Trying to find a place to buy your first film camera? Need to get your film developed? Looking for camera repair services to get your SLR a CLA, or that sticky shutter going again? Trying to find that elusive lens for your SLR, or perhaps your large format field camera? Need a roll of hard-to-find 127 film? Or 110 film? You could have stumbled upon the right place to get your answers.
Film photography products and services are out there, but they seem to hide in plain sight. I created this directory as a place to keep track of things for my own use, I keep it updated regularly as I find more sources for film photography “stuff” — and I hope you’ll find it valuable as well.
YOUR HELP IS REQUESTED! Are you a seller of film photography products or services? Do you know a seller who’s not on this list? Please contact me and let me know! I’d love to add the information.
Note the following:
- This list is primarily scoped to the United States (with some notable exceptions).
- It’s sorted alphabetically at the moment, which makes it a little difficult to use.
- Products and services listed are those I know of, have heard of, and/or have used; there may be others.
- I’ve not interacted with every business listed; when I have, you can read my experience with them.
- Last updated October 23, 2024.
Adorama
New York, New York • adorama.com • 212-741-0052
Provides: Used Gear, Film Sales, Darkroom Supplies, Accessories
Another large e-commerce player. Bought one used item here; was graded accurately. NOTE: Used gear is not available in-store — only online.
Aki-Asahi
Japan • aki-asahi.com
Provides: Camera Recovering Material
Rikuo Nakamura runs one of only three places I know that makes replacement camera covering material, laser-cut to fit. I’ve not done business with him; for US residents, Camera Leather (see below) is probably more convenient, but Rikuo supports a wide range of cameras, and ships worldwide.
B&H Photo and Video
New York, New York • bhphotovideo.com • 800-606-6969
Provides: Used Gear, Film Sales, Darkroom Supplies, Accessories
One of the biggest e-commerce players in photography in the USA, they do happen to deal in used gear among many other things. I’ve bought several used items here with good success; prices seem a bit higher than average, but the grading is accurate. Used gear is available in-store for examination before buying, and they seem to have various used esoterica in the store that they don’t bother listing online. Amazing selection of film stocks; one of the best, actually, although prices are higher than they used to be.
Barden Photographics (Paul Barden)
Corvallis, Oregon • No Web Site • E-mail (See Below)
Provides: Repair
Paul exclusively repairs and restores Kodak Retina folding cameras, and has either repaired for me, or sold to me as restored, more than 30 Retina cameras to date. He also has more than 50 of his own Retinas, all of which he’s serviced or restored — so he knows his way around the entire family of folding Retinas. He prefers that you get in touch by e-mail; you can reach him at bardenphotographics at gmail dot com. Note that Paul at this writing does not service the IIS/IIIS (but may soon), and also does not service the extraordinarily complex Reflex line, nor Automatics, S1/S2, or other Retinas. For Reflex service or others Paul doesn’t work on, see Chris Sherlock, below.
Barn Owl Cameras (Jim Kilroy)
Warwick, Massachusetts • box5760.temp.domains/~barnowl2/ • E-mail (See Below)
Provides: Repair
With the death of David Odess in 2023, Jim Kilroy appears to be the only individual remaining with deep expertise on Hasselblads. (He also works on Rolleiflex cameras.) I’ve not used Mr. Kilroy’s services, but several others have suggested that he does good work. He indicates on his website that he was mentored by Mr. Odess. I hope to never need my Hasselblad repaired, but given the options available, if I did, I’d likely be sending it here. Contact him by e-mail at: barnowlcameras at gmail dot com.
Bergen County Camera
Westwood, New Jersey • bergencountycamera.com • 201-664-4113
Provides: Used Gear, Film Sales, Accessories
I’ve bought multiple cameras from Bergen, and it was a great experience both times. Inventory available online. Will ship. Specializes in Leica. Super nice staff, and one of my favorite places to visit when I’m in the area.
Bill Rogers
Las Vegas, Nevada • billrogers.com • 702-382-8736
Provides: Repair, Parts
I found Bill by accident online, and he was able to provide a very rare part for one of my Mamiya TLRs, and for one of my Yashica TLRs as well. He also repairs cameras, and while he specializes in Mamiya, he will service others, and has a range of parts he’s happy to sell to other repair techs, or to the public, which is awesome. Very responsive and knowledgable. I’ve had my Mamiya Press Super 23 and a Mamiya C33 serviced by Bill, and have been very pleased with the work.
