Large Format in Paris?

Are there any shops in Paris that specialize in large format film and

equipment?

Hi ,

 

Paris is not a really great place for Large format, compare to New york or other USA city.

But there is a shop called "Le grand fromat" on the boulevard beaumarchais , tube station "Bastille" or "chemin vert" http://www.legrandformat.com/ . But price are truely expensive compare to us price (about twice or 3 time the US Price ).

There is also some second hand but the large formart french market is not as develop as the american one.

 

There is also a place called "BIP" , they're closed to paris in the near surburb of porte d'orlean. http://www.bipphoto.com/

 

 

for film a good place is Prophot www.prophot.fr , there are other place specilased for pro but I don't recall their name.

regards

Le Grande Format is a well-known one. I can look up the address (or at least, the name of the street it's on) when I get home if you like.

I just finished photographing an upcoming book called "1000 Paris

Buildings", so this thread is definatly up my alley!!! I lived and

worked there for 4 months, and got to know the photo scene pretty

well.

 

Le Grand Format is a great store!!! I found the prices A LOT cheaper

than the USA. I bought a Sinar Pan Tilt Head for $240 (euro was the

same as the dollar at that point) which goes for $500 in NYC, a 4x5

Sinar Fresnel for $45 ($100 in NYC), Current Sinar Lens Boards for $20

($75-$85 in NYC).

 

Some other prices while I was there:

 

5x7 sinar norma with reducing back to 4x5 - $800

 

8x10 Sinar P2 with case, polaroid processor, 10 film holders and

extension rail, camera was as new it sold for $4700 (same thing

recently sold at Fotocare in NYC for $10,000!!!)

 

5x7 Rittreck (early Wista) Field w/150 Symmar and Reducing Back-$750

 

Linhof Tech IV 4x5-$1000

 

Paubel Peco Profia 5x7 with redusing back and extension rail-$450

 

The are heavy into Monorails at the store, Photography is very

expensive film and processing wise in Paris (There is a 20% Tax on

Film!!!) and e6 and c41 procssing for 4x5 sheet film is in the range

of $5.00 per sheet!!! ($1.75 in NYC).

 

Le Grand Format, does not really sell film, there is another store

down the street towards the bastille that just sells film and paper.

They stock 4x5 film in black and white and color, but had a very

limited choice of 8x10. Film, is not much more (before the 20% tax

that is!!!) but Polaroid is ridiculusly expensive. A box of type 54 is

between $40-$45 in NYC, it is between $58-$65 in Paris.

 

Also, make sure to check out Maison du Leica, which is right next

store to Le Grande Format. The salesman there speaks perfect English

(if that is what you only speak) and they have a lot of interesting

items.

 

you can go to www.legrandeformat.com and check out there stock and

hours.

 

The other stores around Le Grande Format (which is located in what you

could call the "photo district") have very little large format

equipment, but there is some stuff to be found. You will see stuff we

just don't see in the USA all the time, like Technika Press 70 Outfits

in the window of store, or Icarex 35mm Systems, etc. It is definatly

worth it to browse!!!

 

I can not recommend Le Grande Format with any more enthusiam!!! They

really helped me out when I had equipment that broke, and I was 4000

miles from home.

 

Tell them the shabby New Yorker with the Sideburns and the translator

sent y

Lot's of shops on Blvd. Beaumarchais or Blvd des Filles-du-Calvaire......don't miss Maison du Leica, Metro - Chemin Vert..also across the street from the Harley shop in Paris where you can get those lovely $38.00US/�36.00 T-Shirts for all the gang back home. Best lab for E-6 is "Picto" near the Bastille - 5 min walk...

Good Luck.....FWB

James: can you give any details about your book. Publication, price, etc? TIA.

I bet gitzo tripods are less expensive in Paris!

Great to hear. I too am off to Amsterdam and Paris next week, along with my new used Wisner 4x5!

 

As long as on topic, I need, and don't have time to get before departure, a step down ring. Any good photo stores in Amsterdam you guys know of?

The book 1000 Paris Buildings, is slated for publication this

fall-should hit the stores around Sept.-Oct. It will cost around

$35.00 and will be around 600 pgs, black and white hardcover. it is

published by black dog and leventhal www.bdlev.com.

 

We also did a book titled 1000 New York buildings (the photographers

on the new york book were Jorg Brockmann and Eric Freeland in addition

to myself, but only Jorg is credited on the cover) I photographed all

of Staten Island, Most of Brooklyn, and some shots in Harlem and the

Bronx. I am reallly proud of the shot of CCNY which is in Harlem if

anyone cares to check it out.

 

Both books were photographed with Sinar F2 cameras, on APX 100 with

the following optics, 72mm, 90mm, 120mm, 180mm, 240mm, 300mm, 600mm.

We also used a 58mm, 65mm, and 47mm on the New York Book.

 

The books were photographed on VERY tight deadlines 1000 buildings in

FOUR months for both of them, our best days we did 25+ a day, EACH!!!!

 

Thats a lot of buildings to shoot a day with 4x5!!!

 

Paris was interesting, but harder to do-there is more problems with

using tripods on streets there as opposed to NYC. Plus, there is way

way way way more redtape and everyone is in expert in the "law" over

there. For publication, you must have permission from the owner of

the building and if the building is under 75 years old you must the

permission from either the architect or the architect's estate. In

NYC, if you can see it from the street-it is legal domain to take a

photograph for non-advertising usage.

 

Altough, the 75 year and under law is technically on the books in the

USA, (there was a whole article about it in PICTURE magazine last

year) no architect has yet brought suit against a photographer and/or

publisher regarding the copyright of his or her design. Actually the

way the law is written if you even wish to make alterations to the

design, you must seek written permission from the architect. If the

architect has decided that you have "comprimised" his/her design they

have legal grounds to sue you for "copyright" infrignment unless this

was previosly discussed in a contract.

 

So, to sum it up the article stated that it might be a good idea to

get releases from the architect of any "newer" building you may have

photographed.

 

I hope some of you decide to check out the Paris book when it debuts,

and give me some feedback about what you think.

 

Thanks

James, I signed up for notification at Amizon when it arrives. It will be interesting to see how it compares with Atget, shot 100 years ago.

"James, I signed up for notification at Amizon when it arrives. It will be interesting to see how it compares with Atget, shot 100 years ago."

 

In the meantime you might want to check out this beautiful book by one of our fellow list members:

 

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1896940218/qid%3D1050340023/sr%3D11-1/ref%3Dsr%5F11%5F1/104-1940736-8294336

 

or

 

http://www.cca.qc.ca/bookstore/display.cfm?Action=Search&Debut=1&Fin=20&Book_ID=16001200000003281&KWN=james&KWP=&KWT=paris&KW=&Categorie=Toutes&Agence=Titre

 

(you'll have to cut and paste)