Where to Purchase C-41 Chemistry and ship method?

[Mike Wilde]

Unisource GTA

Thanks!

Do you know where their GTA depot is? I take it they're not interested in offering chems in small quantities?

I have bought as little? as 3-10l RA-4 kits as of two weeks ago. I have not looked into c-41 small quantities. They seem more amenable to small orders than Treck their predecessor was, who had a minimum order of something like $150. To meet this limit 3 years ago I bought 20L of RA4 develper and 40L of blix. If the blix's ammonium thiosulfate sulfurs out before I get to it I can always make that up separately, and the other half - the ferric ammonium edta does not go off as far as I know.

Their shipping depot is at the north end of Hensal Street at Hensall Circle in Mississauga. It is the road under Dundas Street, where Dundas is superelevated over the railway near Cawthra just east of Cooksville.

Pickup is at door 7 or 9; there is a sign at the right door. It is a large warehouse, with a ton of transprt truck loading doors. Go in the pedestrian pickup door, up the stairs, in though a door before going to the second floor. You are on the loading floor. Look up and you will see a shippers office (a little house like structure in the middle of a huge warehouse. They take your order number, find the picking paperwork, and then lead you to your stuff, which for me was sitting beside the door I walked in, ready to go.

 

[hpulley]

Thanks for all this info. I'm another Canuck thinking of taking the C-41 and RA-4 plunges, especially for my 126 work as few will process it and with even fewer have scanners to make what are yucky digital prints anyways. I'm hoping I don't have to cross process the Solaris FG 200 as B&W though I would love to find some B&W 126 film still, seems like it is all gone, even ancient stuff on eBay seems to be just old Kodacolor.

 

[little-infinity]

No credit card here. Do they have a website I can look at? I'm more the "walk in with cash" kinda guy

But either way It's good that they're in Mississauga!

 

[Mike Wilde]

I used the phone number I had for Mondrian's old Concord depot, and it popped up as being answered in Montreal, by a very competent Unisource inside sales rep.

Mondrian-Hall
Div.of Unisource Canada Inc.
Service a la Clientele /Customer Service
Tel: 1800-387-3776
fax: 1800-387-3773


Then I filled in a credit application with their Halifax office. Then Montreal qouted me a price and confirmed the items were in stock, and I accepted the quote. They said credit application would be finalled in a day. All by email in under an hour on a wednesday afternoon, and goods were picked up that same friday morning.

Mondrian was Montreal based, so I bet that their old head offcie is now Unisource's photo and graphics supply sales location. The old Mondrian web site appears to be dead, and I can't find online with Unisource.ca where they catalog the Kodak stuff. I know there was stock in the their physical warehouse.

It is not a walk in with cash kind of place at all.

 

[tbeaman]

This is super useful information, Mike. I am also hoping to find sources of chemistry sometime down the road. I wonder if they have a Montreal depot as well. The local pro photolab (Photoservice) has stated that they can order anything Kodak I like, but I haven't gone in with a list of demands yet (SKU #s).

 

[little-infinity]

Can someone take a picture of what's actually inside the Flexicolour repackaged kit from the Forumarly? (IE like actual contents, manuals, bottles, etc.), because their website is incredbly vague. I was initially led to believe they were only selling the developer itself.

 

[Photo Engineer]

It has a 3 part developer, 2 part bleach, fixer concentrate and final rinse concentrate. It comes packed to make 1 L in a set of 7 bottles just like the Kodak kit.

PE

 

[little-infinity]

Ahh thank you!
According to all the Kodak manuals I've read, they seem to emphasise the use of replenishers and starters for some of the chemicals. I assume this is not the case for the kit based on your description?

 

[jon falth]

Color Chemistry?

Thank you, to all who replied to my initial question about color chemistry availability and where to purchase...

I've still not set-up my jobo processor, need a tempering valve, some jobo 4x5, 8x10 tanks, and with the auction-site pricing for those jobo thingies, I'll need a fatter wallet.

