Go buy some stuff from your local shop now !

[Edwardv]

If you live in Baltimore, Maryland support SERVICE PHOTO, 3838 Falls Road. 410-235-6200. And for those you need 220 film, they carry Tri-X 320.

They are serious. Last Thursday, Friday and Saturday, the representatives of Leica, Nikon, Canon, Bogen, Tamron and a few others when there to show their equipment. And not only that the reps where given discounts as well.

Have a nice day

 

[Dave Wooten]

If you live in Baltimore, Maryland support SERVICE PHOTO, 3838 Falls Road. 410-235-6200. And for those you need 220 film, they carry Tri-X 320.

They are serious. Last Thursday, Friday and Saturday, the representatives of Leica, Nikon, Canon, Bogen, Tamron and a few others when there to show their equipment. And not only that the reps where given discounts as well.

Have a nice day

You are right about Service Photo....I have dealt with them when in Bmore...wish there were more service minded retailers like them around the country....most are starting to look like Cosco and Office Depot in their offering...I believe soon most local store s will have nothing to offer that Walmart does not also offer...

 

[razocaine_07]

after starting photography, i (foolishly) decided to look in Jessops. But because of my choice of clothing ( hoody, baggy jeans, etc ) and also sporting a beard they quickly dismissed me. But their loss was my gain and i came across RGB labs in Middlesbrough, UK. Great staff and still fully support the film market as well as digital. Well worth a visit if your in the area

 

[Paul Green]

Buying locally just isnt viable anymore, as a uni student I just can't afford to pay £6 for a roll of 135 b+w, when I can buy at least 2-3 rolls online for the same price.
I tend to buy from rkphoto, silverprint, 7dayshop(brilliant prices) and if there are any students reading this from the UK you should try Keyphoto.com they do some great student deals especially combined with the point system they have, that allows £5 or 10 deduction after spending a relatively small amount of money.
Paul.

 

[DWThomas]

I thought of this thread Tuesday. As I was about to go photograph an art show winning painting (with my SQ-A), the roll of tungsten transparency film I thought I had in my camera bag turned out to be daylight Provia 100F. The only camera store near me that has any 120 film had nothing suitable, So I bought a roll of 35mm Fujichrome T64 and used my Canon A1. 36 exposure roll: $10.99 -- price at B&H, $7.99. This is the same store where I recently made a last minute buy of 35 mm Plus-X before a trip. Three 36 exp -- $22-something (PA has a 6% sales tax).

(Plan B was buy a 67 mm 80B filter, but that failed too. )

I'd like to support the store, but as a retiree doing volunteer/hobby efforts, that's a steep penalty -- especially when I can't count on them to have any specific item in stock. Their darkroom stuff has dwindled to a few leftovers.

There purports to be a decent sounding place in Bryn Mawr, but with distance and typical hair-raising traffic that adds an hour and a bunch of gas to the budget. (In spite of that, I do intend to check it out one of these days.)

It's unfortunate, but so far the situation argues for planning better and online ordering.

DaveT

 

[jpeets]

It is the the price spread of Tri-X that stuck out with me between major US and Canadian outlets (compared B&H, FreeStyle, and Calmulet with Vistek and Henrys')

Henry's and Vistek are not interested in analog photography - both stock vestigial amounts of materials at high prices. They are pricey for just about everything - I recently was looking at Canon lenses and realized that a lens going for around $450 US was selling for around $800 at Henry's. The guy at the counter came back with the usual "don't have the volume", customs/taxes (they don't pay those, bogus) and other mumbled replies. $100 difference, I'd pay. Nearly double the price - that's an insult.

Bottom line, these guys are making big bucks on low volumes/high margins, a typical Canadian business approach, which I refuse to support.

I take all my business to Downtown camera who seem to be the only outfit with any kind of selection and stock of stuff, and their prices tend to be the lowest in Toronto. Nonetheless, price differentials are large enough that I buy film from the US. Also, check out Film Plus in the west end - a small place with decent prices, and if they don't have it, they can get it for you. Primarily a rental shop, but stock analog and d*****l supplies at decent prices (Epson paper at about 30% off Henry's). And really nice folks!

The world is changing, and mom-and-pop business have largely disappeared for food, hardware, books, etc. and photography equipment/supplies are just another commodity that is best sold over the internet (efficiencies of scale, low overhead, speedy and cheap shipping). I don't like it, but there is nothing I can do to change it.

Jaan

 

[Gary Holliday]

Realising that I was out of Neopan 120, I tried ringing my local shop KP Pro in Cambridge, UK. No reply and when I drove round the door was firmly shut! Looks like one of the few independent chains (Campkins) has gone.

Firstly serves them right. They went digital. How can I buy anything when you don't stock anything. No decent film, no FB paper?? I overheard the salesman in the "Joe Public" branch tell a young student that it was very difficult to get darkroom paper....blah blah Ilford went bust....

