Coronavirus and film photography

For anyone who may not be aware Mr CAD is still open for online purchases



Dear Mr Cad Followers

We have been busy since the lock down and wish to ensure our customers we are still here and hope to be of continued service for a long time yet maybe even another 58 years!!

Our physical store doors maybe be closed but we are online 24/7 to accept orders, our email address is being manned and the phone lines are being answered.

You are still able to order online, and the orders will be shipped out at least once a week or as soon as is feasibly possible. We would like to state that as stocks are not being replenished some stocks are getting low or now out of stock.

If this is the case then we will of course refund you as soon as is feasibly possible if an alternative is not suitable

Please keep safe and stay home.

What might you be looking for? Please let us know if there is anything we can supply or information we may be able to help you with.

We are waiting to be of service, the door is always open and a smile on our faces

Kindest Regards,

Alex, Sharon, David, William & Tomasz
On behalf of 'Mr Cad'
For everything photographic
12 Upper Tachbrook Street
London SW1V 1SH
020 8684 8282
sales@mrcad.co.uk
 
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I'm still in touch with the team at Peak, they're closed temporarily, i'm sure they'll reopen when they can. I say support them by getting your stuff to them, order prints online etc, in fact I need to order a product myself. Keep safe everyone.
Oh, and i've become a biking fan after my gym closed due to corona, I've decided i'm going to pop a small camera in my backpack from now on as i've seen some nice street art on my travels.
 
RumpFace said:
I've decided i'm going to pop a small camera in my backpack from now on as i've seen some nice street art on my travels.
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I've been out on my bike more in the last few weeks than in the last few years before that and I usually take a camera (or 3 :) ). You see a lot more from a bike than from a car.
 
I always try to carry a camera with me. It's easier in the winter when I have a coat, but a small compact will usually fit in the pocket of some cargo-pants / shorts in warmer wather. I took a few shots this way today while out getting some supplies.

RumpFace said:
I'm still in touch with the team at Peak, they're closed temporarily, i'm sure they'll reopen when they can. I say support them by getting your stuff to them, order prints online etc, in fact I need to order a product myself. Keep safe everyone.
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I have to confess to feeling a little guilty for starting to home-develop my film. even if it has been dictated by the current circumstances. It feels almost like a betrayal given the frequent business I give to Peak. I think I'll continue to use them when they re-open though, even if I do still home-dev some of my stuff. While I'm happy with the results I've gotten at home so far, and will continue with it, I 'm not sure it will become a process I enjoy. The convenience of being able to drop films off and collect them a few hours later remains an appealing one, and even though it will cost me more, I'll still sometimes be happy to do that to avoid the effort and time it would take to do the job myself.
 
sirch said:
I've been out on my bike more in the last few weeks than in the last few years before that and I usually take a camera (or 3 :) ). You see a lot more from a bike than from a car.
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If you don't live in a city try the public foot paths on yer bike.... by and across fields etc and I rarely see anybody in normal times i.e. week days, but is the jury out on whether we can infect rabbits, cows etc o_O
Anyway I'm going to take shots of London today from a hill and my excuse is:- combining exercise to get up the hill and a hobby.
 
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excalibur2 said:
If you don't live in a city try the public foot paths on yer bike....
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Not strictly all that legal - generally in Englandshire, riding on footpaths over private land constitutes a trespass, though there could be a local TRO in place that actually makes it illegal. Of course I believe Scotland has a far more sensible approach to this. Bridleways and BOATs (Byways open to all traffic) are of course fair game.

Not saying that i've never ridden the odd "cheeky trail" myself of course, and it's largely a "local knowledge" thing - ie you know that for the past 45 years or more there have been people cycling that same "footpath" (in my case, often it's been me for that 45 years...) without any issues or upset to the landowners...

But, yeah, technically, i'd amend Brian's recommendation to "try the local bridleways on yer bike"...
 
TheBigYin said:
Not strictly all that legal - generally in Englandshire, riding on footpaths over private land constitutes a trespass, though there could be a local TRO in place that actually makes it illegal. Of course I believe Scotland has a far more sensible approach to this. Bridleways and BOATs (Byways open to all traffic) are of course fair game.

