Photo supplies in Mexico???

[Don Dudenbostel]

My wife and I are considering retiring in Merida Mexico. Are there any photo suppliers that carry photographic film and particularly LF from 4x5 to 8x10 and photo paper such as Ilford WT DW? My guess is most supplies will have to be ordered from Calumet or B&H in the US.

Another question to residents, any issues with bringing or owning cameras, darkroom equipment etc. in Mexico. I have to do some thorough research due to continuing producing work for my art gallery sales.

Much thanks!

[Bosaiya]

I'd check around some of the ex-pat forums. they get pretty specific and seem very helpful. I'd be surprised if they didn't go to the stores themselves and report back.

[Hector.Navarro]

Hello Don,

I live in Hermosillo, Sonora state. Here is my experience with your issues:

I have had film & paper shipped from USA about 3 times, and only once I had a small box of 5x7 paper opened by customs and fogged. I now buy paper and film in Tucson AZ, but these small shops never stock 16x20 paper and usually have only just a couple of 4x5 film boxes available.

I am considering ordering from a well regarded store in Mexico city "Foto Regis" (they have a lousy flashy site at fotoregis.com) and in their site they list a store in Yucatan, you may want to contact them.

The issue of importing photographic equipment is not a big deal when shipping, when I bought my camera off ebay (adorama), the carrier (UPS) handled all the paperwork and taxes, and I only had to pay back the taxes to UPS when they delivered at my door. Pretty simple actually.

Last year I bought a beseler 45 and related equipment in Arizona. Went to pick it up and imported it on the way back. There are small custom broker agents at the entry points in Mexico, but paperwork is slow and do not handle much stuff, they had to consult if I could import such equipment and was cleared, but if not, I would had to go back to Arizona with everything and get it managed by a customs broker (it would have been a real PITA).

Regarding the darkroom, you are in total freedom. No permit, no nothing. There are so few that is not an issue. I do not think Yucatan is any different.

If you need more info, let me know.

[claudiocambon]

There were pretty detailed posts from Jorge Gasteaorzo about how customs likes to open just about everything from paper to exposed film, which makes shipping these things impractical. If you do a search under my name, you may find a thread in which I asked about shipping film from Mexico to the US, and he responded.

[Chris Pandino]

The Customs rule is; one camera, related photographic accessories and twelve rolls per person allowed without a permit or taxes. It is possible to bring in multiple cameras and darkroom equipment on a pedimento. It is a permit that must be executed on entry and canceled upon departure. Equipment that does not exit upon cancelation is taxed (nationalized.) It might need to be renewed with your visa each year. I'm not sure.

I definitely would NOT have paper, sheet film or even 120 shipped from abroad. The customs people will very likely fog your stuff.

It's nowhere near Merida, but there is a distributor in north México called Direchisa (http://www.direchisa.com/inicio.html). I have walked in on multiple occasions and bought fresh 4x5 and 5x7 Tri-X and whatever darkroom chemistry I need. Not many places like that anymore in ANY part of the world...

They may be willing to ship to you, or direct you to the distributor for your area. They supply Kodak and Fuji products, but had no 8x10 the last time I asked.

Another possibility I found online is Laboratorios Julio (http://www.laboratoriosjulio.com/index.php), although I have no experience with them. Their site says they have film, paper and chemicals.

And there's always Kodak (http://wwwmx.kodak.com/MX/es/nav/). They should be able to point you in the right direction for at least some of your needs.

[sanking]

I was not aware of this Customs rule and always take two or three cameras with me when I travel to Mexico by air, and dozens of rolls of film (or a couple of hundred sheets of film). Fact is I have never had any of my equipment inspected either entering or leaving Mexico, except by the TSA equivalents who inspect baggage. Since the permit for multiple cameras is executed on entry I am assuming that is what I would have to do if someone did inspect my baggage and note the multiple cameras and excess of film.

Perhaps inspections might be more thorough if one enters or exits the country by the land route.

Sandy King


The Customs rule is; one camera, related photographic accessories and twelve rolls per person allowed without a permit or taxes. It is possible to bring in multiple cameras and darkroom equipment on a pedimento. It is a permit that must be executed on entry and canceled upon departure. Equipment that does not exit upon cancelation is taxed (nationalized.) It might need to be renewed with your visa each year. I'm not sure.

