where to get 4x5 colour negative and slide in Australia (keeping my arms and legs)

Poisson Du Jour · Dec 8, 2008

goldie said:
http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/cheap_shots_au
I meant this guy

From his current auctions
Velvia 50 exp Apr 09 $57.75 starting bid $66.50 buy it now
Astia exp Oct 09 $49.75 starting bid $57.50 buy it now

$5.00 postage if you pay by direct deposit

When I've bought from him I've made myself first bidder & hoped that no one would bid against me. Been lucky so far so I got stuff at the starting price. If he doesn't list what you want you can ask him & he'll get it in. You can also buy direct from him if you don't want to bother with ebay all the time. At least you can use those prices as a benchmark.

I can scarce believe my eyes on visiting that store! The Provia 100F is going for $54.75 and I was about to pay $123 for a 5 ProPack at the usual store. Eeek! Putting in the order now.

Mick Fagan · Dec 8, 2008

At the last major photographic show in Melbourne, I specifically asked the Australian Ilford distributor if they had considered importing Ilford 4x5 sheet film, in 100 sheet boxes, as this is the most cost efficient way to purchase it.

The reply was, "definitely not, too expensive, people here wouldn't use it all up before it expired". I replied, "fair enough, I'll continue to purchase it from overseas".

Purchasing this way, when currencies are in alignment for doing so, I literally save about 50% over purchasing it here.

I see absolutely no reason to help a business when they won't even entertain the thought, of giving me what I specifically wish to purchase.

I do however, locally purchase thousands of sheets of Ilford B&W paper every year, except for postcard paper. This is obviously too small a market for the importer to consider, so I purchase Ilford postcard paper from overseas.

Mick.

Poisson Du Jour · Dec 8, 2008

SamWeiss said:
BTW, I don't fear for the existence of sheet film, at least anytime soon. As long as 35mm is made, sheet film will be made. What is likely to go soon is roll film in 220 format, then eventually 120. And of course, with LF you can always make your own "film" much easier than one can make their own roll film!

That's a most interesting observation that I'll take on board.

pellicle · Dec 8, 2008

Hi

Poisson Du Jour said:
Maaaaate! You don't think my PC cost $4,000? Only $600 and it's a Pentium 4! Sorted.

err ... it was a metaphor, things used to cost that much (especially if you wanted 2 gigs of memory. Anyway I don't want to labour the point if you're not getting it.

The adaptability of 6x4.5 hasn't escaped me with its acceptance of virtually any back.

certainly ... its strange that you found the 1D a behemoth but consider the 645 to be acceptable. I was not implying that the 1D was somehow a compact camera, but bulk for bulk the 1D will do in the field on a tripod much of what a 4x5 camera will do.

Personally I'm starting to feel that 4x5 is just that wee bit small now days, and I'm seriously considering a 8x10 (Shh ... Ken if your reading this don't breath a word of this ...)

The contemplative nature of 6x4.5 also appeals to me i.e. it means there is no spontaneity in that big format like 35mm.

funny ... if you've ever worked with a big camera you'll start to feel that the 645 is indeed a flexible and spontaneous format

I'm pretty darned slow as it is, not wishing to waste any opportunity.

well I agree with a slow approach, but perhaps I should mention that while you are exploring something carefully you are wasting other opportunitys which you won't get to ;-)

Want to have a look around the store where I am speculatively eyeballing the 'big 6s'. Also second hand.

absolutely ... as I said in my previous post you need to get a camera that does what you want (additional emphasis now added).

No shortage of such outlets here in Oz.

sadly I fully disagree ... I lived in Tokyo for some years and Aus is a dessert in comparison.

enjoy the beach!

Michael W · Dec 9, 2008

pellicle said:
I lived in Tokyo for some years and Aus is a dessert in comparison.

I love dessert! Just had some hazlenut gelato after lunch. Never heard Aus described that way before, might be some ideas there for the tourism board.

pellicle · Dec 9, 2008

Hi

goldie said:
I love dessert! Just had some hazlenut gelato after lunch. Never heard Aus described that way before, might be some ideas there for the tourism board.

figure of speech actually I'm quite partial to the inlands myself

but its tricky to get your LF film there ;-)

Poisson Du Jour · Dec 9, 2008

pellicle said:
sadly I fully disagree ... I lived in Tokyo for some years and Aus is a dessert in comparison.

enjoy the beach!