Blue Moon Camera
Portland, Oregon • bluemooncamera.com • 503-978-0333
Provides: Used Gear, Film Sales, Film Processing, Printing, Darkroom Supplies
I’ve bought one used bit of kit from Blue Moon; worked out fine. I don’t know that their web site is all that easy to use, but they do have an interesting array of stuff. And by all appearances, it looks like it’d be a fun and funky place to visit if I end-up in Portland. Considering how often I hear their name come-up, they seem fairly well regarded. I find the pricing of some of their used gear a little wacky and above market price — sometimes to the point of being shockingly expensive. But in the end, the price of used stuff is whatever a buyer is willing to pay. Blue Moon is one of the few places left who does actual optical photo enlargement of color prints — just like the old days.
Brooklyn Film Camera
Bushwick, Brooklyn, New York • brooklynfilmcamera.com • 332-333-1957
Provides: Used Gear, Film Processing, Repair
I just learned of Brooklyn Film Camera recently. It’s a cool, boutique shop, with an emphasis on Polaroid cameras, but with other film cameras too. They’re owned in part by former Impossible Project employees — hence the Polaroid emphasis, which includes repairs of SX-70 cameras. While the photos of the shop are compelling (I’ve never been personally), based on their inventory online, it would appear they’re having the same issues many used film camera sellers are having: sourcing used gear to resell.
Calagaz Photo (eBay: calagazphoto)
Mobile, AL • calagaz.com • 251-478-0487
Provides: Used Gear
My one interaction with Calagaz was via eBay. I needed a rare part for my Pentax 645, and I contacted them about an expired auction for a “for parts” 645. In the end, they were willing to extract and sell me the one part I was after for a great price, so they sort of saved the day. I’d likely buy from them again.
Camera Doctor
New York, NY • cameradoctornyc.com • 917-499-1915
Provides: Repair
Frank Rubio is mentioned frequently as a repair person for large format cameras, including the Graflex, but he repairs numerous different cameras, subject to parts availability. They’re located in New York City on West 39th, but do work with out-of-towners via UPS or FedEx. I’ve not used his services to-date.
Camera Exchange (eBay: cameraexchange)
Waterford, MI • cameraexc.com • 947-222-8135
Provides: Used Gear
I’ve bought three things from Camera Exchange via eBay, with mostly good results. The first was a Mamiya 645 Super film back. While in good condition, it was above market price, and arrived smelling strongly of womens’ perfume. (For some reason, old photography gear often does, but this was horrifically bad.) While it faded (somewhat) in the back itself, the case and film back cover are now both in the trash because nothing would remove the terrible smell. (In their defense, I did not attempt to return the item; in retrospect, I should have.) The second experience was amazing, my Mamiya C220. The camera was as shown, complete with boxes, manuals, caps — everything, 100% complete. The camera was in mint condition, better than advertised, and I felt was a great value. The lens shutter tested dead-on with shutter times. The third was a Mamiya 645 1000S grip, which cleaned-up really nicely, and was a great value. So, all good in the end, and I’d buy from them again.
Camera Leather
Unknown, Vermont • cameraleather.com • See Web Site
Provides: Camera Covering Material
I only quite recently became acquainted with this firm, and have been very pleased with the items I’ve purchased so far (a review is coming soon). As of this writing (March 2021), their web site is undergoing an overhaul, so the information is limited, and you may need to e-mail for details. The quality of the product is amazing; the patterns are very accurate, and the material is beautifully thin for an outstanding fit and finish of the final result. Also, they’ll happily sell the materials without self-adhesive backings, allowing the material to be glued in-place like the originals.
Camera Service Co.
Atlanta, Georgia • cameraservicepro.com • 770-432-4257
Provides: Repair
I have not used this company for any repairs to-date, but some have had good things to say about their work. They claim to repair any type or brand of camera. I encourage you to always do your homework and investigate to your satisfaction the companies you choose for repair work.
Cameraworks
Colorado Springs, Colorado • cameraworksco.com • 719-594-6966
Provides: Used Gear, Repair, Film Sales, Film Processing, Darkroom Supplies, Accessories
Probably the best selection of used film gear in Colorado. They have no web site, only a Facebook presence, and as a result, it’s a drop-in, local customer situation. (They just launched a web site — finally.) But if you’re in the area, it’s worth a visit. I’ve bought several cameras here with great success. They also repaired two Mamiya C-Series lenses for me with quick turn and quality work, and recently did what seems to be a decent job on an overhaul of my Rolleiflex Automat MX. Very knowledgeable and friendly staff. Decent range of darkroom supplies and chemistry. Basic variety of film stocks. Check return policy.
