enrico__ Posted June 9, 2003 Share Posted June 9, 2003 Hi there... anyone in this forum who is Australian and shoots 10x8 Large Format. Iam very interested in getting started (since shooting 5x4 just wasnt big enough...).8x10 film is not available here. Do you all just obtain film from <a friend in the USA>???..and wher do you buy all your gear from, ie: cameras, lenses, accesories etc etc..im in sydney.where do i start? . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walter_glover Posted June 9, 2003 Share Posted June 9, 2003 Enrico, I am in Sydney also and delight in shooting 8x10. I recently purchased a pack of Ilford FP4+ at Borge Andersen and they may have more in Melbourne. Borge's also carry 8x10 colour emulsions as a rule. Fletchers may also, but generally hard to come by. Generally I buy my film from B&H or the View Camera Store in the US of A � depending upon the emulsion choice it is between half and two-thirds the price. Another friend gets his film from Badger. Get yourself a FedEx account and order away. If you have the suppliers mail the film to you it takes longer and you must go out to Granville and queue to pick it up at the Mail Centre. I am happy to communicate with you if you email me. Walter Glover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_flockhart1 Posted June 9, 2003 Share Posted June 9, 2003 Hi, I'm in Melbourne. Film (B&W) comes from J&C Photo in the states. Badger is also good. If you buy chemicals Vanbar Photographics is good. Lots of stuff like lenses come off eBay but aso try Camera Exchange in Melbourne, honest people with good inventory and prices. Welcome to the large format family, but beware, it's like 'Hotel California' - you can check in but you can never check out, i.e., it's addictive stuff. Feel free to email. Cheers, David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim_atherton2 Posted June 9, 2003 Share Posted June 9, 2003 It must help that the image on the GG is the right way up down there... :-) (wife's an Aussie and I know I'm going to suffer for this know!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richard_rankin2 Posted June 9, 2003 Share Posted June 9, 2003 I'm around Wangaratta (north of Melbourne) and get/got my equipment from Ebay, 4x5 & 8x10 film from B&H or Freestyle. Freestyle's Arista film is FP4 and HP5 under a house label. I can also vouch for J and C. I've ordered some of their film for testing and found them terrific to deal with. The order arrived in Australia quickly, well packed, and with extra rolls free since I had a (very minor) wait until they got new stock in to send. I've never seen 8x10 film actually in stock anywhere in Oz but haven't looked very diligently. Since I travel to the States a few times a year, it is far cheaper to buy there and haul it back in carry-on baggage... I would also expect that, if hardly any stock exists for film, there are few, if any commercial houses which will develop it either. I assume that you are developing your own, but, if not, you might want to check in that. I know Bond Imaging doesn't do it, and I don't think VanBar does either. A while back CR Kennedy told me they had a used 8x10 kit for sale, although I don't remember what it was or even why they told me about it... If I were you, I'd borrow some stuff first and try it. I would've gone straight to 11x14 if I had tried 8x10 first. Cheers, Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.graemehird.com Posted June 9, 2003 Share Posted June 9, 2003 Enrico,<p> I live in Kalgoorlie, WA, so all my film and equipment comes from online ordering. You are in no way limited to purchasing your items in Oz.<p> As it happens, I order my film from <a href="http://www.vanbar.com.au"> Vanbar</a> - they are friendly, fast and pretty good on price. They do stock 10x8 Velvia [you didn't want anything else, did you?:)]<p> Cheers,<br> Graeme<br> <a href="http://www.goldeneyephoto.com">www.graemehird.com</a> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renee_galang1 Posted June 9, 2003 Share Posted June 9, 2003 Enrico, even the 4x5 films are limited in varieties already, why wonder about the nationally extinct product? C'mom mite 4x5 is big enough! Just stay with it will ya. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick_abraham1 Posted June 10, 2003 Share Posted June 10, 2003 Enrico, I am in Brisbane and like the others have had little joy in obtaining (B+W) film locally.I have to date organised delivery to hotels in US when colleagues visiting to avoid mail costs.Use view camera store or bostick and sullivan.Azo paper from Michael Smith delivered to a hotel.Chemicals (pyro etc) from Vanbars largely although some items cheaper (even with postage)from artcraft in US. Gear all from too many late nights on ebay.Most of lenses, film holders etc have avoided customs for GST but I got pinged for the deardorff. Rick Abraham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walter_glover Posted June 10, 2003 Share Posted June 10, 2003 Tim Atherton, Many a true word spoken in jest. Our GG is upside down! The Australian Governor General (popularly termed GG) has recently tendered his resignation after an onslaught of scandal about decisions he made in his former position as Archbishop of the Anglican Archdiosece of Brisbane. WG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enrico__ Posted June 10, 2003 Author Share Posted June 10, 2003 Hi all Thanks for all the replies! Renee, yes I know 5x4 I will definitely stick with � but you have to admit that you too have thought about going larger�? There is something that draws me close to it (10x8). 5x4 was addictive � now its standard! - and I have a good system now which I wont give up. I will begin some research and many a phonecalls. I know Vanbar.. yes very familiar, Im in there (Sydney Store) just about every fortnight, Im almost resident (and almost broke..). All film I will process myself, im mainly interested in shooting b+w. I will be in Melbourne next week so I might check out what the �Camera Exchange� have� Thanks to all again.. I will definitely be in touch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg_pratt1 Posted June 10, 2003 Share Posted June 10, 2003 This post has pulled a few Ausies out of the wood work. Nice to see. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walter_glover Posted June 11, 2003 Share Posted June 11, 2003 Greg, Down here we'd say: "This thread has pulled a few Aussies out of the Mulga." We're few in number perhaps but not short on helping out. Now, Enrico, Let me assure you ... once you've discovered the delights of 8x10 you won't be toting the 4x5 all too often. I have been through hell trying to justify using 4x5 and 6x12 but they just don't do it for me anymore (just ask Cydoni!). Cast onto the rich scrapheap of other infatuous flirtations. Depends a bit on what you shoot I guess. But for me ..... WG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renee_galang1 Posted June 11, 2003 Share Posted June 11, 2003 Your right Enrico, I've wondered about it. Well, who doesn't! But the fact of the matter is that I didn't dive into it. If you don't want to believe in me, just look at what happened to Walter! Cheers mite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matthew_stanton2 Posted June 12, 2003 Share Posted June 12, 2003 Hi Enrico, I have purchased Fortepan 200 in 8x10" from Newdark in Mayfield N.S.W. it is around au$100 for a box of 25 sheets. I dont know if they always have it in stock but they do reasonably regular orders from Europe and are dedicated to supporting the fine art B&W market. The Forte is a really nice film with distinctly beautiful tonality. It should, however, be rated at EI:100 and tray processing times are quite long in d-76. If Newdark dont have stock there is also Euroco in New Zealand who nearly always have it in stock, the cost including airmail is about au$100 per box and it takes less than a week for delivery.. this is very cheap. If you prefer to use Hp5 or Tri-x etc then B&H is probably the best option as Ilford has a minimum quantity of 10 boxes before they will import hp5 in 8x10. I think Kodak is a similar story. I got into 8x10 for under $1000. I bought all my gear used from the Camera Exchange in Melbourne. I got an old Eastman Metal Commercial view camera for $300au and a 1960's schneider 300mm symmar with a compound shutter for $400au. 8x10 stuff doesn't come in often but if you get in touch with them they can be on the lookout for you. Best of luck!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enrico__ Posted June 13, 2003 Author Share Posted June 13, 2003 Wow.. I knew you australians were out there� Thanks again for the feedback everyone. Matthew thanks for the film recommendations. Never used the Forte � sounds like a good starter to me though. Whereabouts is Mayfield? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matthew_stanton2 Posted June 15, 2003 Share Posted June 15, 2003 Hi Enrico, I might be mistaken but i think Mayfield is in or near Newcastle, I've never been into the shop. Here is the Newdark web address: http://www.newdark.com.au/ and for Euroco: http://www.euroconz.com/ I'm pretty sure Euroco will have current stock but Newdark may be waiting on an order. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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