B+W, MF (120) film............where do you (or NOT) purchase?

FL Guy · Mar 18, 2013

I have re-entered the MF world after a brief respite and was wondering what and where the purchasing practices in the MF 120 area might be headed.

I recently picked up a 5 roll "Pro Pack" locally for some fresh dated emulsion, and I thought this was consistent with the "locavore" practices of buying locally, even though the production of the end-product was from a factory far away or off-shore. Thought being that sustaining local distribution means buying from locals, and ensuring their survival as a resource.

Obviously Ebay and Amazon are options, and the B+H and Freestyles of the world, off-shore Euro suppliers, etc. but I am trying to get a sense of what others find valuable in their purchasing decisions for film stock.

I believe that purchasing from a VERY "offshore" source (Thailand?), in any quantity or price is a Fool's Errand with as many things that can disrupt shipping and QC with those distances. So, do you have comfort with No. America sellers on Amazon/eBay offering fresh dated product..........or do you have experience with a broader geographic group of sellers?? Or do you stay close to home, (supporting local distribution)?

The pricing (no surprise) on eBay is all over the board, in reality, how do you use the "net" resources and for what product?

Stay Safe!

FL Guy

Richard S. (rich815) · Mar 18, 2013

Which 120 film would you get from Thailand?

FL Guy · Mar 18, 2013

Ebay.............

Not manufactured there but sold from there. Personally I have a prob buying any emulsion product from that far away (Ex. Euro).

FL Guy

rich815 said:
Which 120 film would you get from Thailand?

Pioneer · Mar 18, 2013

I buy the majority of my film from three primary sources, Freestyle, BHPhoto and Adorama. I like a good price as good as anyone but I also value the customer service provided by these on-line dealers.

Once in awhile I pick up some film on this forum or one or two others if there is something being sold that I use, or think I would like to use.

Poisson Du Jour · Mar 19, 2013

eBay, but that's here in Australia. There are other suppliers around the world.
Retail film is extraordinarily expensive: I don't buy it at all. A roll of Velvia 50 (as an example) cossts $35.90 retail. Online supplier $5.95/roll. It is the right stuff. It is freshly batched, refrigerated with a 12+ month lead to expiry. B&W film would be dirt cheap; I think $4 for Acros 100 120.

Andrew K · Mar 19, 2013

Ebay - and I've bought Fuji Acros from sellers in Tailand and Korea.

I would buy from B&H too, as their pricing is also very good, but the freight is just too expensive...and I don't shoot enough film to warrant it..

flatulent1 · Mar 19, 2013

I get most of my film locally. Glazers has a slightly better price on Acros 120, for example, than B&H. The other local shop is a good 20% more expensive than B&H so I don't buy so much from them, but I do buy there periodically. Glazers is a bit of a drive for me, so when I'm there I tend to stock up. Only when I'm already placing an order with the three online sources do I add 10-20 rolls of film.

I don't buy film via eBay, unless it's outdated or discontinued or otherwise very hard to find, such as Polypan F. Though I've noticed lately that the outdated film is nearly as expensive as fresh; I can get outdated B&W locally for half price.

ac12 · Mar 19, 2013

I currently buy locally
- Kaufmann's in San Mateo
- Keeble & Shucket in Palo Alto

If they don't have what I want, then I would go to the big 3; Adorama, B&H, Freestyle.
But as Andrew mentioned, watch the S&H charges.

FL Guy · Mar 19, 2013

Agree with pricing, S+H

Agree with your thoughts. The genesis of this post was related to spending time on eBay sifting through the offers for film, many which appear ridiculous. Especially sellers offering single rolls of outdated film (2000 and earlier vintage), shipping from Greece, Thailand, etc. If you are looking for "artifacts" to fill a cabinet I guess that is one way to go, but I can't see a practical use for most of this stuff.

I do see value in picking up near-dated product at what could be a good price via eBay, Amazon, etc. Even then some folks are bidding up to local prices for the same product, plus a likely shipping add-on. Keep your thoughts coming!

FL Guy

I don't buy film via eBay, unless it's outdated or discontinued or otherwise very hard to find, such as Polypan F. Though I've noticed lately that the outdated film is nearly as expensive as fresh; I can get outdated B&W locally for half price.[/QUOTE]

BrianShaw · Mar 19, 2013

I confuse easily and don't really understand all of the words in the OP. But I buy fromtwo sources primarily: a local shop that still stocks 120 (but not much, and they don't intend to keep doing that just for me) and Freestyle. When mailordering, I get it from B&H.