Camtech Photo Services
Huntington, New York • zuiko.com
Provides: Repair
Suggested by a reader, John Hermanson provides repair on Olympus OM cameras. Reports indicate that Mr. Hermanson may not be the best communicator (not uncommon in the camera repair universe), but his repair work on the cameras is excellent. He apparently also provides parts on a limited basis for OM cameras.
Certo6 (Jurgen Kreckel)
Center Valley, Pennsylvania • certo6.com
Provides: Repair, Used Gear
Named for the Certo Six folding camera of German origin, Jurgen provides repair services and the occasional reconditioned camera for sale, and specializes in 120 folding cameras generally, and the Certo Six, Agfa Isolette and Zeiss Ikon Ikonta series specifically. He’s serviced three cameras for me to date, and I’ve been very pleased with the results. Contact him via his web site for more details.
Chris Sherlock
Dunedin, New Zealand • retinarescue.com • No Phone Calls
Provides: Repair
Chris is was the recognized global expert on servicing Kodak Retina cameras of all types and stripes. For customers in the USA or Canada needing a folding Retina serviced, it’s more convenient to use Paul Barden (see Barden Photographics, above). For the rest, Chris is a great option. He is was the only person I know on the planet who has the skill, ability and willingness to work on the Kodak Retina Reflex line of SLR cameras, which are complicated nightmares of photographic over-engineering. Chris competently rescued my disaster of a Reflex III, and has serviced a second Reflex III and a Reflex IV with outstanding results. He’s pleasant to work with. He also has a wonderfully interesting web site.
As of April 2022, Chris is no longer accepting cameras for repair. He says that he will continue to produce YouTube how-to videos — something for which he’s also known — but even those will slow down. His decision to retire is understandable, but a bit of a blow to the film community in some respects, as I’m aware of no other individual who is willing or able to properly repair a Kodak Retina Reflex, or Retina IIIS rangefinder. Chris is referring business to Paul Barden, who is capable of and willing to work on the entire family of folding Retinas.
Dan Daniel Cameras
Chazy, New York • dandanielcameras.com • 518-570-3706
Provides: Repair, Used Gear
This listing was suggested by a reader of the site. Mr. Daniel seems to occasionally sell cameras, but his focus appears to be repairing specific models, including the Minolta Autocord, which includes fabricating parts in some cases. The reader reports successful repairs by Dan on a Kodak Retina, a Zeiss Ikon Super Ikonta, and a Mamiya 6.
The Darkroom
San Clemente, California • thedarkroom.com • No Phone Calls
Provides: Film Processing
The Darkroom processes pretty much anything still film photography related, including discontinued formats in many cases, and loves processing found film. Will do push and pull for a small fee, and of course offers scanning services in various resolutions. I did have a case or two of issues with the scanning, but in general, service is fast and of high quality. The company also offers their Film Index, a nice quick reference guide to available films.
David Odess
Randolph, Massachusetts • david-odess.com • Closed
Provides: Repair, Film Gear
Mr. Odess specialized in Hasselblad repairs, and by all indications was the “go-to” guy for them. He passed away in August 2023. See Barn Owl Cameras.
Denton Camera Exchange
Denton, Texas • No Web Site* • 940-206-5112
Provides: Used Gear
Walking-in to this shop, you could easily get the impression that there are tons of cameras for sale, but many of them are either display only, or parts cameras. It seems like here, like many places, what comes in goes back out very quickly. Still, if you live in or near Denton, it may be worth at least checking to see what they have at any given moment.
*There is no official web site for this shop last time I checked; a Google search lands you someplace that’s really just a domain squatter and a site that has a bunch of affiliate links. Ignore it.
Denver Pro Photo
Littleton, Colorado • denverprophoto.com • 303-698-1790
Provides: Film Sales, Darkroom Supplies, Accessories
With the best selection of in-stock darkroom supplies and chemicals in Colorado, DPP also has a great selection of film, cases and other accessories. Regrettably, market conditions caused DPP to discontinue film lab services in late 2019. They also were forced to scale back operations when the COVID-19 pandemic began, and while they’re open again, hours and days of operation remain limited as of early 2022.
