This is the reason why I rather buy film online.

[foc]

The owner of my retail photo store in Melbourne drives a Maserati. His partner has a new Peugeot. Their grown-up kids also have company cars. The parents own a million dollar home and the two sprogs were given apartments, all paid for by the family trust.

What they drive or where they live is none of your business and sounds like sour grapes to me.
If you don't wish to purchase from their retail shop then that is your decision, by all means, vote with your wallet, but their lifestyle and wealth shouldn't come into it.

 

[faberryman]

What they drive or where they live is none of your business and sounds like sour grapes to me.
If you don't wish to purchase from their retail shop then that is your decision, by all means, vote with your wallet, but their lifestyle and wealth shouldn't come into it.

Why not? The argument that has been advanced is that you should buy film locally to keep photo stores in business. If the owner of the photo store drives a Maserati, then you may decide that he does not need your financial help to stay open, and with a clear conscience you can order your film online at lower cost.

 

[abruzzi]

I buy online because the only place that carries film locally is Wal-Mart, and while I appreciate that I can walk in and buy a 3-pack of Superia 400, I just don't shoot 35mm all that often, and color even less. I wish we had a local shop that carried the kind of film I'd want, I'd even pay a 25% premium for buying local, but that is not to be.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

Maybe it is time to stop machine gunning the camera and actually learn to take a photograph. Then you will be able to afford film.

I shoot digital today when I'm on vacation. I reserve my film for shooting at home selectively. So I:m not a big film user. Before digital, I used to take ten or twelve 36-shot 35mm rolls with me on a ten-day vacation.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

Why not? The argument that has been advanced is that you should buy film locally to keep photo stores in business. If the owner of the photo store drives a Maserati, then you may decide that he does not need your financial help to stay open, and with a clear conscience you can order your film online at lower cost.

Ask him if he'd mind loaning you his Maserati for the weekend.

 

[warden]

Why not? The argument that has been advanced is that you should buy film locally to keep photo stores in business. If the owner of the photo store drives a Maserati, then you may decide that he does not need your financial help to stay open, and with a clear conscience you can order your film online at lower cost.

I want my film retailer to struggle for survival. They should have no car. Shoes should be old and in need of resoling. If their cell phone is newer than mine I'm out of there.

Seriously though, does anyone here actually believe that selling film in 2021 pays for a lavish lifestyle of $100K cars and beachfront mansions? Anyone?

 

[film_man]

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.

This post is misleading. A single roll of Ektar from fotoimpex would cost 10.50 + 4.90 in postage. But thankfully your local shop can sell you a single roll for less.

I wonder if you told them you want to buy 50 rolls, like when you order bulk from fotoimpex, how much they'd charge you.

 

[George Mann]

Seriously though, does anyone here actually believe that selling film in 2021 pays for a lavish lifestyle of $100K cars and beachfront mansions? Anyone?

At the prices some are currently selling it for (2X retail), it wouldn't be too far fetched!

 

[Sirius Glass]

I shoot digital today when I'm on vacation. I reserve my film for shooting at home selectively. So I:m not a big film user. Before digital, I used to take ten or twelve 36-shot 35mm rolls with me on a ten-day vacation.

I shoot film on vacation and at home.

 

[Duceman]

I shoot film on vacation and at home.

My last vacation I shot exclusively film (though I did sneak in a shot or two with my iPhone for quick sharing).

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

I shoot film on vacation and at home.

What did you do with the vacation film?

 

[MattKing]

At the prices some are currently selling it for (2X retail), it wouldn't be too far fetched!

One local store manager said recently to a group of my friends that the only things that they sell that have enough margin to permit meaningful price negotiation are camera bags and some of the smaller accessories.
Margins are tight on just about everything else, due to internet pricing.
When I worked in photographic retail (pre-internet) it wasn't much different - we often made more money on a filter than we did on the camera it was sold with.

 

[Sirius Glass]

What did you do with the vacation film?

Develop it. Print it. Look at the prints. Why would you ask?

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

Develop it. Print it. Look at the prints. Why would you ask?

I was considering the cost of the film which also includes processing and prints. So with the ten or twelve rolls, I would shoot on vacation, you'd have to add that cost to the cost of the film itself. It all adds up. Since I shoot digital today on vacation, I don't have those costs which I assume are considerable.

 

[Bronson Dugnutt]

Since I shoot digital today on vacation, I don't have those costs which I assume are considerable.

The modern ease of digitally distributing an image has considerable hidden costs. These days bandwidth is subsidized by surrendering our personal data to feed advertisers and data miners. In the past you may not have only been expected to pay for your own web host but also access to the physical copper lines/radio frequencies/tubes to get the data from you to the internet.

At least that last part hasn't changed.

Speaking of buying film online, I just rounded out my 16mm Kodak collection from FPP with Tri-X 200 reversal and 250D. Also a 100' roll of 135 500T as a first step into 35mm ECN-2 stock.

 

[film_man]

I was considering the cost of the film which also includes processing and prints. So with the ten or twelve rolls, I would shoot on vacation, you'd have to add that cost to the cost of the film itself. It all adds up. Since I shoot digital today on vacation, I don't have those costs which I assume are considerable.

