First call are a good company to deal with. I've been buying black and white film and processing chemicals from Firstcall for a few years now. I recently bought some Adox developer and fixer. It arri... See more
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Review summary
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Reviews shaping this summary
I have been using Firstcall for a few years, and I always check them first if I need something unusual and hard to find. Their delivery service is amazingly quick and reliable, with updates to tell y... See more
Company replied
An excellent company. A first rate website meant I found just what I needed quickly and easily. Faultless check out and delivery quickly and easy. I’ve been out of film photography for a while but it’... See more
Company replied
I've been a Firstcall customer for a number of years, going back to when Rodney was the big cheese, and throughout that time the service provided has been good. By goo, I mean they've never let me dow... See more
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Company details
Written by the company
For 33 years we’ve been offering specialist photographic knowledge and value for the Traditional, Digital and Artisan Photographer. Our strength is analogue photography. We bring a diverse and often unique range of these specialist products to market backed by unrivalled and comprehensive customer service about how to get the best from the purchases you make.
Contact info
Firstcall Photo, Spectrum Point, 164 Clapgate Lane, B32 3DE, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- 01823413007
- sales@firstcall-photographic.co.uk
- firstcall-photographic.co.uk
4.8
Excellent
113 reviews
No recent history of asking for reviews
This company hasn't invited customers recently, so reviews may not be representative
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The service was excellent however the…
The service was excellent however the product ended up costing me over €100 as firstcall charged me £30 for delivery and then I had to pay €34 import duty which included UPS charging me and this included a further charge by them.
So while your performance was good I can only say I have never had a good interaction with UPS. I am not even able to download my receipt from them.
The product itself is excellent. If you found a distributor in Europe that would be fantastic
22 October 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Firstcall Photo
Hi Mairead,
Thank you so much for your kind words about our service, we really appreciate it, and we’re delighted to hear you’re happy with the product itself!
We completely understand your frustration with the additional import costs and courier fees. Unfortunately, customs duties and handling charges are set by governments and couriers, and we have no control over them. For international orders, we only charge shipping to cover what the courier charges us, we don’t make any profit on delivery fees.
We do import several specialist items, including the Inkaid product you ordered (which comes from the USA), to make them available to photographers and printmakers in countries where no local importer exists. We’re always looking for ways to reduce shipping costs or help our customers avoid unnecessary import fees (within legal limits, of course), but we’re a bit at the mercy of couriers and customs systems at the moment.
For future orders, one way to make things more cost-effective is to combine several items into a single shipment. Shipping and customs processing fees (although not the import taxes) tend to cost about the same whether you’re ordering one bottle or ten, so building up a larger supplies list can make a real difference in value per item.
Thank you again for your feedback and for supporting a specialist supplier like us, it really helps us continue making hard-to-find products available internationally!
Warm regards,
The Firstcall Photographic Team
Fantastic company
Fantastic company to deal with. Very knowledgeable, great communications, everything you would need from one company. Incredibly quick delivery
20 October 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Firstcall Photo
Hi David,
Thank you so much for the lovely feedback! We're thrilled to hear you found our team knowledgeable and easy to deal with, that really means a lot to us. We always aim to provide clear communication, expert advice, and fast delivery, so it’s great to know we hit the mark for you.
Thanks again for taking the time to share your experience, we really appreciate your support!
Best wishes,
The Firstcall Photographic Team
Reply from Firstcall Photo
Hi Terry,
Thank you for the kind words! We're really glad to hear you had a great experience and that our service met your expectations. If you ever have another question or need advice, don’t hesitate to reach out, we’re always happy to help.
Best regards,
The Firstcall Photographic Team
Expensive shipping, otherwise excellent.
I love shopping here, the collection feels like a slice of photography that has gone unchanged for 20 years.
Slightly expensive shipping, but great customer service when I have needed it and orders despatched timely and with care.
27 September 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Firstcall Photo
Hi Andy, thanks so much for your thoughtful review!
We really appreciate your kind words about our collection, we do our best to keep that classic photographic spirit alive. Regarding shipping, all orders currently go out via tracked and insured courier for reliability and peace of mind. That said, we’re actively looking to add a cheaper Royal Mail option for smaller or lower-value orders soon. Watch this space!
In the meantime, there are a couple of ways to enjoy free delivery:
1) Orders over £150 ship via courier free.
2) Sign up for our newsletter to receive a free shipping coupon, and there’s no limit to how many email addresses you can sign up, so you can always claim free delivery when you need i.
Thanks again for shopping with us and for your continued support, it really means a lot.
The Firstcall Photo Team
Ordered a darkroom setup from here
Ordered a darkroom setup from here, items were shipped very quickly and delivery was free!
2 October 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Firstcall Photo
Hi Harry, thanks so much for the review!
We’re chuffed to hear your darkroom setup arrived quickly, and that you took advantage of our free delivery. If you need any tips on setup, chemistry, or paper choices, just give us a shout, we’re happy to help. Enjoy making prints, and we hope to see you again soon!
Reply from Firstcall Photo
Hi Penny, thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a review! We look forward to serving you again next time.
Reply from Firstcall Photo
Thank you, Jacqueline! We’re delighted to hear your order arrived quickly, was well packaged, and easy to track. We really appreciate your support and look forward to sending your next order soon!
Very good product availability and service
Very good product availability (I couldn't find the fixer I wanted elsewhere in the UK), and fast delivery. They had to split the delivery in 2 parts, so that I could get part of the order sooner. Recommended!
