Colour 120mm film and battery

[smallfooties]

Hi guys,
So the TLR arrived today and i went to freo to shoot some film... then i realised how nice it would be to have a roll of coloured film. Went to the camera shop there but they didn't have any and i went to the city too - no luck there.
Anybody know where i can get them? I know it is possible as i was given a roll some time back but, can't ask that person where she got it from as she is away on holidays. It is a Kodak though and wonder if Ilford makes them? The guy at the shop said they are phasing out coloured 120 film now... :( Therefore, it is abit hard to get.
Also, what is the replacement battery for the Yashica Mat 124G? Would 1.5v kill the meter if it's not already dead? Just wanna see if the meter still works. Cross fingers and hope it does... Otherwise, would Sunny16 be alright or should i get a light meter? How much does a light meter cost anyway?

[jim]

Oddly enough I've found Adorama quite a good place to buy film.

[ricktas]

Odd that you cannot find it in Perth. Several of the Hobart camera stores stock 120 film. Hope another AP member can help you out in regard to where to get some locally. Light meters can cost a few hundred dollars or lots of hundreds of dollars. There are simple, basic ones and ones that are almost computers. Check the second hand camera dealers in you area, often you can pick up a decent second hand one at a reasonable price.

[StanW]

If you're seeking transparency (E6) film, I could help.

[smallfooties]

Hi guys, perhaps i wasn't clear in my post. I apologize. I can easily find black and white 120 film but it's like trying to find a needle in a hay stack when it comes to coloured 120 film. So just wondering where i can find them in perth?
Where is adorama? What is it?
As for E6 film...ermm.... i've never used them before... can i use it on my yashica 124G? How do i use it and where can i find it? Are they expensive to process? I'm just wanting to try different film at the moment... but find that i do quite ok with black and white photography.. keke...

[jim]

Where is adorama? What is it?


U.S. mail order. Ultra reliable, good prices and lightning fast delivery, but p&p is pretty expensive.

[Rob]

I've got some at Ted's in both Sydney & Melbourne just prior to Christmas. I assume they have Teds in Perth?

[StanW]

E6 is colour transparency film. You'll have to find a lab which can handle it, or else bite the bullet and process it yourself.
A 6cm by 6cm transparency is a joy to see, assuming you can locate a projector.
The offer is still open.

[smallfooties]

transparency film is different from slide film?
Ok tell me where i can find E6 film please? keke....

[Big Pix]

transparency film is different from slide film?
Ok tell me where i can find E6 film please? keke....

...... they are one and the same...... some folks call 35mm format slide film, and Transparency film larger format, say 2 1/4 sq or 645 or 6x7 or 5x4 and larger......

I would start with Pro processing labs for E6, as most labs also sell stock...... Vision Graphics in Redfern NSW would be a good start

here you go...... http://www.visiongraphics.com.au/film_processing.php

and Perth...... http://www.miragephoto.com.au/what.html

[ricktas]

no transparency and slide are the same thing, it is either colour negative print film OR transparency/slide film

[TOM]

yep transparency is the normal name used, but i just say chrome. it's easier, and means the same thing. consumers used to call it slide film, as it was used for mounting and putting in slide projectors. mostly nowadays it is scanned, and boy does it scan well. also, known as e6, k14 et al. btw, they are not phasing out 120 film.......that's just an ignorant saleperson talking there (unless you meant that the business you are dealing with is phasing it out). i had two pro packs of 120 reala listed here a couple of weeks ago, but unfortunately it is sold. if you do want to get a heap of film, let me know, as I am about to order some in the coming weeks. there are a few people who want to tack some onto my order, so shipping costs will be negligable. as much as i like to support local business, film is a rort in the country. i can bring it in from OS for literally half the cost.

[smallfooties]

yep transparency is the normal name used, but i just say chrome. it's easier, and means the same thing. consumers used to call it slide film, as it was used for mounting and putting in slide projectors. mostly nowadays it is scanned, and boy does it scan well. also, known as e6, k14 et al. btw, they are not phasing out 120 film.......that's just an ignorant saleperson talking there (unless you meant that the business you are dealing with is phasing it out). i had two pro packs of 120 reala listed here a couple of weeks ago, but unfortunately it is sold. if you do want to get a heap of film, let me know, as I am about to order some in the coming weeks. there are a few people who want to tack some onto my order, so shipping costs will be negligable. as much as i like to support local business, film is a rort in the country. i can bring it in from OS for literally half the cost.

Ohhhh! Would you mind getting me some coloured 120s please? I'm in Perth though, so you would have to send them to me?
How much does 1 roll cost?
Let me know the cost and i'll let you know how many i want. Thanks!

[smallfooties]

Thanks guys for explaining things to me... greatly appreciated!
Film is SO exciting!

[TOM]

PM sent

[smallfooties]

Just put the battery in the yashica and found that the meter is working! yay!

