Originally posted by alsterling 
Well guys.... I'll test your observations this AM. When I was at Samy's, they only had one small gondola area for chemicals, and only a few bottles of fixer, developer, etc., spread out on what most would consider a near empty shelf. I remember buying fixer and developer in bulk gallons, and for under $5..... which makes it really tough when I see a gallon of fixer, or maybe concentrate (?), for $32?! (I've gotta' look again...) I'm quite sure there are better buys online. As for the enlargers, and me being in the graphics industry for the last many years, I've seen darkrooms disappear in all companies. I'll never forget, back in the mid 1990's, going to a General Dynamics asset auction, and seeing a huge "locomotive sized" horizontal litho camera being auctioned off for $100. Today, you'd have to pay to get it taken out of your work space. I never thought to look for enlargers, although I saw a decent variety of print papers on Samy's shelf. But if it's home film and print processing, the best supplier in SoCal has always been Freestyle Photo in Hollywood, just off the 101 freeway. They used to sell bulk films, papers and chemicals. Maybe a trip over there would be in order?
FYI, Freestyle has what they call a "Catalog Order Center" in Santa Fe Springs. It's not a full retail location per se, but you go in and tell them what you want and they fill the order on the spot.
Quote: Steve, I'll see your "bevy of bodies..." and up the anty with my 500mm f8, catadioptric astrological lens! (smile) Nice meeting you Steve..... I lived in Claremont, CA for over 30 years, and was a family friend of Sam Del Cioppo, from the late great Claremont Camera. We should chat.......?
Nice to meet you too! I must be honest though, I grew up in La Verne, so it is in my nature to resent you as a Claremontian.
Oh how I miss the old Claremont Camera, but once they sliced the store in half it was all over. I still regularly use the Vivitar 28mm lens I purchased there many years ago. Two of the people from CC&V started their own shop after it closed. They named it Claremont Photo & Video. It is down in the village. It is a much smaller place, but it is a good place to stop if you need a roll of film or a battery.
I'll trade you one of the bodies for that 500mm lens!
Last edited by Steve Beswick; 02-06-2010 at 01:05 PM.
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