Where do you buy film?

[photophorous]

Hey Everybody! I know this question must have been asked here before, but I searched and couldn't find anything. I'm just wondering if any of you order film from online retailers, and if so, which ones?

I've ordered from B&H and Adorama before, but I was wondering if there are any other good places, with a good selection and good prices.

Feel free to link up the old threads I couldn't find.

Thanks!
Paul

PS. Film: a thin sheet of cellulose acetate or nitrocellulose coated with a radiation-sensitive emulsion for taking photographs.

[mtbbrian]

I have bought stuff from Freestyle before, they are an excellent resource for silver halide based photography.
I have a local place too, that still sells quite a bit of film too, Pictureline, you can buy it online from them. Just don't buy too much from them, I need some too!
I know you'l be using more and more film now!
:thumbsup:
Brian

[molaselake]

Freestyle, hands down. I love love love that place. Black and white film : they have bulk loaded film in Illford, and their own brand, Arista, and I'm sure more. Those are just the two I often get. Anyway, it's pretty darn cheap. And, if you're looking for non-bulk loaded, there's a pretty big selection including foreign ones like Foma, Forte, and Maco. They also ship quickly and don't charge you that much. There's really nothing negative I can say about them.

[photophorous]

Thanks for the comments. I was hoping to find a place that had cheaper prices on Fuji slide film. Guess I should have mentioned that. I'm sure I'll be shooting more B&W than anything else, but it's the cost of slide film that makes me search for a better deal. Freestyle actually seems a bit high on slide film, but their B&W prices look good and they have a huge selection.

Molaselake, what do you mean about bulk loaded films? Are you talking about buying a 100ft roll, or do they do their own bulk loading at Freestyle?

Yes Brian, I will be using more and more film. I can't wait! Mr. Gandy said he'll ship this week...not very specific, but I'll take what I can get.

Paul

[mtbbrian]

New camera!
That makes me feel just like Homer!
Now you just need to seel that D70!

I don't know about you, but their Fujichrome prices seem OK to me.
If you want "cheap" buy expired film on EBay, I bought some Fujichrome 100 for my Holga last summer, that was about to expire, for something like $2.25 a roll...
Brian
:thumbsup:

[another view]

I don't remember how I heard about them, but Hunt's Photo always had good deals. I usually bought from either them or B&H.

Sometimes at B&H it was a little less expensive to buy the 20 packs, sometimes not - so I took advantage of that too when I could. I see there's a pretty good discount for this on Hunt's site, at least for Provia 100F which is what I usually used.

[photophorous]

Mmmm....beeeeer....Wait...what are we talking about?

Oh yeah...

For Fuji slide film, Freestyle seems to be just a bit higher than B&H, and a bit less than my local shop. It's not really that they're high...they're just not the cheapest I've seen. Looks like a great place for B&W, and not bad for other stuff. I'll probably order the sampler platter from them soon. I want to try some film I never tried in the past, mostly B&W but a few rolls of slides too.

If I sold the D70, what would I use to take pictures of all the other stuff I'm selling to pay for film?

Paul

[mtbbrian]

Mmmm....beeeeer....Wait...what are we talking about?

If I sold the D70, what would I use to take pictures of all the other stuff I'm selling to pay for film?

Paul

What you should have done, like I was trying to get you do, is sell the D70 and keep that Canon p&s digital....
MMMMMMMMMMMMM BEEEEERR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Brian
:thumbsup:

[photophorous]

I don't remember how I heard about them, but Hunt's Photo always had good deals. I usually bought from either them or B&H.

Sometimes at B&H it was a little less expensive to buy the 20 packs, sometimes not - so I took advantage of that too when I could. I see there's a pretty good discount for this on Hunt's site, at least for Provia 100F which is what I usually used.

Thanks, AV! Hunt's does have slightly better prices. Good to know.

Paul

[photophorous]

What you should have done, like I was trying to get you do, is sell the D70 and keep that Canon p&s digital....
MMMMMMMMMMMMM BEEEEERR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Brian
:thumbsup:

Have you seen how much a used D70 kit goes for these days? It's not much more than I got for the Canon, and the D70 is a much better camera.

I'm going to drink a beer now. It's keep-the-glass night at the Gingerman.

See ya,
Paul

[mtbbrian]

Have you seen how much a used D70 kit goes for these days? It's not much more than I got for the Canon, and the D70 is a much better camera.

I'm going to drink a beer now. It's keep-the-glass night at the Gingerman.

See ya,
Paul

That bad?


I'll see you there!
I'll buy the first round!
I could use some new beer glasses!

Brian
:thumbsup:

[Axle]

For the good stuff (Ilford, Kodak Portra, slide film ect). I go to Henry's (Canadian chain of Camera stores) for the consumer stuff I just use my local lab.