... Dessert!? You mean desert? Got you licked...! :rolleyes:
Not a good day. I got to the beach, laid out my towel, opened my yoghurt and then the heavens opened up. Ugh! I got very wet. Not happy.

Poisson Du Jour · Dec 9, 2008

pellicle said:
Hi

figure of speech actually I'm quite partial to the inlands myself

but its tricky to get your LF film there ;-)

Hmm. What part of Finland is this??

pellicle · Dec 9, 2008

does it show that spelling isn't my strong point?

;-)

Eye halve a spelling chequer
It came with my pea sea
It plainly marques four my revue
Miss steaks eye kin knot sea.

pellicle · Dec 9, 2008

Poisson Du Jour said:
Hmm. What part of Finland is this??

west of Stanthorpe ... I do go home some times ;-)

Poisson Du Jour · Dec 9, 2008

Well, this is my home — a rainforest with a beaut waterfall, but first 2.5hour walk to get there.
Reason I did this with wee digi. Going back next Saturday with film camera to do this scene on Provia 100F + POL now I've taken note of major hazards to avoid! More pointedly, you can see the mushy shadow area at right. I can fix this with Provia; not interested in tweaking the RAW of this image. I'll use the TS-E 24L to 'swing' to the left the fall so it is not so oblique. The image is framed so that bright pink flagging tapes attached to trees just out of L and lower R frame are not visible: those flags are necessary to avoid getting really lost i.e. "We're up the creek big time!" (indeed we were).

BTW, the navigator on this walk last Sunday used a Wista LF and a 90mm (?) with Velvia 50. We amused ourselves for an hour as he set up and got 3 shots, but no hurry, just that in the low light he was having big troubles with focusing.

Anyhow, it's Gorge Falls, in a cool temperate rainforest inland of Victoria's Great Ocean Road. Still sifting through the many other pics of that walk, some of which will be used on the group's website I am developing: www.otwaywalks.com .

.:: GORGE FALLS ::.

pellicle · Dec 9, 2008

Poisson Du Jour said:
Well, this is my home a rainforest with a beaut waterfall, but first 2.5hour walk to get there.
.:: GORGE FALLS ::.

nice ... that isn't my home, I come from Southport ... so I'm also a rainforest fan

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since we're trading images at the moment that is with the TS-E 24 too (on a EOS630 Fuji superia negative).

pellicle · Dec 9, 2008

Poisson Du Jour said:
BTW, the navigator on this walk last Sunday used a Wista LF and a 90mm (?) with Velvia 50. We amused ourselves for an hour as he set up and got 3 shots, but no hurry, just that in the low light he was having big troubles with focusing.

well my friends often slag me for taking too long, but I can get it "up" and happening faster than that.

On this occasion it took me 10 minutes from "hey, that's great" to "ok we can go now"

to get this

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something like 45 seconds exposure on Provia (I just love the way it holds long exposures without funny colour shifts...

Poisson Du Jour · Dec 9, 2008

pellicle said:
to get this

Dead Link Removed

something like 45 seconds exposure on Provia (I just love the way it holds long exposures without funny colour shifts...

A 45 sec exposure! You are patient! My digi was awkwardly propped up on an old Ultrapod II (small) tripod and tripped with a 4sec self-timer interval...exposure was 1/8 f6.3 @ iso80. On Provia 100F + TS-E 24 with POL I would aim for 2.6sec f11. It's more natural palette is but one strength: Provia is much more generous with shadow detail. I really like the colour in this shot of moss and the deft nuances of light — always desirable.

Navigator on our walk used his raincoat as a hood for focusing: mostly for the sun breaking through the tree canopy and then a brief shower! Yep, we had 4 seasons in 5 hours of total walking!

One of my favourite 'chestnut' waterfalls is pictured below on Velvia 100F but with an unsatisfactory strength in palette primaries (yellows, reds especially): tossed! Will do it again on Provia.

I would be interested to know if the colour is rendered differently on LF film compared to small format? Just a passing thought. :rolleyes:

.:: Allambee Beek Falls ::.

Poisson Du Jour · Dec 9, 2008

Silly me, and I thought Southport was in Finland. Naye, it's closer the Gold Coast?
I had a play around in the rainforests of the Barrington Tops National Park NSW ast year (November) photographing a couple of (usually) scenic waterfalls that had been reduced to a trickle. I don't have scans here of them...just Velvia 100F trannies (colour not too bad, but still 'over the top' at Ciba time). That area (the "Tops") is well known amongst NSW-based LF photographers producing calendars from LF trannies: the resolution and sheer 'punch' is of course outstanding (one other thing: I actually think the resolution gain from LF might come across on me as modest considering my max. print size from 35mm is 30x45cm cibachromes; but that, too, is "just a thought"...) .

