Where do you buy your film? [Archive] - Large Format Photography Forum

jdaivpmed

1-Sep-2009, 13:29

Good Afternoon Everyone,

As I get back into the swing of LF I find that I'm burning through a reasonable amout of film in an attempt to regain my "feel" for my equipment. I'm wondering where you all find the best film prices.

I normally would go local to try to support the one camera shop we have here in town, but the only thing they carry is T-Max 100 and 400 and they usually only have one box in stock at any given time. Even that is only in 4x5, they don't carry anything at all in 8x10.

I would like to branch out and try some Efke / Adox or Ilford imulsions but in general I'm most interested in finding the best prices out there.

Thanks,

John

Colin Corneau

1-Sep-2009, 13:37

http://www.darkroomcentral.ca/

Terrific service from people dedicated to traditional.

Freestyle also has among the widest, if not THE widest, selection and do a lot of work online/mail order.

redrockcoulee

1-Sep-2009, 13:46

I cannot buy locally simply as neither MF nor LF is available and it has most likely been decades since LF was carried in stock locally due to size of city, just glad I can still get E6 done locally. Otherwise I buy my film either at theCameraStore in Calgary as for me it is only 3 hours drive so in some ways it is local or from BigCameraWorkshops in Ontario (only once but just cause I do not need any since). I have ordered from Freestyle but had them deliver to me when I was travelling in the States. Personally I do not spend enough money on film to worry about the absolute best price as I want businesses close to me to be available in the future. Having said that Adox film is very much cheaper and it may be very worth while to try it out.

As an aside I notice that Freestyle does not list Whole Plate film and that is one size I thought of trying Adox with.

John Kasaian

1-Sep-2009, 14:04

I cannot buy 8x10 locally either, Unless you are in a major metro area it is likely that you're going to be in the same boat.

Freestyle (Arista .eduUltra branded Fomapan,) Badger Graphic (Ilford, Kodak), and B and H work for me. I don't know if Photo Warehouse is currently cutting their Ultrafine sheet film but they are worth checking out (I shot as lot of the stuff when it was rebranded Ilford) Also MrFoto has (had?) dated frozen Kodak aerial film on 5" rolls which you can cut yourself...beautiful stuff and very inexpensive if you're after 5x7 or 4x5 film. Unfortunately cutting
the 9.5" rolls down to 8x10 is a wee bit beyond my tolerance for blood loss. You can usually find him on ebay.

Good luck!

William McEwen

1-Sep-2009, 14:11

I've always been happy with www.calumetphoto.com.

BTW, the only "real" camera store in Dallas, Competitive Cameras, no longer stocks any film at all.

Ari

1-Sep-2009, 14:15

I buy Shanghai film from a guy on Ebay. Good emulsion, very good prices. It still has a way to go in terms of quality control, but if you're looking to practice, it's one of the best values out there.
Search "Shanghai 4x5" on Ebay, and you'll find it.

rdenney

1-Sep-2009, 14:37

I just bought a box of Velvia Quickloads and found that B&H was cheaper than Freestyle, this time. But I have bought from both.

Rick "who buys roll film from B&H, but whose freezer is already full" Denney

rphenning

1-Sep-2009, 14:52

freestyle is about an hour away from me with traffic so....freestyle even if B&H is less expensive. I like the kids that work at freestyle.

Ron Marshall

1-Sep-2009, 18:41

Freestyle Photo or Badger Graphics or B&H Photo Video or Calumet

MIke Sherck

1-Sep-2009, 18:55

If my local camera store has the film I want in stock I buy from them: they still carry some 4x5, 120 and 35mm. If I need 8x10 film or if Gene's is empty I'm happy to order from Freestyle.

Arne Croell

1-Sep-2009, 19:31

Freestyle
Badger Graphic
Calumet Photo
B+H
(in that order) when I'm in the US

Fotoimpex
Phototec
and a local store in Freiburg (Vario-Foto)
when I'm in Germany

Jim Edmond

1-Sep-2009, 19:50

Freestyle

jeroldharter

1-Sep-2009, 19:51

I always buy my film from Calumet. It costs a few dollars more than B&H but the service is great and I receive the film on the second business day from the order so there is less time for any weather mischief.

