Film Buying Guide in Canada: A Simple Price Reference for Beginners
If you are new to film photography, buying film can be confusing at first. Prices can vary across retailers, formats, and film stocks, especially when comparing 35mm, 120, colour negative, black-and-white, and slide film.
This guide is meant to be a simple price reference based on retailers that I personally use. It is not a complete list of every place to buy film in Canada, but it can help give beginners a better idea of what common film stocks usually cost.
All prices listed below are before tax and may change over time.
Retailers I Use for Price Reference
B&H Photo
B&H often has competitive prices, especially when buying multiple rolls. When ordering to Canada, remember to add approximately 12% tax and a small customs processing fee of around $1 USD.
Downtown Camera
Downtown Camera is also very competitive for Canadian buyers. For my location, only 5% GST is charged. The prices listed below are AMFM member prices. The membership is $30 per year, or free with qualifying analog purchases.
Prices are listed in CAD before tax.
35mm Film Price Reference
| Film Stock | B&H | Downtown |
|---|---|---|
| Kodak Gold 200 | $10.60 | $10.88 |
| Kodak UltraMax 400 | $12.20 | $12.53 |
| Kodak Portra 160 | $20.20 | $21.75 |
| Kodak Portra 400 | $23.50 | $24.18 |
| Kodak Portra 800 | $27.60 | $26.81 |
| Kodak Ektar 100 | $20.70 | $20.60 |
| Kodak E100 | $30.40 | $33.75 |
| Kodak Tri-X 400 | $10.23 | $12.56 |
| Ilford HP5 Plus 400 | $13.10 | $13.50 |
| CineStill 800T | $23.50 | $23.85 |
| CineStill 400D | $24.90 | $24.30 |
120 Film Price Reference
| Film Stock | B&H | Downtown |
|---|---|---|
| Kodak Gold 200 | $11.70 | $10.57 |
| Kodak Portra 160 | $17.90 | $19.50 |
| Kodak Portra 400 | $22.10 | $21.56 |
| Kodak Portra 800 | $24.90 | $26.21 |
| Kodak Ektar 100 | $17.90 | $17.06 |
| Kodak E100 | $26.30 | $23.81 |
| Kodak Tri-X 400 | $12.40 | $11.62 |
| Ilford HP5 Plus 400 | $15.20 | $14.40 |
| CineStill 800T | $24.20 | $22.95 |
| CineStill 400D | $24.90 | $20.56 |
Fujifilm Slide Film Price Reference
| Film Stock | Format | Retail |
|---|---|---|
| Fujifilm Provia 100F | 120 | ~$16.75 |
| Fujifilm Provia 100F | 35mm | ~$29.99 |
| Fujifilm Velvia 50 | 120 | ~$19.80 |
| Fujifilm Velvia 50 | 35mm | ~$26.00 |
Special Note: Fujifilm Slide Film
Fujifilm slide film can sometimes be difficult to find, and prices may vary depending on availability. Based on current information, both Provia 100F and Velvia 50 remain in production, although supply appears to be limited.
Final Thoughts
Film photography is a beautiful but increasingly expensive hobby. Knowing the usual price range of common film stocks can make buying film much easier, especially when you are just getting started.
Before buying, I usually compare prices between a few trusted retailers and consider the final cost after tax, shipping, and any import fees. Sometimes the lowest listed price is not always the lowest final price.
Hopefully, this guide gives beginners a clearer idea of what common 35mm and 120 film usually costs in Canada.
