Found Tri-X 400 in the Grocery Store

Bromo33333 · Oct 14, 2006

Have no idea what it means - but I found Tri-X in the grocery store - next to all the C-41 film they sell. Strange.:confused:

(This is in Rochester, NY so general availability film will only be Kodak - but this is the first time I saw it for sale in the grocery store - and this is in the suburbs nowhere near RIT... and if you knew the place, people are NOT photo crazy here the way you would figure)

Stephanie Brim · Oct 14, 2006

Nope. The Hy-Vee in town and also the drug store on Main have it here. They just charge up the ass for it.

I did forget to add that I do, occasionally, buy it. When you need film, you need film.

Dave Parker · Oct 14, 2006

Just about ever single grocery store and Convience store around here has at least 1 or 2 rolls of B&W film for sale, I can't understand why it is such a big deal, I could have bought a 1/2 dozen rolls for Tri-x and T-max today when I picked beer up...Sometimes, I think us traditional shooters are a product of our own demise...

Dave

kb244 · Oct 14, 2006

Not too strange here, won't find it in a drugstore in my area, but in Meijers ( theres one like every 5 miles ) grocery and general merchandise store there will be some TriX 400 and Tmax 100 for sale, generally in 24 exposure, for the same price if not more than what we sell 36 exposure for at the camera store I work at. So its available, just not as cheap as you can get it. They used to have about 2 other emulsions in B&W up until about 9 months ago. Usually good to know in case you gota have B&W on a sunday, and the camera shops are closed.

nc5p · Oct 14, 2006

What, no 120? I'd complain to the manager!

copake_ham · Oct 14, 2006

Two weeks ago I went into our local drug store to grab a "consumer" roll of K's 200 ASA color film to shoot some snaps for a family gathering. Just wanted a 24-exp. roll so didn't want to use a roll of Reala from the freezer.

Sure enough, also hanging from the hooks were a few rolls of Tri-X (or may have been T-Max). They were right next to some APS stuff etc.

I don't know who buys that film stuff in the drug stores - must be other idiots like me who need a roll.

Earl Dunbar · Oct 14, 2006

Bromo: Which store? (PM me if you want.) I can only hope it's cheaper than at Rowe, Wright, etc. I can't recall seeing Tri-X in grocery stores here in a very long time, but I don't do much of the shopping, and even when I do go into Tops or Herrema's (I am boycotting Wegmans), I don't normally look at the film racks.

BradS · Oct 15, 2006

Long's drug's (big chain here on the west coast) used to have it in every sore...it was $3.68 for 24 exp if I remembe correctly. No more. .

Saw a bunch of interesting film in a grocery store out in the middle of no-where in S-E Minnesota this summer. Bought some too!

kb244 · Oct 15, 2006

What I am finding to be odd is that its getting very hard according to our customers to find 100 speed or lower film anywhere but our store.

MattKing · Oct 15, 2006

I see C41 process B & W 35mm film regularly in drugstores and supermarkets around here. It is rare to see more traditional B & W film though.

Matt

Bromo33333 · Oct 15, 2006

kb244 said:
What I am finding to be odd is that its getting very hard according to our customers to find 100 speed or lower film anywhere but our store.

I would agree with that from "Rochester Photographic" from memory about 1 month ago - I saw 120 and 35mm film: 100, 400, 3200 speeds B&W, Kodak TMAX, Tri-X; Ilford Delta 100, 400 & 3200; Ilford HP5, FP5. Some dwindling supplies of Agfa 120 B&W (snagged 2 rolls, had about 4 left). Color had some 135 and 120: Fuji (forget which ones), Kodak slide (Ektachrome). Think that was it. No IR, no lower than 100 speed that I saw.

Earl Dunbar · Oct 15, 2006

Bromo: Yes, Rochester Photographic is one of the few places here that has a decent selection of film.

bob100684 · Oct 16, 2006

At my eckerd we had Tri-x, plus-x, tmax 100 and 400....and FP4+

copake_ham · Oct 16, 2006

What is always "weird" about these kinds of threads is we talk about film as a "survivor".