[HelenOster]

U.S. mail order. Ultra reliable, good prices and lightning fast delivery, but p&p is pretty expensive.

42 West 18th Street, NY NY 10011

For small (light!) relatively inexpensive items we can always look at sending USPS rather than UPS.
You just need to drop me a quick email!

[TOM]

Helen, that's great to know. I've always wanted to purchase from Adorama, but the postage has always deterred me. I'll be placing an order this afternoon for some b+w filters, if we can work out some cheaper shipping.

[henryp]

I've always wanted to purchase ... but the postage has always deterred me.

Internat'l shipping fees are a continual source of concern for customers and retailers. Right now it seems the choices are cheap, or reliable and trackable. In general responsible retailers opt for the latter IMO. I know that for inexpensive relatively damage-proof items it's tempting to drop the merchandise in a padded envelope and slap some stamps on, but one person's inexpensive relatively damage-proof item is the next person's gotta-have-it-ASAP stuff.

I am NOT questioning Helen or Adorama and have the highest regard for both, but right now UPS, while not cheap, offers speed, reliability, a very good online package tracking system and they're responsive if a package is mislaid en route. USPS and other less expensive internat'l shipping options do not. That said, I understand it really doesn't make sense to buy a 20.00 filter and pay twice that in s&h. Perfectly reasonable.

[swifty]

Ooohh.. don't forget me when you guys next organize a group buy from the states. :D
I've been eyeing a few items that would benefit from bulk buying.

[batmat]

Just to add a little thing about E6 film, they are a lot less forgiving than C41 or b&w. This means that your meter should really be working well if you don't want to overexposed or underexposed your film. I think even one stop up would ruined the photo. But this films give awesome colors and I am pretty sure lots of landscape photographer still use them a lot.
For your light meter, I've read that the use of a 1,5 V battery will disorder the light meter, some others batteries might work better (http://www.weincell.com/ for example, they are 1.35V) , or it exists battery adapter called MR-9 but they are quite expensive... Good luck ;)

[arubaato]

Internat'l shipping fees are a continual source of concern for customers and retailers. Right now it seems the choices are cheap, or reliable and trackable. In general responsible retailers opt for the latter IMO. I know that for inexpensive relatively damage-proof items it's tempting to drop the merchandise in a padded envelope and slap some stamps on, but one person's inexpensive relatively damage-proof item is the next person's gotta-have-it-ASAP stuff.

I am NOT questioning Helen or Adorama and have the highest regard for both, but right now UPS, while not cheap, offers speed, reliability, a very good online package tracking system and they're responsive if a package is mislaid en route. USPS and other less expensive internat'l shipping options do not. That said, I understand it really doesn't make sense to buy a 20.00 filter and pay twice that in s&h. Perfectly reasonable.

This is why I'm so reluctant to buy from ebay US despite the amount of good quality second hand gear there.

sorry to get off topic.

I'm also think about going to 120 film, but the costs involved with processing and scanning etc looks prohibitive...

[ameerat42]

No trouble getting it in Syd. Surely there'd be mail order here (Adorama? For film? Heck!) I get mine thru Ted's Camera Store. Do you have one in Perth? Am.

[ameerat42]

Sorry. 2nd post. Arubaato, about $8/roll and $6 to develop neg only. Scan? When I feel like it. Am.

[Analog6]

I bought some on eBay, it worked out about $10 roll for Fuji trannie film

[swifty]

Ameerat42: where in syd are u getting processing of negs for $6?? The cheapest I've seen is $10.

[GlennSan]

Ooohh.. don't forget me when you guys next organize a group buy from the states. :D
I've been eyeing a few items that would benefit from bulk buying.

We need a pack mule. I used to go to the US frequently for work and would always go to B&H in NYC and buy slabs of film (20 rolls/120 and 50 rolls/35mm) at a time and carry them back in hand luggage myself. Averaged around $3.50 AUD per roll (Ilford HP5 & FP4) and not much difference between 120 & 35mm. Compared to $8-14 AUD in Australia, that's a big saving. Shipping INSIDE the US is dirt cheap and very efficient. If you know anyone going there, buy from here on the net and ship to their hotel in the US for hand-carry back home to Oz. I've done that with work colleagues a few times as well. If I get to go to US again this year for work, I'll put up a post and happy to be the mule !



I'm also think about going to 120 film, but the costs involved with processing and scanning etc looks prohibitive...

Most of my 120 is B&W D&P at home because of the cost. Very cheap to do that yourself. I have the occasional roll of colour done and when I lived in Sydney it wasn't a whole lot dearer than 35mm. About $15-20 per roll D&P from what I recall (Pennant Hills camera house, opposite train station). Different story here in Bris sadly. Not as many small labs do it and the pro lab I used (Prolab south Bris) swallowed $90 for two rolls D&P & scan to CD. Would love to get my own coolscan 9000 but don't have the $$ for one... :(


No trouble getting it in Syd. Surely there'd be mail order here (Adorama? For film? Heck!) I get mine thru Ted's Camera Store. Do you have one in Perth? Am.

