Film sale

Only a couple of years ago I was able to get 35mm film in every convenience store in New York City. Those times are gone and the film

prices have skyrocketed. A roll of Provia 400 is $12 at adorama now.

 

With that said, RiteAid is trying to she'd their store brand film inventory. It is rebadged Fuji superia 400, all made in Japan. You get a 4-

pack of 24 exposure film for $5.99 with their discount card. Regular price is $12. Expiration in all the boxes I picked up was 8/2014.

<p>Here in the UK it is worth checking the shelves at Poundland. I found 36exp rolls of 'Agfa' film at £1 each last weekend. The film has an expiry date of 5/2014 and is made in Japan, probably by Fuji, but I don't think it is Superia; my guess is that it is an older generation film, possibly Fujicolor.</p>

<p><a title="Film - £1 a roll by FlickrDelusions, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8050/8106110351_8b72b81988.jpg" alt="Film - £1 a roll" width="500" height="309" /></a></p>

<p>Actually Agfa is now being made by this company:<br>

<a href="http://www.lupus-imaging-media.com/content/view/77/58/lang,en/">http://www.lupus-imaging-media.com/content/view/77/58/lang,en/</a></p>

<p>AgfaPhoto Vista 200 is not available in the US. In fact, none of their film is, that I can tell.</p>

<p>B&H has Fuji color film for $1.79 and Kodak for $1.99 with cheap shipping at $3.99</p>

<p>Even 110 film has been reintroduced by Lomo and is available in color (Tiger) and B&W (Orca) also at B&H and other places.</p>

<p>Who says film is dead or hard to find or skyrocketing in price?</p>

<p>Tom - appreciate your optimism and attempt to put an positive spin to the film situation; however one would be blind in neglecting the fact that film has become harder to attain and prices have certainly jumped. In my original post, I said film was able to be purchased at your average mini grocery in NYC until a couple of years ago (ease of access), noone spoke of the power houses such as B&H and Adorama<br>

You make an argument about 110 film coming back? Have you read the reviews on this film and seen samples? Well i have, it has no window counter, "interesting color palette" and at $7.90 a pop? Seriously? Sounds like the ferrania's solaris 126 effort to me. Where is that now by the way?</p>

<p>Now back to the point of the original post: I am an 80% film shooter myself and am always looking for good options for film, processing or purchasing, the $5.99 per 4-pack at Rite Aid, yields $1.50 per roll, 30 cents cheaper than The Photo Power houses. If you have one in your neighborhood, you alleviate the need for shipping... That's all.</p>

<p>Slide film is in it's death throes. Kodak has thrown in the towel on it, the E-6 labs are shutting down, and Fuji has to charge a lot because they can't sell one master roll (production run) of slide film before it expires. Slide film is (at best) 10% of still picture film sales, and still picture film is maybe 10% to 20% of total film sales, the rest being motion picture film. Meanwhile, motion picture film sales for "print films" (what is projected in theatres) is plummeting, as the 3D fad has provided the studios a "wedge" to force the theatres to buy digital projection systems, so that they can eliminate the huge cost of film prints.<br>

If you want affordable quality films, buy Kodak's professional C-41 films. Portra 160, 400, and 800 are great films, as is Ektar 100.</p>

<p>Ralf, my experience is with B&W negative film only. For the last 5 or 6 years I order all my film by mail order. Either through Freestyle or lately, B&H. Locally for some time B&W has become almost impossible to get at all or is priced 2X to 3X that of mail order. I've never had a problem with mail order, it's easy and arrives within one week. Yes, you have to plan ahead a bit but I've never found myself running out unexpectedly. Color negative shooters may have to go to that method for buying fresh stock. As for C-41 processing disappearing I have no idea what to do about that. The mailing cost alone to send out our film would more than double the cost of processing color negative. Black and white of course can continue to be processed at home with minimal equipment. </p>

<p>C-41 processing at home is simple and cheap as long as you just want negatives to scan. I do. I've shot over a hundred C-41 rolls this year alone. I have the ability to print color but have had limited success, so I save it for the really good shots. Kinda like digital eh? Lots of shots, lots of stuff online, but very little printed.</p>