Oh, I only buy fresh since I can easily make my own outdated film!

BrianShaw · Mar 19, 2013

p.s. I look at ebay offerings for old film, particulary one discontinued emulsion that I really like, but not willing to pay their crazy prices or take the chance that it is bad film. If it is a real bargain I'm generally more inclined to take the gamble.

jspillane · Mar 19, 2013

I buy fresh from B&H and Adorama (for some reason Adorama stocks some Ilford films at a lower rate), and buy outdated from Craigslist and APUG's classifieds. I've always had excellent results from expired film, especially B&W.

DWThomas · Mar 19, 2013

There is no (mostly none) significant stock of B&W 120 in shops within an hour's travel for me here in the far suburbs of Philadelphia. Except on a few holidays, I can place an order online with B&H on a Monday or Tuesday night and UPS hands it to me on Wednesday or Thursday afternoon. I maintain a modest stock at home and try to plan ahead on any major projects.

Several years back, in a hurry, I bought three 36 exp rolls of 125PX 135 in my nearest quasi-pro shop and it cost as much as five rolls from B&H. That's not something I plan to do on a regular basis!

Fixcinater · Mar 19, 2013

There are 3 retail camera shops in San Diego, plus a used camera dealer who all stock various emulsions: all have sizes up to 4x5. I rotate through buying from those 3 when I need fresh stuff, but also put in orders to Freestyle when they're closing out on something specific. Recently picked up a bulk roll of TMAX 100 from Porter's online because it was ridiculously cheap.

I've had some good deals on eBay and thus have a full veggie drawer and a corner of the freezer dedicated to film. I'm likely up to 250 feet of 35mm, 50+ rolls of 120, and 50 sheets of 4x5, with 250-300 instant film shots.

ToddB · Mar 19, 2013

Just bougt 10 rolls of house stock Photo Warehouse 100 120. I'm curious how it performs. I typcally go with Freestyle or BH..

Todd

kevs · Mar 19, 2013

Silverprint if buying raw chems at the same time, otherwise AG Photo, which is a few quid cheaper on the postage.

John Shriver · Mar 19, 2013

I do buy from my local (Cambridge, MA) Calumet branch, great service, convenient hours, parking lot, prices very close to B&H/Adorama. I've also bought from Hunt's Photo when I needed something right away (Portra 800) that Calumet was out of stock on. (Their prices are not as competitive.) But that's pretty much the only choices for pro film in the Boston area.

But I'll certainly make orders from B&H or Adorama. Hopefully bundled with something else to get more bang for my shipping dollar.

cmacd123 · Mar 19, 2013

rich815 said:
Which 120 film would you get from Thailand?

there is an Ebay seller in Thiland (which the seller calls Land of smile : ) ) who carries several films including Ilford Foma and Fuji. Tyhe prices are not great compaired to B&H if you are in North america. I bought some Ilford PAN 400 In 135 from them a year or two back and it arriived airmail in useable condition. I alsways worry about x-ray damage in such epic trips. I was mainly curious about what the Ilford Pan 400 was all about. as that is sold in "selected countries".

It may be a good deal for the folks with a poor local film market.

AS always the original poster did not say where in the world they are located, which is too bad as there are good dealers in many contries who only serve their local market.

FL Guy · Mar 20, 2013

You hit on a few concerns

cmacd123 said:
there is an Ebay seller in Thiland (which the seller calls Land of smile : ) ) who carries several films including Ilford Foma and Fuji. Tyhe prices are not great compaired to B&H if you are in North america. I bought some Ilford PAN 400 In 135 from them a year or two back and it arriived airmail in useable condition. I alsways worry about x-ray damage in such epic trips. I was mainly curious about what the Ilford Pan 400 was all about. as that is sold in "selected countries".

It may be a good deal for the folks with a poor local film market.

AS always the original poster did not say where in the world they are located, which is too bad as there are good dealers in many contries who only serve their local market.

On eBay, it seems like many of the sellers are in a Southern hemisphere locale that doesn't "feel" like the place I should be ordering close expiration Tri-X from, thus I don't for many of the reasons mentioned (distance, X-ray scanning, S+H issues). I am in the Southeastern US and don't have a problem buying locally, but eBay and Amazon are another source and within reason another viable vendor for film products.

Living in Australia and buying from Thailand is not a big stretch in my perspective, but buying Kodak or Ilford product from either of those locations (AU or Thai) and shipping to the US............is it really worth it?

I'm trying to see where people are getting value from the eBay and Amazon vendors, and what to avoid.