Don’s Used Photo Equipment
Dallas, Texas • donsphotoequipment.com • 214-630-4062
Provides: Film, Used Gear, Darkroom Supplies
Todd Puckett (son of Don, for whom the shop is named) is a very passionate lover of film photography, and has a ton of odds and ends. In terms of used gear, I get the impression that the film photography community in Dallas is big enough that gear is scarce, and as a result, Don’s doesn’t have much at any one time, and what they get, they soon sell. (This seems to be increasingly common.) But Don’s does have one of the best selections of film anywhere, primarily Kodak, CineStill, Ilford and Fuji, but other odds and ends too, including several hard-to-get flavors like some of the Film Washi line-up. And if you’re looking for tintype, glass plate, large format, etc., Todd can probably hook you up. I was pleased with how well-stocked he was on things I can’t find in my area at all.
DR5
Stewart, Iowa • dr5.us • See Web Site
Provides: Black and White Reversal Processing
DR5 offers one rather magical thing: the making of black and white reversal positives from a specific, rather broad list of black and white negative films — in other words, black and white “slides” if you will. Photographer David Wood created a proprietary chemical process for it, which he calls DR5. According to his web site, he developed it for his own use, but then decided to offer it to others. I’ve not used his services, but I have to say I’m quite intrigued after learning about it.
Dwayne’s Photo
Parsons, Kansas • dwaynesphoto.com • 620-421-3940
Provides: Film Processing
As near as I can tell, if it’s film, Dwayne’s will process it. (Well, not ECN-2, but anyway…) They were the last lab in the world who could process Kodachrome (of course, that was ended years ago), but today, they do it all, including motion picture films. Prices seem competitive for online labs.
Englewood Camera
Englewood (Denver), Colorado • englewoodcamera.com • 303-797-0700
Provides: Used Gear, Film Sales, Film Processing, Darkroom Supplies, Accessories
The last truly indie camera store in Denver that has anything to do with film photography. While they sell digital gear and various accessories primarily, they do carry a limited selection of used film gear, and many (but not all) members of the staff are knowledgeable with it. Used gear is not listed online, so they’re best for local customers. Processes B&W and C-41; they do a good job, but are not familiar with unusual stocks (e.g., Foma Retrochrome) and don’t tend to do an optimal job of those as a result. Nice selection of film stocks from Kodak, Ilford, Lomography and CineStill. Very limited array of darkroom chemicals.
Eric Hendrickson
Loudon, Tennessee • pentaxs.com
Provides: Repair
Eric provides repairs on many Asahi Optical / Pentax film cameras and lenses. He does not work on Pentax digital cameras. He provided competent repairs on my Asahi Pentax S1a, is pleasant to work with, and professional. Proactive communication isn’t great; he’s clearly focused on doing the work, which is fine by me. Read and follow the instructions on his website carefully.
Eurotech Camera
Austin, Texas • URL Not Provided
Provides: Repair
Not recommended. Sorin, who owns this shop, seems like a sincere enough person, and appears to be knowledgeable and well-intentioned. But unfortunately, my own experiences left me frustrated. He said, by phone, that he could repair the notoriously challenging Contaflex, so I sent him my camera. After waiting more than one entire calendar year, and multiple requests later, he finally responded and returned my camera supposedly working. The “repair” lasted half a roll. Under his warranty, I reluctantly returned the camera. After nearly a year of additional waiting and periodic outreach to check on it, it did eventually arrive back home, and the repair has appeared to “stick” this time.
Film Photography Project (FPP) Store
Fair Lawn, New Jersey • filmphotographystore.com
Provides: Film Sales, Darkroom Supplies
The FPP is of course the popular podcast of Mike Raso and his band of regulars, and the team has an online store stocked with lots of interesting goodies. Along with retail films, the FPP does 620 re-rolls, converts cinema and speciality films for still photography use, stumbles upon the occasional cache of oddball films they offer-up, sells their own darkroom chemistry line, and more.
Film Rescue International
Canada (SK), USA (MT), EU (NL) • filmrescue.com • 306-695-2300
Provides: Processing of Old Film, Scanning/Digitizing
FRI provides processing of old and/or found film stocks in a range of formats. (Note that they do not provide generalized processing of recently shot new films.) This is a specialized art, and FRI uses a combination of experience, skill, and technology to rescue images from still and movie film that was designed to be (and should have been) processed years ago. Additionally, the company provides scanning and digitizing services. While headquartered in Indian Head, Saskatchewan, Canada, they have offices in Montana in the USA, as well as in The Netherlands to serve the European market as well.
