Toronto. I did a couple of posts earlier for those that are/want to try the old film technology (Attention Film Fans) and (An Easy Way to Try Film). Claudia Mac, the Assistant Manager at Downtown Camera (89 Queen St East) took the time to write me with a suggestion and a clarification on those posts.
Claudia writes, ” … I oversee the analog offerings here. … we are a Lomography dealer and a local Canadian company ready to sell their cameras and film.
“There was no reference to where you can purchase disposable cameras or where they can be processed in Canada. It so happens that particular brand of cameras (Wedding Star) we have experience with as we have processed many of them and unfortunately, we have found they have taped film ends together causing jams in our processing machine and in the camera. If it jams in the camera, it will be inoperable thus ruining opportunity to take analog images at the special event which normally is a wedding.
“We have invested in 2 dipDunk machines from Germany (1 BW and 1 colour) to ensure we have new film processing machines that can push and pull film. We have a club to promote our analog offerings with discounts. We sell 110, 127, 620, 4×5 and 8×10 film, we can process up to 4×5 but have made partnerships with other labs who can process the 8×10 film even Kodachrome. We are also processing ECN2 still-film in house. These are just some of the things we have done to strengthen ourselves in the analog field.”
I was not aware that any ‘bricks and mortar’ store in Canada carried the line. Possibly to lower costs, the makers ‘Wedding Star’ cameras use film ends. When I used one hour processing services years ago, any personal film joining by tape was a big NO NO. Downtown Camera can easily process your films for you too.
Not mentioned is the used gear they carry. A few decades ago I bought a Leitz Thambar fro Mike at Downtown camera’s old location a few doors closer to Yonge Street.
Please consider venturing downtown and check out Downtown Camera at 89 Queen East. Subway is your best bet as traffic and parking are a mess in Toronto downtown these days (I am forced to use taxi service now any time I head downtown from the west end near Mississauga). PS. Don’t overlook our auction this November for film gear and collectibles.