Similarly to Sirius I shoot film on holidays, well I shoot film holiday or not, period. In the last 5 years I averaged just over £2000/year on buying film and getting it processed+scanned. Expensive? Yes. But if anyone is shooting film for a good cost/benefit ratio per image shot is a fool.

 

[Donald Qualls]

Since I shoot digital today on vacation,

And since this is the analog-only section, this kind of statement is off topic.

For those of us who do (or plan to) shoot film on vacation, have you found local, same-day or short-wait processing available (at least for C-41), processed your own B&W, etc., or do you bring the exposed film home? My vacations don't involve air travel, so bringing the film home is a real option, but next vacation I plan to take a jug of Df96 monobath, small bottle of Edwal LFN that I've had around for ages, and buy distilled water for final rinse locally (the water at the beach location we go to is very hard). Last vacation, I was still in my film hiatus, and successfully reminded myself why I don't like digital photography. I do have some nice shots from my phone, but next vacation those will be the exception. By that time, I should have my LomoGraflok, so I can get instant results with analog process.

 

[Duceman]

For those of us who do (or plan to) shoot film on vacation, have you found local, same-day or short-wait processing available (at least for C-41), processed your own B&W, etc., or do you bring the exposed film home? .

15 years ago, I would have had my C41 processing done close to where I was vacationing. In most parts of the world, it wasn't hard to find a quick developing lab. Black/White, I would always wait to develop at home. Now, with even C41 processing being hard to find, I develop everything at home when I get back from vacation.

 

[faberryman]

Who goes on vacation?

 

[Donald Qualls]

Who goes on vacation?

I do, when I and my partner can spare the change. I've had more vacations in the past six years than in the thirty years before. I hope the trend continues; I'm getting too old to work myself into burnout.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I was considering the cost of the film which also includes processing and prints. So with the ten or twelve rolls, I would shoot on vacation, you'd have to add that cost to the cost of the film itself. It all adds up. Since I shoot digital today on vacation, I don't have those costs which I assume are considerable.

My way is much cheaper. I own the cameras and the darkroom equipment, but usually I send vacation film out to be processed for a whole lot less than buying the top of the line Nikon or Cannon camera, upgrading my computer, renting software from FauxTow$hop, buying a better printer, and buying the expensive ink that runs out as soon as I print a roll of film. I will stick to film, my Hasselblads and 4"x5" cameras, thank you.

 

[Chess]

I can't afford to go crazy shooting film right now but I don't think cost is too bad at all here in Australia.
I know back 15-20 years ago, shooting a pro C41 film cost me around $1.00AU a shot to develop and print. If I buy say Ektar or Portra now, to develop, scan and print comes out at $1.27AU a shot. So if you take into consideration cost 15-20 years later and that you now also get scanning it's almost kinda cheap.

More film choices are needed and surely someone can at least create a film camera like the FM10. It is the ideal type of camera for the current market. The FM10 was simply released at the wrong time. I see there is all kinds of debate if film is being revived or not but I think we need to come out of Covid and wait till things settle down to get a really good idea.

I'm just going to load up my camera and enjoy it in the meantime.

 

[film_man]

And since this is the analog-only section, this kind of statement is off topic.

For those of us who do (or plan to) shoot film on vacation, have you found local, same-day or short-wait processing available (at least for C-41), processed your own B&W, etc., or do you bring the exposed film home? My vacations don't involve air travel, so bringing the film home is a real option, but next vacation I plan to take a jug of Df96 monobath, small bottle of Edwal LFN that I've had around for ages, and buy distilled water for final rinse locally (the water at the beach location we go to is very hard). Last vacation, I was still in my film hiatus, and successfully reminded myself why I don't like digital photography. I do have some nice shots from my phone, but next vacation those will be the exception. By that time, I should have my LomoGraflok, so I can get instant results with analog process.

Generally I bring it home and then send it for processing to my lab. I had a couple of long trips (4-5 weeks) where I sent the film straight to the lab vs carrying it back. The issue I'm facing now is that with the introduction of CT scanners at UK airports I cannot risk taking film with me (you don't know which airport has it, if you'll end up on the lane that has that scanner, if they'll hand inspect vs put it through and the same for the way back) I will need to either buy locally on arrival and send before leaving or use the d* word. Sad.

As for processing while on vacation...well I find processing boring to begin with and the scanning after even more. So I wouldn't do it if you paid me

 

[Down Under]

What they drive or where they live is none of your business and sounds like sour grapes to me.
If you don't wish to purchase from their retail shop then that is your decision, by all means, vote with your wallet, but their lifestyle and wealth shouldn't come into it.

Respectfully, I would refer you to the last line in my original post.

 

[foc]

Respectfully, I would refer you to the last line in my original post.

"So I should feel feel "guilty" about this?? Hah!! Anyone saying yes is full of what makes gardens grow greener..."

I don't think I mentioned guilt or the garden stuff, but I still stand by my original comment as it sounds to me like begrudgery.
I live in a country where, until 20 years ago, begrudgery was a national pastime.

Fine, you have your opinion, and I respect that. It's just the reason behind it I question.

But then as Johnny Cash once said
" I think I understand a little bit how you feel about some things
It's none of my business how you feel about some other things
And I don't give a damn about how you feel about some of the things"