Frank Petronio

1-Sep-2009, 20:57

I like Freestyle, they have everything.

But I just bought a single sentimental roll of Kodachrome from B&H.

But what I find funny is that here in Rochester, the "pro" camera shop had eight rolls of Kodak Gold and TMY in stock. I used to buy thousands of dollars of film there.... and you can see Kodak Park from the doorway.

jdaivpmed

1-Sep-2009, 21:12

Thanks to everyone for your replies... I just wanted to make sure that I hadn't been missing someplace with great deals! Right now I'm using Freestyle for most of my film orders and it looks like I'll be sticking with them.

I did find that Digitaltruth has a little better prices on their Kodak products, but not enough to justify splitting up an order. Aside from that they look to be priced to the penny with Freestyle!

I'm in San Antonio, TX - we're now the seventh largest city in the country so you would think that a person could at least buy a ten pack of 8x10 TMX locally, but no such luck! Hmmm... maybe I need to get some dealership agreements and start my own shop. Then again, there's probably a reason no one else in SA is selling LF film anymore.

Thanks again,

John IV

Mike1234

1-Sep-2009, 21:30

Hey John,

I'm in Converse. SATX may be the 7th largest city now but the demographics are... well, we're in south Texas.

Mike

Jay Decker

1-Sep-2009, 21:35

Had a great experience purchasing a few boxes of 8x10 film from www.justfilmsf.com. The service was helpful and fast, my film was shipped the same day, and the price was very competitive.

Merg Ross

1-Sep-2009, 21:36

Freestyle, for twenty-five years. It is at my door in two days, without fail. Excellent service and selection. Before that, always the local supplier across town until digital became popular and his film choices were sacrificed as a result.

David Karp

1-Sep-2009, 21:46

Freestyle.

Roger Thoms

1-Sep-2009, 21:52

Don't forget The View Camera Store ( http://www.viewcamerastore.com/ ) Fred has always been great to deal with.

Roger

Jim C.

1-Sep-2009, 23:14

B&H and Adorama, depending on where I'm traveling in the Manhattan and
if they're on the way to where I'm going.

Jim Graves

1-Sep-2009, 23:15

Freestyle

pablo batt

2-Sep-2009, 03:27

fotoimpex.com

bobwysiwyg

2-Sep-2009, 03:43

Huron Camera in Dexter, MI. Trying to help keep them in business, the only real camera store in the area anymore.

Dave - Landscapes

2-Sep-2009, 05:57

Limited opportunities here in Australia and prices are high especially for Quickloads. So - I import from Forum members where possible and one source in the US that no one has mentioned - Hunt's Photo Video. May not be the cheapest but service over a couple of years has been great.

BradS

2-Sep-2009, 09:24

about 90% from Freestyle

the remaining 10% from:
Keeble & Shuchat (local)
BadgerGraphic
Calumet (also more-or-less local)

on very rare occasions from:
Bad Headache and Adorama.

77seriesiii

2-Sep-2009, 09:30

Within the US:
freestyle
B&H
view camera
badgergraphic

Germany:
www.macodirect.de

Erick

Mike V

2-Sep-2009, 09:49

I like to buy from the smaller retailer as opposed to a big name like Calumet. I find Calumet to be snobs frankly and unless your known to them they ignore you. Hey maybe its part of the application to work there?! Anyway I prefer to support a small local shop in my town called PFD. They have a small uni on the edge of town and its just like a treasure trove. Every shelf filled with bits and bobs from all formats. Plenty of choice for film which is of course refrigerated. Oh and you get the ability to barter and student discount!

rdenney

2-Sep-2009, 10:00

I'm in San Antonio, TX - we're now the seventh largest city in the country so you would think that a person could at least buy a ten pack of 8x10 TMX locally, but no such luck!

San Antonio is the 7th-largest municipality, but not the 7th-largest metropolitan area. On that list, it's about 30th.

And, yes, it's South Texas, a mixing but not merging of Hispanic and German cultures.

When I lived there up until 1993, I always bought my stuff at Camera Exchange. But I was able to buy roll film and sheet film here in Virginia when I moved here in '98, and now I can't, so I don't doubt that Camera Exchange no longer carries that stuff.