<p>Yes, the local convenience type stores do not carry film like they once did. I remember a wall full of film at Walgreen's pharmacy some years ago and was surprised to see virtually nothing there except store brand (Made in Germany) a year ago.</p>

<p>I don't see a problem with buying film by mail/internet. There is a greater selection than can be found at a pharmacy. It is not like a roll of 120 can be had at a convenience store anyway. I mentioned the Kodak and Fuji at B&H because I like the cheap shipping (compared to Porter's) and I think it is better to buy a name brand than be hit-or-miss with store brands whose manufacturer/quality can only be guessed at. I guess I will be using more brand x film if/when Kodak/Fuji/Ilford disappear.</p>

<p>As for processing, it is going full tilt at York and Dwayne's. I have usually sent my film to York in their free prepaid mailers and I appreciate their low pricing. I intend to try Dwayne's soon based on the many recommendations of users here on Photo.net For dyed-in-the-wool traditionalists there is Blue Moon who processes and prints the old fashioned way with actual photo sensitive paper and enlargers.</p>

<p>For those who are convinced film is dead, I invite you to offer your Leica M3 outfit or Vitessa (or whatever) as a free gear give-away here on Photo.net and notify me ten minutes before listing it.</p>

<p>Quite right Tom, film is completely dead and I'm second in line after Tom!</p>

<p>Thanks for the heads-up! Here in central Europe, things are not too bad. I live in a large major city. There are two or three major photo retailers. I can get most films in 120 too at reasonable prices. I used to be able to find out of date stuff a few years back at bargain prices. Those days are gone. I am a penny pincher, so I do buy bulk b&w on-line and do all my 120/35mm in the bathroom. No enlarger more. I scan with an older scanner. As I said I'm in the mainstream. The big discount stores have fewer selections than five years ago but even the local chain drugstores have cheap house brand, and Kodak C41 even 400 CN . Up until last year the chain drugstores also had transparency film. Slide film has gone the way of the DODO. Only the top photo shops have it! We all know that's it's hard and will get harder, but I'm lucky. I pity the folks living rurally with little or limited retail access. Keep the faith!!</p>

 

<p>For those in the UK shooting colour negative film Jessops is the place to go ... process only plus a free roll of Fuji 200 is £5, then scan so you can crop and adjust as necessary.</p>

<p>I went to the Rite Aid in Ashland MA yesterday. Their 4-packs of Fuji 400 Xtra were priced at 16.99. I asked about a sale, was told they had not yet put the new prices up, and that it was "2 for 1" with their card (which they gave me, asking only for a phone number -- I gave them my work number)</p>

<p>So, 8 rolls of Fuji 400 Xtra for $18 (including tax) = $2.25/roll</p>

<p>Sadly, up until a couple months ago here in Iowa, CVS and Walgreens used to carry Kodak's BW400CN C-41 B&W film in inexpensive 3-packs. I saw them on sale a few weeks ago and bought what was there, at the store, but now it looks like they are not going to be restocked. I have a good bit of it on hand but if anyone sees some someplace, grab it. It's fun stuff.</p>

<p>Ralf, I really LIKED the Solaris 126 film. I ran tons of the stuff through the Instamatic Reflex before it went away. <br>

I was in my local CVS yesterday and not only did they have 400CN B&W, but, oddly enough, they had 3 rolls of fresh Tri-X. At $7.95 for 24 exposures it was not exactly a bargain, but it was there. </p>

<p>The local Target no longer stocks Kodak Gold 200 (3-pack of 24 exp for $5.99). <br>

I bought up as much Walgreens ( Fuji) C-41 as I could last year when they put it all on clearance for 25-50 cents a roll. Cleaned out all the stores within 25 mile radius.</p>

<p>Unique Photo in Fairfield, NJ has Kodak GB 135-36 Gold 200 Color Print Film (ISO-200) for $1.95/roll, or as low as $1.75 in bulk.</p>

<p>My local Costco still keeps the FP running with fresh chems and I get C-41 processed for a buck and change per roll. </p>