Poor guy who arrived with me told me that they had his lens.

Do you think they will have an administration sell off?

 

[film_guy]

I won't buy anything from Henry's and Vistek until their prices match or are at least 5% difference from US prices. I'm all for supporting the local stores, but if they choose to sell their items at ridiculously high prices to earn a quick buck then no thanks. I'd rather pat 40% less and wait a couple days for UPS or Fedex to ship the exact same item(s) to me.

 

[Cheryl Jacobs]

I'm very lucky -- my local camera store is within walking distance of my house, and is still very well stocked with everything from darkroom equipment to film and oddball gadgets. They also do all my neg scans and portrait proofs. As a result, they now have most of my money. LOL.

Just bought a used Canon body and some accessories there a few days ago, as my 13-year-old son wants a camera and darkroom lessons for Christmas. Mama's proud.

- CJ

 

[John Shriver]

Zeff in Belmont, MA ditched their film cooler. That's not going to encourage me to buy any Professional films from them... It's going to be Calumet, or Hunt's if they still have a fridge.

 

[Mike Té]

That's surely a significant measure of commitment to film... whether or not a store has a fridge!

In Ottawa, when the new Vistek franchise bought Ginn's Camera, they got rid of their big glass-door fridges and put a mini bar fridge up on a counter. They have to keep their HIE out at room temp; no room in the fridge (I asked). So I bought some and put it my own mini bar fridge.

Zeff in Belmont, MA ditched their film cooler. That's not going to encourage me to buy any Professional films from them... It's going to be Calumet, or Hunt's if they still have a fridge.

 

[SuzanneR]

Zeff in Belmont, MA ditched their film cooler. That's not going to encourage me to buy any Professional films from them... It's going to be Calumet, or Hunt's if they still have a fridge.

And they don't seem to be carrying film gear in their rental department. I had to go all the way to Calumet last summer when a camera went bust on me, and I needed to rent one in a hurry. Wish Calumet wasn't so hard for me to get to...

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

Hunts still has a significant committment to film - they offer deals on fresh, short-date and out-of-date film that are quite good, and they carry it in all formats from 35mm to 8x10. They are also partners in the Ilford LF/ULF special order program.

 

[pauliej]

The internet is part of the problem, as it is so dang easy for mis-information (or deliberate lies) to get out here. When someone says Ilford has gone bust and passes on the information, other believe this without checking to see if it is true or false. Did they hear something and got it wrong, or it was about another company and Ilford was mentioned and they got it mixed up? Or are they trying to sabotage a good company? Who knows for sure. Maybe Mom and Pop then close their store or convert to digital 100%, based on false information.

In this day of the global economy, if Mom and Pop cant sell a trainload of goods marked "Made in (somewhere else)" then they cant compete with WallyMart, Sammy's Club, et al and will soon be in another business, or will be greeters at Wally-World, or worse.

Maybe the only hope is with Apug and other similar sites that get correct and corrected information out to the world for our benefit. Support the Apug advertisers, especially if there is no local outlet for what you want and need. Yes, support local, if you have it, but support Apug too.

Sorry for the ranting. I hope this helps you!

Paul

 

[copake_ham]

Hunts still has a significant committment to film - they offer deals on fresh, short-date and out-of-date film that are quite good, and they carry it in all formats from 35mm to 8x10. They are also partners in the Ilford LF/ULF special order program.

I'll second Scott's comments on Hunt's. I've been buying discounted close-dated stuff from them via their eBay listings for a couple of years. For fresher stuff I go to their website.

 

[Uncle Bill]

I have mixed feelings after a trip Christmas shopping for my brother. He wants a A-P Bobinquick bulk film loader and I located one locally in Greater Toronto at 8 Elm Photo. No big deal picked it up yesterday, the owners were not in and the store was watched by a part timer who wanted me out of the store ASAP after the transaction was complete.
It left me thinking, a lot of people crave "that neighbourhood experience" with their local camera store. Reality is camera stores are staffed by and I am going by my experience here in Toronto, either its a strictly business relationship (and don't waste their time otherwise) as what I been through yesterday or your a dealing with staff more interested in selling you a Canon 40d than a film camera or consumables.

There was a thread over on RFF on the merits of buying locally vs online. I take the line, I go where it's best for me depending on what I am looking for regardless it's around the corner or on the other side of the continent. If I want community I am not going to the local store, I'll hang out with other photographers through APUG or Flickr.

 

[tom_bw]

I've often toyed with the idea of starting a non-profit coop of people in the area to pool together to buy Ilford stuff directly from Wynit (perhaps once every 4 months). That would put an end to any overcharging!

 

[copake_ham]

I've often toyed with the idea of starting a non-profit coop of people in the area to pool together to buy Ilford stuff directly from Wynit (perhaps once every 4 months). That would put an end to any overcharging!

