Does Kodak sell film anymore?

[CGW]

Keep in mind I don't live in Toronto, so I don't have the same eye on the scene as a local would. However, suburban areas like Mississauga are bound to not be film havens (not saying CGW doesn't go Old Toronto or anything). I wouldn't just base your information on CGW's opinion of the Toronto analogue market, nor would I say you should base it just off mine. If you're interested enough, just look at various sites (like flickr) and see an array of analogue photos from Toronto, you'll see more examples and opinions there.

Let's see, I live in the GTA and you don't. Thanks so much, h.v., for filling me in on what's in my own backyard. Jeesh!

 

[MattKing]

I really do understand where CGW is coming from ...

Toronto used to have a really vibrant and extensive photographic infrastructure, when photography meant film.

So much of that is gone (in particular Kodak Canada! - http://www.robertburley.com/index.php/site/gallery/disappearance_of_darkness_2010/).

And it is not as if everything has just been scaled back - there seems to be real holes in what services (in particular) are available there now.

Here on the left coast, we seem to have much more even coverage left.

So I understand how the comparison between what is now and what used to be really does look depressing.

Historically in smaller communities, it was always necessary to seek services from both local and distant suppliers, so at least some of the changes in the market are less apparent, due to the fact that the internet has increased access to distant sources.

And of course, CGW suffers from one further problem - he lives at the centre of the universe ( - you probably have to be Canadian to understand this).

 

[Dinesh]

he lives at the centre of the universe ( - you probably have to be Canadian to understand this).

Matt, enjoy your off season. (you probably have to be Canucks fan to understand this)

 

[redrockcoulee]

There isn't really much film locally however in Calgary one can buy almost whatever they want at theCamerastore. For most items they are competitive with the big chains. The one product that is not is Acros in 120 which is considerably less expensive at Freestyle or B&H than anywhere I have seen in Canada making me think it is Fuji and not the stores that are setting prices. For most products the brokerage fees make up the difference in prices.

 

[MattKing]

Matt, enjoy your off season. (you probably have to be Canucks fan to understand this)

Are you a Leaf/Oilers/Flames fan by any chance, Dinesh?

(You probably have to be a hockey fan to understand this ).

 

[Ian Grant]

Matt, enjoy your off season. (you probably have to be Canucks fan to understand this)

Anyone driving from Buffalo to Toronto via Mississississississagua can understand the importance of the area to Canada

Last time I was there (about 8 years ago) I was very impressed with the 2 Henry's I went into they wer probably the best photographic stores I'd ever visted. But I'm told things changed.

Ian

 

[CGW]

Anyone driving from Buffalo to Toronto via Mississississississagua can understand the importance of the area to Canada

Last time I was there (about 8 years ago) I was very impressed with the 2 Henry's I went into they wer probably the best photographic stores I'd ever visted. But I'm told things changed.

Ian

Toronto is still a great photography city but it's not a great film photography city now. If Toronto Image Works scraps its film lines, I'm pretty much done. Bob Carnie is the city's preeminent printer. Henry's and Vistek marginalized film+darkroom 3-4 years ago.

Eight years ago is an eternity in photography. The landscape's quite different, especially in terms of the collapse of quality pro labs handling film workflow around the GTA.

 

[Dinesh]

Are you a Leaf/Oilers/Flames fan by any chance, Dinesh?

(You probably have to be a hockey fan to understand this ).

Pretty low blow Matt.

Flyers baby!

 

[wblynch]

Have some sympathy for we Ducks fans. It's hard to grow Ice in a Desert

 

[h.v.]

Let's see, I live in the GTA and you don't. Thanks so much, h.v., for filling me in on what's in my own backyard. Jeesh!

Oh relax, I stated right off the bat that I'm not a local. Sheesh. You guys still have specialty stores for specific types of film/cameras and what seems like a decent selection (not great) of places to get processing and to buy rolls (sheets?).

There isn't really much film locally however in Calgary one can buy almost whatever they want at theCamerastore. For most items they are competitive with the big chains. The one product that is not is Acros in 120 which is considerably less expensive at Freestyle or B&H than anywhere I have seen in Canada making me think it is Fuji and not the stores that are setting prices. For most products the brokerage fees make up the difference in prices.

