where do you go to get darkroom supplies?

[134k]

I'm aware of most of the photo supply stores in the bay area. However after going to looking glass photo in berkeley for awhile now, they don't seem to carry a good selection of darkroom chems. they have the usual d76, id-ll and a very few of whatever else. however they no longer carry rodinal and they never have anything in stock.

Is there anyplace any forum members recommend on where to get chems around here? Pardee's up in Sacramento has a good selection, but I'm looking for somewhere closer. Seawood Photo in San Anselmo is great, but their prices are somewhat high..perhaps too high given the area that it's in.

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

Stores don't carry much chemistry any more. The reasons are:

Artcraft Chemicals
Photographers' Formulary
Freestyle
B&H (who has it, but won't ship it...)

 

[Anscojohn]

Freestyle, Artcraft, and Photographer's formulary.

 

[Jon Shiu]

Mostly I order from Freestyle. North Bay Photographers Supply, in Santa Rosa (also SF), Keeble And Suchat in Palo Alto are both good. I've ordered from Calumet on the internet, but not sure what they stock in the SF store.

Jon

 

[Photo Engineer]

The first two companies that Nicholas names above need our support.

If Kodak, Fuji, Ilford or any other of the bigger suppliers stop making things like Dektol and ID-11, then where will we get analogs, or raw chemistry to mix our own. Only Artcraft or the Formulary for two examples....

PE

 

[pesphoto]

http://sprintsystems.com/

 

[fschifano]

B&H ships some things. Adorama ships most anything, and so does Freestyle. I'm fortunate. B&H and Adorama are but a short subway trip away. Early on a Sunday morning, it's an even shorter car ride and the parking is easy.

 

[MikeSeb]

http://sprintsystems.com/

What kind of developer is their (one and only) film developer? Basic PQ type?

To what Kodak/Ilford product might it compare?

 

[pesphoto]

Sprint developer is very comparable to D76

 

[Vaughn]

Keeble and Shuchat in Palo Alto is one of the best.

http://www.kspphoto.com/activepages/main.html

The 290 store has the chemistry.

Other than that, mail order... Freestyle for most stuff, Bostick & Sullivan for alt. photo supplies.

Vaughn

 

[W6PJJ]

Re: Sacramento Store

If you want some advice from someone who lives in Sacramento, don't waste your time on on the mentioned store. The owner is very rude and arrogant and has little thought for how to treat customers just the other evening, my first time in the store, the owner nearly shoved us out the door. I was prepared to purchase over $1,200 that evening and return several days later and pick up a Hasselblad lens worth $3000+ but decided that I would not give my business to a old grouch like him. In addition to the sources listed by other members I would add Calumet Photography in Chicago to the list, they have chemicals can ship, and are very courteious and helpful. A fading tradition I'm afraid...

I'm aware of most of the photo supply stores in the bay area. However after going to looking glass photo in berkeley for awhile now, they don't seem to carry a good selection of darkroom chems. they have the usual d76, id-ll and a very few of whatever else. however they no longer carry rodinal and they never have anything in stock.

Is there anyplace any forum members recommend on where to get chems around here? Pardee's up in Sacramento has a good selection, but I'm looking for somewhere closer. Seawood Photo in San Anselmo is great, but their prices are somewhat high..perhaps too high given the area that it's in.

 

[134k]

I've lived in Sacramento and that's why I know about Pardee's. I realize that many people locally there say the same thing about the business, but I have yet to experience anything that would force me to stop patronizing them. I will say that there is one gentleman there who was rather cold, but otherwise he wasn't rude to me. I've spoken to the lady there...the co-owner I believe, and she was quite nice with me.

The prices for TRi-X (in 120, don't know about 35mm) there are far more cheaper than buying from b&h, so naturally I'll buy it from them. B&H will not ship Rodinal either, sure Freestyle will. But I can still get it from Pardee's and be on my way. As long as I can do business with them...I will not stop going there. If you know what you need, go in and get out. That's it.

 

[stillsilver]

Is Adolph Gasser’s still in SF. I believe they used to have two stores.

Mike