# Good luck finding film nowadays



## darrenvox (Sep 25, 2011)

I just started to realize that anyone in this day in age who wants to find camera film Good luck! every store that i went into yesterday and asked if they had film said no. About 10 years ago they would have asked me what ISO, what amount of exposures etc, instead now they just look at you weird as if you arent using the digital type card cameras. its good that the place i get them developed still has quite alot. But no one else does...

In a day and age when film was king and no one/or only a few had digital back then, now people are 100% digital and ony 1% film. I do of course have a snap and shoot digital camera but am trying to start out with film in my camera instead of cards. 

So i wish anyone who wants to try a career or try doing alot of film shots luck because getting film is so scarce so i wish you luck!

Go FILM!!!


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## bruce282 (Sep 25, 2011)

Go here, everything you need.

Freestyle Photographic Supplies - Traditional Black & White Film, Paper, Chemicals, Holgas and ULF

Bruce


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## Railphotog (Sep 25, 2011)

Much of the non photographer public doesn't seem to know this.  I follow a local online ad site, and regularly see old film cameras offered for sale at ridiculous prices.  Just last week someone was offering a Canon EOS Elan film camera and a few items, and was asking $650.00 for the lot!  Theres a current ad offering a 28 year old Canon AE-1 for $150.00.  I guess they assume their film cameras still have retained their value after all these years.


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## Tomasko (Sep 25, 2011)

Film is pretty much dead for masses I'm afraid and it's quite understandable... Not everyone can afford the whole process of buying a film, developing etc.


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## Bitter Jeweler (Sep 25, 2011)

darrenvox said:


> but am trying to start out with film in my camera instead of cards.



This day and age, people learn faster with digital, THEN go back to film.
Learning with film is slow, and more expensive.
Unless you take detailed notes for every shot, you will have a hard time learning why a shot didn't work well, when digital has EXIF info always available to you, with no extra work.


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## Helen B (Sep 25, 2011)

We use large format reversal and instant film commercially and even though we are in New York (B&H, Adorama and Calumet etc) we keep plenty of film in the fridge, particularly the 4x5 Fuji Instant because that is the most likely to be discontinued at any time. It's also getting more difficult to find a lab that gives really consistent results with the reversal film (we use Ektachrome 100G, by the way). Maybe surprisingly, we aren't alone in still using large format commercially. For us it isn't significantly different from digital in cost or overall shoot time. (To give perspective, we take between ten normal shots a day, to two or three normal cover shots, to three days for a complex cover shot.) Post-processing time and pre-print time can actually be shorter with film, believe it or not.

I use film for almost all of my personal work, albeit with digital post processing and printing.


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## Buckster (Sep 25, 2011)

darrenvox said:


> I just started to realize that anyone in this day in age who wants to find camera film Good luck! every store that i went into yesterday and asked if they had film said no.


Where are you, that you can't find film? 

I never have any problem finding film, including medium format, and I travel a lot.



darrenvox said:


> its good that the place i get them developed still has quite alot. But no one else does...


Wait... You just said "EVERY STORE"...?  So your complaint is that it's not EVERYWHERE, not that it isn't ANYWHERE and can't be found?  Seriously?

Hey, hang onto something while I deliver this bit of bad news you might not be in on yet: Vinyl records are no longer being sold everywhere!  More shock: Neither are VHS tapes!  Better sit down for this next one: They're no longer making new episodes of "I Love Lucy"!

I know... Crazy, huh?



darrenvox said:


> In a day and age when film was king and no one/or only a few had digital back then, now people are 100% digital and ony 1% film.


Ummm... Math.  Yeah..., n/m.



darrenvox said:


> I do of course have a snap and shoot digital camera but am trying to start out with film in my camera instead of cards.


Shouldn't be a problem, since you know you can get it where you have it developed... 



darrenvox said:


> So i wish anyone who wants to try a career or try doing alot of film shots luck because getting film is so scarce so i wish you luck!


This is just getting ridiculous.  Sorry, but it is.



darrenvox said:


> Go FILM!!!


Woo hoo!  :roll:


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## ann (Sep 25, 2011)

Well vinyl is still being made and sold, film is still being made and sold. On every street corner and drugstore. NO, but it is out there. As it is a sunday i can't buy any locally, however, tomorrow I can find at least 6 places to buy film, and if i am really needy, at least 6 places if not more on line.