You know: "Hey, guess what? I was just in my local [CVS, Eckerds, Rite Aid, Walgreens, Target, WalMart etc.] and I saw they STILL had film!"

Would we have asked this five years ago? No way!

But the camera manufacturer's are doing their damndest to kill film. How else are they going to continue to sell cameras?

Today, while dropping off my "personal first" roll of 120 I saw a poster ad from K now offering digicameras with a replacale "one-time shoot" memory card. They are literally trying to "re-create" film by making a P&S that will "shoot" a $3.00 digicard that you turn in for prints like you would've done with a roll of film!

Problem is, all you get with that is a crappy JPEG!

Will folks "go for it"?

Maybe.....but then, how is this different from film?

Well, the difference is, that the camera makers won't make film cameras anymore. They are "boxing" people into digital.

Bromo33333 · Oct 16, 2006

copake_ham said:
What is always "weird" about these kinds of threads is we talk about film as a "survivor".

Not my original point, the point was this film being offered at a grocery store is new - and a good thing. I was not trying to be negative (pun intended!) at all - perhaps there is a growing group of people using Tri-X 35mm film in my area? Perhaps something else.

The don't *still* have the film - they are carrying for the first time I saw it there and was so astonished and happy that I bought a couple o' rolls!

But the camera manufacturer's are doing their damndest to kill film. How else are they going to continue to sell cameras?

Funny thing - this cash cow is slowing down considerably!

And for typical consumers - they are happily doing the digital thing. Funny thing, though, at the kiosk at the grocery stores - a bunch of people are plopped down in the seat doing the "digital darkroom" thing - when before with film you can just drop it off and come pick it up in about 1 hour (well, more like 30 minutes) or in a couple of days if you want to go cheaper and send it out for developing.

Eventually people are going to realize that they have been convinced to do all the work and then have to pay the owners of the kiosk money for it! :confused: Amazing!

copake_ham · Oct 16, 2006

Bromo33333 said:
Not my original point, the point was this film being offered at a grocery store is new - and a good thing. I was not trying to be negative (pun intended!) at all - perhaps there is a growing group of people using Tri-X 35mm film in my area? Perhaps something else.

The don't *still* have the film - they are carrying for the first time I saw it there and was so astonished and happy that I bought a couple o' rolls!

Funny thing - this cash cow is slowing down considerably!

And for typical consumers - they are happily doing the digital thing. Funny thing, though, at the kiosk at the grocery stores - a bunch of people are plopped down in the seat doing the "digital darkroom" thing - when before with film you can just drop it off and come pick it up in about 1 hour (well, more like 30 minutes) or in a couple of days if you want to go cheaper and send it out for developing.

Eventually people are going to realize that they have been convinced to do all the work and then have to pay the owners of the kiosk money for it! :confused: Amazing!

Hi Bromo (name please?),

It's a bad day to respond to this.

I'm in one of those film user "funks" today - you know, when you think you're the last sane person on the planet realizing that everyone else has gone mad.

Digi has conquered just about all of the professional disciplines and most of the consumer market - it's hard to be upbeat on days like this. It's really hard to imagine that the "artists" in LF and we "amatuer hobbyists"* can, even together, keep film afloat much longer.

It's extra hard when you look at your beloved Nikon F3 and realize that the company that made it considers it just an artifact from the past!

Oh, and that MagnaCrome "sneaky digiMag" thread didn't help any either. Like a bad apple, I should never have "bit" into that thread!

For me, this just isn't a good day to read threads that act "surprised" that we can still find film!

* BTW: "Amateur hobbyist" is one of the "choices" for "profession" on the Kodak "free film" offer....

Black Dog · Oct 17, 2006

Well, I've read more than one letter in UK B&W magzine from people who preferred their new MF/LF cameras to digis. As Bob Dylan once observed" they say the darkest hour is right before the dawn".