15 September 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Firstcall Photo
Thank you, Claudio! We’re so glad you found exactly what you were looking for with us, and it’s great to hear the split delivery helped get your order to you as quickly as possible. We really appreciate the recommendation and hope to help you again soon!
Good price
Good price, fast easy ordering and delivery great and very quick.
26 September 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Firstcall Photo
Thank you, Gary! We’re so pleased you were happy with the price and found ordering and delivery nice and straightforward. We really appreciate you shopping with us and hope to help you again soon!
Good price
Good price, fast easy ordering and delivery great and very quick.
9 September 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Firstcall Photo
Thank you, Paul! We’re delighted you were happy with the price and found the whole ordering and delivery process quick and easy. Hope to see you shopping with us again soon!
An excellent company
An excellent company. A first rate website meant I found just what I needed quickly and easily. Faultless check out and delivery quickly and easy. I’ve been out of film photography for a while but it’s reassuring to know that there are companies like Firstcall that you can rely on.
3 September 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Firstcall Photo
Thank you, David! We’re so glad to hear you had such a smooth experience with our website, checkout, and delivery. It’s always exciting to welcome people back into the world of film photography, and we’re delighted to be a part of your journey. We look forward to helping you with many more projects to come!
Good product, good service
I was looking for a bit of retro kit - a simple viewer for 35mm slides, but was having difficulty finding exactly what I wanted until I found Firstcall Photographic. Ordering and delivery was speedy and efficient, and it is a good quality product.
27 August 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Firstcall Photo
Thank you, David! We’re delighted you found exactly what you were looking for with us, it’s always a pleasure helping photographers track down those classic bits of kit. We’re glad to hear the ordering and delivery process was smooth and that you’re happy with the quality too.
I've dealt with firstcall for a number…
I've dealt with firstcall for a number of years now. I have always received an excellent servicefrom them and would recommend them to any body without hesitation.
Thank you firstcall
1 September 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Firstcall Photo
Thank you so much, Martin! We really appreciate your continued support over the years, it means a lot to us. It’s wonderful to hear you’ve consistently had a great experience, and we look forward to helping with many more orders in the future.
Good product,not widely available so…
Good product,not widely available so great to find it here. Wish larger sheets were available. Prompt delivery also appreciated.
28 August 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Firstcall Photo
Thank you, Alison! We’re so pleased you found what you were looking for with us, and that your order arrived promptly. We really appreciate your feedback about larger sheet sizes, we’re always reviewing our range, so please feel free to email us with the sizes you’d like to see, and we’ll do our best to make them available in the future.
Firstcall are excellent
Firstcall are excellent- a good online ordering system and prompt dispatch. The only reason I dropped a star is because they sometimes don’t have the items I want in stock.
1 September 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Firstcall Photo
Thank you, Mal! We’re delighted to hear you’re happy with our service and ordering process. We’re always looking for ways to improve our stock range, so if there’s anything specific you’d like to see available, please do drop us an email, we’d love to hear your suggestions and do what we can to make ordering even more convenient for you.
They are the only photographic retailer…
They are the only photographic retailer in the UK who were able to help me out with my very specific problem. Very thankful for the help and will be back again.
14 August 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Firstcall Photo
Hi Ron, thanks so much for your kind words! We’re really pleased we could help with your specific needs, that’s exactly what we’re here for. We look forward to welcoming you back again soon!
The Firstcall Team
Excellent customer service
Had an issue with a product I bought from their website and Gill offered to exchange or refund without a quibble. Excellent customer service!
12 July 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Firstcall Photo
Thank you, Dom! We’re so glad to hear Gill was able to get everything sorted quickly for you. We always want shopping with Firstcall to be as smooth and stress-free as possible, so it’s great to know you felt well looked after. Hope to see you again soon!
Impressed :)
I'm a regular customer of Firstcall and am always impressed by their depth of product knowledge and helpful advice.
22 December 2023
Unprompted review
Total Lack of Communication
Having made a telephone call to FirstCall-Photographic relating to products shown on their website on the 27th October, and being told to contact an individual staff member on Monday, I then composed an email relating to my purchase enquiry and sent it on the same day. On the Monday as instructed I made the call to the telephone number given to me and the person was unavailable, I therefore left a message with the voicemail giving my telephone number for them to return my call, as of this evening the 31st October I have yet to either receive a return call or in fact receive an email, so as far as I am concerned there is a distinct lack of customer service or indeed care. Reading other reviews left by customers I note that the individual I was supposed to contact appears to be the best thing since sliced bread, however I personally find the exact opposite, and feel that to not even to receive the courtesy of an acknowledgement to either my email or the message I left smacks of a distinct lack of professionalism on the part of the company, not something that I find particularly easy to say about a supplier with whom I have yet, if ever I get the opportunity to do business with.
My star rating if it were possible would in fact be recorded as Zero.
31 October 2023
Unprompted review
Post Code Rip Off
Copied from their website "There is no minimum order value required for UK shipments, with the shipping to the UK Mainland being £7.99, including VAT". Despite staying in the UK mainland they want to charge me £21 because "shipping to non-UK Mainland being £21.00, including VAT". Now last time I looked both Aberdeen and Inverness are UK mainland and I stay bang in the middle of these two cities. Clearly false advertising and ripping off customers who have an IV postcode.
31 July 2023
Unprompted review
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