Not saying that i've never ridden the odd "cheeky trail" myself of course, and it's largely a "local knowledge" thing - ie you know that for the past 45 years or more there have been people cycling that same "footpath" (in my case, often it's been me for that 45 years...) without any issues or upset to the landowners...

But, yeah, technically, i'd amend Brian's recommendation to "try the local bridleways on yer bike"...
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Indeed there are some signs up on footpaths saying no cycling (I don't think it applies to bridle paths for horses) but most of the time the footpaths are so rough you have to walk with a bike anyway.....and also a lot of muscles are involved, for exercise, as many of the turnstiles (and in the shot below)......you have to lift the bike over.
CNV00005-600px.jpg
 
excalibur2 said:
Anyway I'm going to take shots of London today from a hill
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Well got my shots of London, very windy and maybe the shots will not be sharp, anyway just got a few yards to my motorbike when the police arrived h'mm woman and man and a police dog (public area) :eek: and I got a very suspicious look carrying a tripod o_O
First impression is London from about 12 miles away didn't look much clearer, maybe it never will with heat haze or whatever.. :banghead: forgot to take a polarizer.
 
Edited to not derail the thread. Apologies.
 
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Has anybody found that Filmdev are a bit slow ATM as I posted the film sunday night (2nd class) and no email, as of 10:35 am friday, to say that they are done :(
 
excalibur2 said:
Has anybody found that Filmdev are a bit slow ATM as I posted the film sunday night (2nd class) and no email, as of 10:35 am friday, to say that they are done :(
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Brian, this message from their website http://filmdev.co.uk/
coronavirus (COVID-19) Update to our services.

Filmdev are a small mail order family run business. At present we are operating normally during the coronavirus (COVID–19) pandemic. Please note with any orders we receive there may be a delay in both the processing and also the return of your negatives during this period. We would like to thank all our customers for your continued support during this difficult time and that you all take care.
Regards
David & Debbie (Filmdev)
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I've had first class post take several days to reach me or others the past couple of weeks. It's just the way it is at the moment unfortunately.

The shipment to the lab I use leaves on a Friday. I sent in plenty time for last week but must have missed it so hopefully it will go today. Canada by next week some time and then a week to dev/scan.....although I am not expecting much from the rolls that I have sent.
 
It's worth bearing in mind that postal services might not be running to normal speeds. I posted a couple of rolls to FilmDev yesterday and was told at the post office that items will take longer than normal to deliver. I also posted a camera off for servicing via Special Delivery and was told that, while next-day is still guaranteed, by 1pm is not.

@excalibur2 Given the above, it's possible that your 2nd class packet sent on Sunday (which wouldn't have entered the system until Monday) might not have reached it's destination until the end of the week, and maybe not even by then.
 
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It took a week for a birthday card posted by my Mum to my son to reach him 2nd class. My brother posted his card 1st class and it also took a week. Conversely, we sent a parcel to my Mum first class last week and it arrived the following morning!
 
Yes, the post seems a bit like pot luck at the moment time wise; my Mum sent a card by first class post to a friend on the 7th April and it arrived on the 16th! However, I've bought a couple of essential items from eBay from business sellers during the last couple of weeks and each time they've arrived within the Royal Mail 48 hour parcel post delivery time.
 
Oh well I didn't know the postage in some areas is affected :(
Anyway the hidden warnings about using a + 2 dioptre in the viewfinder....erm well Ok something amusing for some:- I took the bike out for exercise and of course a back pack with cameras and lenses to a place where no one goes, and what a delight using my T90 (with +2 dioptre) without glasses, but taking the glasses off and unwrapping and changing lenses (were wrapped in bubble wrap) and using the camera etc somehow my lenses got lost :(
Now this loss wouldn't have happened before as my glasses stayed on my head :rolleyes:
 
I put in a coffee order yesterday with my usual company, first class postage... they've messaged that even first class post is currently subject to random delays...
 
ChrisR said:
I put in a coffee order yesterday with my usual company, first class postage... they've messaged that even first class post is currently subject to random delays...
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Who do you use? My Pact order went missing. The replacement took 8 days to arrive. Square miles usual next day took two.
 
