This is the reason why I rather buy film online.

unwantedfocus · Jul 15, 2021

How can you justify this? The same roll goes on Fotoimpex for 10,50 EUR. I just wanted to shoot a roll tomorrow and I guess this is the price I have to pay for availability, insanity.

BrianShaw · Jul 15, 2021

Yes... the price of convenience and the cost of maintaining a brick-and-mortar store. You should thank them for being there for you in your time of need.

unwantedfocus · Jul 15, 2021

I did only pay 12.98 EUR for a roll of Portra 400 so maybe EKTAR 100 is the ripoff idiot stock in the store.

Wallendo · Jul 15, 2021

I buy online because no-one near me sells film.

I wish I could just walk into a store and pick up a few rolls when I need them even paying a few dollars more. When I do buy on-line, I tend to purchase larger amounts to cover the shipping costs. For one or two rolls, the shipping cost would likely wipe out any cost savings buying online.

BrianShaw · Jul 15, 2021

I'm blessed and have several stores I can easily drive to and walk in to and buy from. I bless them every time I'm there because the chances that they survive too much longer is slim. I'm thankful to be so blessed. I don't bother comparing prices or being bitter; they are there when I want/need them. And when the stuff I want is out-of-stock, I bless them then too.

And... If I don't like the price, I politely decline purchasing that item.

gone · Jul 15, 2021

I have the same issue here in Tucson, AZ, so it's not just you. There's a photography store here which is not very convenient to where I live, but the reason I don't buy there is due to their high prices. The markup seems extreme, so I'm not going to thank them for having a store that has extremely high prices. A reasonable markup would be fine, but they have gone far, far beyond that. It's more convenient and far cheaper for me to buy film online, even w/ the shipping charges.

Over the years I've seen many photography supply outlets close due to the digital movement, but just as many have gone under because they charged such high prices that people stopped buying from them. Economics is based on supply and demand in all areas of the globe. If people can get the same service or product at much cheaper prices, they will do just that as long as there's a supply.

Donald Qualls · Jul 15, 2021

Don't forget to figure shipping. If you bought a single roll from your favorite online seller, you'd pay less per roll, of course -- and then another five or ten Euro to get it from their door to yours. You can dilute the shipping by buying several rolls at once, of course -- but that's too much like planning ahead. Or, you can buy single rolls, more or less on demand, at this price. Seems like a bargain.

FWIW, I live in a suburb of a community of three cities totalling close to a million people -- and I don't know of anywhere I can walk in and buy Ektar 100 in person. I can get Kodak consumer films, 35mm only (may or may not have both 24 and 36 exposure lengths), and sometimes a store brand (who's making those now, with Agfa and Ferrania out of the business?), but nothing in a "professional" emulsion, and no 120 at all. Dozens of boxes of Instax Mini, though...

Chan Tran · Jul 15, 2021

I buy my Ektachrome online because the local stores don't stock them.

logan2z · Jul 15, 2021

I buy all my film online - typically from BH - and almost never pay for shipping. Anything over $49 gets free expedited shipping (that's two days to my door on the other side of the country) and many orders under $49 qualify for free standard shipping.

There's a brick and mortar store in San Francisco that sells a wide variety of film stocks at lower prices than many online retailers, but that's a 60 mile drive from me (they don't ship), I'd have to deal with the hassle of parking in the city and, sadly, SF is a place I'd rather avoid these days.

Sirius Glass · Jul 15, 2021

BrianShaw said:
Yes... the price of convenience and the cost of maintaining a brick-and-mortar store. You should thank them for being there for you in your time of need.

As Brian points out, if everyone buys on line there will be no camera stores when you need one.

logan2z · Jul 15, 2021

Sirius Glass said:
As Brian points out, if everyone buys on line there will be no camera stores when you need one.

That ship has already sailed, at least in the SF Bay Area. There are almost no physical camera stores, and the one or two that are hanging on don't sell film.

Donald Qualls · Jul 15, 2021

Isn't The Darkroom a brick and mortar store (in addition to their large processing facility)? Or are they not in the Bay Area?

logan2z · Jul 15, 2021

Donald Qualls said:
Isn't The Darkroom a brick and mortar store (in addition to their large processing facility)? Or are they not in the Bay Area?

They're in Southern California.

Luckless · Jul 15, 2021

Sirius Glass said:
As Brian points out, if everyone buys on line there will be no camera stores when you need one.

I could have more stuff if I bought everything online and waited for shipping.

My local community as a whole can have more stuff if I buy a little less overall, but buy most of it local.

The local camera shop I buy most of my stuff from has 35mm rolls of Ektar 100 on for $16 + tax to drop in and have in hand later this afternoon, Buying a few rolls from B&H would cost me $13.24 + Tax + random chance of brokerage fee on import to have in hand at sometime next week, or maybe the week after...