Organized "group film buys" have been tried here on APUG - particularly by the LF folk - to mixed results. It's one of those ideas that everyone is "for" in concept but seems to fall apart in implementation.

 

[aldevo]

Zeff in Belmont, MA ditched their film cooler. That's not going to encourage me to buy any Professional films from them... It's going to be Calumet, or Hunt's if they still have a fridge.

Hunt's (at last check, 2 months ago) still has a fridge.

Every time I go in Zeff, it's a ghost-town. They seem to be having some success filling "Intro to Digital Photography" classes aimed at the blue-haired crowd who can't figure out how to download photos off their camera. I can't imagine how they stay in business otherwise...

To give you an idea of how dumb they are when it comes to the analog stuff, I bought my enlarger outfit (LPL 670 VCCE, 50mm f/2.8 and 75mm f/3.5 EL Nikkors, safe light, 2 darkroom vents, 4 negative carriers, a Gralab 300 and other stuff) from them off of their eBay store for $175. Well, they managed to lose the Gralab and asked me how much it would take to replace it. I told them $75 and they said "sure, sounds about right".

Sort of makes me wish I said $100...

The take-away here is: not every indepdendent business deserves to make it.

Zeff's lease on their Belmont location, btw, ends exactly one year from today. It will be interesting to see what they do next.

 

[Chris Breitenstein]

I have to disagree. The market for traditional photographic materials and processes is becoming way to small to keep the mom and pop shops afloat. If we as consumers funnel all of money towards companies like B&H, Freestyle, Calumet etc. these companies will become stronger and thus improve the market. Buying at a mom and pop shop at this point in time you can guaranty the profit you are providing will go directly into the owners retirement rather then back into the market to ensure that traditional products will be around for years to come. I realize that these individuals have worked long and hard their entire life and they deserve to retire comfortably, but is it our responsibility to ensure that predecessors are comfortable in their last few years; or that our, and their, progeny get to receive the same joy that we all have from this traditional process?

 

[aldevo]

I have to disagree. The market for traditional photographic materials and processes is becoming way to small to keep the mom and pop shops afloat. If we as consumers funnel all of money towards companies like B&H, Freestyle, Calumet etc. these companies will become stronger and thus improve the market. Buying at a mom and pop shop at this point in time you can guaranty the profit you are providing will go directly into the owners retirement rather then back into the market to ensure that traditional products will be around for years to come. I realize that these individuals have worked long and hard their entire life and they deserve to retire comfortably, but is it our responsibility to ensure that predecessors are comfortable in their last few years; or that our, and their, progeny get to receive the same joy that we all have from this traditional process?

I agree with you 100%.

Most of the mom & pop stores have long ago devolved to selling picture frames and passport photos. Their demise is more or less "fait accompli".

I think we are best served by concentrating our purchasing power with a few retailers to give them the buying power they need to buy in the volume required to keep the materials affordable. That's Freestyle, B&H, Calumet and maybe a couple others. I'm also inclined to spend some $ with Fotoimpex and Fotohuis, since they are willing to undertake the risk of keeping some of our best-loved materials in production.

 

[jlpape]

I have not read all of the threads in this post, but I'll put my 2 cents in. I would love to shop at the local photo stores, but cannot afford to. Example, I buy 36 exposure Tri-X from B&H for between $3.69 and 3.99 (depending on if I can get the non-USA supply... USAW). I went in to buy the same film from my local store and they wanted $7.69... for ONE roll. I politely said no thanks and left the store. This store actually has a chemical & equipment section for B&W developing so I think they are trying to cater to the enthusiast, but the prices turn me away.

 

[pauliej]

Well, price is price. You can get french fries at macdonalds right now, or you can go to the grocery, buy the fries and oil, take them home and cook them and have fries whenever. Price vs convience and other factors. WallyMart has killed the mom&pops the same way, as the customers voted with their dollars to kill mom and pop. Now we're doing it the same way, to support B&H, Freestyle and the others. There should be a better way, but I dont know what it is... My 2 cents, before taxes of course.

Paul

 

[CBG]

...
ep levines was/is the best camera store ...

Is.

C

 

[Vonder]

I'm not sure what to say 'bout all this. On the one hand I feel lucky to be living in eastern Iowa and still have the same photo stores that have been here since I was a lad. One of them has changed hands, but it's still open and still selling darkroom and film stuff. All three stores do.

They do tend to want to ram digital down your throat, though. I was buying some film, chemicals, and paper and a semi-clueless store owner was telling me how I could get prints from his big inkjet printer that could look sepia toned. Dude. I'm buying film. And photo paper. And chemicals. WTF makes you think I want inkjet prints???

Sadly, their film support seems to be wavering. They do carry Reala in 35mm and a few others I adore, but their 120 offerings are nearly gone.

We can only support stores that carry what we want, and those stores won't sell us what we want, so we buy online.