Do you feel like a film hermit?

[Kilgallb]

I buy all my film and chemicals locally. there is even some use gear such as enlargers available. I think the local art school and journalism school help. Sometimes I need to special order large format film but I can usually do this through a camera store.

[Kobin]

I like my "local" camera store, but it's nearly an hour into town and on the third busiest street in the city. I usually go there when I have other business in the area. The overhead is high and so are the prices. Even considering shipping and handling, I spend less money buying online.

I've never had a problem buying on line. I've found packages at my stoop with chilled film inside them even in the summer. (I live at the same latitude as Algiers!). My biggest problem is the cyclic nature of inventories, such as last year when I wanted some Oreiental Seagull VCFB Warmtone and everyone was out for 4-6 months. My photo store doesn't carry Oriental, so I didn't bother going into town for it.

I'd pay a premium to be able to hold equipment in my hands and see how it works before buying it, but the used market in my area doesn't exist. I don't own a camera newer than twenty years old.

K.

[johnnywalker]

I live in a pretty remote part of B.C. The nearest photostore (actually a drug store) which used to stock chemicals, paper, film etc now doesn't carry film at all. The next-nearest place is an hour and a half drive, and has two photo stores. It's hit and miss as to what they have or even if their open when you get there. So, I'm relying on mail order more and more. Some from the U.S., some from Eastern Canada.
Certainly puts a crimp in my impulse buying, but it's ok if you can plan ahead a bit.

[Robert Hall]

Except for very some basic things, for the darkroom, I must mail order. I have had no problems.

Those of us in Salt Lake would like to point out, however, that Jason shoots very large formats, such as 8x10.

We can get anything we would like from at least 3 local vendors, and although they are also heavy into digital (and why not?) they carry a very nice supply of Ilford photo supplies at one, Kodak at another.

I can always get anything up to 4x5 but have to order larger sizes and I would, of course, need to use places like The View Camera Store (www.viewcamerastore.com (http://www.viewcamerastore.com)) for ULF and odds and ends. This is no problem because their prices are better than the local places and have more knowledge about ULF and the like.

We still have 2 of the best color labs in the west as well and the ability to get wet color prints (c4) [but who would with all that lovely black and white out there ;) ].

[markw]

Two years ago I lived in Sub-saharan Africa and I could get lots of film using postage stamps...127, Kodapak, 4x5, etc. One old guy at a photo processing shop called his younger employees around to give them a lecture on the film from my Solaris 126 cartridge...they'd never seen such perforations.

There was even Tura film available from a place in an industrial park who would send me an order (Didn't much like the film though)

Also lots of expired film in refridgerators. A coleague and I bought hundreds of boxes of 120 Neopan SS dated best before 1993 until it was all gone. The stuff was fantastic.

Now I'm in Ontario, and I see there are new brands of 126 and 127 available that weren't around 2 years ago. I also play with polaroid 4x5 when I feel rich...I didn't know it was still around. Not that I don't acknowledge an availability problem, but there are still lots of emulsions and formats that I've yet to get around to.

[Woolliscroft]

Two things I used a lot (Kodak Tech-Pan and Panalure paper) have gone completely, but otherwsie, we have two pro level dealers within 20 minutes drive and I don't have much trouble getting anything I want.

David.

[eddym]

So, what's your story? Where are you? Is it difficult to get stuff?
What would be your suggestion in improving the situation considering the analog market?
Like you, I live on an island, in my case Puerto Rico, in the Caribbean.
There is only one professional processing lab left here, and it is in San Juan, fifty miles away. They are also the only remaining source for film and camera equipment. But their business has fallen drastically, and honestly, I don't see how they are hanging on. It is a family business, and as the owner is aging, I'm sure it will disappear when he retires. They can no longer process sheet film or E6 roll film; I have to send it to the States. They stock a very limited supply of color film, and almost no B&W. I bought a few rolls of Portra the other day, and one of the employees joked about it, asking me if I were buying it "just for old time's sake."

