Film suppliers

L2obin
Posts: 116
Joined: 18 Oct 2012, 00:56

Film suppliers

Postby L2obin » 22 Jul 2017, 23:34

Hi guys,

I just noticed photoresouce.com.au also offers film for sale.


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Mick Fagan
Posts: 412
Joined: 24 Sep 2015, 21:20
Location: Melbourne

Re: Film suppliers

Postby Mick Fagan » 23 Jul 2017, 09:01

L2obin wrote:Hi guys,

I just noticed photoresouce.com.au also offers film for sale.


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Interestingly they are cheaper than Vanbar for a 25 pack of Ilford FP4+ 4x5" sheet film. Vanbar are $75.81 Inc. GST, whereas Photoresource are $69.00. Photoresource do not mention whether or not GST is inclusive of the price. However, it is illegal in Australia to advertise anything retail, without the GST component of any transaction being inclusive of the advertised price.

Apart from obvious price difference, delivery costs would appear to be close (ish).

I have been purchasing my Ilford 4x5" sheet film from Badger Graphic in the USA in 100 sheet boxes for at least 10 years. Pretty much the cheapest way to purchase any Ilford film from anywhere I have found around the world.

When the Australian dollar is strong, I make a purchase. Three 100 sheet boxes works out about the cheapest way when one includes postage; weight, cubic things etc. considered.

http://www.badgergraphic.com/opencart/i ... uct_id=621

Those boxes are filled with four identical 25 sheet plastic enclosed portions of 4x5" film. Exactly what you get in each and every 25 sheet box times four. Doing a rough and very quick view of current offerings then using a currency converter. The rough savings, including a guestimated postage allowance is around $100 savings. Which works out close to $1.00 per sheet difference landed. In the past I have seen some very interesting differences around the world, but never anything as consistently cheaper than purchasing either of the three different Ilford 4x5" films from Badger in their respective 100 sheet boxes. That is FP4+, HP5+ and Delta 100.

The very best I have done, was to have film landed at very close to 50% of retail price in Australia. Even if one allowed for a 10% GST addition, one is still so far ahead, it is laughable.

Mick.

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Barry Kirsten
Posts: 230
Joined: 27 Feb 2015, 11:13
Location: Brookfield, Vic.

Re: Film suppliers

Postby Barry Kirsten » 23 Jul 2017, 16:17

You're right, Mick, it is laughable. I know Australia is a small market and our wages are high, therefore suppliers have higher overheads, but there is a rip-off mentality among suppliers and service is also pathetic.

I've bought film from Badger and Freestyle, but I tend to get my film mostly from B&H, in conjunction with other photographic items in the same order. They have good freight rates, and if you order when the AU$ is high, as you said, you have to come out in front.

And it does pay to shop around. For example, VanBar have red LED safelight lamps at $22 each http://www.vanbar.com.au/catalogue/prod ... ?id=107164 but the same can be had for US$2.95 here: https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinf ... ifications
One small catch is that they're 110 volt and require a step-down transformer, but a small one from eBay for about $15 posted takes care of that and will power several of these lamps easily.


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