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## compur (Sep 25, 2011)

I live near Freestyle.  They still have a few rolls there.


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## Orrin (Sep 25, 2011)

bruce282 said:


> Go here, everything you need.
> 
> Freestyle Photographic Supplies - Traditional Black & White Film, Paper, Chemicals, Holgas and ULF
> 
> Bruce



I still get Fuji 400H from B&H and Amazon (Freestyle is out of stock).  There is still a small selection of consumer film at my local Walmart and Walgreens.


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## earthmanbuck (Sep 26, 2011)

Man, have you heard of a place called online? You can buy pretty well anything on the internet, and in fact there are some good deals to be had on film (and film cameras, for that matter) if you just spend the time looking.

Also, while most corner stores might not carry film anymore, photography places (obviously) still do, and even most big department stores.


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## ChevyBaby (Sep 26, 2011)

Film is in ANY camera shop I ever go in and I always find it in chemists too.....
The only problem I ever encounter is that nowhere develops black and white film but luckily I am so elite that I can go in a dark room and do that myself, for cheaper.


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## ghache (Sep 26, 2011)

i bought 150 rolls of 35mm on kijiji for 40$.

camera are ALL OVER ebay.


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## 2WheelPhoto (Sep 26, 2011)

OP, where do you live that film is hard to find?


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## starkimageries (Sep 26, 2011)

www.lomography.com 

go to the 'shop' and checkout the films.. 35 mm and 120's available  b&w, colored, and some other extras. 

have a good one!


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## Sw1tchFX (Sep 26, 2011)

darrenvox said:


> I just started to realize that anyone in this day in age who wants to find camera film Good luck! every store that i went into yesterday and asked if they had film said no. About 10 years ago they would have asked me what ISO, what amount of exposures etc, instead now they just look at you weird as if you arent using the digital type card cameras. its good that the place i get them developed still has quite alot. But no one else does...
> 
> In a day and age when film was king and no one/or only a few had digital back then, now people are 100% digital and ony 1% film. I do of course have a snap and shoot digital camera but am trying to start out with film in my camera instead of cards.
> 
> ...



That has everything to do with geography. If I go to my hometown, Medford OR, than your statement is true. It's online or nothing. Last I was there (a few months ago) not a single camera store stocked film anymore. 

Now come up here to Portland, OR and you'll find TONS of places that stock film, and many different types. 

Film is SO accessible here, that I shoot more film professionally than digital. If you live in the right area, it's totally easy to shoot film professionally as I do.


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## joealcantar (Sep 26, 2011)

In my film days I used to order from these folks , great source.  Click on rebates , cool info if your item is on there. 
-
Unique Photo | Film: Kodak, Fuji, Ilford, Polaroid | uniquephoto.com
-
Shoot well, Joe


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## Zess (Oct 4, 2011)

The internet is your friend

Also Kodak film is pretty common around these parts anyway

I've been shooting 400 Ultramax


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## Fred Berg (Oct 6, 2011)

I get my film on Ebay or from the maker direct order for professional standard and or high speed film. The local chemist's for everyday film up to iso 400 (colour as well as BW).


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## 2WheelPhoto (Oct 6, 2011)

OP has not responded to this thread, guess he figured out film is actually easy to find


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## wwwphil (Oct 7, 2011)

I get most of my film, 35mm and 120, from Thailand via E Bay, takes a while to get here but never had a problem.  Phil.


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## Fred Berg (Oct 8, 2011)

I bought 12 rolls of Kodak 200 colour negative film for less than 20&#8364; today at the local mall. Good film at reasonable prices is there to be bought - you just have to shop around a bit and find the right outlets.


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## thomas30 (Oct 11, 2011)

No use of purchasing film and film camera. Always go for the product which is latest in market so that you do not feel any difficulty finding out related accessories.


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## donkee (Oct 11, 2011)

thomas30 said:


> No use of purchasing film and film camera. Always go for the product which is latest in market so that you do not feel any difficulty finding out related accessories.



I have no use for digital so when I can no longer get working film cameras and/or film then I will find something else to do.

So iI guess that isn't an option for me (probably more than just me).


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## djacobox372 (Oct 11, 2011)

thomas30 said:
			
		

> No use of purchasing film and film camera. Always go for the product which is latest in market so that you do not feel any difficulty finding out related accessories.



