camera questions...please help
 

hey all,
i was thinking about taking my slr film camera and my point and shoot digital camera to japan.

film questions:
is it easy to find rolls of film in japan? how much roughly is a roll of film? how much is it to get it developed/processed? and will the film get damaged at the airport with the xrays??

digital question:
how much are SD memory cards in japan?

thanks in advance for any help.

Films are rapidly disappearing as elsewhere, but you should have no trouble buying them. There is a photo/camera shop in just about every shopping street and there are biggies like Yodobashi and BicCamera. Best to stock up on them before going out into the sticks, where a choice is limited and cost more.
A roll of Fuji 35mm ASA400 36 exp is around 780 yen ($9.50) at big camera shops, but price varies widely. Developing a film will cost around 420 yen, plus 30 yen per print, so around 1500 yen for 36 exp. Best to put films in your checked luggage, but normal films (not high sensitivity ones) will be safe in carry-ons. Some use a lead-lined bag just to be safe.

SDHC 4GB card is around 2000 yen ($24) in Yodobashi, but can be less than half that in small discounters in Akihabara (cheapest I've seen is around 650 yen or $7.90). Best to buy them in the States, where they are usually cheaper.

Alec is correct. Buy your film at Yodobashi camera store, and I found film processing to be expensive in Japan.
You can always buy a lead lined bag if you want . YODOBASHI camera store stock those.
I lived there for 5 years and litereally spend tens of thousands of dollars at YODOBASHI
Best store for me was at the Main West Store at Shinjuku in Tokyo. http://tinyurl.com/2g9947u


The store is located near the the 11 in the map. Look for the McDonalds nearby. YODOBASHI is huge

Memory cards are expensive in Japan. Stock up on them before you leave USA. Here is a link to the Yodobashi site..The price shown is in ..Yen 1,980 http://www.yodobashi.com/ec/product/...024/index.html

SD cards are cheap. Our Camera Kitamura, which is not the cheapest chain, has hten for under ¥1000 for 4 GG for Sandisc and Transcend brands. Film, pretty cheap, Kodak SuperGold 400 36 exposure ¥200 roll. AGFA Vista 400 47 exposures ¥580 roll.

Processing film is ¥630 roll plus ¥37 per print for 30 minute service.

I'm not being sarcastic but why use film?

thanks for the replies everyone

silverwool...film has alot more detail and texture than digital...and im a photography student and love using film

Fair enough, I was just interested in your thoughts. I don't think I would go back myself but I understand where you are coming from.

I would not go back to film either. Used to shoot B& W and also transparency. When I look at the money that I spent on transparency film, and the problems associated with having prints made, or ,the work involved in processing and printing B&W, there is no way I would go back.

A good friend of mine is a newspaper photographer, and he agrees with me...

Get a good SLR and go from there..

jade_damien, I fully agree about the qualities of film vs. digital and I love that you're still using film! (It's not everyone's choice, but who cares?) To me, photography is a labor of love, whether it's Photoshop or a darkroom...

I hope you post on Fodor's some of the photos you take on your Japan trip!