Foto Service Olbrich
Görlitz, Germany • fotoservice-olbrich.de • +49-03581-40-1241
Provides: Repair
Andrea Schönfelder is a third generation camera technician and owner of this shop in the former East Germany. Started by what I believe is her grandfather in the 1930s, the shop was taken over by Andrea’s father in 1972, and by her in the early 2000s.
I became aware of Foto Service Olbrich because of a recommendation from a reader (Anton Günther), who has used the company’s services for the repair of cameras from the former East Germany. Frau Schönfelder services Exakta, Werra, Praktica, and many others, including lenses from the former East German factories.
I’ve used Frau Schönfelder to repair two Exakta cameras, my Exakta Varex IIa and my Exakta VX. She did expert work on both cameras. Please note that if you email Frau Schönfelder, you will need to communicate in German; she does not speak English.
Freestyle Photographic Supplies
Los Angeles (Area), California • freestylephoto.biz • 800-292-6137
Provides: Film Sales, Darkroom Supplies, Accessories
Freestyle is a great shop with tons of things that are not readily available from other retailers, including a wide array of films and darkroom chemicals. They are quite literally the only place I know of in the United States to get certain things, and if you’re in the greater LA area, you can visit in-person; the main retail store is on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, and their catalog fulfillment center (which I’ve visited in-person) is in Santa Fe Springs in Orange County. At the latter, you can’t touch any merchandise, but you can browse the website and order anything in-stock, and they’ll go fetch it for you on the spot. Their shipping for website orders seems quite reasonable.
Frugal Photographer
Calgary, Alberta and Nampa, Idaho • frugalphotographer.com
Provides: Film
Frugal Photographer is David Foy, who calls Calgary, Alberta home. He does what he does out of passion and personal interest, and that includes, of particular note, the conversion of film stocks into 127 film — which is rather a difficult thing to find these days. As is the case with others (including Film for Classics), the film itself is made by other companies, and then it’s cut, affixed to backing paper, and rolled onto new production 127 spools to keep old 4×4 and other 127-requiring cameras useful and relevant. I think in Foy’s case it is a genuine labor of love. David also tends to stock outdated inventory of discontinued films, like 110 and Advantix. He also provides Bluefire Police, a technical film for 135 cameras along with the required developers; it looks super intriguing, so I may have to try it one day. Fulfillment is done by a specialist firm in Nampa, Idaho — hence the two locations. The only issue with the firm is that 127 film stocks sort of come and go. At one point, he had two color films and a black-and-white film in the list; in April 2022 when I checked, there’s only one choice (ISO 400) and it’s out of stock. My advice is that if you need 127 film, and you find that Mr. Foy has inventory, you best place an order immediately.
F Stop Cameras
Location Unknown • fstopcameras.com
Provides: Used Gear, Film
F Stop Cameras is the moneymaking side of Casual Photophile, a popular film photography blog. James, the owner and operator, seems to have good, clean and interesting gear, but not a lot of it is in stock at any given moment; perhaps not a surprise given market demand.
Garry’s Camera Repair
Buffalo Grove, Illinois • garryscamera.com
Provides: Repair
Garry Airapetov repairs a specific subset of SLR cameras from his workshop in the Chicago area. Between a focus on specific makes and models, a set (and low) price, and having a standardized set of tasks he always applies to each one — all disclosed on his website — Garry seems to have mastered what many repair facilities can’t seem to: fast and reliable repair service at a predictable cost. I tested the waters with a Pentax ME Super that I was told was unrepairable (it needed a new main board and none exist any longer). Not only did Garry fix it (and its inaccurate exposure meter), but he did so in less than a week, which included shipping both ways. I then had him CLA my Minolta XG 1, and fix a Canon AV-1. Both were successful and turned in a week.
Glass Key Photo
San Francisco, California • glasskeyphoto.com • 415-829-9946
Provides: Film Sales, Used Gear, Repair, Darkroom Supplies, Accessories, Film Processing
Matt and the crew at Glass Key are good folks, dedicated to film, and primarily dedicated to serving their local market. Their main web site lists film and a limited number of other items. Used gear is listed on a separate web site, and has only featured items. What I love most about Glass Key is that they sell pretty much every film stock of note — and many others too. Walking into the store in-person is like walking into paradise; massively wide inventory, neatly presented, with everything you can imagine and many other things you can’t. I wish I lived in San Francisco; they’d get tired of seeing my face come through the door.
