Where to buy 35mm film in bulk in UK?

Taz777 · Aug 2, 2019

I'm after a few bits of advice from the experienced members on here. I bought a 3-pack of Kodar Ektar 100 recently and it cost 27GBP, working out at 9GBP for each roll.

I figure I need around 10 to 15 more rolls just to test a couple of cameras / lens combos out over the remainder of this year (some test shots and some 'real' shots).

Question 1: Where do people buy good quality 35mm film in bulk in the UK at a better price than 9GBP per roll? I have heard that it may not be a good idea to buy film online as it may have been stored in hot containers and X-Rayed several times during it's journey, thus impacting its quality.

Question 2: What speeds should I be buying for general photography? I found that the Kodak Ektar 100 produced pictures that were a little dark indoors (with flash), but the ones on a sunny day were very good.

BMbikerider · Aug 2, 2019

Ektar being a colour print film is not now unobtainable in UK or for that matter anywhere else (as far as I know.) The last C41 bulk film I ever saw was a good number of yeas ago and it was AGFA and of course they are no more. Well the original company as was anyway

You can buy packs of 10 FUJI or Kodak from the likes of Morco or AG in the UK. Morco tend to be cheaper for both brands at £2.50 a 36 exp cassette when you buy the 10 pack. Both the Kodak and Fuji are rated at 200 iso.

About question 2, this sounds as if you are using an 'on camera' flash which is not powerful enough so try opening up the aperture a little and that should improve matters.

Black and white bulk film is easily obtainable from the likes of AG Photographic, Morco, Firstcall photographic. Again Morco tends to be cheaper.

Taz777 · Aug 2, 2019

BMbikerider said:
Ektar being a colour print film is not now unobtainable in UK or for that matter anywhere else (as far as I know.) The last C41 bulk film I ever saw was a good number of yeas ago and it was AGFA and of course they are no more. Well the original company as was anyway

I bought my 3-pack Ektar 100 from Amazon UK just a week or two ago. I'm wondering if it's out of date!

Peltigera · Aug 2, 2019

Using bulk film to test cameras and/or lenses is MUCH cheaper than buying 36 exposure cassettes. You do not need 36 exposures to test either so you can roll short cassettes - typically, I will roll a ten exposure cassette to test a camera.

MattKing · Aug 2, 2019

I'm guessing that when you say "bulk" film you mean film in quantity, not the 100 foot rolls of film that people cut and spool into re-usable cassettes.
As BMbikerider posted, colour film of the sort you used isn't marketed in bulk rolls any more.
Many, many people now buy film over the internet, and have it shipped. I wouldn't be any more concerned about buying it that way from a regular film supplier than I would about buying it from a retailer, because they get it shipped to them too.
If I understand things correctly, between the UK, the Channel Islands and nearby countries in the EU you have a number of sources available to you. so the shipping distances aren't extreme.
ALSO - the boxes that the Ektar came in should be marked with a "Process Before" date.

perkeleellinen · Aug 2, 2019

Mathers have Ektar at £6.69: https://www.mathersoflancashire.co.uk/kodak-ektar-100-36-exposure-film-1216.html

They're a reliable source and will store the film well.

AgX · Aug 2, 2019

BMbikerider said:
Ektar being a colour print film is not now unobtainable in UK or for that matter anywhere else (as far as I know.)

-) On offer over here
-) On what reason should it be unobtainable? As being a CN film? Or do you mean as bulk? As far as I know Ektar was never available as bulk.

Taz777 · Aug 2, 2019

MattKing said:
I'm guessing that when you say "bulk" film you mean film in quantity, not the 100 foot rolls of film that people cut and spool into re-usable cassettes.
As BMbikerider posted, colour film of the sort you used isn't marketed in bulk rolls any more.
Many, many people now buy film over the internet, and have it shipped. I wouldn't be any more concerned about buying it that way from a regular film supplier than I would about buying it from a retailer, because they get it shipped to them too.
If I understand things correctly, between the UK, the Channel Islands and nearby countries in the EU you have a number of sources available to you. so the shipping distances aren't extreme.
ALSO - the boxes that the Ektar came in should be marked with a "Process Before" date.

Yes, I mean a discounted a bundle in packs of 5, 10, 15, etc.

I checked the remaining two rolls of my Ektar 100 and the have an expiry date of late 2021 so are fine in terms of expiry date.

I'm wondering whether I should just buy 10 rolls of a much cheaper film just to learn with for now as I'm a beginner.

Ariston · Aug 2, 2019

I recommend getting a bulk film loader and using black and white film. You don't need color to test cameras. I bought a loader at an "antique store" for $5.00, and it is one of the best things I've done. Not only can I buy a 100-foot roll of film for $50, I can load much shorter rolls, which is ideal for testing cameras without wasting film. Even in regular shooting, I rarely load more than 20 shots per roll. It is worth it to me just to be able to choose my roll size.

pentaxuser · Aug 2, 2019

Taz777 said:
Yes, I mean a discounted a bundle in packs of 5, 10, 15, etc.

I'm wondering whether I should just buy 10 rolls of a much cheaper film just to learn with for now as I'm a beginner.