Bromo33333 · Oct 17, 2006

copake_ham said:
Hi Bromo (name please?),

Brent. Sometimes my wife wants to pipe in, Dianne, but 90% of the time its me. You?

It's a bad day to respond to this.

I'm in one of those film user "funks" today - you know, when you think you're the last sane person on the planet realizing that everyone else has gone mad.

Digi has conquered just about all of the professional disciplines and most of the consumer market - it's hard to be upbeat on days like this. It's really hard to imagine that the "artists" in LF and we "amatuer hobbyists"* can, even together, keep film afloat much longer.

For some reason, I am not too worried about this. I suppose I *should* be, but as an artistic medium, I think that film is only now hitting its stride which excites me! I am pretty sure 35mm and LF are here for the long haul. I hope MF is, too. Given the huge base of cameras out there on 135, 120 and 4x5, 8x10 and so on, I don't see film disappearing any time soon.

It's extra hard when you look at your beloved Nikon F3 and realize that the company that made it considers it just an artifact from the past!

Even if film were the only technology - with planned obsolescence working the way it does - they were likely to think that anyway! I know, not much consolation.

Also the camera manufacturers are experiencing a flattening out of their sales - and this is a cash cow they were hoping to milk for several more generations - kind of like computers. Apparently, the big growth is in the below $150 cheapie P&S category which is bad news for them as they won't be profiting very much.

Oh, and that MagnaCrome "sneaky digiMag" thread didn't help any either. Like a bad apple, I should never have "bit" into that thread!

I am not sure what to make of the magazine - I thought it was interesting to read about the d^&*(^l backs - showing to me again that they are struggling to equal film - and have to spend so much friggin' money to do it! For petes sake, getting a drum scanner would be cheaper and higher rez and so on for pro work.

For me, this just isn't a good day to read threads that act "surprised" that we can still find film!

I wasn't suprised that I could find film - just that I could find *that* film in the GROCERY STORE. In my experience over the last <ahem> years I have only been able to find color print film, and only 20 years ago B&W. Now I can find color, b&w and slide film which is an improvement in my book not even taking D^&*(%^^&*(L into account.

But I understand, you are in a bad, bad place today. Hope you cheer up!

* BTW: "Amateur hobbyist" is one of the "choices" for "profession" on the Kodak "free film" offer....

Meaning dedicated amateurs are a growing segment in the film market.

Given the journalists don't use it except for special occations, this is not surprising. (Journalists famous for the autowinder 6fps lock the focus and GO burning a roll of film in a couple of seconds - every crate of film shipped coming with a "Thank You" note from Kodak! )

copake_ham · Oct 17, 2006

Hi Brent,

Name here is George (I think it's down there somewhere in the signature).

I guess my concern is not so much that the camera makers have abandoned us - so have the film companies!

Imagine your a kid just getting interested in photography. What are you going to see? Ads in the mags for digi gear. And since you're likely already computer-saavy, it will seem like a "no-brainer" to gravitate that way.

Granted that's what the camera makers want - but when was the last time you saw an advertisement in the mass media (pick a format) for film? Kids are growing up today may have "heard" about "old-fashioned" film photograpy, but likely as not they will not even know that film is still manufactured and used!

If the film companies are uninterested to advertising their products to the general consumer - it's hard for me to imagine how they can achieve necessary economies of scale to justify continuing to produce film?

I guess wrestling with these kinds of uncertainties is the "price" we will always have pay for preferring film photography.

Bromo33333 · Oct 17, 2006

I'll see your dark cloud and raise you a silver lining!

copake_ham said:
Hi Brent,

I guess my concern is not so much that the camera makers have abandoned us - so have the film companies! (snip)

There is a huge amount of hype surrounding digital cameras - I figure because the camera makers were hopeful they could get on the "3-year upgrade-itis" that computer makers had, but this time with cameras. Turns out this has been a bad bet - though almost all of the R&D, even in die hard film camera companies like Leica - has been in digital this or that.

