Where do you get your paper from?

[amellice]

So beside photo supplies stores and eBay, where do you get your paper from? I'd buy a relatively older paper specially B&W and pay less than pay for new paper. Are there other auction websites like eBay?

 

[MartinP]

Unless you are printing in an 'exploratory' way with no time constraints, or perhaps seeking a specific very old and discontinued paper, I'd really recommend just buying from an outlet with a good stock turnover. Removing doubts about paper quality is a relaxing thing to do. Old paper can behave differently from, literally, one sheet to the next.

 

[removed account4]

i haven't bought photography paper in years. the last time i did, i got it from photo warehouse
it was rebranded iilford ( and i still use it )

 

[MattKrull]

I've purchased my paper (VC RC) from both Adorama and BH Photo. I'm cheap (and still very much at the wasting paper stage), so I was happy to go with the cheap stuff.

Adorama's house paper is very cheap, and the final print is ok, but it is a very fast paper, which makes darkroom alterations difficult.
I haven't burned through my Adorama stock yet, so I haven't tried the Oriental yet.

I used some Adox 312 in my darkroom class, and I loved it, but the box was old and my prints started behaving oddly. The frustration I had from that was enough to convince me to only buy new paper.

 

[Rich Ullsmith]

In NYC, I am sure there are many, many photo labs gone digital that have loads of paper and chemistry in some closet somewhere. This is the way I got much of my own paper in Seattle.

Graded papers age very well.

 

[winger]

I prefer predictable results, so I buy paper that I know is recently made. My favorite place is Freestyle Photo (look at the APUG partners on the bottom of the page).

 

[ic-racer]

So beside photo supplies stores ...

Isn't that kind of like asking "...besides gas stations, where can you get gasoline?..."

 

[MaryGriffin]

Nowadays it's pretty easy to find paper. For me the best choices are BH and Amazon.

 

[mklw1954]

I would stick with fresh paper and Photo Warehouse (ultrafineonline.com) has low-priced variable contrast RC b&w paper that I think is very good.

 

[DAK]

free style

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

Freestyle and Ebay. I just got an 8x10 box of 250 sheet Ilford MG FB for $99. Sold "as is". I'll test it this weekend. Keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[Loren Sattler]

Read the post again, he is asking for sources other than regular retail outlets.

 

[Roger Cole]

Isn't that kind of like asking "...besides gas stations, where can you get gasoline?..."

I agree.

I get it either from Freestyle or B&H depending on the paper, the price difference, and whether I happen to be ordering other things from one or the other at the time.

 

[ozphoto]

Got a truckload from a friend who was clearing out his basement - paper and chemicals (still have a lot of that left!). I've also had some luck with Gumtree.com.au; sometimes the stuff is listed separately, other times it's all bundled in together.

Picked up an old Meopta enlarger for $25 - but what I was really after was the Patterson tank that was included. Sold off the enlarger for $60 so ended up well in front.

These days though, it seems that retail and EBay are the only ways to really go - seeing paper come up in newspaper classifieds or from friends is getting rarer, and if they do 9/10 the final price is outrageous when you factor in shipping if you can't collect.

 

[Jesper]

Fotoimpex

 

[Slixtiesix]

In Europe: Silverprint, AG-photographic, RK-photographic, Fotoimpex, Monochrom, Calumet, Nordfoto. I would rather print less or buy smaller formats before buying expired paper. I only buy old paper if the price is really low. Too much chance that it will be fogged. You never know how it has been stored...

 

[brian steinberger]

B&H