Welcome to Toledo (I woudn't go there if I were you)

Castle Photo changed hands a little while back and the new owners are not up to speed. On anything.

The place you are looking for is Taylor Photo on Bernath and Airport Hwy. He sells film and will develop film on site, including large format stuff. Be sure to pet the dog.

Madjack--

Thanks. I'll run over there in the morning. I miss Blue Ribbon and Jims over on Mason street. George L Kohn's used to be downtown on Huron. I did a lot of business with all of the above back in the day. I still own a Super Speed Graphic and a Calumet 4×5. I sold my old faithful Bronica SQAM years ago. I'm just not into digital. I really miss Kodachrome 50. A bear to shoot at that slow ASA but nothing matched the color saturation. I used to make really nice dye transfer glossies from 6×6 chrome negatives. Now it's all photoshop. And I have pretty much lost interest in photography.

Interesting. I shot film for decades and also had a home darkroom. Digital has reinvigorated my interest in the hobby. A good digital SLR (e.g. Canon 7D) produces dazzling output that easily exceeds most of the old film stuff. If you love photography you should give a high quality digital camera a try.

Another great thing about Taylor is that they are early birds. I have arranged very early pick up with a phone call in advance. Helps a lot working out of town.

Kohn's still has a shop, he just moved it to Perrysburg. Its a nice place. I believe he still sells film and developing services.

Isn’t Castle Photo in Sylvania and Taylor Photo Toledo? Toledo has enough of a Google problem without the geographically challenged telling people to stay away because they can’t find an outdated item.

While you’re at it why don’t you tell people to stay away from Toledo because no one carries carbon paper for your typewriter or to stay away because none of the video stores carry Betamax tapes…

. The poster did not say that Castle Photo was in Toledo, only that they went to Toledo Memorial Park which is in Sylvania along with Castle. I tried Taylor Photo for some prints a while back only to find the sign that said one hour service was outdated as he only turns on his print processor on Tuesday and Thursday. The order I took in on Friday was ready the following Wednesday morning. Castle on the other hand runs their print processor every day and color corrects every print by hand. I think they still have their film processor but seldom run it.

WM said = "I'm sad to discover that Toledo no longer has any real camera shops any more" after complaining about a camera shop that isn't even located in Toledo...

You're being a little ridiculous, Sensor. I think the OP was taken aback more by the generalized "there's a lot of shootings down there". Read the last three sentences of his post.

I'm just being cranky this morning...

Honestly, sometimes I say Toledo when I technially mean "the Toledo area."

Especially if I'm talking to someone from out of state. It's easier to say that I live in Toledo (or a suburb of Toledo) than to say that I live in Sylvania and have to explain where it is.

I can't remember the last shooting downtown. DT is one of the safest neighborhoods in toledo! That kid from the camera store needs to get out more

When was the last shooting in the actual downtown area?

I don't feel unsafe downtown.

There are some neighborhoods near downtown that I wouldn't drive through at night, but I've never felt unsafe directly downtown.

To build off of what upso and JohnnyMac are saying, I think the problem there is that most people in the area think of anything around the loop of 475/75/280 is "downtown." So when there's a shooting at Lagrange and Mettler, or even way out at Matzinger, it's "downtown" to them. And you're right, I don't know the last time there was a shooting that was actually in downtown.

As a camera person....this is a bit of an over reaction on the part of the camera. Film has been dead for years now. Any photographer knows that digital is king, and film is dead. Long live the king.

Anyone wanting film these days has to special order it, from an increasingly small selection of sources. Most companies no longer even make film. Film produced tends to be for rather select and tiny markets. So what if Castle doesn't offer film....it's just the state of things. If you want film go online.

Taylor Photo is great. I walked in with an old (film) camera of my uncle's just to ask if it could still be sold and he fixed a minor problem on the spot and called a friend to ask about the specific model's saleability on eBay. Very nice.

The young man behind the counter gave me the "no one uses film any more lecture".

Whatever happened to tact? "I'm sorry...we don't stock film anymore; I would recommend you order from _______.com. But come back to us if you have problems with your camera!"

Film is far from dead.

Granted, there are many more digital photographers than 35 mm buffs these days, but I know more than a few folks in my own circle of acquaintances who prefer shooting with film instead of digital.

Heck: even the much-maligned Polaroid instant film may not really be dead.

Courtesy and civility are also dead. But I tend to still use those antiquated items along with my antiquated cameras. Both take skill. If you people want to know what puts a bad taste in people's mouths when you mention Toledo Ohio just read your reaction my post. The subject was not even about the film or the cameras but rather about "I wouldn't go there if I were you". Obviously most (not all) of you were so busy formulating an attack on my "use of film" that you missed the point. The same as the young man behind the counter at Castle Photo. A nice welcome home indeed. But i'm not really surprised.

You spent most of your time talking about cameras, film, and your intent to shoot with film and the kids reaction to the film that it all overshadowed your "main point" that the kid suggested that DT had shootings. I guess we all owe you an apology for being such uneducated imbeciles.

Is everybody a little touchy today?

Kohns in Perrysburg still sells B/W film. But I'm guessing it's primarily due to the local colleges teaching Intro Photography which uses B/W film.

Actually, all the parts of your post were discussed. The rude clerk, film vs. digital, and the incorrect comment about downtown having a bunch of shootings. So I'm not sure who pissed in your Wheaties this morning, but lighten up a bit.