Am - once you go to larger volumes, the price difference can be significant - see above. Agree there's no point for the occasional roll though, just buy local. Photo trader magazine always has ads for film stockists in AU who mail order quite happily.

[ameerat42]

Ameerat42: where in syd are u getting processing of negs for $6?? The cheapest I've seen is $10.
Swifty, Camera House, Pennant Hills. Dev only, though, not print. Cheapest around a few suburbs and easy enough 2 get 2.

GlennSan. I bought a pack of 5 of 120, Fuji 160 Pro for about $8/roll, bit I can't remember xack-tly ($40, I think), but I remember a single roll at first cost $11.
Am, and Am.

[GlennSan]

Swifty, Camera House, Pennant Hills. Dev only, though, not print. Cheapest around a few suburbs and easy enough 2 get 2.

GlennSan. I bought a pack of 5 of 120, Fuji 160 Pro for about $8/roll, bit I can't remember xack-tly ($40, I think), but I remember a single roll at first cost $11.
Am, and Am.
Same mini lab - spooky ;) They would print my 120 6x6 frames at 4" x4" on 6x4 paper quite cheaply. Might even have been same price as 35mm. Can't exactly recall. There was also an excellent fuji minlab at Heathcote - did superb work.

$8 a roll local is not bad at all. I used to haunt the camera shops in Hornsbay mall - the paxtons(?) lowest level often had near-expired or expired 120 colour at half price so that kept me stocked for playing around...

[swifty]

ameerat42: Thanks for the info. Not really in my neck of the woods but its good to know where there's cheap developing. Maybe when I'm back from overseas with a dozen rolls or so then I might do the lot there. But I wonder how many x-rays machines a roll of film can go through without fogging hmmm...

GlennSan: yea.. I keep eyeing buying a bunch from B&H but pull out cos I can't decide exactly how many of each I wanna order and what else I can get at the same time to save on shipping. I got family in the states so technically I could ship it to their place and ask them to on-post it at cheaper rates than the B&H international shipping rates. But I don't really wanna trouble them so I'm stuck with Aussie prices for now. Lucky I bought a bunch from TOM here, on the AP classifieds and have only just got my 35mm film camera so am starting to work through it.
Can you believe Fuji Provia 400X sells for $40 AUD a roll!!!! Its $9USD at B&H.
Thanks for the offer for being a mule. Will look out for that. If I head that way any time soon, I'll also volunteer my cabin luggage space :)

Arubaato: I find 120 quite comparable in price compared to 35mm. In fact many 36 exp 35mm film is more expensive than their 120 counterpart. That said, you only get 16 exp out of 645 camera and about 12 exp out of a 6X6.
Flatbed scanning is quite affordable but can be annoying (I've never hated dust so much). I use a V700 with IMO good results. But like GlennSan, would love a coolscan 9000.
My biggest beef is with the size/weight of 645 cameras (and worse with 6X6 and 67 I'd imagine) but wow, are the results nice.

Smallfooties: sorry for this thread to have gone so off topic. :confused013 :D

[arubaato]

Sorry. 2nd post. Arubaato, about $8/roll and $6 to develop neg only. Scan? When I feel like it. Am.

Am, where do you get your development done? $6 a roll is a really good price.

[arubaato]

a
Arubaato: I find 120 quite comparable in price compared to 35mm. In fact many 36 exp 35mm film is more expensive than their 120 counterpart. That said, you only get 16 exp out of 645 camera and about 12 exp out of a 6X6.
Flatbed scanning is quite affordable but can be annoying (I've never hated dust so much). I use a V700 with IMO good results. But like GlennSan, would love a coolscan 9000.
My biggest beef is with the size/weight of 645 cameras (and worse with 6X6 and 67 I'd imagine) but wow, are the results nice.

Smallfooties: sorry for this thread to have gone so off topic. :confused013 :D

Coming from shooting digital to re-discover film, nearly $1000 for a V700 is not all that affordable, a coolscan is certainly out of reach for me. However I can see your point about the cost being comparable to 135 film. I wonder whether one day I'll be sick of it all and bite the bullet and get a proper scanner for myself.

[swifty]

I got my v700 for $700 but u don't need a v700 if u're doing 35mm only.
The better bang for buck flatbeds like the v600 are less than half the v700 if I remember correctly and there are many dedicated 35mm film scanners, not just the coolscans from Nikon.

[ameerat42]

arubaato. See page 1: my reply to swifty.

[hoffy]

Just to add to this story, I have been made aware of a person in the throws of setting up an internet, mail order, Film photography supply outlet. Their idea is to be similar to ag-photographic in the UK and freestyle in the USA.

It will be interesting to see if they can get it off the ground and to see how competitive their prices are when they do. Details are sketchy at the moment, as the person is still in the throws. Just hope it does happen.