14.61 Euro works out as $21.75 CAD currently, so I would agree that it is a bit steep. But it really comes down to a local market judgement call. Is supporting the store and helping keep its doors open for you worth the cost?

TheFlyingCamera · Jul 15, 2021

logan2z said:
That ship has already sailed, at least in the SF Bay Area. There are almost no physical camera stores, and the one or two that are hanging on don't sell film.

What about Glass Key Photo? They at least used to sell a LOT of film.

Pieter12 · Jul 15, 2021

I buy film and chemicals from stores as much as possible. Even if prices are higher you know the film has been kept in proper conditions, and not sitting in a truck somewhere in 110º heat for a couple of days. You also can see the expiration date before you make the purchase. And you help keep those stores in business, and that's important,

logan2z · Jul 15, 2021

TheFlyingCamera said:
What about Glass Key Photo? They at least used to sell a LOT of film.

That's the store in San Francisco that I was referring to. I used to go to the city regularly and would stop in there and buy film, paper, chemistry etc. It's a great little store and the owners are real enthusiasts. But I don't get to the city much these days (as I mentioned, it's a 60 mile drive) and don't plan on going up too much in the future given the state of that city at the moment. If Glass Key shipped I'd still buy from them, but they only do in-store or local deliveries within the city.

Edit: It looks like they do offer shipping outside of the city now, $10 flat rate. Going to place an order...

Pieter12 · Jul 15, 2021

logan2z said:
That ship has already sailed, at least in the SF Bay Area. There are almost no physical camera stores, and the one or two that are hanging on don't sell film.

Doesn't Samy's Camera still have a San Francisco location?

logan2z · Jul 15, 2021

Pieter12 said:
Doesn't Samy's Camera still have a San Francisco location?

Yes but, again, I'm over an hour's drive from San Francisco. So yes, there are a handful of places in the SF Bay Area, but they're all primarily in San Francisco which means a long drive, parking hassles, and other issues related to the city. It's simply much more convenient for me to order online and avoid all of that.

I'm all for supporting local stores, but a 120 mile round trip drive to get some film is not exactly convenient.

Sirius Glass · Jul 15, 2021

Pieter12 said:
I buy film and chemicals from stores as much as possible. Even if prices are higher you know the film has been kept in proper conditions, and not sitting in a truck somewhere in 110º heat for a couple of days. You also can see the expiration date before you make the purchase. And you help keep those stores in business, and that's important,

+1

I buy at Samy's for convenience and because my Hasselblad repairman works there.
I buy at FreeStyle because I want a store near by that stocks darkroom supplies and equipment near by.
Then if they do not have what I want I go on line to Adorama and B&H.

BrianShaw · Jul 15, 2021

logan2z said:
They're in Southern California.

San Clemente, to be exact. Once upon a time The Darkroom was in the San Francisco bay area. I'm not aware of a walk-in store or selling film.

logan2z · Jul 15, 2021

Pieter12 said:
And you help keep those stores in business, and that's important,

I don't disagree, but there have been cases where I wondered if my support of a local business was actually valued at all by that business. Not film related, necessarily, but here's one example: The Leica Store in San Francisco.

Let's not get into the whole "who's stupid enough to spend the money on a Leica camera?" because the answer is obviously "I am", but I bought my M-A, a lens and a bunch of other stuff from that store and I'm virtually ignored every time I walk in there. And when I do manage to talk to someone they seem completely disinterested in my business. I did bear with it "in support of my local store" (not really that local, as I've pointed out in this thread), but I eventually gave up and starting buying my Leica gear elsewhere. Sure, I'm ordering online now and can't necessarily touch/feel the product before I buy it, but the out-of-state Leica dealer I've been dealing with is a real pleasure and every purchase has been as smooth as silk. As a perk, the store is not obligated to charge CA sales tax on my purchases so I'm saving a bit of money too.

So, while I am generally in agreement that it is good to support local businesses, some simply don't deserve that support.

logan2z · Jul 15, 2021

BrianShaw said:
Once upon a time The Darkroom was in the San Francisco bay area.

I wasn't aware of that. Before my time, I guess.

Huss · Jul 15, 2021

Mikes Camera has a bunch of locations in NorCal, and they have a very good film selection.

Interestingly, their Ektar is cheaper than B&H etc! The rest is not. But they have a physical presence to pay for, and I am thankful that they, and others like them, exist.

GlassKey is very sweet. Bought a bunch of film last time I was there, even though I didnt need any..

BrianShaw · Jul 15, 2021

logan2z said:
So, while I am generally in agreement that it is good to support local businesses, some simply don't deserve that support.

That is very correct. There are, indeed, situations where greed or just ridiculous retail practices invite consumers to "vote with their wallets". In those situations I, speaking only for myself, don't feel at all bad about their demise.

This is the reason why I rather buy film online.

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