FL Guy

Fixcinater · Mar 20, 2013

FL Guy said:
I'm trying to see where people are getting value from the eBay and Amazon vendors, and what to avoid.

FL Guy

I buy online (ebay) when I've got down time at my day job and cruise through to see if there are any *really* good deals. $2/roll is generally my limit, but half-price isn't bad if it is less than a decade old. Those dealers that post 1-3 rolls are not of any interest to me, whereas private sellers are the ones that offer deals.

I've gotten Fuji 3000B (Type 100 sized packs) for $2 per box (normally $9-12), Tmax 100 in 120 for $2 per roll which processed normally and looks very good, a whole bunch of original Polaroid Spectra (expired in '05, has yellow cast) for $.50 per shot.

ntenny · Mar 20, 2013

This thread confuses me a little. I'm not sure I understand the "locavore" premise as it applies to mail-ordering from someone else's "local" source (Freestyle, B&H, Adorama, are all retail businesses where you can walk in the door and buy stuff, right?), and the issues to be considered about B&H vs. little-camera-shop-down-the-street are pretty different from domestic vs. international mail order, which in turn are different from "what are some of these eBay sellers smoking?"...

I don't think anyone has ever advocated eBay as a reliable everyday source for emulsions that are otherwise readily available; it seems more useful as a source for cheap past-date film or discontinued materials. (I've bought 1940s-1950s dry plates from eBay a few times; some were actually useful, and the boxes look really cool.)

International shipping worries me a little, but I don't remember hearing of anyone actually having a problem attributable to it. I don't see why there would be anything especially worrisome about Thailand---it's not Switzerland, but it's a fairly developed country and a major commercial center. It's not like you'd be ordering something from an uncivilized dystopia.

-NT

StoneNYC · Mar 20, 2013

I agree I don't really understand what the OP is asking, this thread makes no sense, either buy from your local store if you have one or buy from Freestyle or B&H ... I mean, if you're looking for a film that is no longer in production and then you can go to ebay and take your chances, otherwise, just buy fresh stock from Freestyle/B&H...

Personally I think it's sort of silly to support the local stores, I know that sounds terrible, but the system has changed, the local stores don't sell enough to really keep any useful amount of film or equipment in stock, and the successful ones have moved to digital a long time ago (like my local store who's sales are increasing even in the bad economy) and the big box stores are what is keeping film alive because they are the distribution center. You are also buying MORE film from them because it's cheaper, so the film producers are making MORE film, at least I buy more film when the film is cheaper. So it's better to buy from B&H type stores IMHO.

Anyway that's my take, I could be wrong.

Mainecoonmaniac · Mar 20, 2013

I just got my shipment of 40 rolls of 120 Arista EDU from Freestyle.

FL Guy · Mar 20, 2013

Not meant to confuse......

ntenny said:
This thread confuses me a little. I'm not sure I understand the "locavore" premise as it applies to mail-ordering from someone else's "local" source (Freestyle, B&H, Adorama, are all retail businesses where you can walk in the door and buy stuff, right?), and the issues to be considered about B&H vs. little-camera-shop-down-the-street are pretty different from domestic vs. international mail order, which in turn are different from "what are some of these eBay sellers smoking?"...

-NT

I'm not trying to confuse anyone with this thread. Since both eBay and Amazon have both "brick+mortar" establishments and individuals selling on their site I was curious if anyone had found a merchant that they have repeat business with through either portal. The "Big three" are obvious go-to suppliers, no surprise there. I guess I am a little surprised that folks are comfortable using 5+ year outdated product, but to each their own.

Thanks for the responses.

FL Guy

StoneNYC · Mar 20, 2013

FL Guy said:
I'm not trying to confuse anyone with this thread. Since both eBay and Amazon have both "brick+mortar" establishments and individuals selling on their site I was curious if anyone had found a merchant that they have repeat business with through either portal. The "Big three" are obvious go-to suppliers, no surprise there. I guess I am a little surprised that folks are comfortable using 5+ year outdated product, but to each their own.

Thanks for the responses.

FL Guy

I see what you mean... I think MOST of the ebay sellers that claim to be brick and mortar aren't as "small town" as they would lead you to believe. I would support your LOCAL places and ignore the ebay sellers that claim to be a small local establishment, the kind of work it takes to sell on ebay at the amount of items they usually post shows that they have a dedicated person to do the job, which means they are a smaller version of B&H ... or they are ONLY on ebay... either way just buy at your own LOCAL place and ignore ebay/amazon... that's my thought anyway.

B+W, MF (120) film............where do you (or NOT) purchase?

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