It must be the heat.... Or the humidity?
Is it the heat or the humidity?? hahaha.

Attempt to lighten.

Justread--

I don't see any imbeciles here. Actually a group a very intelligent, well read and talented people. Just a tad on the mean side. Maybe i'm the imbecile. My first reaction to this post had it been one of you visiting my home area in Florida would have been exactly like Madjack's. Thank you Madjack. I then would have maybe extended a welcome and said something like "if I can help you find anything or offer any suggestions please contact me". As a photography enthusiast I might have offered some suggestions as to some nice subject areas. And my post was actually meant to be on the light side. With everyone always slamming Toledo for being such a violent place I just was caught aback by a local area business person cautioning my wife and I about being shot if I go downtown. Do you remember the scene from Quigly Down Under? At the end he used a revolver and not his rifle to take out the bad guy. His comment was "I said I never had any use for one I never said I didn't know how to use it". I am well versed in digital imaging and digital cameras. I own several. I said for my purposes and what I do I PREFER film. And any real true photographer knows film is far from dead. Yes you can get a digital back for you medium format camera. Starting at about $20,000. And it does not render natural black and white but takes a bunch of computer dithering which takes the fun and most of all the craftmanship out of it for me. Have any of you ever made a Cibachrome print. They have a beauty unmatched in my humble opinion by anything you can do on a computer and the prints last forever. I worked hard to learn the skills not just of point and shoot but darkroom work. Yes these are antiquated skills just like hand woodworking. I am proud of them none the less. I find it interesting that Madjack who regularly seems to get slammed on this list was the first one to come to my assist and not start picking the post apart. Remember the "Why does no one post here" question a while back? I will go away now and try to enjoy my vacation in my home town without getting shot. Looking forwards to going to Grumpy's for some good food.

I hope you enjoy your trip, Wydomaker.

The project you mentioned about going back to the sites that you photographed in 1987 and comparing the changes today sounds quite interesting.

Will you be posting the results online anywhere that we could look? I'd be interested to see it. I am not originally from Toledo, so I'm always quite fascinated to see the contrast in "now and then" photos.

Wydow:

You say that your original post was meant as a light-hearted jab at the kid in Sylvania. If you read it with an objective eye, it also comes off a little like a slam on Toledo. I realize that was not your intention, but some of the folks on here get very defensive about their town. They, and you, seem very testy today.

Your post made some folks feel like the kid made you feel, perhaps? My only early contribution was to share my good experience with Taylor. Loved Quigley Down Under, by the way... which is one of the reasons that my boat is named "Spirit Warrior." I agree that film can be very cool. I hold onto the 35mm that I learned the basics on as a kid. I also agree that the kid was a jerk to warn you about downtown. I appreciate your old school approach to manners and civility as I do Mad Jack's. Maybe the heat has gotten folks a little bit today. After some of the forums and comment areas that I have seen, I find most of the TT people to be quite friendly, and I want to be that way too. Good luck with your photography and may you enjoy the rest of your vacation.

Another good point being brought up -- and maybe you TTers can help me with this.

As an older person, I often feel shocked and angered by the careless things that younger service folk say to me. Having worked in retail, I understand that the frontline employees are not always pleasant, or sensible.

If we could relive Wydowmaker's encounter with the photo store guy, what might we have said to help educate the clerk about his mistakes? (I'm serious here!). Truly, I feel like I could be a sweet-little-old-lady advising these darned younguns, and maybe they would improve their customer treatment over time.

What about:
"I'm sure you don't mean to be insulting, but those phrases make customers think that you're not willing to help ..." Or: "I know you want to do a good job here, so if I may advise you, it's sort of insulting to tell a customer that blah blah blah ..."

Maybe I should start my own thread! But it's getting to the point where I'm afraid that most retail/service encounters will be crappy and hateful. If I can do something to improve that scenario, I'd like to. Thanks for any advice you can share.

This may be getting a little philosophical, but viola, I would imagine the internet is a big part of that problem. I think interacting on the interwebs really changes the rules - we feel more free to criticize others, to speak on topics we shouldn't, and to basically drop any tact whatsoever. On this very message board, how many of us say things that we wouldn't normally say to someone's face? I know I do it a lot. And I can only imagine that kids who have grown up with this kind of interaction just see it as normal.

You're very welcome, Wydowmaker. I'm glad I could help you out.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Justread for the kind words. Thank you, Justread.

I find most of the TT people to be quite friendly...

Yeah, especially AnonymousCoward.

Ha!
Ha!Ha!
Ha!Ha!Ha!

Hey AC! You're on!!

As an older person, I often feel shocked and angered by the careless things that younger service folk say to me. Having worked in retail, I understand that the frontline employees are not always pleasant, or sensible.

Well - back in the old days...

People learn courtesy, table manners and graceful human behavior at home before they learn it elsewhere. How many teenagers do you think were taught to speak politely before they turned 13? How many got a very late lesson in polite speech, kindness and consideration at home? Some, maybe. Not all.

That leaves retail sales. If a sales clerk or customer service person is rude or inconsiderate, it ultimately goes back to the manager. The manager isn't training the people everyday, which you have to do because if you don't, they'll start to provide a poorer quality of service to the customers.

I think the thing that made an impression on me was when my boss asked us how we would treat people we invited into our own home. We based customer service off that model and added a 'can do' approach. It seemed to work pretty well for us, but that was a long time back.