JandC photo or Freestyle?

[Deniz]

So i am bout to purchase about 100 sheets of 8x10 film but can't quite make up my mind about where to buy it from.

i will be buying JandC 200 or arista.edu 200 (same film different names)

Freestyle ships to canada with USPS airmail now, which is alot better than Fedex with their outrageous customs fees.

I 've never shopped from JandC before but i hear good thing about them and i beleive the owners visit these forums everyonce in a while..

so i would like some advice on where to purchase the film this time..

i am not trying to start a competition or a fight, i just want my money to go to the place who needs it the most and will help LF film to survive a lot longer..

cheers

 

[Aggie]

J&C will! Freestyle also has digital to support them.
This is just my opinion

 

[Francesco]

J and C. Very fast, personal service. Why not pick up a box of Efke PL100 as well and make it a really nice chunky order. Buona fortuna!

 

[matt miller]

i just want my money to go to the place who needs it the most and will help LF film to survive a lot longer..

Another vote for J&C here. They're great.

 

[Donald Miller]

I concur with what others have said. I have purchased from both sources before and they are both fine businesses. I vote because JandC has made a decision to exclusively support film based photography.

 

[ann]

I have gotten a few things from Freestyle and was pleased with their service; however, when it comes to film, etc i will be using JandC , climbing on Donald"s band wagon.

 

[Dorothy Blum Cooper]

Another vote here for JandC. They not only have a great inventory of products...but they are super with their customer service. Definitely get my business again! Straight film photographer here too!

Dorothy--

 

[noseoil]

J&C are good folks to deal with. Same transaction? Don't want a comission Deniz. Let me know if I can help. tim

 

[mark]

I thought Arista.edu was FP 4 and Classic was the same as bergger/Forte

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Arista "Professional" and "D-Max" films are most likely Ilford. Arista ".EDU" films are sourced from Forte, and at least the sheet films are most likely made by Forte.

 

[Jorge]

If you dont have a preference bear in mind J&C are APUG sponsors, Freestyle is not.....

 

[Les McLean]

Arista "Professional" and "D-Max" films are most likely Ilford. Arista ".EDU" films are sourced from Forte, and at least the sheet films are most likely made by Forte.

Interesting for I understand that some Forte films are made by Ilford.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

It seems that some Forte rollfilms are sourced from Ilford. The ClassicPan 400 120 and Classic 400 sheet film I've used is certainly not HP5+. Aside from the visual differences (Classic 400 is a long toe film, more like TXT than HP5+), they are not as scratch resistant as Ilford or Kodak films, and they are on a different base.

 

[Joe Symchyshyn]

I think the fact that J&C is a sponsor of this site is something to consider. If you do order from them... Let them know that you are ordering BECAUSE of their sponsorship, the advocates on APUG etc...

On the other hand,

I just received an order from Freestyle last week. I like that they are huge supporters of photography. Looking at their catalogue makes me happy.

I picked up a Holga, a 4 lens point and shoot, PMK, and Bergger paper...

They have things from alternative processes to digital. Nice to see someone supporting photographers.

Whichever you choose, I'm sure you'll have a good experience.

joe

p.s. I got hit hard by one order from Freestyle... But it's FedEx that is the issue not Freestyle. I now ship to the US and bring it over the border myself. (family)

 

[bmac]

JandC supports APUG both financially (advertising) and as a community member. For film, they are getting my business.

 

[Deniz]

I guess JandC photo it is.
I'll see if i can order it through a local photo store and help them out a little too instead of helping the customs.

thanks for the replies..

 

[bobfowler]

Add my voice (typing?) to the chorus of support for J&C. On Thursday night, I ordered 40 rolls of film (20 rolls of ORWO Pan 125, 20 rolls of 120 Classic Pan 400) and 2 - 2 litre packages of A49 Developer. It was waiting on my doorstep when I got home this afternoon. You can't beat their service, and their prices are great as well.

