Film emergency in Barcelona

[Lance]

Me and my M (and my wife) are going to Barcelona on Wednesday. I have had no time to shop for film and am therefore traveling with only 2½ rolls of XP2. 😱

I really need some help quick. Where do I find a decent place to buy decent film in downtownish Barcelona?

And if it's a place with used gear, Leica, Nikon or any other fun stuff to look at, then that's just an added bonus.

 

[david.elliott]

Why not order film online and have it overnighted to you? Or overnighted to where you will be staying?

 

[sahe69]

There's one rather large shop just a few steps from Plaça de Catalunya. Looking towards the Rambla, on your right hand side (but not on Rambla itself). Unfortunately I don't remember the name, but it was some sort of a chain store.

 

[sahe69]

edit: Carrer de Pelai is the name of the street, and I think the shop was Casanova foto.

 

[sol33]

You want to go to ARPI (La Rambla 40) and Casanova (Pelai 18). Both have lots of used cameras on display (not cheap though) and also sell film.

 

[Pablito]

yeah, ARPI

 

[rlouzan]

Casanova Foto:
http://www.casanovafoto.com/

Jordi Bass:
http://www.jordibasfoto.com/

Foto Arpi

 

[SimonSawSunlight]

so you just missed the big rff meet!
be sure to buy a lot of film, I exposed almost 30 rolls of film within 5-6 days =)

 

[Kozhe]

Both Arpi and Casanova have a huge collection of old cameras, including any kind of rangefinder. Unfortunately their prices are just an insult, usually twice what you might consider a fair price. I just don´t get why some people might buy from them. They don´t even have a great offer on film.

There´s a smaller store next to Casanova´s in the Pelai street, it´s quite small and kind of a family bussiness so they have a more friendly service, no idea about their film stock.

 

[sol33]

Casanova is one of cheapest sources of film in Barcelona. ARPI is only slightly more expensive and has a broader choice of b/w films. Both are fine shops, it's just that their prices for equipment are seriously off.

A better place to shop for used cameras is Foto Joma, Bonavista 31. It's a family owned shop, with just a few used cameras for sale, but their prices are much more realistic than those of the big stores in the town center.

 

[Lance]

A 1000 thanks, guys. Now I know where to go the first day. I'm buying film, but I always enjoy browsing photogear. Then the price means less.

I know I missed the rff meeting, but I had no vacation and knew I was going with the wife anyway. I hope You enjoyed the meet.

 

[SimonSawSunlight]

we did indeed, thank you very much =) have a great time in barcelona, and be sure to check out girona and a little more of its environment, those are beautiful places!

 

[kully]

Ilan - remember to check out the Google map we created for the meet - just in case you want to tips on where to go: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?ie...035530143142361563.00045c0762a0bc0293904&z=10

 

[MartinP]

I'm not sure if this is one of the places mentioned above, but going along the Ramblas from P. de Catalunya on the right hand side, a few hundred meters down, there was a little photo-shop with a film display at the back including Ilford black-and-white (maybe Kodak too, but it was closed so I couldn't check).

Have a fun trip, we did - I am still trying to get all the rolls through my scanner, and the last two developed as well . . .

 

[Lance]

I went to Casanova. What a nice place to be. The prices are pretty high - on film also, by my standards. But I left with some film to get by.

Today I was shooting some swing dancers in a park. I changed film in a hurry to catch all the action. Then I got the feeling something was not quite right. The advance was kind of loose, but the rewind was stiff. After it was over I decided to rewind the film and it hadn't advanced very far. So I probably lost some excellent shots. I want an M8 now more than ever. 🙂

The weather is great here by the way.

 

[Lance]

By the way. Casanova has an M2 for 450€. Is that a bad price for a user M2? I didn't talk to them about it, but lets say it works as it should and it was in a pretty good user condition. Maybe a B or a C.

http://www.casanovafoto.com/tienda.php?id_producto=5462&root=coleccion

I know it's high priced converted to $, but in the European marked?

 

[ChrisLivsey]

Ilan

That's about the going rate in the UK, converted as the pound is down on the Euro, last year it would have been a bargain. ( we were at 1:1.5 now parity)
Prices are very firm here at the moment newish lenses in particular with relatively few bodies about which has pushed prices higher. Here is an example you can compare condition, visually.

http://www.reddotcameras.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=34_35&products_id=1383

Enjoy the trip.
Best

 

[kdemas]

Actually not a bad price by US standards either.

Kent

 

[Kozhe]

Iirc I saw some M2s at their store (not web) some weeks ago with what looked like a "450" sticker, but was told it was 950 instead. I really doubt they might sell any Leica stuff for that price, just ask 🙂

 

[Lance]

It's on the net for that price too, so I think it's OK.

Anyway, I have been there a couple of times during the week. I ended up buying a Nikon F100. The one of the ones I missed in my collection. It's in good condition and was actually fair priced and with 6 month warranty (useless). They have about 25 of them in stock, so good deals can be made.

The M2 is still there if anyone is going to Barcelona. I'm leaving tomorrow morning.