Yet Another Cycling Forum

Random Musings => Gallery => Phototalk => Topic started by: andyoxon on 24 March, 2020, 04:45:57 pm

Title: B&W 35mm film purchase & processing
Post by: andyoxon on 24 March, 2020, 04:45:57 pm
mini ao wants to have a go with B&W on my old FE2, anyone know of good value film source & processing centre?  Unfortunately the uni dk rm is closed atm, due to CV19.
Title: Re: B&W 35mm film purchase & processing
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 24 March, 2020, 06:45:39 pm
I generally buy my film from 7dayshop - there's lots of choice for processing. I use Snaps Photos in Bournemouth, cheap & friendly. Most processing comes with the option of digital scan sent by email or on CD, so you don't have to have everything printed.
When I'm near my laptop I'll fish out some alternative processing options & film sources.
Title: Re: B&W 35mm film purchase & processing
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 24 March, 2020, 08:45:26 pm
Here you go-
Compare prices and services - don't forget postage. Sometimes 35mm cartridges will just about squeeze through a standard letter slot in a post office, sometimes they are 'large letters'.

https://www.snapsphotoservices.com/  (who I use - more out of inertia than anything)
https://www.photofilmprocessing.co.uk/35mm-Film-Processing.html (colour only)
https://dscolourlabs.co.uk/about/Black_White_Film_Processing
https://www.peak-imaging.com/category/44-35mm-film-processing (highly regarded)
https://www.ag-photolab.co.uk/  (generally reckoned to be the best & most flexible)
https://www.maxphoto.co.uk/   Max Spielman - also available through Timpsons in supermarkets - quality is said to be very variable
https://www.photoshopcornwall.com/film-processing
https://www.frostsphotocentre.co.uk/film-processing
https://www.bristolcameras.co.uk/m-mail-order-developing.htm  (gets good reveiws)
https://ntphotoworks.com/   (run by a very serious, enthusiastic couple)
I'm sure that there re lots of others - I'm not in a position to recomend or compare them. My comments come from the PhotoTalk forum

For film
ebay
https://analoguewonderland.co.uk/   (Great service, but a bit pricey)
https://www.7dayshop.com/    (Stock levels can be hit and miss)
https://kosmofoto.com/
https://www.ilfordphoto.com/black-white-film/35mm-film   (From the source - often found cheaper elsewhere)

Blog worth seeing :  https://www.35mmc.com/
Title: Re: B&W 35mm film purchase & processing
Post by: andyoxon on 24 March, 2020, 09:33:29 pm
 :thumbsup:  thanks for all that info.
Title: Re: B&W 35mm film purchase & processing
Post by: IanDG on 24 March, 2020, 10:26:47 pm
ag were my main source when I used and developed B&W film - delivery was good to Isle of Lewis
Title: Re: B&W 35mm film purchase & processing
Post by: diapsaon0 on 13 July, 2021, 09:37:13 pm
First Call in Taunton are pretty good.  They do mail order.  sales@firstcall-photographic.co.uk

I develop my own B&W
Title: Re: B&W 35mm film purchase & processing
Post by: FifeingEejit on 14 July, 2021, 12:38:33 am
I've been using peak and photo hippo for colour development, I don't get positives mounted anymore. And pay for them to do the scanning. Pretty happy with results.

For B&W I do my own, results variable because I'm really not designed for consistency.
Only got a bottle of Rodinol clone, but that's enough, can't remember my fixer and I do a water stop.
If I shoot anything on B&W I am particularly bothered about the results and it's not on a self rolled spool then I'll send it off to Ilford.


For colour Film I have a shelf full of ebay purchases I'll probably never get fully through.
For B&W I have loaders of HP5+, FP4+, Kodalith and through ebay pot luck a kodak duplicating positive film that I've not really used (processors wanting me to be accurate with my spooling out me off a bit)

I'm hoping to diminish my supply of aps by shoving an ixus ix in my back pocket instead of the digital at somepoint.

Sent from my BKL-L09 using Tapatalk

Title: Re: B&W 35mm film purchase & processing
Post by: mzjo on 11 January, 2023, 11:29:39 pm
Thread revival: I went looking for B&W film this evening, feeling very guilty that I am not using the argentique specialist in town. I ended up using a belgian shop, Retro Camera. I don't know how cheap they really are due to their putting their prices up before VAT but they looked attractive. They've got a very wide-ranging catalogue, of which some stuff was obviously out of stock. I was originally looking for Tri-X (which they had) but ended up getting some rolls of Agfa for the 400 and Foma (which looks like it might be Czech in origine but I haven't researched it) for the slower stuff (100). Has anyone come across - or used - Ilford Pan100? They say it's made to lower QC specs than FP4 and it sounds as if it might be a bit soft, results wise but it's in my price range.

I don't know if they ship outside EU. Their C&U were all in flemish  I think (not one of my strong languages).

ETA The prices do include vat, it was just me misreading the invoice. I had a better look this morning at the invoice in my e-mail. (They detail the vat separately but the price on the film includes it).
Title: Re: B&W 35mm film purchase & processing
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 12 January, 2023, 10:42:46 am
Coincidentally, I was speaking on Saturday to someone who grew up in Ilford. He said he thought the film place had probably closed down, but the link above still seems to work, so it seems not.
Title: Re: B&W 35mm film purchase & processing
Post by: Salvatore on 12 January, 2023, 06:33:40 pm
Very much still there

visting ILFORD and seeing how they make 35mm and 120 film ... its pretty wild (https://youtu.be/vIWpWyrgXjA) on youtube.

The owners may have changed but the people working there are the same (mostly)
Title: Re: B&W 35mm film purchase & processing
Post by: nicknack on 12 January, 2023, 06:43:49 pm
I had a couple of interviews there back in the late 80s. Failed to get a job there and decided to leave the world of sensible employment and became a self employed muso. Can't help wondering what would have happened if they'd liked me.
Title: Re: B&W 35mm film purchase & processing
Post by: ppg on 22 February, 2023, 04:18:12 pm
I use Ilford mainly (HP5+ & Delta 400/3200) bought from here
https://ntphotoworks.com/
Good prices and stock levels usually.
They also stock Bellini juices which I've found to be good (B&W only for me)
Analogue Wonderland also pretty good.
Negs scanned using Plustek 8100 but my old Epson V200 flatbed is surprisingly acceptable, and faster.