I buy most of my supplies and all my B&W film and paper from the States, mostly from Calumet, and some from B&H. USPS Shipping is prompt from both, and orders arrive in 3-5 days. The postage amounts to about 10-20% of the cost of the merchandise, depending on what I order and how much.

As for improving the analog market, I have no suggestions except to keep shooting and try to convince others to do the same. If the demand is there for film, paper, and cameras, someone will supply it.

[Craig Griffiths]

It has gotten to the stage here that there are only 2 places in town that sell large format film (4x5). When they do have stock the range is limited, and the cost is extremely high. If they dont have what I want, it takes me less time to order and get it delivered from the US than to order what I want locally and wait for delivery. The price is usually only 20-30% of what I pay locally too. 35mm and 120 film I buy locally as there seems to be a greater availability, and I havent had to order stock in as yet. The price is also greater than the cost of an order from the US.
They do usually stock basic chemistry though. As a result I buy my chemistry locally. If I cant get the chemistry I want locally, I buy from interstate and get it shipped.

Black and White paper is also ordered from the US due to the availability problem and also in some cases to price differences.

If there was a place locally where I could rely on supply I would use it even though the cost is higher. I only started ordering overseas when I couldnt get stock locally.

[Steve Smith]

I can get a fairly good supply of Ilford films, paper and chemicals from our local Jessops which is a bit of a surprise since I live on a small island of the south coast of England. There are also two independent shops which are 99% digital which also have Ilford stuff but at about twice the Jessops price which is a shame because I would prefer to use a local shop if possible.

I have bought film by mail order with no problems but I wouldn't expect UK to UK delivery to be a problem or expensive.

Steve.

[gr82bart]

I've never had a problem getting or processing film and certainly don't feel like a hermit. I get out a lot too and speak with other humans in person. That helps.

Regards, Art.

[PatTrent]

There is no local film or photo store here. I have to drive at least 2 hours to find one! I live in a city of 30,000 people, surrounded by cities of the same size, and there are only "photo departments" in the numerous Big Box stores, but no real photo/film store. The only film available at all is consumer color neg, and darkroom stuff?--Forget it!

So it's mail order for everything. The good news is that I have never had a problem with mail order, and if I want to pay the extra cost, I can have it overnight. I usually use regular ground shipping though.

Pat

[PhotoJim]

I have a decent local store. They don't stock much of what I want, unfortunately, but I can get reasonably-priced Ilford RC paper in 8x10 and 5x7 size quite easily. 11x14 they order for me. They have single 35mm and 120 rolls of most good b&w films but the 100'/30.5m spools have to be ordered most of the time. Still, it only takes two or three days (they tend to have it in their warehouse in Winnipeg) so it's fast enough, and the pricing is very reasonable. Fibre paper sometimes takes a little longer but at least I know it's fresh, in that case.

As for chemistry, I'm making most of my own now. I do get my rapid fixer from my dealer. They stock small bottles but they order the 5L jugs that I like. I just order a little before I need it. It isn't so bad.

I used to get my E6 film from the local dealer (I still do if I'm under duress) but it's a lot cheaper to mail order it from B&H now, despite the heavy cost of shipping it to Canada, so I get huge orders every year or so and that helps to keep the cost of the shipping reasonable.

I buy very little in the way of photographic consumables on impulse, so having to plan ahead a little is okay. I tend to have too much so it's rare that I actually run out. If anything, I need to have a printing frenzy and use some of my paper up.

[Uncle Bill]

I am fortunate to live in Greater Toronto where there is a couple of decent camera stores that still have a darkroom section. I have ordered 35mm film from JanC in the past with no issues, I hope they re-open and still carry Adox in 35mm. A fair chunk of my gear is bought off planet Ebay and local camera shows. I so I do a bit of mail order and some keeping the local guys going.

Bill

[arigram]

So I guess, the vocal members of APUG are only the spoilt north americans and brits. Oh, well, I was expecting some interesting tale, I guess people can't lose the opportunity to declare how lucky they are.

