Darkroom Supplies in San Francisco

[emerson531]

Can anyone please recommend a good old fashioned Darkroom store in down town San Francisco (Ill be there next month) Thanks Emerson in snowy Ottawa

 

[Jon Shiu]

Hi, I liked going to Photographer's Supply on Folsom Street when I lived in the Bay Area.

Jon

 

[galyons]

Depends on your definition of a darkroom store, a pretty much extinct species of retailer, sadly. The Looking Glass in Berkeley would be a good choice. A bit of a walk, 12-14 blocks, from the Ashby BART station. Good folks.
Cheers,
Geary

 

[rorye]

I'd second Photo Supply, and they are 3 blocks from Rayko, the rental darkroom that I use. Lots of cool old stuff there.
Looking Glass is great too.

 

[tjaded]

Photographer's Supply on Bryant (between 2nd & 3rd) is good...though, like everyone else, they have had to severely reduce their stock. What kind of things are you hoping to get? There are different recommendations based on what part of town you are going to be in.

 

[Iwagoshi]

Photographer's Supply on Bryant (between 2nd & 3rd) is good...though, like everyone else, they have had to severely reduce their stock.

Photographer's Supply is still open, that's good to know. I was pretty disappointed with the existing inventory at Gasser, "I remember when..." Gasser's basement was packed with stuff, now it's all in a corner of the main floor, so sad. - Terry

 

[tjaded]

Yeah, it is pretty tough to find a truly well stocked place these days. Photographer's Supply seems to try the hardest, but you can only stock so much when not that many are buying. I went to Calumet the other day and they had next to nothing for chemistry. I'd like to think it was due to students buying it all at the beginning of the semester, but who knows...

 

[Zathras]

Can anyone please recommend a good old fashioned Darkroom store in down town San Francisco (Ill be there next month) Thanks Emerson in snowy Ottawa

If you can get to Palo Alto, Keeble and Shuchat Photography is good too. You can take the CalTrain from 4th and Townsend Streets to the California Avenue station and walk up the right side of the street to 290 California Ave. The darkroom department is upstairs. They also have another store across the street at 261 California Ave (on the left side of the street as you're heading to 290) that handles medium format, large format and digital.

Mike Sullivan

 

[Iwagoshi]

Update - it's not good

Yesterday I went to Calumet and Photographers Supply in San Francisco. I went away feeling how blessed I am for what I have, because real analog noobs (not retreads) are getting squat. I was very disappointed with the selection of supplies. But actually this was my first exposure to the reality of our situation, so I guess I just need to get over it and move on. I did picked up 5-rolls of Acros but that was the only thing I scored on my shopping list. Although, when it's time to get Oriental or Ilford B&W paper, or mounting, portfolio supplies, I'll go back to Photographers Supply, I just hope they can hang on until that time.

Terry

 

[bjorke]

Go to Looking Glass

 

[Iwagoshi]

Go to Looking Glass

Kevin,
No Fuji 120 Acros or Neopan, but they've got books, real photo books, monographs, how-to, technicals. I'm trying to track down Way Beyond Monochrome and Edge of Darkness locally, so I'll be there within the week. Unfortunately they got rid of the 10% cash discount.

Terry

 

[Iwagoshi]

Correction: as of 12/08 Looking Glass now has Fuji 120 Acros.