Retune said:
What Gareth said. I was thinking about Square Mile.
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I really like Square Mile. Used to use them a lot but went with Pact as it fits through the letterbox if I’m not in. Will go back to SM whilst we’re at home for deliveries though.
 
The post office has been hit by the Covid thing, a lot of the sorting offices on running on much reduced staff, were only getting deliveries every 3rd day at the moment so stuff is bound to take a little longer.
 
gazmorton2000 said:
Who do you use? My Pact order went missing. The replacement took 8 days to arrive. Square miles usual next day took two.
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I use Monsoon Estate (monsooneestatecoffee.co.uk)... normally I buy it at Warwick Market on a Saturday (pre-ordered because I like Ethiopian decaf beans and the decaf sells out really fast on the market much of the time). Now the market is cancelled, so it's having to come by post. I just missed the delivery of the first order last month, came tearing downstairs to find the little red card, and I didn't think I could go chasing after the postie (this was just after lockdown). Took us several days before we were shopping in town and I was able to visit the RM office. "Ah", the guy said "you're the reason I've been smelling coffee each time I go in that room. I'm going to miss it!".

So, obviously, the bags don't fit through the letterbox!
 
FishyFish said:
It's worth bearing in mind that postal services might not be running to normal speeds. I posted a couple of rolls to FilmDev yesterday and was told at the post office that items will take longer than normal to deliver. I also posted a camera off for servicing via Special Delivery and was told that, while next-day is still guaranteed, by 1pm is not.

@excalibur2 Given the above, it's possible that your 2nd class packet sent on Sunday (which wouldn't have entered the system until Monday) might not have reached it's destination until the end of the week, and maybe not even by then.
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Pretty much. I sent my rolls to Filmdev via Special Delivery Tuesday last week, Filmdev had them Wednesday and I got the scans back Friday. Filmdev are running at normal speed, 2nd (and 1st) class post are slow. I pay for special delivery for everything at the moment.
 
excalibur2 said:
Oh well I didn't know the postage in some areas is affected :(
Anyway the hidden warnings about using a + 2 dioptre in the viewfinder....erm well Ok something amusing for some:- I took the bike out for exercise and of course a back pack with cameras and lenses to a place where no one goes, and what a delight using my T90 (with +2 dioptre) without glasses, but taking the glasses off and unwrapping and changing lenses (were wrapped in bubble wrap) and using the camera etc somehow my lenses got lost :(
Now this loss wouldn't have happened before as my glasses stayed on my head :rolleyes:
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That's bad news Brian. What did you lose? Is there any way you can go back and re-trace your steps? If it's somewhere no one goes then there's a good chance that they will still be there.
 
FishyFish said:
That's bad news Brian. What did you lose? Is there any way you can go back and re-trace your steps? If it's somewhere no one goes then there's a good chance that they will still be there.
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Good news after I posted the loss as I took the motorbike (sorry Boris as it's knackering using a push bike with hills :sneaky:)... parked on the main road and walked to the likely spot and found them. (y)
 
RaglanSurf said:
The post office has been hit by the Covid thing, a lot of the sorting offices on running on much reduced staff, were only getting deliveries every 3rd day at the moment so stuff is bound to take a little longer.
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Well lets hope mass testing will get employees back to work, but thinking if you are paid not to go to work what is the incentive to apply for screening h'mm is the governing going to force key workers to be tested.......
 
excalibur2 said:
but thinking if you are paid not to go to work what is the incentive to apply for screening
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The incentive for many people will be going back to doing something they enjoy, working with people they like and achieving something they're proud of. I worked in a great many different organisations (both commercial and governmental) and met many people who felt that way.
 
Looking at my combos and being long sighted, the best I have is:- A Nikon fM with +2 dioptre and Nikon F4 with adjustable dioptre and with this combo can nearly use any Nikon lens AF or manual lens OR the T90 (with + 2 dioptre) and an EOS AF camera with adjustable dioptres and with this combo can use MF, AF and screw lenses.
H'mm I don't really need my other 38 cameras now o_O:D
 
excalibur2 said:
Has anybody found that Filmdev are a bit slow ATM as I posted the film sunday night (2nd class) and no email, as of 10:35 am friday, to say that they are done :(
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Well it took a week with 2nd class postage.....
 
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