Rick "missing his years in San Antonio" Denney

Mike1234

2-Sep-2009, 10:40

Rick,

I didn't mean ethnicity. I meant education level.

Mike

Pat Kearns

2-Sep-2009, 10:46

All of my film is purchased mail order usually from B & H because my local "Imaging Centers" only stock a few rolls of 35mm Fuji film. Sheet or 120/220 film.....HA, not on your life.

mxttr0

2-Sep-2009, 11:40

In Europe, via macodirect.de. In the US, freestyle.

-M

Brad Rippe

2-Sep-2009, 11:46

I second the mention of Justfilmsf.com. in San Francisco.
Volker is great to deal with.
415-864-0665.
I was looking for Fuji Acros last year and called Calumet (San Francisco), another great place, and Calumet referred me to Just Film!
-Brad

tgtaylor

2-Sep-2009, 12:16

For the past few years I have been purchasing Fuji Acros sheet film from Badger Graphics in Wisconsin and I highly recommend them. Jeff is a great person to work with.

For Tmax and Fuji 160C/S I usually go the the local Calumet store in SF.

For 120 Ilford 200SFX, I have been getting it from K&S in Palo Alto. I placed my first order with Freestyle a couple of weeks ago for Rollie 4x5 IR and was impressed with the service and speed of delivery and will be ordering from them again.

rdenney

2-Sep-2009, 12:19

I didn't mean ethnicity. I meant education level.

I meant cultural differences as they play out in day-to-day life, including that of artists. I lived there a number of years and you know the examples as well as I do. For me, the difference was an appreciation for rules rather than negotiation, with one group preferring the former and the other preferring the latter. But the cultural dedications of both groups were still important.

And it's not related to education level, at least not that I could tell.

There is no question that San Antonio is a low-income city on the whole. But there was a large enough population of wealthy people to support a lively cultural arts scene at least when I lived there, and all the populations in San Antonio seemed willing to appreciate it. The best photography exhibit I ever saw was at the McNay Art Museum in Alamo Heights; what a wonderful cozy space for viewing smallish prints by Adams, Strand, Stieglitz, Lange, and so on. The San Antonio Symphony consistently exceeds the expectations of its budget. I always thought that the culture in San Antonio was more built in than built on. People from San Antonio are from somewhere--here in northern Virginia (and Dallas was the same way) people come and go with little regard for the place.

So, (getting back to the thread) I would expect a better chance of finding a good stock of large-format film in a store there than here (northern Virginia), despite that it is South Texas, and despite that it's a smaller metro area.

Rick "wondering if the Austin sources have also dried up" Denney

sanchi heuser

2-Sep-2009, 12:23

I buy local at my favored lab

www.hsldigital.de

What they don't have in the fridge they can order fast.
It's ten minutes from my home with bicycle:cool:

sanchi

Robert Hughes

2-Sep-2009, 13:06

I just bought some 8x10 ortho x-ray film at CXS Online, per the X-ray film thread.

As for San Antonio, anybody near there should check out the Southwest School of Arts & Craft (http://www.swschool.org/). I used to have friends on faculty there, it's a great arts resource.

wclavey

3-Sep-2009, 13:14

I'm in San Antonio, TX - we're now the seventh largest city in the country so you would think that a person could at least buy a ten pack of 8x10 TMX locally, but no such luck! Hmmm... maybe I need to get some dealership agreements and start my own shop. Then again, there's probably a reason no one else in SA is selling LF film anymore.

Here in East TX (Houston) we have Camera Co-op, who does carry a small selection of 4x5, provided they haven't been cleaned out by the back-to-college crowd, but I have never checked on 8x10. Other than that, it is the usual suspects, already named above...

jdaivpmed

3-Sep-2009, 13:28

San Antonio is the 7th-largest municipality, but not the 7th-largest metropolitan area. On that list, it's about 30th.

Rick,

You're correct San Antonio is 7th largest by population, 15th largest in terms of geographic area, and 28th largest when compared as an overall metroplex. By anyone's definition it's big and as such I feel they should sell BIG film here?

I mean come on... this is Texas right?

John IV

rdenney

3-Sep-2009, 13:54

You're correct San Antonio is 7th largest by population, 15th largest in terms of geographic area, and 28th largest when compared as an overall metroplex. By anyone's definition it's big and as such I feel they should sell BIG film here?

