APS supplies?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Nod
  • Start date Start date
Nod

Nod

Tootles
Suspended / Banned
Messages
49,339
Name
Nod (UK)
Edit My Images
Yes
My Mother in Law has just used her last roll and refuses to go digital (I've tried to persuade her that it's a good idea but she doesn't like the idea and doesn't have a computer of any sort (and I don't want the hassle of going out to her place to try to sort every little problem she creates..) so I've been given the job of finding her some films. I've looked on 7-day-shop's site and can't see any and have to go to town tomorrow so will look in Jessops and Boots as well as other photo retailers.
 
Boots may still sell some, some supermarkets might do, another place is ebay but they tend to be pricier
 
Boots do em. In packs of 5 if nothing else.

If you can't convince her to go digital (and why should she, the more film users the btter) then why not get her a 35mm camera comperable to what she has for APS and then buying film will become a lot easier.
 
This ebay seller in the USA is selling 3 packs of Fuji Nexia 25 exposure ISO 200 and 400 APS film for about £10 inc P&P:

ISO 200:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fuji-APS-ADVANCED-PHOTO-SYSTEM-200-asa-3-rolls-25-exp-film-FUJIFILM-FUJICOLOR-/280852918443?pt=US_Camera_Film&hash=item41642370ab

ISO 400:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fuji-APS-ADVANCED-PHOTO-SYSTEM-400-asa-3-rolls-25-exp-film-FUJIFILM-FUJICOLOR-/280840998259?pt=US_Camera_Film&hash=item41636d8d73

All APS film production was discontinued last year by both Fuji and Kodak so what stocks there are at the moment is it. Plus a lot of processing places are removing APS equipment or no longer doing it due to low demand and its discontinuation.

Your going to have to persuade her to move onto 35mm or digital as she's shortly going to have nothing otherwise. There are plenty of nice 35mm compacts which offer the same features of APS such as date printing, auto film loading etc and usually for about the same size. Additionally their going for cheap as chips nowadays.
 
Jessops have been sold out since Summer 2011 ~ when I worked there we were told they were being discontinued & a colleague of mine transferred all the APS films from all the stores in South London/Surrey to purchase them himself. It's a shame, best wishes finding some!
 
brianwar said:
Boots do em. In packs of 5 if nothing else.

If you can't convince her to go digital (and why should she, the more film users the btter) then why not get her a 35mm camera comperable to what she has for APS and then buying film will become a lot easier.
Click to expand...

I'll agree that buying the film would be easier but she would be 100% incapable of loading a 35mm camera. Heck, she can't even understand the status symbols on an APS cassette. Apparently, it's the plastic cassettes that have had their production stopped - and with no supply of those, Kodak and Fuji can't load them to sell...

Will have a look in Exeter Boots tomorrow - she looked in her local one with no success but the Exeter store is a lot bigger and better stocked.
 
Its no more difficult than loading an APS camera really, with a 35mm auto load mechanism you just literally put the cartridge in the space, pull the leader to the red mark or whatever and shut the back. Job done. Most compact cameras even have a little set of easy to understand diagrams in them to help. Once you've shown it to her a few times I'm sure she'll understand.

The ebay links that I gave are probably your best bet as I've not seen APS film in any shop for months, big or small. Kodak and Fuji had been planning to stop APS production for the last few years as the target market (mass consumers) has migrated to digital so no enough was being sold to keep it profitable, APS is very complex and expensive to manufacture compared to 35mm, 120 etc and with film sales down worldwide they have to keep what they sell in perspective.
 
Why not get her a digital camera and a little dyesub printer like the canon selphy? Then she can just plug it into the printer and print off ones she wants to put up. Cards are cheap enough she could fill one then stick it in a drawer when she's filled it or she can just delete them if she doesn't want to keep them at all.

This avoids the whole computer issue.
 
Nod said:
I'll agree that buying the film would be easier but she would be 100% incapable of loading a 35mm camera.
Click to expand...

You're just prolonging a decision you'll have to make eventually - APS will run dry (if not already), there's virtually no stocks of it around aside from people on eBay and the occasional Boots (and the last 3-4 I've been in haven't had any APS). And even if you can find the film, there will be a diminishing number of places that can handle and process it.

A whole ecosystem dies when a film format is phased out, leaving the people who still want to use it with their remaining few stocks to only be those people who are absolutely devoted to it, and who usually have the time/expertise to DIY. Since your Mum definitely doesn't sound like that, I'd look at an auto load 35mm camera.
 
I think the samsung fino 105s does automatic film loading. I have one and I'm fairly sure you can stick the film in the back, pull the leader out a little bit then shut the back and it loads it up without much fiddling. It's quite a good little compact with a small zoom and lots of different picture modes. It even has a bulb mode!
 
What APS camera does she have as that will give some idea as to what sort of 35mm compact could replace it easily. I.e if she's happy to not have a zoom then thats one feature it doesn't have to sport.
 
If she is of sufficient mental capacity to decipher the hyroglyohic system that APS uses to denote which films are unexposed, exposed, developed etc then she should be able to load a 35mm compact.

Any of the motor wind cameras iv had (and there's been a few!) have been as straight forward to load as srichards says that Samsung is.
 
Nod said:
Heck, she can't even understand the status symbols on an APS cassette.
Click to expand...

brianwar said:
If she is of sufficient mental capacity to decipher the hyroglyohic system that APS uses to denote which films are unexposed, exposed, developed etc then she should be able to load a 35mm compact.
Click to expand...

I see a flaw in your cunning plan.

I tried to educate my late Mother in terms of cameras and from experience I can tell you nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool :lol:
 
robhooley167 said:
Thats going in my signature :D
Click to expand...

