Is this the future of (slide) film??

[kosta_g]

I might start a new thread next week about possibly doing a 3 or 6 monthly bulk order for Australian film shooters from US/EU (depending on price/availability/shipping) so I would be keen to find out who would be interested and what sort of amounts would be required to be ordered. I may keep it local to Melbourne (where I'm based) to minimise additional shipping around the country unless there is demand.

All interested say "I". 🙂

 

[HHPhoto]

I might start a new thread next week about possibly doing a 3 or 6 monthly bulk order for Australian film shooters from US/EU (depending on price/availability/shipping) so I would be keen to find out who would be interested and what sort of amounts would be required to be ordered. I may keep it local to Melbourne (where I'm based) to minimise additional shipping around the country unless there is demand.

All interested say "I". 🙂

Hi Kosta,

you know probably the "Melbourne Silver Mine" http://silvermine.org.au/

A good starting point to get photographers together for international orders.

Here is a list of German online distributors (in alphabetical order):

www.fotobrenner.de
www.fotoimpex.de
www.gfh-foto.de (cheapest prices, for professionals or other distributors, if you know a professional he can order there for you))
www.lumiere-shop.de
www.macodirekt.de
www.nordfoto.de
www.phototec.de
www.technikdirekt.de

I know that macodirect and fotoimpex are shipping internationally.
Well, the others, just ask them.

Good luck!

Jan

 

[crispy12]

I'll never pay $20 for a roll of BW! That's just insane. I'm so happy that my favourite film is Kodak TX, reasonably cheap. I buy my bulk rolls in Singapore at SG$70, that's about AUD $50 per 100ft roll (about 18 rolls of 36ex). It's slightly more expensive in Brisbane for bulk film, but still much cheaper than an individual roll ($12 for Hp5??)

Otherwise I buy from freestyle and bhphoto. It'll be interesting to hear a local co. in Australia explain their pricing strategy

 

[HHPhoto]

Just an addition to the list above (sorry, I had forgotten to mention it):

www.generalphoto.de
www.photo-lang.de

Cheers, Jan

 

[Platinum RF]

The film game is almost over, believe it or not. It will reach a point most people will not willing to pay, then film profit decline then manufacture is out or belly up.

 

[kosta_g]

The film game is almost over, believe it or not. It will reach a point most people will not willing to pay, then film profit decline then manufacture is out or belly up.

film prices are pretty much fine everywhere else in the world. it's just some countries they are insane. Oz/NZ being a couple of them.

plenty of people will still buy film at the US/(some european) prices.

 

[HHPhoto]

I've often read that there are some online distributors for film in Bangkok, Singapore and Hongkong with very attractive prices.

Besides ordering from Europe or US may be that is another option for you Australians and NZ's. Perhaps with lower shipment costs.

Cheers, Jan

 

[bgb]

I could just go buy a Fuji X100 and join the dark side, seems like the best option sometimes but i like my funny little film cameras :bang:

 

[sevo]

I could just go buy a Fuji X100

Could you? Hereabouts film isn't expensive - but online order has firmly taken over both film and quality camera sales. It isn't that local camera stores have converted to digital - outside the major metropolitan areas most of them have simply evaporated, and the huge consumer electronics and supermarket chains that replaced them don't sell anything they don't stock, and don't stock anything past basic consumer digital point-and-shoots (and consumer CN film).

 

[bgb]

Yes I could as the prices are coming down and it looks kind of cute. I suppose a NEX7 or the new Fuji X pro thing might do the job too.
Similar situation in the shops in NZ all digital and very basic Kodak/Fuji film. Ordering from USA is the best option but it's not as nice as dropping in to the local lab.

 

[JoelW]

Yeah. Film in AUS is pretty much like sugary treats for me. Costly and largely unsatisfying for what it gets me.
I paid $21 for a roll of 35mm ektar 100 the other day from the largest camera store in melbourne. So much fail.

Really?! That's pretty crazy. I work in Sydney camera retail and we have 35mm Ektar for still under $10 I'm sure per roll. I know our 5 packs of 120 Ektar are $44.95.
It is indeed the suppliers, not the store, even as staff I pay a fortune for slide film. Make most of my orders through B&H. About half the price and if you buy enough even with the shipping it's still cheaper in bulk.

 

[axiom]

Can I get prints for E6 developments?
Do they do BW for the same cost?
How about 120 size?

Looks like you poor guys in down under are ripped off.....

