How did Freestyle do that?

[Tim Gray]

I live in CA (Northern) and once I ordered on Monday morning and I had it Tuesday afternoon. They are very fast. B&H for me takes 7-10 days?????????????

I live outside of Philly, so it's the opposite for me. If I deliver to work, I can place an order at B&H around noon one day, and have it by noon the next. With standard shipping.

Freestyle takes a bit longer. And Fedex always delivers here right before the mailroom closes, so I don't get the package until the next day. All in all it takes 5-7 days depending on if the weekend interferes. I'm not complaining though. They are a great outfit.

 

[Hikingman]

Freestyle sounds like a good option, and I like to see competition in film sales! Perhaps more shipping options will become available.

Freestyle are you listening?

 

[jp498]

I didn't know anyone placed orders by mail anymore!

 

[Wade D]

In southern California, their Fedex ground delivery is the least expensive -- and I can place an order up to about 3:00 in the afternoon, and the items arrive the next day. It's fantastic.

John Clark
www.johndclark.com

Same here. Very fast!

 

[Moopheus]

Freestyle is great. So is the USPS. I don't know why people always slam them.

I think the worst part of dealing with the USPS is when you have to go to an actual post office. More particularly, if you have to go to one in New York City. Counter service in the NYC post offices is the worst I've seen anywhere. Where I live now is much better.

Isn't Calumet still selling film? The one in my neighborhood still had some the last time I was in there.

 

[Hikingman]

Speaking of which-just mailed undeveloped rolls from IN to CA, and the postal worker commented, "about four days." We'll see...

 

[KMiller]

Calumet's Web site still lists film...

 

[cmacd123]

Fellow from Canada Post just delivered today a freestyle order I placed by web March 3 in the evening. Right to the front door. There was a sticker on the box that indicated that USPS shipped it LAX to Toronto. And Customs did get it long enough to charge the TAX.

Looking forward to having some cheap LegacyPro 400 in stock.

 

[Tim Gray]

I think the worst part of dealing with the USPS is when you have to go to an actual post office. More particularly, if you have to go to one in New York City. Counter service in the NYC post offices is the worst I've seen anywhere. Where I live now is much better.

I guess. Some times I have to wait 5-10 minutes, but the people are always nice. And if I go at the right time, like 9:10 AM instead of 8:45 AM, I usually don't wait at all.

 

[DanielStone]

just wish there wasn't the damned sales tax here in CA.

its nice being able to phone in an order to their Warehouse, pay for it over the phone(cc), and drive down and pick it up. very convenient .

what's not convenient however is almost a 10% sales tax rate. utter rubbish IMO.

so b&h gets most of my film orders, not that I need any more film for the next 2 or 3 years .

except efke 25. I'm willing to pay sales tax on that, since freestyle's price is sooo much better than b&h's, especially since they also give a student discount, unlike b&h

-Dan

 

[Leighgion]

Post Offices are like tiny kingdoms.

While they all are pledged to obey a central authority, the conditions in any given fiefdom will vary wildly depending on who the local Baron(ess)/Postmaster running the show is, and on the local conditions they have to deal with.

 

[mjs]

Mail Order

I didn't know anyone placed orders by mail anymore!

My wife accuses me of being Amish somehow. I like film, mail order, reel type lawn mowers, and bicycles, so she may have something there.

Mom says 'no' but that there are supposed to be Whistlers back in the lineage somewhere. I place about as much faith in that as I do in grandma's claim that one of her ancestors was an "indian princess".

Mike

 

[mjs]

Calumet

Calumet's Web site still lists film...

I was being snarky. They carry very little compared to what they used to, and not very many pieces of the stuff they do have in stock. Calumet's service was great -- I could mail an order on Monday and it would be delivered on Thursday afternoon. Then stuff was out of stock, then they didn't carry it any more... I moved to Freestyle and haven't looked back.

Mike

 

[naugastyle]

I think the worst part of dealing with the USPS is when you have to go to an actual post office. More particularly, if you have to go to one in New York City. Counter service in the NYC post offices is the worst I've seen anywhere. Where I live now is much better.

Isn't Calumet still selling film? The one in my neighborhood still had some the last time I was in there.

Calumet still sells film, but they don't strike me as particularly knowledgeable or friendly. For New Yorkers, the prices aren't as good as B&H or Adorama, and some of the stuff listed as in-stock on the website is not necessarily in stock at your local store...you have to check. On the plus side, it's open on Saturdays.