P C Headland · Dec 9, 2008

Don't forget that sometimes it is cheaper to import stuff from the UK or Europe, than from the US.

The reasons are down to currency cross rates, shipping (which is often cheaper from the UK and Europe than from the US) and the fact that you get their VAT free prices. So you are saving 15-25% off their list prices, depending on that country's VAT rate.

I worked out it was cheaper for me to order film from the UK and have it shipped to NZ than it was for the same order to be shipped to NL (where I was living at the time).

Poisson Du Jour · Dec 9, 2008

G'Day Windy Wellington, you could probably buy film from Australia cheaper than it costs from the UK? I have never really viewed the UK GBP as favourable for goods purchases; I can't recall the last time I bought something from the UK, but I spent up heavily in the US when the USD and AUD were near-parity in June and July!

wogster · Dec 9, 2008

Poisson Du Jour said:
... Dessert!? You mean desert? Got you licked...! :rolleyes:
Not a good day. I got to the beach, laid out my towel, opened my yoghurt and then the heavens opened up. Ugh! I got very wet. Not happy.

Trade ya, I'll take your warm, but wet beach for the 5cm of snow we got today, followed by another 5mm of rain, and it's all going to turn into a skating rink at about 3am. Considering the drivers around here, they will have about 65,536 fender benders/minute in the morning......:rolleyes:

Claire Senft · Dec 10, 2008

I do not speak Australian. I am guessing that you wished us to lend you a hand so that it would not cost you an arm or a leg. Is that about right?

Mick Fagan · Dec 10, 2008

If something costs, "an arm and a leg", it is very expensive!

Mick.

Poisson Du Jour · Dec 10, 2008

Mick Fagan said:
If something costs, "an arm and a leg", it is very expensive!

Mick.

Yes indeedy.

OldBikerPete · Dec 15, 2008

The last time I bought 5x4 Portra VC it was by mail order from Badger Graphics in USA. At that time the exchange rate was about AU$1.00 == US$0.75, the
four boxes of 50 sheets were US$86 each and by the time they landed at my front door they were still 1/3 the cost of buying locally. The reason I went to BG rather than elsewhere was because they use a mail forwarder who is fairly inexpensive cf others.

I'm kicking myself that I didn't buy a few hundred more sheets while the exchange rate was up around 0.98!!

bnstein · Dec 15, 2008

OldBikerPete said:
I'm kicking myself that I didn't buy a few hundred more sheets while the exchange rate was up around 0.98!!

Amen

michaelbsc · Dec 18, 2008

P C Headland said:
Don't forget that sometimes it is cheaper to import stuff from the UK or Europe, than from the US.

This is more true than a lot of people think. I'm in the US, and I have bought stuff (electronics) from some Hong Kong suppliers via their UK distribution cheaper than I could buy it from their US distribution.

You have to pay attention, since the rates are always fluctuating, but 5% savings is still 5%. Take it when it's there, and ignore it when it's not.

wogster · Dec 18, 2008

michaelbsc said:
This is more true than a lot of people think. I'm in the US, and I have bought stuff (electronics) from some Hong Kong suppliers via their UK distribution cheaper than I could buy it from their US distribution.

You have to pay attention, since the rates are always fluctuating, but 5% savings is still 5%. Take it when it's there, and ignore it when it's not.

You need to watch what you buy this way though, many times warranty claims can be a problem. Many items are tagged with the country it's destined to for sale, often via a couple of digits in the serial number. So for item X the 3rd and 4th digit in the serial number is 20 for Canada, 21 for the US, 43 for the UK, 86 for Hong Kong. The item breaks during the warranty period, so you send it for a warranty claim, the US distributor kindly returns it to you, still broken, and informs you that the item in question needs to be sent to the distributor in the UK for repair. So you head back to the post office, it will cost you $47.50 to send it to the UK. Kinda makes the $10 you saved originally look like a lot less of a good deal doesn't it?

For things like Film, I wonder if it's cheapest to order Ilford from the UK and Fuji from Japan, especially for those of us here in the home of the worlds best banking system. As a Canadian I can walk into the local bank branch, and walk out with a money order in any currency on earth.

where to get 4x5 colour negative and slide in Australia (keeping my arms and legs)

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