Jon

 

[Photo Engineer]

Ahh thank you!
According to all the Kodak manuals I've read, they seem to emphasise the use of replenishers and starters for some of the chemicals. I assume this is not the case for the kit based on your description?

The kit contains enough developer starter for a 1 L kit.

PE

 

[Paul Verizzo]

So much angst for such a simple decision.

Buy a Tetenal or Unicolor kit from Freestyle or B&H, about $20 for a one liter plus shipping. Or get the 2L kit with shipping for under $40.

Or, the Formulary kit if you really think powder is inferior. Which it's not, IMNSHO.

The Digibase kits (Fuji-Hunter) are out of stock until March. I could not find another retailer besides Freestyle.

Now, wasn't that easy?

 

[Photo Engineer]

See my post in the other C41 thread for more information on Sodium Ferric EDTA Blixes. It gives a patent reference with data and relates directly to powder kits and film blixes in particular.

PE

 

[wogster]

I wonder though, since Kodak seems to be getting out of the photography business.... How long they will continue making C41 chemicals, and does anyone else produce chemicals that could be put into smaller kits.

 

[Photo Engineer]

Fuji-Hunt.

 

[wogster]

Fuji-Hunt.

What about in Canada?
It's easy to order stuff from the US, but by the time you add on shipping, customs brokerage, hazmat fees, a 1L jug of chemicals can easily end up costing over $100, providing you can find someone that will go through the paperwork. I really think going forward the idea for chemical suppliers is to package stuff smaller for the home darkroom worker, similar to the way Ilford does for B&W. No reason why they can't make a 1L or even ½L kits. There is only 1 lab left that does film developing within about 100km of where I live.

 

[Jeff L]

What about in Canada?
It's easy to order stuff from the US, but by the time you add on shipping, customs brokerage, hazmat fees, a 1L jug of chemicals can easily end up costing over $100, providing you can find someone that will go through the paperwork. I really think going forward the idea for chemical suppliers is to package stuff smaller for the home darkroom worker, similar to the way Ilford does for B&W. No reason why they can't make a 1L or even ½L kits. There is only 1 lab left that does film developing within about 100km of where I live.

It was because of this I ordered the powder 1L kit from B&H. $20 bucks and they made shipping and duties easy.
I have read the Flexcolor four step kit is best, but shipping was getting very expensive, and I couldn't find out for sure if it'd make it across boarder.

 

[CatLABS]

Champion photo chemicals

Champion photo chemicals make C-41 ktis, that are generally fairly large, but they are dirt cheap and you can break up the kits as the stock stuff lasts pretty much forever.

http://www.championphotochemistry.com/

Their base in North American is infact in Canada, believe it or not....

It was i have been using for years.

 

[langedp]

Where do you buy the Champion products?

 

[Jeff L]

Champion photo chemicals make C-41 ktis, that are generally fairly large, but they are dirt cheap and you can break up the kits as the stock stuff lasts pretty much forever.

http://www.championphotochemistry.com/

Their base in North American is infact in Canada, believe it or not....

It was i have been using for years.

Thanks!
They're in Brampton - about 20 min from me.
I may just call...

 

[EdSawyer]

Champion = Kodak

I am pretty sure Champion makes the flexicolour c41 chemistry for Kodak, or so I've read in many places.

-Ed

 

[MattKing]

Champion are one of the creditors that are owed large amounts of money by Kodak, according to the bankruptcy filing.

 

[wogster]

Best thing to do is to call them from their contact page and see if there is a local dealer near you.

 

[CatLABS]

I buy from unique photo in NJ, but i am sure henry's or the such stocks them in canada.

Also their sales rep is based in canada, his name is Tony something or another.

 

[Bob-D659]

The Kodak C41 chemistry in the sticky post can be ordered by any dealer selling Kodak products, or shoot Photo Central in Winnipeg an email, they can get it for you. No cross border shipping hassles.

 

[Photo Engineer]

Trebla is also a source for Kodak C41 kits. This company was founded by a group of former EK Engineers who worked from the original formulas to come up with their kits.

PE