 25 boxes is cheaper than one 100 box from Amplis photo the distributor of Ilford in Canada - $129 versus $132)

Hopefully I like the Foma/Arista film for indoor work. I will still stick with HP5 for outdoors but I am definitely starting to pay attention to the price of film....

Cheers,

Luc

[ArgentixCa]

Hi Ladies and Gentlemen
I am very sorry to run out of time to be able to follow all these interesting posts on this site and others, and would like to tell you about the upcoming service to be available on Argentix.Ca.

It is not an easy task to keep on the shelves 'the' good brand, in 'the' good size within 'the' appropriate number of sheet per packaging.

This is why I will soon start a special order service available to Canadian and US customers.
No need to be fully registered on Argentix.Ca to use this service.
The only condition is a 15% deposit, required 5 days before the monthly deadline, to confirm your order.
Any order over 250$ CAD (excluding the applicable Canadian taxes) gets a free shipping - again Canada and USA only.

Advantages : frozen price, no import/Customs/Duties headaches for Canadian users, plain Canadian price.
About the price, I am willing to, and will, lower my margin. If this material is not sleeping on my shelves, I do not mind passing up the savings to you.

Nothing for the urgent need of material, because I will manage each order on the last Mondays of every month.
The start-up will be with pre-selected items, but I will also analyze and add to the offer items you may suggest.

My main goal, after keeping the silver-based photography alive, is to provide the optimal product freshness for items I may not keep due to special storage or unknown stock-rotation.

The products included in this offer are films, papers and specific chemicals. Not necessarily the 'big-names' but also Bergger, Rollei, Agfa, Compard, etc.
Also some material I have not seen available up here yet.

If you have any specific product you would like to get, or to share your opinions about this service, feel free to send me a line at jacques at argentix dot ca

Have a great day!
Jacques

[WayneStevenson]

Thank-you Jacques. :)

[Fred L]

another thanks here and I'll have to visit your website.

[Robert Skeoch]

I think the photographers using 4x5 film should be fine and able to get the film from a number of places.

I always felt it was important to keep the weird sizes in stock like Delta 100 in 5x7, or HP5 whole plate, 7x17 and up. I always tried to keep stock in those weird sizes even if it was just a box or two. I think those guys are going to have trouble getting film down the road. Not sure if anyone else has 4x10 in FP4, HP5 and Delta 100 in stock.

Anyway it was fun while it lasted. I'm midway through my Masters of Fine Art degree and want to concentrate on my own work for a while instead of explaining to customers which "Thumbs Up" they need for the new digital wonder.

-Rob Skeoch

[Anthony_T]

This is my first post on this forum. I couldn't help replying to the thread. I am in nearby North Bay, ON and have been setting myself up to start shooting 4x5 again after a pretty long hiatus. I spoke with Noel at our local camera store, Photometro, to see if he could get 4x5 film. He did some research and told me he could special order it. http://photometro.ca/contact-information.html

Anthony

www.automotivology.blogspot.com

[David N Docherty]

Beau Photo, Vancouver, BC www.beauphoto.com
The Lab, Vancouver, BC www.thelabvancouver.com

The Lab also provides full service film development and printing of all sizes. They specialize to the professional market and they are very good at what they do.

[Michael Wesik]

I've had a terrible time buying film and paper in Canada. Without getting into detail, the service that I've received has been nothing short of disappointing. So I now purchase everything through either BH or Fred from the View Camera Store. Fred in particular has been great.

And the Lab in Vancouver is awesome! I wouldn't take my work anywhere else.