I now live in the DC area, and there's nobody within easy reach of me that sells big film. I can't even find a decent selection of roll film. And we are 9th in metro area size, or something like that. I think the era of cities providing broad services just because they are big is gone.

Rick "thinking San Antonio never bought into the 'Texas is big' thing" Denney

Mike1234

3-Sep-2009, 13:58

Texas... B-I-G on attitude... >>small<< on film. :D

wclavey

3-Sep-2009, 14:52

Rick, I love your signature lines... always keeps me wondering when I see your posts what the next one will be!

Gary L. Quay

4-Sep-2009, 00:59

I use a number of places:

Locally, I buy from Citizen's Photo, Blue Moon Camera, and Pro Photo Supply. All three stock LF films.

When I want more unusual films such as Adox, Foma, and Efke I buy from either www.digitaltruth.com or www.freestylephot.biz. I bought my Whole Plate film from Glazers in Seattle, but they won't be carrying any more.

--Gary

Robert Hughes

5-Sep-2009, 10:17

Texas... B-I-G on attitude... >>small<< on film. :D
Yeah, they probably make a lot of use of compensating developers down there, heh :p

Santo Roman

5-Sep-2009, 12:16

I've been buying form BH. They seem to keep the prices down and they always have Ilford in all sizes in.

Santo

Hector.Navarro

6-Sep-2009, 16:48

Freestyle

jnantz

6-Sep-2009, 17:32

i haven't bought film in a while
but the last times i bought
it was from

freestyle
b/h
(j&c)
mrfoto1 / ed
expiredfilm from friends
and expired paper from friends
( paper negs )

xichlo

4-Apr-2010, 08:26

Andre Noble

4-Apr-2010, 08:52

B&H
Calumet
Freestyle
Samy's Camera (L.A.)
Bel Air Camera (Westwood)
A&I (Hollywood)
CVS drug store

imagedowser

4-Apr-2010, 09:09

B&H is good for many things, but photo consumables like film, paper, chemistry they have been less than convenient. Have bought paper that was 4 years old(they claimed to have just gotten it in), so many chemicals they wont ship, it's not funny, as far as film is concerned, Freestyle has a better selection and for us NY'ers no 8+% sales tax.

ethics_gradient

4-Apr-2010, 09:33

For the last 2 years, I bought everything from Freestyle, 35mm, 120, 4x5 film, chemicals, paper etc. I moved up to shoot 8x10 now, and i do a little research and found out that Adorama sells 8x10 Ilford FP4+ for $79 , and Freestyle sells 8x10 Ilford FP4+ for $97. It's almost $20 more. I did more comparison and found out almost everything that I like is cheaper for example Fuji Acros 120, HC-110. I may stay with freestyle for 120, chemicals because the cost difference is not too much, but for 8x10 film I may have to go with Adorama.

I was surprised at the difference too. I do like the Arista films though, and it's often convenient to throw something smaller in the order (like developer/fixer, negative sleeves, etc) rather than save a few pennies elsewhere. Will probably get my Combi-plan and a few other things from Adorama this week though, prices are lower.

Thebes

7-Apr-2010, 11:54

I get film and paper lately from Adorama or Freestyle. Often I find Adorama has it cheaper if they have what I need, but not cheaper enough to split up an order. I've gotten several excellent deals on used equipment from them too.

"Locally", meaning in Santa Fe or Albuquerque if I stop in at Camera and Darkroom I might get a bit of film there, I like to see them keep it in stock but its overpriced and such a small selection.

My chemistry has been coming from Bostick and Sullivan or Adorama with a preference for B&S if they have what I need since they are local (I guess out West one might call a 2 1/2 hour drive local).

engl

21-Apr-2010, 12:16

Not from experience (since Ive yet to receive my first LF camera), but looking around and comparing prices it seems that macodirekt.de has the best prices and selection in Europe. Ive read good things about them.

Living in Japan previously I had the luxury of using the Yodobashi stores for 35/MF film. Good prices, and some pictures should explain the charm of the place:
http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=yodobashi+film

A single 120 roll of Neopan 100/400 costs 3.5$ there, as opposed to 10$ (!) over counter in Sweden...