Calumet Photographic in Cambridge

I was at Calumet on Thursday. Their film fridge is just about empty. No B&W that I could see, some Provia 400, some Portra, some Ektar, mostly 120 and some sheet film - two half shelves worth, from a row of 5 tall fridges. Picked up a 1L beaker, some Heico permawash, and Dektol. I did see some Zone VI multigrade paper, two boxes between all the Ilford. I did see a clerk restocking some chemistry.
What's the Zone VI paper like?

I was there a week ago and there were three analog customers at the counter, one buying several boxes of 4x5 film, one buying chemistry and another. The clerk told me there had been an uptick in darkroom supply sales. But I have not tried that paper.

I always chat up the clerks and try to get an analogue buzz going. Not hard - the cool factor of film is lost on very few of them.

The Zone VI is a very nice paper, one of my favorites to use.

I hate the local Calumet (in San Francisco, CA). Their film and paper stock is wildly inconsistent. The service is terrible, unless, it seems, you are a local pro who knows the staff. Then they are willing to spend hours talking about lenses while ignoring people queuing at the counter to actually buy something.


Exception: I've found the rental department to be friendly, helpful, and reliable.

When I finally do get someone's attention they say "just tell us what you want, we can get it for you in a couple of days." What's the point of that? I can order from Freestyle, JustFilm, B&H, Adorama, Photographers Formulary, etc, and get anything within 24 hours, including stuff that Calumet doesn't carry, at better prices.

I've quit going to Calumet except for rentals. I honestly don't care if they stay in the analog photograpy business or not, since they themselves don't seem to care either.