Be my guest, I'd like to lay claim to it but I shamelessly stole it from another forum, it always makes me smile though :lol:
 
That's the problem with anything foolproof. Fools are too ingenious.
 
Version I heard was "make something foolproof and the world will invent a better fool"
 
I agree with the previous posts. APS is on its last legs. The film is no longer manufactured and stocks are running down, so it's going to become increasingly difficult to find. It will eventually become just about impossible, so it's an exercise in futility, unless you're a diehard enthusiast who is willing to spend time, effort and money tracking down the odd cartridge here and there. With respect, I doubt if the OP's MIL falls into that category.

Digital seems to be ruled out, unless the OP can persuade her to try it. She doesn't need a computer, most of the print stations have machines that let you display the images on the card and pick the ones you want, and they apply corrections automatically. A basic 35mm point and shoot, with automatic loading, is probably the best interim solution. They're inexpensive and film is easy enough to get and process.
 
RaglanSurf said:
Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool.
Click to expand...

hunnymonster said:
That's the problem with anything foolproof. Fools are too ingenious.
Click to expand...

Cuchulainn said:
Version I heard was "make something foolproof and the world will invent a better fool"
Click to expand...

Hahaha.
These quotes made me chuckle.
 
Well, I did the length of the High Street and didn't find any on the shelf BUT I did get given 5 out of date rolls which got a fiver in the charity box on the counter; Thanks, LCE.

Even with an easy load 35mm compact, the MiL wouldn't be able to get it right, so that's a non-starter, although I do have a couple so might see how she does with one of them. Will have to try to blag a couple of vey old blank 35mm films so she doesn't waste a useful one while trying.
 
Nod said:
Well, I did the length of the High Street and didn't find any on the shelf BUT I did get given 5 out of date rolls which got a fiver in the charity box on the counter; Thanks, LCE.

Even with an easy load 35mm compact, the MiL wouldn't be able to get it right, so that's a non-starter, although I do have a couple so might see how she does with one of them. Will have to try to blag a couple of vey old blank 35mm films so she doesn't waste a useful one while trying.
Click to expand...

After those 5 rolls you'll just hit the same block again, and then not even LCE (which are a fantastic group to deal with, incidentally) can save you. If you can't get any blank 35mm to try, the cheapest place to get film is probably from Poundland, which do rolls of Kodak ColorPlus 200.
 
Nod said:
Will have to try to blag a couple of vey old blank 35mm films so she doesn't waste a useful one while trying.
Click to expand...

For the sake of a pound get yourself down to Poundland, 24 exp Kodak film. I have a couple of rolls I use to dry run any new cameras I pick up.
 
Nod, do you mind me asking why your MIL is so set against digital? I don't know how old she is - obviously - but I do know a few elderly people in their late 70s and 80s who think digital is just about the coolest thing they've used! A lot of modern P & S cameras produce remarkably good results in auto mode, and they're delighted with them. No more buying film, and the local Jessops (or whatever) sort out the prints for them.

Anyway, I hope you both find a solution. It would be a pity if she has to give up photography because she can't find APS film.
 
Some people are inept with technology and mechanical things. My mum's like that.

If you can find an easy way of viewing digital pictures eg via the tv perhaps?

Wonder if anyone does a wireless camera and wireless printer combo?
 
Last edited:
srichards said:
Some people are inept with technology and mechanical things. My mum's like that.

If you can find an easy way of viewing digital pictures eg via the tv perhaps?

Wonder if anyone does a wireless camera and wireless printer combo?
Click to expand...

Hi Suz. My mother was a bit like that too, but a P & S on auto is about as simple as anything can get. Shouldn't be any more difficult than an APS camera.
 
I really fail to see how someone who can open a door and slide an aps cartridge in then close the door is unable to open a door, lay a 35mm film in and close the door again.

It's not like your trying to teach her how to load a leica or a roll of 120 or something.
 
RaglanSurf said:
For the sake of a pound get yourself down to Poundland, 24 exp Kodak film. I have a couple of rolls I use to dry run any new cameras I pick up.
Click to expand...

Last time I was in poundland in exeter, I was told by the manager that they no longer sell film in that branch.
 
VirtualAdept said:
Last time I was in poundland in exeter, I was told by the manager that they no longer sell film in that branch.
Click to expand...

Hmm, does anyone know more about this? Whilst I have plenty of emulsion stock spare, it is nice to have it as a back-up.
 
freecom2 said:
Hmm, does anyone know more about this? Whilst I have plenty of emulsion stock spare, it is nice to have it as a back-up.
Click to expand...

Just to give a bit more info (i was qt work when I posted earlier).
Four trips to exeter poundland where no film was to be found, I questioned the head honcho who said they wont be selling fipm in the future due to a 'fire risk'.
Im still not entirely sure what I make of it, but my sisters been in a few times since and theyve had none then either, and gave her the same answer.
 
VirtualAdept said:
Just to give a bit more info (i was qt work when I posted earlier).
Four trips to exeter poundland where no film was to be found, I questioned the head honcho who said they wont be selling fipm in the future due to a 'fire risk'.
Im still not entirely sure what I make of it, but my sisters been in a few times since and theyve had none then either, and gave her the same answer.
Click to expand...

Interesting, I thought we had left the 1920s (when selling film might've been a risk) but that's a bizarre reason. I bet they still had a shelf full of cigarette lighters though :thumbs:
 
Last time I looked, films not been a 'fire hazard' since 1948 when highly inflammable cellulose nitrate film was replaced with cellulose triacetate 'safety' film which just smoulders rather than burns unless you get it insanely hot.

Sounds like someones just making an excuse.
 
Aye, complete tosh to my mind, just relaying what I was told :-)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top