Sorry but i cant afford the $40,000 medium format digital that i would need to come close to the image quality of my cheap tlr film camera, nor do i want to wait the 5-10 years to buy a digital replacement capable of rivaling my 4x5 film camera.

Digital is like a cheap honda car, it will do most of the work you need day to day a lot cheaper and easier then a ferrari, but if you really want to push the limits of image quality, it sucks.


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## compur (Oct 11, 2011)




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## 2WheelPhoto (Oct 11, 2011)

Oh wow the 90's "film vs. digital" debate still has momentum


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## Sw1tchFX (Oct 11, 2011)

thomas30 said:


> No use of purchasing film and film camera. Always go for the product which is latest in market so that you do not feel any difficulty finding out related accessories.


That has got to be one of the most ignorant posts i've ever read on here in the 6 years i've been active.


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## Cruzingoose (Oct 16, 2011)

Get it here.  Motion Picture Film Raw Stock

I have no personal relations with this company other than being a good customer and buy lots of film here.


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## PhotoWrangler (Oct 16, 2011)

2WheelPhoto said:


> OP has not responded to this thread, guess he figured out film is actually easy to find




Not to mention the fact that film is currently experiencing an extremely large resurgence. It seems like I have a another friend each month who is 'rediscovering' film and 'real photography.'


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## Corto (Oct 17, 2011)

I never had a problem finding film here on the east coast. Was everywhere when I lived in NYC, And my small town where I live now has a great camera shop with all the 35 and 120 I need.
Also most drugstores around here have film.


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## ADavis85 (Oct 19, 2011)

thomas30 said:


> No use of purchasing film and film camera. Always go for the product which is latest in market so that you do not feel any difficulty finding out related accessories.


Two questions: 1, Why are you so negative? (no pun intended) and 2, if you feel that way...why are you in the FILM PHOTOGRAPHY section of the site? Grow up.

Staying on topic: in MD, I've not seen any issues with buying film. Wal Mart, CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreen's etc. all seem to carry film in some regard. They might not have the best selection, individually, but collectively it's easy to find what I want.


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## one90guy (Oct 25, 2011)

My local WalMart still carries Fuji color, I hour to Houston for any and all film, but I mainly order online.


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## kamelean (Oct 25, 2011)

I work in in the photo lab at Walmart in Richmond, KY. We still sell 35mm, and develop it in 1 hour too.


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## fotoshooter (Oct 25, 2011)

I buy all of my film and paper from freestyle. It's a lot cheaper than going to camera shops plus you can get film such as Adox, Arista, etc that is not carried by the camera shops.


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## mattforbes (Oct 25, 2011)

Wow, my first post, just joined so here we go.  I shoot both digital and film, film is cheaper and better for what I do. What? This newbie is on acid, can you believe what he just posted? Well I'm not on anything, and here is the skinny. First my film work, I shoot a Nikon F5 and F100, I also have medium format gear, Mamiya 645AFD, Fuji GSX680II, but for this discussion we will stick to 35mm.  I bought the F5, mint boxed, for $400.00.  I buy my film from either Adorama or Amazon, I look for reliable sellers that may have expired film at a discount, they will usually state if the film has been refrigerated and will even offer a money back guarantee, I recently bought 10 rolls of expired Fuji Pro 160S for $32.00 and have shot a few rolls, it's perfect, no issues.  I have the local CVS drug store process my film, they charge me $2.20 cents per roll of 36, they cut and sleeve it.  The local Wolf Camera charges $8.00 for the same thing, they have the same equipment and the the same lame dunderheads working there, so I go with CVS.  When I get the film back I scan it on my Epson 4490 that I bought refurbished from Epson for $89.99, I have owned the Epson V700 and the V500, and trust me, there is no real world difference, I use Silverfast scanning software, but if I had to do it over again, I would just use the Epson supplied software.  Today I scanned a roll of Kodak Ektar 100 and the Epson software trumps the Silverfast by miles, even using the Silverfast Ektar100 CC profile.  So, on the digital side I shoot mostly with a Nikon D700, $2,300.00 plus memory card.  Forget lens costs, they negate since both are full frame and interchangeable.  In two years my F5, based on current market trends, will be worth close to what I paid for it. My D700, with the soon to be released D800 or D700s, or whatever they call it will be worth around $875.00 if that, and if you go into 3rd and 4th year of "planned obsolescence" I could be lucky to get $600.00 for it.  In a nutshell, two years from now my cost for shooting film will be, based on shooting and developing 50 rolls per year, which is a lot since shooting film requires more thought and planning than shotgunning 8GBs on digital, will be an investment of- camera, scanner, film, processing roughly $1,100.00.  And the cost of shooting digital, what I paid for the camera and what I can sell it for to upgrade, well I took a $1,400.00 hit.  And for shooting 35mm film, an F5, F6, F100, there ain't no upgrades, it's not getting any better than this. And it's pretty darn good.