I have pretty crappy service at my USPS in my Brooklyn neighborhood but the one I've used a few times in Hell's Kitchen (near my darkroom) is incredible. Efficient and very kind staff there.

just wish there wasn't the damned sales tax here in CA.

its nice being able to phone in an order to their Warehouse, pay for it over the phone(cc), and drive down and pick it up. very convenient .

what's not convenient however is almost a 10% sales tax rate. utter rubbish IMO.

so b&h gets most of my film orders, not that I need any more film for the next 2 or 3 years .

-Dan

That seems odd. I have to pay fairly high sales tax in New York for B&H and Adorama, and I generally find it works out to be less than shipping from Freestyle depending on how much I'm buying. I would much rather buy locally, plus you get the stuff same day! Unless B&H's shipping rates are vastly different than Freestyle's, I'm not sure how much you're saving this way.

Now, if you lived far enough away in CA where you paid tax AND shipping, I could understand that...

 

[dynachrome]

In the last few years as mail volume has gone down there have been times when mail service really speeded up. When the number of employees ratchets down the service starts to get slower again. It's not something you can predict.

 

[mwdake]

My USPS service is great. It is so good my mailman anticipated that I was moving next door and for 3 out of the last 5 days delivered my mail there.
Only trouble is the neighbors are seasonal and are not here and I did not move next door. So, no matter how fast Freestyle ships it has to get delivered to the right house in the end.

On the other hand I to think Freestyle are the best, but I have also had very good service and prices from B&H and Adorama.

 

[Ektagraphic]

Calumet's Web site still lists film...

Calumet certainly sells film....Their stores still have a good selection of film and their color films are kept refridgerated.....

 

[mhcfires]

I'm not going to say anything about the sales tax. It IS too much, but then our public servants are underworked and overpaid. So much for the graft. I DO like the overnight service from Freestyle. Living near San Diego is great, I too can place an order by 3 PM and get it the next day by FedEx Ground. Love it.

 

[clayne]

I buy from Freestyle because Freestyle primarily supports Analog photography. Can't say the same for the other places (one of which is hiding it's darkroom/traditional gear and supplies).

 

[eclarke]

8x10 film, mostly, along with a re-supply of pyro developer from Photog. Formulary's line, some TF-4 fixer, etc. A longer shutter release for my new (to me) 16 1/2" RD Artar lens, a filter, that sort of thing. Forgot to get some lens wraps, though.

Will we see you this weekend, Evan? Kind of a long drive for you Wisconsin folks.

Mike

Hi Mike,
I can't make it this time, I have to give (believe it or not) a Photoshop lesson. I haven't been in this program for two years!!!...TTYL..Evan

 

[mjs]

Hi Mike,
I can't make it this time, I have to give (believe it or not) a Photoshop lesson. I haven't been in this program for two years!!!...TTYL..Evan

We'll miss you, Evan. I was looking forward to seeing the new 11x14 in action; I guess that will have to wait. I'm planning on giving my new (to me) 16 1/2" Artar some exercise on the 8x10. Good luck with the Photoshop class!

Tracking says that my Freestyle order is supposed to be delivered today. Just outstanding service!

Mike

 

[eclarke]

I have been printing from the 11x14 and am pretty happy. It also motivated me to make some contact prints from my 5x7 which are pretty nice too. Bad news is that I broke the GG in the 5x7 lat weekend and had to spend $100 to fix it...Good luck with the outing..TTYL..Evan

 

[clayne]

I print 5x7 from 135 and I'm happy. I can't imagine 5x7 contacts being anything less than awesome, resolution wise.

 

[wogster]

I didn't know anyone placed orders by mail anymore!

Some people do not have credit cards, like me for instance. So what I do is select all the items on the website, go to the checkout, to get the final price. Print out the order page, including the final price, cancel the order, mail that with a postal money order for that amount. Wait for the items to show up in the mail.

 

[wogster]

I placed an order to Freestyle in Hollywood, CA in the mailbox Saturday morning in South Bend, Indiana. Just an ordinary envelope with a first class stamp; a printed copy of my shopping cart and a postal money order.

This afternoon (Monday) I got an e-mailed order acknowledgement from Freestyle. One business day from Indiana to California? How'd they do that? Everything else I mail to California takes 3-4 days. I can't usually get a letter to Chicago in one day (back when Calumet carried film.) Heck, I can't get a letter from the next town over in one day.

I'm trying to decide whether or not I should be worried...

Mike

Simple, regular letter mail normally goes ground, so what do you do when you have a foot of ground freight left over and 2' of capacity left on the plane, you toss that extra foot on the plane as it's cheaper to do that then to send a 53' trailer with a foot of freight across the country. At the destination, it doesn't make sense to hold that stuff for the rest of the ground freight, so it makes an amazing one day journey. The other issue is sometimes cross country trips are contracted out, and the contractor works on the weekend.