Source for film?

[AlexanderR]

Where do you buy your film?

Since B&H charges between $5 and $6.50 for a single roll of 36 exposure BW400CN or XP2, I'm looking for alternative sources...I realize film prices have gone up, but still...that gets expensive fast.

 

[batterytypehah!]

I use drugstore brand film & developing for color, and Arista Premium (Freestyle house brand, which is repackaged Kodak) for B&W, which I develop myself.

Many big supermarkets still carry 400 speed Fuji at good prices, too.

I don't see much of a point in BW400CN or XP2, it doesn't look any different to me than shooting color and then converting the scan to B&W. I understand XP2 is easier for traditional printing (no orange mask) but really, how many people are willing to make traditional wet prints, but don't develop at home?

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Where do you buy your film?

Since B&H charges between $5 and $6.50 for a single roll of 36 exposure BW400CN or XP2, I'm looking for alternative sources...I realize film prices have gone up, but still...that gets expensive fast.

That's not a lot of money. When I was in art school in the late 1990s, that's what black and white film cost. It really has not gone up at all in price. Incomes have gone down drastically since then, so it seems like more, but its not.

 

[Gumby]

I just bought a bunch of PX 135-36 at $5.75 each and considered that a great deal. I think I paid a tad less for some Tri-X last week. The local drug store was happy to get rid of it. Those prices are good prices.

 

[AlexanderR]

Gumby: If that's a deal, I guess I've been away from film for too long. (Nearly all digital for the last 4 years--purely film the 15+ before that).

Chris: While not yet completely outrageous, film prices have gone up. As soon as 50 pack bricks and 5 roll packs stopped being sold en masse individual roll film prices went up. I haven't pulled specific data, but it's at least 50% greater per roll depending on type and brand. I used to bulk roll (100' rolls of Tri-X) but since I stopped doing darkroom work, and traditional B&W films don't scan as well, I'm inclined to shoot C-41.

Battery: Thanks for the tip, I was looking for specific films beyond what's sold at the drugstores. Thanks for the tip on Freestyle's house brand. I'll give it a look.

 

[celluloidprop]

If you want cheap, you're going to have to go traditional B&W. 36 frames of Tri-X from Freestyle for $2.59 (branded as Arista Premium 400) is about as good as it gets.

 

[AlexanderR]

Cool, thanks. I think I've got my answers. I appreciate everyone's input.

 

[Gumby]

Gumby: If that's a deal, I guess I've been away from film for too long.

Plus X has been discontinued and most people who still have some for sale have marked it up.

If you want to shoot 400 ASA and get the bargain, Freestyle is the place to go.

 

[35mmdelux]

BH for sure. Freeze a few bricks.

 

[ampguy]

Still have a couple of sets of 25 rolls of Fuji C41 400 Superia here

I can tell you, it converts and develops in b/w fine, and looks better than any film you can get at B&H, IMHO.

 

[Tim Gray]

Plus X has been discontinued and most people who still have some for sale have marked it up.

That's funny, because you can still buy it new at B&H for a reasonable price, in 35mm at least.

To the original poster - B&H is usually about as cheap as it gets for fresh film.

 

[Gumby]

Yes, the PX 135 is still available at decent prices - B&H, Adorama, and (I think I remember) Freestyle are still comparable. So is some other shop that sells on ebay. The PX-120 is a different story. I suspect the patter will follow for 135 at some point... maybe sooner than any of us would like.

 

[rpsawin]

Alex,

I made a few assumptions on your request: you want 35mm and you want B&W. Try these guys for very reasonable prices:

http://www.freestylephoto.biz/sc_search.php?q=film&rfnc=402&mfg=all&catsel=all&exp[]=&iso[]=&

Best regards,

Bob

 

[gm13]

Another vote for Freestylephoto, and their Arista Premiumn 400, nice to patronize folks dedicated to film.
This thread reminded me I needed to order more so just did that along with some soup.

 

[JoeV]

I've found the least expensive 135-format film are the 4-packs of color film at the name brand drug stores or places like Walmart, which can typically be found for around $8 for 4 rolls, or around $2 per roll. And places like CVS Pharmacy will develop-only for about $2.50, giving you a cost of about $5 per roll including processing. Of course, this is assuming that you will be scanning the negatives yourself, and have no need of RA-4 prints.

 

[AlexanderR]

Alex,

I made a few assumptions on your request: you want 35mm and you want B&W. Try these guys for very reasonable prices:

http://www.freestylephoto.biz/sc_search.php?q=film&rfnc=402&mfg=all&catsel=all&exp[]=&iso[]=&

Best regards,

Bob

Thanks Bob.

As for Freestyle...maybe I'll get myself some tanks and reels, etc., as well. I shouldn't have sold that stuff!

 

[raytoei@gmail.com]

actually, inexpensive film can be found, a bit harder now but it is still possible:

Cheapest source: roll film. ie. you roll your own cassettes form a bulk roll of 100 feet film. Each 100 feet is around 18-20 rolls of film. Of course, the savings in film cost is offset by the time it takes to roll film plus the additional costs of film cassettes. I like the Freestyle Legacy Pro 100 in 100 feet as well as Double-X in 400 feet bulk film.

Ready made roll, cheapest is either Freestyle Photo or Ultrafine Online or Uniq Photos. All online, and google will get you there. I like the Ultrafine price of the Agfa 100 private label as well as the B&W C41 film (comes in odd 27 exposure) cassettes. I like the Freestyle selection of film and the general affordability of film. For Uniq Photo, certain selection are cheaper, eg. Arcos 100 in 120 format.

There are china made brands, but I have had issues with spots and stains which I can only explain as temperature variations in processing or storage.

hope this helps

raytoei
ps. Private Label brands are:

Arista EDU: Fomapan
Arista Premium: Tri-X or Plus-x depending on box speed
Ultrafine Extreme 400 in 120 format: I use HP5+ time for development.

 

[corposant]

Just buy short-dated or expired (but cold stored) film. Even the buy-it-now folks will be at half-price compared to buying new.

Modern films (produced within the last 8-9 years) hold up incredibly well.

 

[kiemchacsu]

this guy claimed that the quality is about the same with Ilford XP2, have anyone checked before?

 

[raytoei@gmail.com]

i develop alot of xp2 in rodinal. but when i tried to develop this " 100 ROLLS 35MM 400 135-24 B&W FILM Kodak BW400CN ILFORD", i found alot of fogging, which suggests to me that either this isn't XP2 or the film has expired. Unfortunately there wasn't any packing or expiration dates on the canisters.