[Erik Petersson]

So I guess, the vocal members of APUG are only the spoilt north americans and brits. Oh, well, I was expecting some interesting tale, I guess people can't lose the opportunity to declare how lucky they are.

I am not one of them, just a spoiled Swede. But I live in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, where everything is hard to get. If you dont ask anyone of the thousands and thousands of seasonals workers to bring it from Moscow of course, where they go to toil on construction sites. I am sure everything can be arranged against an appropriate fee.

Locally there are dozens of mini labs that do C-41, but they will not return any film without unsubtly scratching it and placing large finger prints on the best frames.

Myself I buy lots of film when I am abroad (Moscow, Istanbul, Stockholm), and try not to develop it here, but sometimes I do so anyway.

[Cooki]

Fortunately I work in the photo supply store and I am the guy who orders film. 135, 120, sheet, Kodachrome. The only problem is those digitally blinded ninnies at the purchasing department occasionally need the sharp stick in the eye treatment to get them moving down the true path.

[Paul Howell]

Here in Phoenix, at one time I was able to purhase all of my supplies, hardware, paper, chemstray from one of 4 or 5 photo shops. We are down to 2 full service shops, very little hardware although both will order, Illford paper some Forte at one shop, both with a differnt selection of chem. Over the past 2 or 3 years I have been buying more and more from mail order or the internet. I expect that over time even large cities like Phoenix (6th or 5th in the US) supplies will continue to decline. For me the loss is not having as many sales persons who can give advise or even answer questions about product.

[Roger Hicks]

So I guess, the vocal members of APUG are only the spoilt north americans and brits. Oh, well, I was expecting some interesting tale, I guess people can't lose the opportunity to declare how lucky they are.

Dear Aristotelis,

What actually happens if you ordr from one of the UK companies? Have you tried it?

The delay might be longer, and in summer, the film might get hotter. So ORDER NOW.

Or am I missing the point? (Entirely possible)

Cheers,

R.

[iliks]

So I guess, the vocal members of APUG are only the spoilt north americans and brits. Oh, well, I was expecting some interesting tale, I guess people can't lose the opportunity to declare how lucky they are.
You wanted a tale and now you'll get one :)
I live in a 3rd largest city in Russia, population-wise (1,4mln). It's named Novosibirsk. The fact is, the film is almost 99% dead here and all business is digital. You can buy any of the latest top dSLR's and accessories for them, but you can't, for example, buy a single roll of slide film - it's simply not sold and not comercially processed here. Next, 120 format is completely absent and unheard of. There's just one small firm that can process C41 120 films - provided you have them, because 120 film is not sold here :) I'm not even talking about larger formats. In fact, there's no professional film lab in the whole 1.4 million city!

The problem with film in Russia is that almost everything is in Moscow. But, unlike your story about Crete/Greece, Moscow is 3000km from me and it takes 2 complete days just to get there by train or 4 hours by flight (in one direction). Both ways will cost you about half of your 'normal' average salary (for many, many people it would be even bigger part of their salaries).

Mail orders are also hard, there's just one store that sells chemicals over internet and Russian post also leaves much to be desired. I don't know of any e-shops that will send you film.

So, to sum it up, messing with film in parts of Russia that are far from Moscow is complete insanity nowadays. Yes, I am insane :)

[arigram]

Dear Aristotelis,

What actually happens if you ordr from one of the UK companies? Have you tried it?

The delay might be longer, and in summer, the film might get hotter. So ORDER NOW.

Or am I missing the point? (Entirely possible)

Cheers,

R.

I have ordered a few times from UK companies, including Robert Hall, RH Designs, Kentmere and Amazon UK. I have stated more than once that I don't like the "overseas" shipping charges (there is a bloody tunnel under the Channel and for one, no one charges "overseas" for Crete) but delivery is fast and reliable. The difference is that Fotoimpex for example has a flat rate throughout Europe and the UK companies only offer such inside the british islands. In that respect, delivery of heavy items is very cost prohibitive and feels like the UK is not European territory.
But we digress.