You just need to look at as many retailers as you can. In colour, Fuji Superia 200 looks to be a good bet at the moment. At Ffordes Photographic a "brick " of ten costs £3.50 per roll. If colour is your thing then you might learn all you need with B&W film but why not go for colour in the first place There are very few 36 frame exposure B&W for less than £3.50.

pentaxuser

Ste_S · Aug 2, 2019

Seconded for Fuji C200. Buy from Ffordes unitl 7dayshop gets stock back in (where its £26 for 10)

BMbikerider · Aug 3, 2019

AgX said:
-) On offer over here
-) On what reason should it be unobtainable? As being a CN film? Or do you mean as bulk? As far as I know Ektar was never available as bulk.

Oooops! A big typo. I should have clarified that BULK Ektar or any other C41 film isn't available in UK

BMbikerider · Aug 3, 2019

Ste_S said:
Seconded for Fuji C200. Buy from Ffordes unitl 7dayshop gets stock back in (where its £26 for 10)

As I said before MORCO.co.uk is cheaper as are their postal charges. £2.50 per roll £25 per 'brick ' of 10

Taz777 · Aug 3, 2019

Is Fujifilm C200 a good all-rounder for a beginner?

pentaxuser · Aug 3, 2019

Taz777 said:
Is Fujifilm C200 a good all-rounder for a beginner?

It's fine. A reasonable speed for most of the year and good colours. I find Fuji warm which tends to give colours a slightly saturated look and skin is never pale or wane. Everyone looks healthy When Sainsbury stores used to have a film booth at their entrances, Fuji 200 was practically all it sold and at a reasonable price as well. Days long since gone unfortunately

pentaxuser

pentaxuser · Aug 3, 2019

BMbikerider said:
As I said before MORCO.co.uk is cheaper as are their postal charges. £2.50 per roll £25 per 'brick ' of 10

That is quite an amazing price and yet the rest of Morco colour film has very little, in any, of a price edge over other retailers. I do wonder if retailers and it isn't just Morco, have worked out that if you need item X and this is the low price item most buyers then realise that letting your fingers do the walking by buying the best priced items from each individual store negates the savings die to postal charges so you may as well pay the extra on the other items and save on separate postal charges. So one or two outstandingly cheap prices can be made up for when buyers buy the rest of their items at the same retailer

pentaxuser

foc · Aug 4, 2019

pentaxuser said:
That is quite an amazing price and yet the rest of Morco colour film has very little, in any, of a price edge over other retailers. I do wonder if retailers and it isn't just Morco, have worked out that if you need item X and this is the low price item most buyers then realise that letting your fingers do the walking by buying the best priced items from each individual store negates the savings die to postal charges so you may as well pay the extra on the other items and save on separate postal charges. So one or two outstandingly cheap prices can be made up for when buyers buy the rest of their items at the same retailer

pentaxuser

Well spotted pentaxuser.
It's the offer to get you in the door (physical or cyber) and then get you to purchase more items (which have a bigger markup) and the important point you made, delivery charges. Buy from one retailer and get one inclusive delivery charge (provided it is a competitively priced delivery charge). Buy from multiple retailers and get multiple delivery charges,
It easy to do the maths.
I have noticed that now most successful online retailers have made their delivery prices very transparent and easy to understand and very competitively priced. Some even have a delivery calculator. Of course it's the old saying, make it easy for the customer and they will buy.

Taz777 · Aug 4, 2019

Many thanks, all. I'll order 10 or so rolls of Fuji C200 from Morco. That should last me a while.

John51 · Aug 5, 2019

I go for ebay bargains. Often from 7dayshop. I got 10 rolls of Kodak Colorplus for £25 delivered. Short dated but ime expiry dates are conservative. What's cheap changes so keep looking.

Bulk 35mm rolls aren't quite the bargains they used to be but if you like the classic look in b+w or for testing, 400 ft of Kodak Double X can be had for £145 delivered. It's the emulsion that Raging Bull and other classics were filmed with. If you want to try a roll before committing to bulk, it's also packaged as Orwo N74.

AgX · Aug 5, 2019

Orwo N74 is a proprietary film and emulsion by Filmotec, not repackaged Kodak film.

Taz777 · Aug 6, 2019

Great service from Morco - received my 10 rolls of Fujicolor C200 this morning. Ordered yesterday, so delivered within 24 hours, although the postage charge would have covered this quick delivery. Impressive nonetheless.

I found a couple of things a nice touch from Morco: they included a printed catalogue/price list and the packing slip and invoice was printed on what appears to be a rather cool, sprocket-fed, dot-matrix printed paper. Don't see that very often these days. How very retro!

Ste_S · Aug 6, 2019

Taz777 said:
Is Fujifilm C200 a good all-rounder for a beginner?

I think C200 is great and I'd still be shooting it if it wasn't so cheap. Colours are saturated without being overly so, whilst skin tones still look fine.
Not as fine grained as Ektar/Portra/Fuji Pro, but finer grained and sharper than most other equivalent consumer C41.
It's all I'm shooting at the moment

pentaxuser · Aug 6, 2019

Looks excellent to me

pentaxuser

Steve Roberts · Aug 9, 2019

A bit late for the OP, but others might like to know that West End Cameras currently have a promotion for free postage on orders over £50 to the end of the month.

Dear Film Lovers,
We are offering free 2nd Class Standard postage on all orders above £50 for the entire month of August! Offer ends midnight 30.08.19.
Keep cool and process promptly,

Steve

Where to buy 35mm film in bulk in UK?

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