Where will we buy film?

[bill a.]

<p>Seriously, this is not intended as a troll, or to spark yet another "film vs digital" or "film is dead" thread... but you must admit, film sales are contracting, and shelf space in a retailer is scarce.<br>

In the past two months here in New England, I have been able to pick up Fuji 5/6 packs for cheap (50% off) because a store has discontinued its sale -- a Costco in Nashua, NH, and now my local Target this past week, and there is another recent thread here of yet a third location.<br>

So, will film purchase become mail order only? Photo store only? 1 hour place only?</p>

<p> </p>

[waltflanagan]

<p>Internet / mail order. I can buy Velvia and Provia at one store locally but it takes me 30 min to get there so it's just easier and cheaper to order from B&H.</p>

[david.elliott]

<p>freestyle</p>

[lovcom_photo]

<p>Nearly any film is available from the comfort of your home. </p>

<p>Assuming of course you have a PC and internet service. You can often get it on your doorstep in 1-3 days too. Plan ahead.</p>

 

<p> </p>

[cabbiinc]

<p>I'd think the labs that process it for you would be a good place to sell the stuff. Drop 3 rolls off, buy 3 more to replace kind of thing. But my local lab quit buying it. They said that the pros in the area have mostly all switched to digital. Personally I think they should advertise that they process Holga stuff in an hour rather than a week from [other big box store], which is apparently now 2 weeks.</p>

[emiliogtz]

<p><em>Internet / mail order. I can buy Velvia and Provia at one store locally but it takes me 30 min to get there so it's just easier and cheaper to order from B&H.</em></p>

<p>30 min? It takes me well over an hour to get to the stores where they sell Fuji stuff. My local Costco (5 minute ride) sells film in bulk packages (six-packs, Superia 400, five-packs Kodak portrait film), they sell out in just a few days, and then you have to wait weeks for the restocking to take place.<br>

My favorite lab keeps telling me they haven't reduce their stock, but I'm finding it harder, say the last six months, finding what I'm looking for. Kodak 125PX for example, it used to be readily available on at least two local labs I know, now I have to wait up to two weeks to grab a couple of rolls.<br>

It's sad, but at least we still have the internet option.</p>

[benny_spinoza]

<p>This is the way it is evolving for us film users. Except for the one or two consumer films sold at drugstores, one must find a good, real photo store, or mail order. Same thing with buying a film camera. In fact, it is even harder to find photo stores that sell the few remaining film cameras.</p>

[jack_welsh]

<p>I buy my film from 35 to some 4x5 in B&W, color print and slide from my local camera store. They have every current film in 35 and 120 from Fuji, Kodak and Ilford available. They have some used film cameras. They had an old Hasselbad system ( camera, 2-3 lenses and other accessories), several months ago.</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>Let's all hope that Freestyle will live up to their motto (Film Forever) -- they've got a great track record.</p>

<p>Here's an ad for Freestyle from December of 1983. It is interesting to me, at least, to see what was available some 25 years ago. In 1983, they had been advertising in Pop Photo for 36 years already.</p><div></div>

[stp]

<p>For many years, long before digital became popular, I always bought my film from B&H, and I will continue to do so.</p>

[a._t._burke]

<p>Nelson Photo on India Street in San Diego, CA has a good selection of 35mm, 120/220, 4x5 and even Quickloads. </p>

<p>Tom Burke</p>

[bobar57]

<p>Yes Stephen,B&H is a great source,but in today's economy nothing beats the prices of Freestyle.</p>

<p>RA</p>

[William Kahn]

<p>I buy from B&H almost exclusively. But, when I lived in Arizona, I had good results with Photomark in Phoenix. Buying film is relatively easy. Finding reliable processing labs is a lot harder.</p>

[bobar57]

<p>That is for certain William good labs are becoming scarce.</p>

<p>RA</p>

[patrick_mont]

<p>I always buy all my film from Freestyle through the mail.</p>

[User_2000406]

<p>What about buying film by mail order in summer, when it may get exposed to considerable heat for several days while in transit? I buy my film in winter and freeze it to avoid this problem, but obviously one may still run out over months of shooting, and I don't want to buy too much at once. One possible solution would be to use express shipping, but that's expensive!</p>

<p>Bill</p>

[William Kahn]

<p>Bill, I wouldn't worry about it too much. After all, there's no way of knowing how much heat any film is exposed to in the shipping process from manufacturer to dealer.....</p>

[larrydressler]

<p>Once a month I get this big box from Freestyle.... that and I still have a camera store here that sells 120 film.</p>

[Ed_Ingold]

<p>It hasn't been easy to buy the type and quantity of film you want, locally, for over twenty years. If you wanted 10, 20 or 100 rolls of something, you ordered it from B&H or one of the big camera shops elsewhere. Shopping for odd lots and outdated film at drug stores was never a good option.</p>

<p>The big shops are shrinking or disappearing, and the survivors don't always have the film you need in stock. I bounce around between B&H, Adorama and Calumet. Of the three, B&H is the only one who won't take an order unless it is in stock. Either way you have to wait sometimes.</p>

<p>Freestyle may be a reputable shop, but their ad makes Abes of Maine look like a class act.</p>

[Ed_Ingold]

<p>It hasn't been easy to buy the type and quantity of film you want, locally, for over twenty years. If you wanted 10, 20 or 100 rolls of something, you ordered it from B&H or one of the big camera shops elsewhere. Shopping for odd lots and outdated film at drug stores was never a good option.</p>

<p>The big shops are shrinking or disappearing, and the survivors don't always have the film you need in stock. I bounce around between B&H, Adorama and Calumet. Of the three, B&H is the only one who won't take an order unless it is in stock. Either way you have to wait sometimes.</p>

<p>Freestyle may be a reputable shop, but their ad makes Abes of Maine look like a class act.</p>

[larrydressler]

<p>Abe's of Maine is still in Business so someone uses them. That said a deep freezer is cheap these days look in the news paper.</p>

[eddy_d]

<p>I buy my film from unique photo in Fairfield, N.J. They have what I need and their prices are the best I have encountered. And only a 20 minute drive.</p>

[marc_bergman1]

<p>One thing nice about Freestyle is that they put out a wonderful, enthusiastic catalog. If you ever get the film blues, you just have to open your catalog and all your bad feelings go away.</p>

[tom_cheshire]

<p>Porters Photo (porters.com) has some films you can't get elsewhere. </p>

[User_2000406]

<blockquote>

<p>Bill, I wouldn't worry about it too much. After all, there's no way of knowing how much heat any film is exposed to in the shipping process from manufacturer to dealer.....</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I would hope that professional film would be shipped to dealers under refrigeration or at least good insulation, at least in summer. If not, what's the point? Or am I naive about this?</p>

 

<blockquote>That said a deep freezer is cheap these days look in the news paper.</blockquote>

<p>Maybe not when you figure in long-term operating costs</p>