[Jason Greenberg Motamedi]

I lived in Guadalajara on an extended Sabbatical. I found it easy (and cheap) to obtain 4x5 and 5x7 TriX 320 from Laboratorios Julio. I never managed to find 8x10 film of any sort locally, and the camera stores I dealt with were not willing to try to special order it. I had friends hand carry me boxes when ever I needed. I never bought paper, but Ilford seemed plentiful.

Regarding bringing in equipment: if you get an FM3 visa--a nonworking one year visa--you can also get a menaje de casa, basically a list of goods which you will be temporarily importing. I brought a van full of household, photo equipment, and painting supplies, and no one ever blinked. Just let the drug-dogs to their sniff, and you are on your way.

Also, for what ever it is worth, Mexican customs never paid any attention to my view cameras, they are far more interested in digital cameras and computers.

[Chris Pandino]

Sandy,
It is no different by land. I was merely stating the official ruling. In practice, they are usually pretty lax about the cameras and film.

I don't declare my equipment, but usually have a note written in spanish about light sensitivity and opening only in total darkness taped around my sheet film. I do this just in case they get curious and want to peek inside.

[claudiocambon]

Sandy,

I have never been hassled either carrying the stuff in person, whether by land or air. It's just that customs and the shipping companies are sticklers about what gets shipped in and out. Too bad they can't use that meticulousness to find all the drugs...

[Don Dudenbostel]

Thanks everyone. I've been investigating the issues of the move but have found little to no information on film / photo supply availability other than your very helpful information. This takes dome of the fear out of any issues getting supplies. As far as importing my cameras I would'nt imagine the duties if levied would be that high although I could be wrong. MY wife is a painter and now I need to locate painting supplies. I suspect oil paint and supplies would be very easy to locate.

Thanks for your help!

[Jeff Bannow]

Don,

No info on film supplies, but I wanted to say that Merida is a great city. We loved the local mayan cuisine in the region, and Merida is nice and modern (they even had a Costco if I remember correctly.)

We spent 2 weeks in the Yucatan, starting in on the east coast and ending in Merida. The local people were very friendly, and the ruin sites were amazing to photograph.

Good luck with the move!

[Don Dudenbostel]

Thanks for the comments on the region and people. Everything tells me that the people are fantastic and the city and area are equally great.

My wife and I are going down for a few weeks this summer and staying with friends. Our friends restore old historic colonials and live in one. We want to start looking at some of these restored colonials in the central city and thoroughly check out the area. There's a lot to be done before making such a move and probably won't actually do it for a couple of years. We have to do a couple of things to our house here in the states and hold off selling it until the market picks up some. We live in a very desirable neighborhood and homes are selling but prices aren't up to what we would get in a year or two. I'm not quite psychologically prepared for a big hit on my house. Prices of homes are quite reasonable in Merida compared to here and see them dropping in price every time I look at the realty sites. I don't think there's going to be a rush on homes in Mexico for a few years. Anyway, there's so much to do in preparation for such a move and a much to think about and plan. I have been in my the town where I live for fifty seven years and haven't made but one major move when I closed my 6000 sqft studio and moved it and my home the same week. That's nuts!!! I'm sixty years old and am not in a major rush and want to do things right to keep the headaches to a minimum.

Thanks for everyones help.

[Jason Greenberg Motamedi]

suspect oil paint and supplies would be very easy to locate.

Don't be so sure. The Mexican made oils--I can't remember the brand--my wife bought were awful, and the imported ones were very expensive. We also have a very hard time finding any media other than linseed oil. So, if you wife is as obsessive as mine about her oils and media (almost as much as a photographer is about their film and paper...), you may need to either dish out for imported or bring them in with you.

[Don Dudenbostel]

My wife and I are very obsessive about out supplies. She's very particular about brushes, paint and media but we'll be back in the states every year at least once or twice and can ship supplies to ourselves plus I have two brothers back here and my wife has a sister in law that's a full time painter that can ship to us. It might be a little less convenient but it can be done.

Do you have a name or two for art supplies in Mexico.

I assume you live in Mexico??

Thanks