Graflex Parts / Retro-Graphic Focal Plane Shutters
Duluth, Minnesota • graflexparts.com • See Website
Provides: Repair, Parts
Graham Burnett has a unique spot in the film camera community, giving love primarily to Graflex cameras, both the big Graflexes, as well as the Graphics. He’s the only source I know of who can replace the focal plane shutter on a Speed Graphic. That service doesn’t come cheap, but he can do it. He also provides CLA work on Graflex cameras, and seems to have carved-out (bad pun) a niche in custom-machining parts for his own repair practice, but also to supply others. His Instagram posts are pretty interesting. Also interesting is the dichotomy between Graham being a young guy, dedicated to cameras that are, at this point, so old. I’ve not used his services so far, but if anything ever happens to my Pacemaker 23 Speed Graphic, I know where it’s going for help.
S.K. Grimes
Woonsocket, RI • skgrimes.com • 401-762-0857
Provides: Unique Services
Known as “the photographer’s machinist,” Grimes provides a range of interesting products and services, in particular around lens mounting parts and miscellany for large format and darkroom enlargers. Adapters, flanges, and all sorts of interesting things are available, as are lens boards for practically any large format camera you can name. It was interesting just seeing what all they did, honestly.
Hugo Studio
Pflugerville, Texas • hugostudio.com
Provides: Camera Recovering Material, Viewfinder Mirrors, Accessories
Hugo offers self-adhesive replacement covering material for a wide range of cameras. He also provides replacement mirrors for certain cameras. I’ve found Hugo’s coverings to be much thicker than I’d like to get a good finished result, and in all but one case (a Mamiya Super 23), I’ve since replaced all of them with new coverings from Camera Leather (see above). The replacement mirror for my Yashica-D TLR was superb, however.
Japan Vintage Camera
Tokyo, Japan • japan-vintage-camera.com • +81-090-5516-3075
Provides: Used Gear
This listing was suggested by a reader of this site. Owned by an American expat, Japan Vintage Camera specializes in vintage cameras sourced in one of the most camera-savvy (and camera-plentiful) places in the world, shipping product worldwide. The reader who suggested the site says that its owner, Jeff Guthrie, is great to work with, ships quickly, and has exceptional examples of the products he sells.
Karl Bryan
Beaverton, Oregon • No Web Site • No Phone
Provides: Repair
While I have not used his services, Karl Bryan is a well recognized expert on the Minolta Autocord TLR cameras, and has been referenced positively in numerous forum and blog posts. I was unable to find reliable information on how he prefers to be contacted, and I also find no evidence of a web site. I would suggest doing your own web search to locate the most current details on reaching Mr. Bryan.
KEH
Atlanta, Georgia • keh.com • 770-333-4200
Provides: Used Gear, Film Sales, Repair
Arguably the single largest player in used gear e-commerce, KEH sells a wide range of film and digital cameras, lenses, and more. I’ve made several purchases from KEH (I review them here), and have been satisfied with the grading and experience. NOTE: Images on their web site are representative — not the actual product you’re buying, which is far from ideal. They do have a liberal return policy. They’ve been very good accepting returns of non-working items, including paying the return shipping. Prices seem to often be somewhat high compared to average. Like most used stores, the most desirable stuff is pretty much always out of stock.
Laflex Camera
San Diego, California • laflexcamera.com • 310-905-9976
Provides: Repair, Used Gear
One of two authorized facilities in the US that provide service on Linhof’s exceptional cameras (the other being Nippon Photoclinic in New York). Laflex also occasionally offers refurbished Technika cameras for sale, but at this writing (Summer 2022), it’s done by wait list, and Austin — Laflex’s owner — is quite picky about which cameras make the cut. He tears them down, replaces everything that needs it, and puts them all back together again, and I’m recently the beneficiary of his handiwork, having bought a stunning Master Technika Classic. Reading the Laflex website will give you a very distinct impression of the shop’s ethos, which I believe comes from a genuine passion for these incredible cameras.
Midwest Photo
Columbus, Ohio • mpex.com • 614-261-1264
Provides: Film Sales, Used Gear, Accessories, Darkroom Supplies
Popular retailer based in Ohio with a wide range of films, chemistry and more. Their retail store, from what I hear, offers a great deal more, including great used gear, which is not actually listed on their web site. During the pandemic in 2020, I ordered several things from them that were unavailable from other suppliers, but e-commerce doesn’t appear to be their primary focus.