Here in Germany (slide) film and development are still very cheap.
Sometimes ridiculously cheap:
Drugstore branded CN film is in the 85 - 90 Cents range per 36 exp. roll. Yes, Cents.
Slide film in drugstore chains is about 2,95€ to 4,29€.
Color film development in mass labs: 0,85€ to 2,55€.
Same price for C-41 and E6 in the drugstores!

A pack of 5 AgfaPhoto CT 100 Precisa slide film is 14,99€, so only about 3€ per film. This film is now made by Fuji and excellent quality.
This slide film is even cheaper than Kodak Gold, Farbwelt (the German version of the Gold series) and Superia.

Provia 400X is in the 7,99€ (per film in a 10 film pack) to 9,98€ range.
And that is, inflation included, even cheaper than the predecessor Provia 400F had cost in the year 2000.

And, please don't forget:
Fuji has a real problem with the exchange rates of international currencies: The Yen has risen by about 45% in the last two years in comparison to the other main currencies like US $ and Euro.

That and the significantly higher silver prices are the reason for current film price updates.

Kudos to Fuji that despite this their film prices are still very reasonable. Thanks Fuji.

Cheers, Jan

 

[Mark T]

As an aside guys, I have been buying my film overseas. I travel to Singapore once a year or so, and buy a bunch of film when I do. I had looked into buying by post overseas and went as far as calling B and H in the USA. However, when I spoke to the guy he couldn't tell me if the film would be subject to Xrays or not, and he recommended not buying from them as a result. I don't know if it was just this particular operator that didn't know what he was talking about or what. Therefore, has anyone ever had any problems with film being damaged when purchasing from outside Australia online?
Thanks!

 

[swifty63]

As an aside guys, I have been buying my film overseas. I travel to Singapore once a year or so, and buy a bunch of film when I do. I had looked into buying by post overseas and went as far as calling B and H in the USA. However, when I spoke to the guy he couldn't tell me if the film would be subject to Xrays or not, and he recommended not buying from them as a result. I don't know if it was just this particular operator that didn't know what he was talking about or what. Therefore, has anyone ever had any problems with film being damaged when purchasing from outside Australia online?
Thanks!

I buy film thru evilb*y from Thailand and Korea (as well as from Sydney). Black and white mostly. I have never had a problem with Xray fogging. Some even have free postage and handling! There are two Australian suppliers of film on the bay - any search for film will bring them up (no connection with me).

 

[Mystyler]

I've ordered from B&H for big bulk orders to make the shipping worth it, and I would say that my packages go x-rayed. However, it is ually a mix of medium to fast film (50-400 ISO) and so far no noticable problems. I buy faster B&W locally, it isn't much more expensive for the tiny quantities I use, especially so if you factor in shipping.

As for cheaper film, I stumbled upon some Agfa CT-100 for $8.90/roll locally. Can't really beat that, especially as Provia 100F is 4x the price.

 

[Mark T]

Ok, thanks for that Swifty and Mystyler. I have always wondered...

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

Yes, I've bought several batches ex-Thailand, as has a friend. No problems whatsoever. All has been ISO 400 or less though.
Regards
Brett

 

[MRohlfing]

Try Agfaphoto (some say there's Provia in there - at least it says "Made in Japan" on the box).

Even in Australia it is not so damn expensive: http://www.vanbar.com.au/catalogue/product.php?id=78044#overview

Greeting from Austria (no cangaroos)!
Michael

 

[thegman]

I am moving to Australia this year, so I expect I'll just order in bulk from the USA. The postage will be pretty high of course, but if you order a year's worth at a time, then I suppose it won't be too bad.

 

[Photo_Smith]

The film game is almost over, believe it or not. It will reach a point most people will not willing to pay, then film profit decline then manufacture is out or belly up.

How so? I'm paying the same or less than I was 10 years ago not counting for inflation.
If you don't go mad and shoot 1-2 rolls of film per week you can get film, processing and prints for a weeks worth of photography for the same price as 10 litres of petrol (which won't last as long).

I pay £1 per roll for everyday 35mm C/N and £2 for B&W; a 5 box 120 of Ektar pro is less than £20 with 35mm about £4 a roll.

If it's too expensive to shoot film then possibly you either shoot 8 fps an 5k shots a week, which would make digital cheaper over time, or you just lack perspective when comparing the cost against other luxury goods like a bottle of wine.