[photophorous]

That bad?

Okay, maybe I'm exagerating a bit. The difference is not enough to buy another V/C lens, and that's what counts.

I didn't see you at the Gingerman?

Paul

[photophorous]

For the good stuff (Ilford, Kodak Portra, slide film ect). I go to Henry's (Canadian chain of Camera stores) for the consumer stuff I just use my local lab.

Thanks, Axle. I didn't know about Henry's. It's always good to find more places like this.

Paul

[mjs1973]

Keep an eye out for short dated film. I don't know about the other sites, but B&H discounts film that's close to expiring. I just got some Provia 100 (120) for $2.49. That's a dollar per roll cheaper than their regular price, and the expiration date isn't till October.

[another view]

Keep an eye out for short dated film.

Good point - I think B&H usually lists it under "specials" so you won't see it unless you look there. It won't show up by searching for 35mm slide film, etc.

[walterick]

I use B&H exclusively for... well, everything But simetimes a local lab will sell Velvia for pretty close to online prices if they are turning over a lot of it. At least, that was the case 5 years ago.

Rick

[Axle]

Thanks, Axle. I didn't know about Henry's. It's always good to find more places like this.

Paul

Henry's although their stores are in Canada do have an online store and do sell to the USA...link is here:

http://www.henrys.com/webapp/wcs/sto...&storeId=10001

[mtbbrian]

I didn't see you at the Gingerman?

Paul

I was there.
Where were you?

See, I have the glass to prove it!


Brian
:thumbsup:
http://austin.gingermanpub.com/

[molaselake]

Molaselake, what do you mean about bulk loaded films? Are you talking about buying a 100ft roll, or do they do their own bulk loading at Freestyle?

Both!! Sorry, I should have been more clear. I was mainly talking about the film they load themselves and sell. There was one brand (I believe) that was almost a whole buck cheaper. I just thought I'd mention they have great service as well. When I bought a camera bag there, they sent me the wrong strap for it. They sent an entire camera bag with the strap attached already after I told them what had happened. I was impressed.

[photophorous]

Thanks for all the comments.

Short dated "specials" are a good idea. I searched around and found Mar'07 dated Provia 100, 35mm/36 exp for $3.99 at Adorama. That's only 50 cents cheaper, but it adds up.

I did a comparison of Fuji slide film costs between all of the stores mentioned here, based on today's website prices. I found that B&H and Adorama are pretty close, and almost always have the lowest prices, but there are a few exceptions. At B&H and Adorama, there is no price advantage when buying the 20 Pack. Hunt's and Freestyle both have a few really good deals and are mostly moderately priced, but you have to buy the 20 packs to get prices that are close to B&H or Adorama prices. Henry's is almost always the highest, and had none of the lowest prices. That may have something to do with currency exchange, but I'm just guessing.

Freestyle seemed very close to B&H and Adorama for B&W film prices, but I wasn't as thorough with that comparison, and I didn't look at any bulk film.

I hope someone finds this helpful.

Paul

[photophorous]

I was there.
Where were you?

See, I have the glass to prove it!


Brian
:thumbsup:
http://austin.gingermanpub.com/

I was there. I guess I just didn't see you.

There's something suspicous about this beer glass of yours. Oh, I know. Why is it full?

Paul

[mtbbrian]

I was there. I guess I just didn't see you.

There's something suspicous about this beer glass of yours. Oh, I know. Why is it full?

Paul

I guess I was looking for the guy I thought was you? You know the picutre I commented on in your Flickr gallery?


The picture of my glass was done just before it reached my hands..
:smilewinkgrin:

Brian

[mjs1973]

I bought a couple bulk rolls of Velvia 50 from a couple years ago. I got one roll of the Imported stuff because it was cheaper, and one roll of the regular stuff. I didn't notice a difference in any of them. One thing I did notice tho, was that my film camera (Elan 7n) will only allow me to take 36 photos, before it rewinds. So if I spooled more film than that onto my spool, it would get waisted. After that, I found it much easier, and just as economical to buy it by the brick. (20 rolls)

[photophorous]

I bought a couple bulk rolls of Velvia 50 from a couple years ago. I got one roll of the Imported stuff because it was cheaper, and one roll of the regular stuff. I didn't notice a difference in any of them. One thing I did notice tho, was that my film camera (Elan 7n) will only allow me to take 36 photos, before it rewinds. So if I spooled more film than that onto my spool, it would get waisted. After that, I found it much easier, and just as economical to buy it by the brick. (20 rolls)

I haven't used any imported film before, but I'll probably try some soon. From what I've read, I think it would suit me just fine. Bulk loading sounds like too much work for me.

My N75 will only let me take 36 shots too. That's frustrating. I don't know why they do that. My Canonet gets 38 from a 36 exp roll, every time.

Paul