The Camera Store has an excellent selection. The thing I don't like about Calgary's analogue market is that there seems to be a real lack of places to actually get the stuff processed if you don't do it yourself. No E-6, no B&W. Edmonton, Winnipeg, and I think Ottawa (could be wrong on that last one) don't have this problem.

 

[IronStar]

Here in Belgrade, Serbia we have a semi-decent selection of films. I can locally get some Kodak consumer film (Color Plus 200), and we have one "pro" lab in city, that sells almost everything you might want in 135/120, although it seems that they didn't restock Kodak in a while. Haven't really searched for MF. Problem with that lab is that they are turning into a Lomography store, so most of stuff they do is...weird unless you point them out couple times you want it processed properly, and make them write it somewhere. They'll even do push/pull if you ask nicely. Also their BW processing is terrible, but there is a guy that does it properly, so it's not a problem either.

On the other hand, prices are high, especially for our low life standards...

 

[Ian Grant]

Toronto is still a great photography city but it's not a great film photography city now. If Toronto Image Works scraps its film lines, I'm pretty much done. Bob Carnie is the city's preeminent printer. Henry's and Vistek marginalized film+darkroom 3-4 years ago.

Eight years ago is an eternity in photography. The landscape's quite different, especially in terms of the collapse of quality pro labs handling film workflow around the GTA.

Have to agree, when I left the UK and moved to Turkey 6 years ago there were plenty of pro labs st6ill left offering E6 in my nearest city, Birmingham just 30mins travel when no commuters, in its heyday it probably had 20+ E6 labs, now just one small one.

Ian

 

[CGW]

Oh relax, I stated right off the bat that I'm not a local. Sheesh. You guys still have specialty stores for specific types of film/cameras and what seems like a decent selection (not great) of places to get processing and to buy rolls (sheets?).

Just stop now, h.v. You're still telling me what's available where I live and you don't. What's up with that? Weird.

 

[h.v.]

I'm not telling you. I'm just stating what I know based on my experiences. Is that so bad? Is there not a Lomography store on Queen St and a Black and White specific store on Danforth or Eglinton? At least these niche stores exist where you live. I've stated off the bat that I'm no local and therefore my experiences wouldn't be as sharp as a local. Sorry if I've offended you in some way. Can you get E-6 done in Toronto? Does Vistek still do it?

 

[Ken Nadvornick]

It's a good thing these days to hear that the GTA, or any major metropolitan area for that matter, is still in the film game - movies or still photography. No one expects a return to the former glory days mentioned by Ian, but not being out of the game entirely is actually good news at this point.

As economies continue to recover I expect the modest return to film to continue as well. Not for the vast unwashed masses, but maybe for those who wash their hands at least occassionally?



I live an hour or so northeast of Seattle. Yet I am very aware of what my film purchasing and processing options are in that city. I might not live in Seattle, but I also don't live in a tar paper shack out in the woods.

Ken

 

[Sirius Glass]

Yeah, I've done pretend orders that I cancel to see what shipping/duties would be and that's great that B&H does that. However, I find that with all the shipping/duties to Alberta, it usually isn't worth it. Local stores here do bother, but they also realize that 97% of the photographic world is now digital, so film is no longer their top priority. I can get any Kodak, Fuji, or Ilford film here. One store even packs a fairly filled fridge. You can also sometimes find the Lomo/Holga style film too. Not to mention there is a pretty big and popular option for buying supplies right here in Alberta, the Camera Store in Calgary. The film isn't as cheap as B&H, but they've got great selection of various formats. However, so long as the prices don't become outrageous and I don't start finding it hard to find certain films, I'm going to try to support my local guys and therefore my local economy. Without people such as myself, of course there aren't going to be any local options.

I'm not sure what you'd call non-existent, but the GTA seems to have a heap load of film photographic infrastructure, including specialty shops (Toronto B&W and the Lomo Store or similar). I've also seen a lot of film photos on the web from Toronto. Seems like a pretty decent film photography scene. Of course it isn't going to be up to NYC levels, but that's kinda expected. And I'm also just shooting 35mm (for now), the most easily available format. But I've checked medium format supplies in Edmonton and things seem to be widely available (I've done this as I'm hoping to try medium format soon). I'd assume the product range and options would be double what they are here.

In Alberta, you do not have the Provence tax like the rest of Canada.

