Does anyone shoot film anymore?

L

lolyton

Guest
I'm still shooting film, because it is my personal preference. I have just moved for a short spell onto the south coast and away from London. I mostly shoot slide film, but when i got out the yellow pages and phoned around there was only one place who would do the E6 process. When i got the film back, it was the worst process i have ever seen, must have been processed in the snow i reckon. I'm now sending away my films to dlab7.
What has happened to photography, i am a big supporter of digital and soon it will be spot on, but as of yet i am not prepared to make the move and keep updating every 6 months. At the moment i am happy shooting film.
Am i the only one, is this why all the developing labs are shutting down?
 
Yep. That's why.
If you like I have a Jobo Autolab ATL 1500 up for sale which will do E6 as well as C41 and black and white processing. The only 'dark' part to it is loading the film into the spirals and sealing the film drum. The rest is a daylight process.
You will need a fairly sophisticated water management system that you can regulate temperature on to 0.5 degree. Other than that it's a doddle to use.
I've even dev'd film with it in a hotel bathroom using water in a bath with a thermomenter in to check the temps! Not for the squeamish or nervous, I can tell you!

For those who don't know what the hell this thing is, it measures about 22"x12"x9" - small suitcase size.
 
Years ago i used to dev film for photographers in a picture library, and i know how messy all the chemicals can be. Also i have a baby and i reckon it would be too much organisation to keep the two apart, but thanks for the offer.
Don't get me wrong though, i'm not a purist. All the stuff i do finishes up digital, i just feel i get better results shooting film then scanning.
 
I'm new to all this forum stuff, could someone let me know what the difference is between 'quick reply' and 'post reply'. Cheers!
 
Try both types of reply and see for yourself ;)


Have you tried LAB-35 for your E6 processing? I used to use LAB-120 many years ago and found them very good, it was a long time ago though http://www.lab35.co.uk/
 
Just had a quick look at lab35, looks like a quite a good place, will drop them a couple of films and see how they deal with them. Soon i'll find one i'll stick with i'm sure. Have tried a few now.
Giving the posta reply a go to see what this one does.
 
You also get the row of layout controls at the top font size, tag inserters etc. on the standard reply form, handy if you don't remember which one does what.
 
I'm sure i'll get the hang of it, just have to keep practicing and posting. Shame there is no spell checker, my spelling is awful.[/img][/quote]
 
i can install a spell checker! dont know if i will though, if it means 50 files changed then you will have to get a proof reader!
 
I'm in the hunt for an EOS RT.

I've found 20 rolls of Ilford b&w film that I either Ebay or use, and i quite fancy using them.

I've always wanted an RT (Fixed pellicle mirror = no slap or dark moment - why not on digital??) and they seem well priced these days.
 
lolyton said:
I'm sure i'll get the hang of it, just have to keep practicing and posting. Shame there is no spell checker, my spelling is awful.[/img]
Click to expand...

I am sure that everyone will tell you that it can't be anywhere as near as bad as mine :wink: Don't worry about it, this is a friendly place that is not about airs and graces, as long as we can read what you have written nobody will bat an eyelid. :)
 
Maybe i'll just have to go back to basics and get my dictionary out every now and then.

Do you still get the mirror moving on a digital then, i can never remember. Something you do all the time seems to be something i struggle to remember, like which hand i put on the table when i play pool. Seems a little pointless, and an extra vibration thats not needed.
 
Do you still get the mirror moving on a digital then
Click to expand...

Yup.

I think it's because pellicle mirrors are on the dear side of cheap :)
 
I just found a hundred rolls of 120 Ilford XP2 in the freezer, so I'm breaking out the Pentax and going landscaping.
Now I need to buy a decent film scanner - bang goes another 2 grand... :crying:
 
Arkady said:
I just found a hundred rolls of 120 Ilford XP2 in the freezer, so I'm breaking out the Pentax and going landscaping.
Now I need to buy a decent film scanner - bang goes another 2 grand... :crying:
Click to expand...

Im sure its a silly question, but why keep them in the freezer??? [smilie=c:
 
Film lasts much longer in a freezer :)
 
Ho ho ho.
I forget that soon there will be photographers out there who will have never come across all of this as digital takes over.

Film is basically an acetate strip, yes? With a film emulsion applied to it - with me so far?
The light sensistive part of film is formed from silver halides ( a form of silver 'salts' - early film did indeed use salt as part of the process).
'Slow' or fine grain film is formed from small crystals - hence the 'fine' grain, fast or coarse grain film is formed from bigger crystals.
Bigger crystal react faster to light, small grains react slower.
From all that we came to have the different film speeds we're all familiar with today (after a big bun-fight between the Yanks and the Germans over whose standard we'd all end up using).
The silver halides are suspended in beef gelatin - still the best way of doing this - that's why the BSE scare had film manufacturers worried.
That's why it goes off - same as any other meat by-product - that's why film has a sell-by date.
Keeping it in the fridge is good for 'ready' stock - use within the next month say.
Keeping it in the freezer keeps it indefinitely - you just have to put it in the fridge for 24 hours to defrost before use.
I always write on the pack the date it went into deep freeze - you can then calculate how long before it reaches it's 'true' use-by date from the printed sell-by date, plus freeze time.
I have a seperate freezer for film and paper in the shed, which also used to double as the darkroom but now actually holds all my tools and stuff.
 
There's a sad side to all this isn't there? There used to be a thriving photographic repair shop a few miles up the road from me and it was great to be able to drop faulty gear in there knowing it was in good hands.

He has a message on his Ansaphone to the effect that the shop is now closed - he's working from home and can no loner undertake repairs to digital equipment. :(
 
i never knew that about film, see, learn something new everyday
 
I think you "oldies" are taking the rise of us "youngsters"... :wink:

No, I've checked on Google and freezing film is perfectly acceptable! :eek:ops:
 
I still have a load of 5x4 inch infra red film in my freezer, as Kodak stopped making it in that size years ago. I no longer have my Linhoff tho, so no 5x4 camera anymore.. :LOL: Oh well.
 
Pook, shoebox, black tape, pinhole, sorted :)
 
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