 

[Dean Williams]

I order from both regularly, and both are good to deal with, but I always give J&C the prefrence. I've ordered a lot of film from them, and quite a bit of paper. I always get my order in a few days (3-4). I've written John (J&C) a number of times and have always recieved a timely, friendly response. I can't help but believe that they have our interests at in mind, would choose them for that reason alone, (even if it were the only reason). So, I say go with J&C. (Don't forget to mention APUG!)

Dean

 

[c6h6o3]

A question for John:

Is there any way you could stock TMax? I want to support JandC but TMY has proven itself to be so many miles away superior to any other film for my photography that I really don't have any interest in the films you sell, outstanding though they may be.

I'd be willing to pay a premium for it. A premium even over Kodak's pound of flesh. Go ahead, gouge me.

Jim

 

[jandc]

A question for John:

Is there any way you could stock TMax? I want to support JandC but TMY has proven itself to be so many miles away superior to any other film for my photography that I really don't have any interest in the films you sell, outstanding though they may be.

I'd be willing to pay a premium for it. A premium even over Kodak's pound of flesh. Go ahead, gouge me.

Jim

We've been talking with Kodak for a few weeks now trying to work something out. But there are so may layers of non decision makers that it seems like it will take forever to get it arranged.

 

[c6h6o3]

We've been talking with Kodak for a few weeks now trying to work something out. But there are so may layers of non decision makers that it seems like it will take forever to get it arranged.

Well, thanks for trying. Maybe someday you'll be selling it all.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

John, as long as you're monitoring this thread--do you think you could get Forte to come up with a high speed sheet film? I'm thinking of something like the old ASA 1000 Royal-X Pan or one of the modern 3200 speed films (which are really 800-1000 speed films) that only comes in 35mm and 120. This would be appealing to people doing handheld 4x5" and 5x7" work, ULF in the field, or available light portraiture, where speed is a big advantage, and grain isn't so much of an issue. There really isn't any film like this in the market in sheet sizes.

 

[WarEaglemtn]

When I was out of computer commission during the last year I couldn't get ahold of, nor get replies from J&C. When I finally did get ahold of someone the reply was "get an internet connection or we can't help you". Being where there were no phone lines or power lines & the mail had to come in 25 miles by snowmobile made the choice easy. Freestye as well as Photo Warehouse in Oxnard were both much easier to deal with. I purchased film from them both, not J&C. Doing business with someone who doesn't want to be bothered with personal contact is something I don't like regardless of their support & ad dollars for a website.

 

[kwmullet]

John, as long as you're monitoring this thread--do you think you could get Forte to come up with a high speed sheet film? I'm thinking of something like the old ASA 1000 Royal-X Pan or one of the modern 3200 speed films (which are really 800-1000 speed films) that only comes in 35mm and 120. This would be appealing to people doing handheld 4x5" and 5x7" work, ULF in the field, or available light portraiture, where speed is a big advantage, and grain isn't so much of an issue. There really isn't any film like this in the market in sheet sizes.

I'd strongly second that suggestion. I can get iso3200 polaroid print film, but there are no high-speed alternatives for 4x5. Check the archives of the large format site or graflex.org and you'll see that every few weeks, someone is either asking for high-speed LF film for exactly the reasons above, or on a wild goose chase for the best way to push film to those speeds.
​

If, as a test, you could arrange to have someone make a run of good quality iso3200 b&w film you could chop down to 4x5, I'd bet it would sell so quickly that it would justify making it a permanent inventory item.

-KwM-
​

 

[jandc]

I'd strongly second that suggestion. I can get iso3200 polaroid print film, but there are no high-speed alternatives for 4x5. Check the archives of the large format site or graflex.org and you'll see that every few weeks, someone is either asking for high-speed LF film for exactly the reasons above, or on a wild goose chase for the best way to push film to those speeds.
​

If, as a test, you could arrange to have someone make a run of good quality iso3200 b&w filme you could chop down to 4x5, I'd bet it would sell so quickly that it would justify making it a permanent inventory item.

-KwM-
​

I will look into the possibility and let you know. Thanks.