Mike’s Camera
Denver Area, Colorado and Northern California • mikescamera.com
Provides: Film Sales, Film Processing, Accessories
I only grudgingly list Mike’s here. At this point, I’d only buy film here, and I’d only do it if I had no other option. With four stores in the Denver area, and four in or near San Francisco, Mike’s seems to support film as an afterthought. The staff I’ve encountered knows literally nothing about film; I ask for Tri-X 120 film, and the guy in their Park Meadows store hands me Tri-X 135. I ask for black and white options, and he points me to the rack of color. It’s this way every time I dare to go in the store. Worse, to get market pricing on film processing, you have to pay to join their “club” — otherwise you pay well above market price for the privilege. People wonder why e-commerce is winning retail; Mike’s Camera puts the answer on glaring display.
National Camera Exchange
Minneapolis, Minnesota • natcam.com • 800-624-8107
Provides: Used Gear
Another e-commerce used gear site. I’ve made various purchases here, and was satisfied for the most part. One of the items, a Mamiya 645 film back, was broken. While they did do a no-hassle return, unlike KEH, or B&H, they did not send a prepaid shipping label; I paid the return shipping ($11) which was promised to be reimbursed but wasn’t. I’m also not sure that the Mamiya RB67 I bought was quite in the condition represented, but it was my own fault for not looking closely enough at the photographs, which are of the item you’re buying, not generic ones (like KEH). On the other hand, both the Graflex Pacemaker 45 Crown Graphic and the Pacemaker 23 Speed Graphic I bought from NatCam were exceptional examples, as close to mint as you can get for 70-year-old cameras. Prices seem to be a bargain sometimes, and seem to be on the very high-end in other cases; as always, you have to do your homework, and know what you’re buying.
Nippon Photoclinic, Inc.
New York, New York • nipponphotoclinic.com • 212-982-3177
Provides: Repair
I’ve not used Nippon Photoclinic, but they perform repairs on Linhof (one of only two remaining Linhof shops in the US), Wista and many other professional-grade cameras, and lenses.
Orange County Camera
Mission Viejo, California • occamera.com • 949-347-1276
Provides: Used Gear, Accessories, Film
I’ve been to OCC on a recent trip to California; small store with a limited selection of used film gear. You can check out their inventory of stuff online, and they’re happy to ship gear. They also purchase used equipment.
Pacific Rim Camera
Salem, Oregon • pacificrimcamera.com • 503-370-7461
Provides: Used Gear
While their web site looks like it’s from 1995 or so, Pacific Rim Camera has a pretty interesting array of gear and accessories. I’ve not done business with them so far. Among the most interesting things they offer is a very cool reference library that has some manuals, but really weird stuff like dealer notebook pages, price lists, and other scanned-to-PDF gems that are difficult to impossible to find — a real public service, honestly.
Paramount Cords
Bronx, New York • paramountcords.com • 718-401-0288
Provides: Sync Cords
As of early 2022, it appears that Paramount may be defunct. Their website is still online, but nothing is in stock, and nothing can be ordered. If you’re looking for a sync cord, look no further than Paramount Cords in New York. I thought I was looking for the impossible: a sync cord to connect a standard PC-socket modern electronic flash unit to my Graflex Paramount 45 Crown Graphic. The Graflex uses an antiquated “bi-post” system, and Paramount has the solution — along with countless others. They’ll even make a cable custom for you, with whatever tips you want, whatever length you want, coiled or straight. Not expensive, either. Check ’em out!
Photo Warehouse (Ultrafine)
Oxnard, California • ultrafineonline.com • 805-485-9654
Provides: Film, Darkroom Supplies, Accessories
Home of Ultrafine Extreme, an enigmatic black and white film of unknown origin, Photo Warehouse offers a unique array of products, including bulk rolls of Kodak Vision3 movie film, and of course, the Ultrafine line of both films and papers for which they seem most known. Successfully ordered from them in the recent past.
Photographer’s Formulary
Condon, Montana • stores.photoformulary.com • 406-754-2891
Provides: Darkroom Supplies
The Wilsons run a very odd business… Photo chemicals. That’s about it. You want to formulate your very own developer? You can buy the ingredients to do that from these folks. Want remakes of long-discontinued developers? They have you covered. I don’t know where Condon, Montana is (“a remote area of Montana” their site says), but I’m happy that companies like this are still around. Note that certain chemicals require a DEA statement to be completed, and sent with a high-resolution scanned photo identification as well. (Government regulations, and everything, of course.)