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## erotavlas (Oct 26, 2011)

I think if you don't live in a big city or have access to online shopping, then perhaps it might be difficult to obtain.  Even for myself my local camera store supplies have gotten smaller since the last time I bought film (5 yeas ago)  the fridge size is significantly reduced (to size of a minibar)  and some films I used to buy have been discontinued (Kodak E200)


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## edddy (Dec 24, 2011)

I have no problems finding film or places to get it developed. Unique Photo in Fairfield, N.J. has a great selection of films for good prices as well as a lab that develops 35mm, 120 and 220 films. Unique Photo | Unique Photo - New Jerseys Camera and Video superstore.....Cameras, Film, Photography, Video Cameras, Accessories and more for less! | uniquephoto.com Bergen County camera, in Westwood, N.J. develops black and white and slide film as well as color. Caldwell camera, in Caldwell, N.J. develops color as well as black and white film. There are also places in the city as well that develop and sell film. Ultrafine is a mail order camera/film website. UltraFine On Line. The lomography store in NYC has cameras and film.  Lomography. Not hard at all you just have to kow where to look.


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## Robert_Maxey (Dec 27, 2011)

Bob the new guy here.

This is a sore subject with me. Having worked for one of the oldest commercial photographers and dealers in Utah and one of the oldest EK dealers in the country, I can tell you if you like the old film and papers, you likely hate what has happened and you miss the old Kodak. I remember when Kodak offered vast variety: paper, film, chemicals and sundries. Silly me, I never thought I would see an end to Kodachrome, but there you go. When they introduced 120 Kodachrome and black and white finishing services, I thought perhaps Kodak was interested in photography. 

Now, with Kodak's recent announcement that it was selling its gelatin plant(s) and their public statement that says EK wants to fully convert to digital, I see an end to whatever is left. Or perhaps just a few films and papers to keep us old farts happy. 

I remember when EK would keep film in production for cameras that were long ago discontinued. When they stopped offering dye transfer materials and Polaroid sold its polarizer operations and dropped Vectograph materials, I saw the writing on the wall. Digital was here and growing and film is on its way out.

Sorry to vent. Us older people know what it was once like.


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## Robert_Maxey (Dec 27, 2011)

thomas30 said:


> No use of purchasing film and film camera. Always go for the product which is latest in market so that you do not feel any difficulty finding out related accessories.



I disagree. These days, I can find a stereo attachment for a vintage Leica, I can have matrices made for Dye Transfer prints, I can find parts for a vintage motorcycle, original machined steel Series Adapter Rings (Kodak made them), Kodak Pola-Filters, a Gowlandflex or Deardorf, a new Hypergon lens, a Focomat enlarger, an 8 x 10 enlarger for that matter; a complete set of photographic magazines from 1935 and (I think) paper and film from several manufacturers besides Kodak. EFKE and a few others come to mind. 

The web gives us more opportunities to find parts, tools, and the other stuff you might not find locally. I love the web because any interest can be catered to and you can find accessories for almost every camera ever made.

I can read about and look at every digital camera or printer on the market if I decide to go that way.

Here in Utah, we do not have many knowledgeable experts. If they sell Nikon, Nikon is the best. One local dealer sells Leica, but they do not know much about them because they do not stock them or use them. Ditto Hasselblad and Linfof and other venerable brands.

Film is another thing. Not much left these days, but I am old, so what do I know.


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## camperbc (Dec 28, 2011)

Hi all,

I reside on a remote island located off the northeast coast of Newfoundland, yet even _*I*_ am shooting film. (as well as digital, of course) Sure, there is no pro-grade film to be found in these parts, but that's what the Internet is for. I simply order it from B&H in New York, and it is shipped to my door. So if *I* can get pretty much any type of film that I want, out here on my windswept Fogo Island in the North Atlantic, then *anyone* with an Internet connection can easily get their hands on film! (so no more excuses!) Sure, I do pay shipping/duty/brokerage fees, but it really is quite reasonably priced.

