gas station film

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timmyd18

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This is an odd question, but does anyone else enjoy looking to see what film is carried in small town gas stations/convenience stores?

It is definitely a source of strange films. For starters, I've found Kodak Gold 100 in a couple different ones now, which is impossible to find outside photo stores. (In fact the only regular source I have for 100 film in a grocery/drugstore is that Target for some reason carries 12 exposure rolls of Fuji 100. I buy whatever I can because I really like 100. Ordinarily I'll shoot Clark/Ferrania 100)

I recently found some old Konica Centuria film in one store, (I really like this film.)

Just this spring I bought a roll of 200 film and a roll of 400 film in one gas station in Kansas and it was branded "Eagle Premium" from Genco Marketing Co in Lincoln, Nebraska. When I opened the boxes, the 200 was Agfa Vista and the 400 was Minolta.

Anyway, this kind of thing amuses me and I figured someone else might have the same hobby.

tim
 
I've never seen film in gas stations in my town... or any other. It's something I never look for in a gas station. Next time, I'll keep my eyes peeled... but then, when I have the choice to pay at the pump, I simply have no reason to enter the building.

Then, again, I'll take a look. Who knows, maybe I find another roll of Konica... ;)
 
Most of what I see is old and dusty and often on a rack near a window and bathed with sun. Often I even see the boxes faded from sunlight. Personally I'd stay away from it.
 
i've found both in date and expired films... both have honestly given good results. obviously i'm not talking about anything professional quality or anything but its fun to use odd films you wouldn't ordinarily buy or will never have the chance to shoot again.

i also like wondering why these places settled on these particular products... i really do think it is strange to find places carrying 100 speed films these days
 
I like using those films too, especially if they're cheap. I've come across Konica Centuria, Agfa, and Ferriana films in boxes with all sorts of strange brands. The various Dollar Store chains are also a good source of unusual film. The local one carries Solo DCF 100-speed stuff, which is perfectly nice for a sunny day of casual shooting.

I suspect that most of these stores have contracts with some national supplier and just take whatever the truck drops off. And that's probably whatever's cheapest, like surplus warehouse lots, closeout deals, and short-dated stock.
 
GAS? just go by :)
I think gas stations are not common place for film shopping, so they can have old stock (and even film types no longer produced). I actually enjoy to shoot expired and extinct film: Konika Centuria, Agfa Vista. Recently I got 3 rolls of expired Centuria for free as a gift addition to my order from large photo store
 
I started noticing this in petrol stations too once i got into photography.

Here in the UK petrol stations are mainly franchises of the big oil companies (BP, Shell, Q8, Texaco &c.) and I noticed the film is always a) in date b) expensive - we're talking £6/$12 a roll) and it never seems to sell in my non-touristy county.

You've made me think I really should ask them for the out of date stuff.
 
i'm with you minoltist7, i was very excited to find agfa vista and konica centuria. every emulsion is different and its fun to see some that are no longer being produced, even if they are expired.

kully, i'll bet there is a UK equivalent to the small-town midwestern us gas station. it's the one store in a very small town that is at least half an hour from a bigger place to shop. so they get a stock of everything that you could need in a pinch, but none of it moves very quickly. hence the out of date and long gone films.

i think they're great places to buy film, but i wouldn't buy canned goods there, not unless you want reagan/thatcher/gorbachev era tins of beans
 
Is Centuria any good - I know a place that has a whole pile of it (expired). I bought 5 of the $1 rolls but haven't tried it....
 
Funny you mention this as I've recently had the itch to shoot color film, and have been keeping an eye out for film everywhere I go. I've come to the conclusion though, there is no ISO 100 consumer film left anywhere ! The minimum I can find is ISO 200.

Costco has a good deal on Fuji Superia X-Tra 400 ISO here, 6 rolls for about $13.00, but I was hesitant cause of grain issues. Turns out, the RMS value (a grain measurement) is 4, which is the same as ISO 100 film (but there is a small trade off in resolution apparently). So, I'm anxious to see what the results will be like.
 
i've only ever shot one roll of the centuria (200) but i liked it.

the centuria i have is just konica, although i'm hoping to get some konica-minolta soon.

if you go to my website on this picture and click next, you'll see some of the better shots from that roll:
http://www.gaviota2.com/oklahoma/sightseeing/southwestok/southwestok-Pages/Image172.html


nextreme, i've had nice luck with Fuji Superia Xtra 400. it seems to be walmart's film of choice; the ones i have say "return to walmart for processing." for a consumer film it seems to have pretty low grain.

what i like about 100 speed film (and slower) is that with old equipment that was designed for slower films, you can open the lens up a little more even if it's bright out.

best regards
tim
 
Glad to hear the superia is good stuff. I plan on shooting a lot in the next week. I also have 3 rolls of Centuria ISO 200 that I plan on shooting. Here's something interesting regarding Centuria I just stumbled across, a bit dated though. I've never seen it in my neck of the woods.
 
I always look at the film racks in gas stations. I prefer Kodak Gold 100, and keep my eye out for it. I don't bother carrying much color film, and just buy it as needed at gas stations, drug stores, and grocery stores. As far as I'm concerned. there is nothing a pro shop can offer in a little yellow box of 35mm that my local gas station can't. I only use photo shops for Kodak Gold 100 and B&W/chemicals. I figure as long as I buy it, the gas stations will keep stocking it. And as long as they do, I can get film anywhere.
 
Chris101 said:
Wouldn't it be great to find a brick of HIE tucked away in a cooler, behind the glass bottles of Coke? :D
Click to expand...
Well, I did find a roll of HIE tucked behind some overpriced Provia 400X last week--with $13.90 on the price tag.
Granted, it expired 03/2008, but it still is a frozen roll of HIE.
 
Chris101 said:
Wouldn't it be great to find a brick of HIE tucked away in a cooler, behind the glass bottles of Coke? :D
Click to expand...

I found 6 rolls of recently expired HIE in a film bin full of expired film. Paid $2.50 a roll for it. Then took a few of the rolls and did a trade for some Gekko 100 from a member here. I just found some 3 pack Kodak 400UC 36 exp. for $6.00 a pack @ WalMart in a city I was passing through. Exp. date is 7/08. I bought 2 packs. Most film at drug stores & convince marts are too high. I can buy film at a Wolf Camera I frequent for dirt cheap. I have even found 12 exp. films dated 2002 for .99 cents. They even have Bulk TMax & Tri X for $25.00. Dated 2003 4 & not refrigerated so I am afraid to buy it.
 
if you guys are looking for a sure fire easy way to find 100, if there's a target nearby it might have the 12 exp 100 fuji rolls that mine has.

i have no idea why they carry these. it's an odd film size for consumer films, but i'll take it. it's pretty nice film, in my opinion
 
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