Recycled Photo
Louisville, Colorado • recycledphoto.com • 720-220-4871
Provides: Used Gear
I recently discovered this outfit, almost in my own back yard, when I bought a Pentax Super Program on eBay. They have an enormous amount of gear, and sell through eBay, Amazon, and work with various dealers as well. Not just film gear — they have digital, darkroom, and others as well. Super nice to deal with too. If you don’t see what you want in their eBay store, drop them a line.
Relics
Long Beach, California • wearerelics.com
Provides: Used Gear, Some Repairs
Initially opened online as Drake’s Camera, Drake Woodson has since opened a brick-and-mortar shop and changed the name of the business. As I update this listing in May 2021, the inventory seems a bit thin, but it is everywhere lately as demand for film cameras seems to continue to be on the upswing.
Retro Photo Reading
Reading, Pennsylvania • retrophotoreading.com • 610-898-1909
Provides: Used Gear, Film, Repair, Accessories
I learned about this retailer from an Instagram friend. As of this writing, I’ve not done business with the company, but they do come highly recommended, and appear to have a nice range of gear available for purchase online as well as operating a brick-and-mortar shop.
Samy’s Camera
Southern California • samys.com • 800-321-4726
Provides: Used Gear, Darkroom, Film, Accessories
I discovered Samy’s recently when trying to track down a used Schneider 90mm Super-Angulon large format lens, and they did have one in stock. A small issue arose which their customer service folks promptly addressed and resolved. A real pleasure to do business with honestly based on my one experience.
Seawood Photo
San Rafael, California • seawood.com • 415-453-4322
Provides: Used Gear, Darkroom, Film, Accessories
Operating a retail store, online store, and via eBay and Craigslist, apparently, Seawood deals in used film gear, offers processing, and sells common film stocks.
Sandeha Lynch
UK • sandehalynch.com
Provides: Bellows, Repairs
Sandeha provides replacement bellows for a range of different cameras to repair techs worldwide, and some repair services within the UK as well. A list of supported cameras for the bellows is on his web site.
Shop on Film Store
Seattle, Washington • shotonfilmstore.com • 206-588-2793
Provides: Used Gear, Film, Film Processing
I’ve not used this company, and when I added this entry, their selection of used gear is (very) limited — perhaps because, like many others, they don’t list everything online, instead prioritizing their local market through their brick-and-mortar location.
The Slide Printer (Denver Digital Imaging)
Denver, Colorado • theslideprinter.com • 303-698-2962
Provides: Film Processing
Specializing in E-6 processing, running two batches each business day, and offering same-day turnaround depending on drop-off time. Also processes B&W and C-41, but it’s the E-6 they’re famous for.
SLR35 (Joe Careta)
Englewood, Florida • slr35.com • No Phone Calls
Provides: Repair
Specializing in the repair of Canon AE-1, AE-1 Program, and AT-1 cameras only. Joe successfully brought a very ratty AE-1 Program back to life for me.
Tempe Camera
Tempe, Arizona • tempecamera.biz • 480-966-6954
Provides: Used Gear, Film, Film Processing
I’ve not done business with this company, but they do offer film, have a lab, and offer used film gear online and in-store.
USCamera
Centennial, Colorado • uscamera.com • 303-221-2394
Provides: Parts
Gray is a former camera tech who now seems to be “the” place to go for laser-cut foam light seal kits for old camera gear. I’ve bought light seal kits for my Minolta XG 1, Mamiya RB67, and Yashica Mat-124G, and all were properly measured and cut. His visual instructions on the web site tell you exactly where each piece goes. Replacing light seals yourself is doable with the right tools, but it’s also a time-consuming, intricate and frustrating pain in the rear end — something I plan to write about here at some point. Very fast service in shipping orders out.
Used Photo Pro (Roberts Camera)
Indianapolis, Indiana • usedphotopro.com • 800-726-5544
Provides: Used Gear
Another e-commerce provider of used gear. I’ve made some purchases from Roberts / UPP, and have been pleased with the experience. Photos are of the actual gear you’re buying, which is a nice plus.
Weber Camera
Fremont, Nebraska • webercamera.com • 402-721-3873
Provides: Repairs, Used Gear
This addition was suggested by a reader, who says that Greg Weber is “the” expert for Konica repair. Mr. Weber’s website indicates that he can service pretty much any vintage Konica, he also trades in used Konica gear.
YYe Camera
Canton, Massachusetts • yyecamera.com • 781-830-9141
Provides: Repairs, Used Gear
Suggested by a reader, Youxin Ye is a Leica specialist. The reader reports that Ye is great to work with, and provides excellent communication, with excellent quality repairs. Ye also buys and sells used Leica gear.