I shoot with a wide range of vintage cameras covering a span of nine decades. My collection includes various Soviet-era rangefinders, Canon and Minolta SLR's, 1940's-era TLR's and box cameras, even a pristine 1917 Kodak Autographic 1A (see below) which looks and performs every bit as perfect today as it did 94 years ago. 

I am thrilled to be getting back to developing my own film for the first time in 35 years, and will soon be scanning on a new Plustek 7600i scanner. I'm hoping that film sticks around for a very long time yet!

Glen
Focus On Newfoundland: about my photography:

_*1917 Kodak Autographic 1A *_


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## ultrasuede.cushion (Dec 31, 2011)

As far as 35m goes, Fred Meyer sells 200 & 400 (sometimes 800 too) iso fuji supercolor in singles and four packs (Seattle area). I think wal mart does too, but I don't like shopping there much. the only bummer is that a four pack costs between $8-$12, which is ironically more expensive than the single rolls.

For 120, Only place I've found is ebay or lomography.com. 

Luckily, there's a place in Seattle called MoonPhoto that develops 35 & 120 for like $6 a roll.


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## Helen B (Dec 31, 2011)

ultrasuede.cushion said:


> For 120, Only place I've found is ebay or lomography.com.



Have you tried Freestyle, B&H or Adorama? They are all cheaper than Lomography, which seems to exist for the purpose of separating fools from their money. For example, they sell _expired_ 120 T-Max 100 (TMX) for almost twice the price that B&H sells it fresh. Their fresh 120 TMX is over twice B&H's price. B&H also sells 220 film, which is ignored by Lomography.


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## babechik232 (Jan 19, 2012)

Try eBay. I just bought 2 rolls of Kodak 35mm 36exposure  black and white film for..wait for it...11 bucks. Pretty awesome


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## Josh66 (Jan 19, 2012)

It's hard to beat Freestyle and B&H...  Amazon usually has pretty good deals too.

My local CVS has Tri-X ... for $7 a roll.  (It's $3.50 a roll at B&H.)  Screw that, lol.  I am surprised that they carry any B&W film at all though.  I guess I could go there if I had some kind of emergency where I needed B&W film 'right now'.  I don't foresee that happening though.  I typically have about a years supply in the freezer at any given time.  (LOL - about half of my tax refund will go towards film, I'm starting to run low.)

I order most of my film from Freestyle.  Any time I order something from B&H or Amazon, I toss some film in the cart too.  There aren't many stores within a reasonable drive where I can buy B&W film, or good color film at so I order almost all of it online.  I will occasionally pick up some Superia 400 or 800 at Walmart though.


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## Helen B (Jan 19, 2012)

Freestyle sells Tri-X  branded as Arista Premium 400 for $2.89 a roll.


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## Josh66 (Jan 19, 2012)

I use a lot of the Arista/Legacy films too (Legacy Pro 100 = Fuji Acros).  The only B&W Kodak film I really use is T-Max 100 & 400.  I was just pointing out how ridiculous CVS's prices were.  At least they have it though.

I also buy a lot of film in 100' rolls, so that's even cheaper (about half price).

I read somewhere that when the Legacy Pro ran out, they would not be getting more though.  I don't see it on their website now, so that may be true...  I meant to buy another 100' roll or two before they ran out, but never did.  I guess I'll have to pony up for Acros now.


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## bhop (Jan 19, 2012)

Luckily for me, I also live only a few blocks from Freestyle.  I walk over nearly every Saturday to stock up on something or another..



O|||||||O said:


> I read somewhere that when the Legacy Pro ran out, they would not be getting more though.  I don't see it on their website now, so that may be true...  I meant to buy another 100' roll or two before they ran out, but never did.  I guess I'll have to pony up for Acros now.



The actual store itself has been out of Legacy Pro for months.  At least I haven't seen it on the shelf.


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## Soulz3urn3lack (Jan 26, 2012)

I find film all over my town.  Walgreens, Jay C, Walmart....  Although I haven't found a good film to use in these stores other than the B&W kodak stuff which I justed used in my GIII.


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