 

[Sirius Glass]

And of course, CGW suffers from one further problem - he lives at the centre of the universe ( - you probably have to be Canadian to understand this).

Gee, based on what I see on Saturday mornings, I thought the Canadian centre of the universe is Canadian Tire!

 

[CGW]

It's a good thing these days to hear that the GTA, or any major metropolitan area for that matter, is still in the film game - movies or still photography. No one expects a return to the former glory days mentioned by Ian, but not being out of the game entirely is actually good news at this point.

As economies continue to recover I expect the modest return to film to continue as well. Not for the vast unwashed masses, but maybe for those who wash their hands at least occassionally?



I live an hour or so northeast of Seattle. Yet I am very aware of what my film purchasing and processing options are in that city. I might not live in Seattle, but I also don't live in a tar paper shack out in the woods.

Ken

Large amounts of TV/film/advertising/news production happen all over Toronto. It's been dismaying, though, to watch the analog infrastructure wither so quickly over just the last 2-3 years. Funny but I'm seeing the MILC gear like the Sony NEX bodies, and their ability to use almost any 35mm lens via adapters, drawing some back into contact with film or attracting others who never really shot it at all. Medium format is catnip to friends who use these cameras. The big glitch is processing and continued access to pro labs. Film is a product; quality processing/printing are professional services. Hoping we've hit bottom here in terms of demand for film and lab services.

 

[ricardo12458]

OK, in Grand Prairie (where I live) there is a CVS, a Walgreen's, and a Kroger all located within walking distance of each other. All of which sell film. At CVS they stock BW400CN, 400TX (ridiculously expensive), Kodacolor Gold 400 in 4-packs, and private label film, which BTW, is Fujicolor 400, though it looks like relabelled Kodak stock. (It isn't.) The single-use cameras are ubiquitous. The Walgreen's has BW400CN and Kodacolor Gold 800 (Ultra Max 4-pack). Walgreen's got rid of their private label Fujicolor film (400ASA) sometime in May-June 2011 (I bought it on clearance around that time ). Now the only private label stock there is the single-use camera. Kroger has Kodacolor Gold 200, 400, 800. The 400 and 800ASA films come in single or 3-packs. The 200ASA and BW400CN are all single packs. And a bunch of obscure single-use cameras, with processing included to a "Clark Color Laboratories."

All's well in my little corner of the world

And I can still get traditional b&w film here, but at slightly ridiculous prices......

-R

 

[zsas]

I know Kodak is having problems but every CVS, Walgreens,Riteaid i've been at all only have Fuji 35mm color and Fuji one use cameras.
Does Kodak even sell film to the public anymore? I'm old enough to remember drug stores have those wall of little boxes w/ the yellow boxes in them.
yes I know u can get Tmax,etc at Samys,Adorama,etc but why no drugstores?

Although one store is not a trend, but the pharmacy near me (CVS) has Tri X, 400CN and some various color film and disposables. It is a brand new CVS...

 

[colemcdaniel]

^ I saw the same thing at the CVS right next to where I work. I had never even seen black and white film in a drug store before.

 

[CGW]

Interesting, zsas. Once cheap C-41 service vanished in my area, so did Kodak and Fuji consumer film. Who's processing that stuff?

Those shelves look like those at local Walmarts 2-3 years ago.

Wonder if it's actually selling? Fuji consumer stuff here often hits stale dates.

 

[removed account4]

Interesting, zsas. Once cheap C-41 service vanished in my area, so did Kodak and Fuji consumer film. Who's processing that stuff?

Those shelves look like those at local Walmarts 2-3 years ago.

Wonder if it's actually selling? Fuji consumer stuff here often hits stale dates.

hi cgw

i think they come with a mailer
and you send them back to kodak,
they will print and process the film
and send it back in 4-6 weeks ....
you will be the only one in your neighborhood
who has photographic images printed on paper ...

oh, hang on a minute, that's 120 years ago ...

i don't think anyone is processing them but the mini lab down the road from me!

 

[Old-N-Feeble]

Although one store is not a trend, but the pharmacy near me (CVS) has Tri X, 400CN and some various color film and disposables. It is a brand new CVS...

Blasphemy!! You photographed sacred film with a digital camera??

 

[zsas]

Dang you caught me, I sure hope I don't have to turn in my Apug card now