Early Adopters and digi-photographers have their 6-10 MP cameras, and aren't budging, and the only real growth has been in the under $150 P&S market which isn't very profitable. I think the camera makers will be stuck again.

Also, with eBay and such - well made film cameras will be accessable for some time used. And there are and will be film cameras made for a good while. Look at the huge proliferation of standard and non standard LF cameras, Voigtlander, Zeiss Ikon for 35mm, and a large resurgence in pinhole? I may be pointing to a silver lining on a very very dark cloud, but it is a silver lining nonetheless - people are finding new uses for film and cameras.

I won't even mention the revival of antique processes that is going on.

Imagine your a kid just getting interested in photography. What are you going to see? Ads in the mags for digi gear. And since you're likely already computer-saavy, it will seem like a "no-brainer" to gravitate that way.

Interestingly enough, I stopped by RIT to get some film (I bought some Velvia 120 - here in Rochester, Fuji be it cameras or film - is almost like contraband) and talked to some of the Photography students there - they shoot film, digital in all kinds of formats. Most find film a lot more fun than the alternative, but they are getting a well rounded education - and film is front and center. LF and MF figures pretty prominently - so much so, that I think that LF will be the preferred film format for artistic expression going forward.

So, if a kid of mine (I don't have kids) were to be interested in it, I think I would get any sort of camera that would catch his or her fancy - no matter the format, and once the interest was sustained, would introduce the kid to "real" photography.

If the film companies are uninterested to advertising their products to the general consumer - it's hard for me to imagine how they can achieve necessary economies of scale to justify continuing to produce film?

I though the same thing about LP's 20 years ago - and they are still being pressed and not just reissues. Not to the same degree as before - and almost all of the poorly recorded junk is gone - just the good stuff is left, though the price went form abotu $8 to about $18. I would expect the same from film - and companies like J&C and ILFORD will be leading the way! (Not sure about Kodak, though I am sure they won't just dump film - maybe spin it off or something)

I guess wrestling with these kinds of uncertainties is the "price" we will always have pay for preferring film photography.

Instead of worrying and fretting go shoot some photos - you have a new Hasselblad calling your name!!!

Enjoying the "here" and "now",
Brent

Terence · Oct 17, 2006

What Brent said.

I'm impressed there are still new cameras (and nice ones, at that) coming out. Obviously they were developed after the scourge had started, but someone still made the effort.

On another bright side, looking down from my jobsite last Thursday I observed a slew (more than a smattering, less than a gaggle) of budding large formatters learning the basics from the ICP (International Center for Photography), fidldling with view cameras on the Grace Building's rear plaza. Warmed the cockles of my small, small heart.

copake_ham · Oct 17, 2006

Terence said:
What Brent said.

I'm impressed there are still new cameras (and nice ones, at that) coming out. Obviously they were developed after the scourge had started, but someone still made the effort.

On another bright side, looking down from my jobsite last Thursday I observed a slew (more than a smattering, less than a gaggle) of budding large formatters learning the basics from the ICP (International Center for Photography), fidldling with view cameras on the Grace Building's rear plaza. Warmed the cockles of my small, small heart.

Terence,

Are you working on the new BofA building?

Markok765 · Oct 17, 2006

No tri-x here

Terence · Oct 18, 2006

copake_ham said:
Terence,

Are you working on the new BofA building?

Yep. I manage the steel and concrete work.

BradS · Oct 20, 2006

copake_ham said:
Imagine your a kid just getting interested in photography. What are you going to see? Ads in the mags for digi gear. And since you're likely already computer-saavy, it will seem like a "no-brainer" to gravitate that way.

Imagine you're a kid and are just getting interested in photography....somebody shows you how a B&W print is made in the darkrrom. Imagine the thrill of seeing the image appear in the first tray....imagine. It's a no-brainer.

Found Tri-X 400 in the Grocery Store

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