Film Thoughts and Ramblings

Mr_T

Mr_T

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I often see little things that don't really deserve their own thread but may be interesting to others. The intention of this topic is for people to discuss whatever they like to do with film, derailing is encouraged and good humour is mandatory at all times :p.

To start off I found out about this, it seems quite interesting that a main stream manufacturer is asking its customers whether they still shoot film or not. I very much doubt anything will come out of this but it's still nice to see that there is still an active interest in film.
 
I shoot very little film at the mo, probably because I don't have a camera big enough. Not including my little plasic agfa clack, the biggest I can muster is 645.

Somehow it's just got to be a great slab of ground glass to get my mojo going. I will get a biiiiiiiiig view camera one day and shoot b&w for making contact prints I can frame and hang. (y)
 
Well I still use film because no one has given me a good reason to switch to a DSLR, and I can only think of a few reasons myself e.g. experimenting or trying to get a wasp shot in mid air and so on, and that's not good enough to spend lots of dosh for what I use a camera for......also I'm lucky in that WISITVIWIG most of the time, but always take a 2nd shot for backup at important times.

..and WISITVIWIG is:- What I See In The Viewfinder Is What I Get ;)
 
I still only use film, slide film to be exact.

I can see the benefits of digital if you are shooting lots of rolls, and like to see the result there and then if your not sure of the exposure or focus or composition.

Nice to see some out there still know there are hard core film users out here. Though the slow stopping of film production will eventually see a sad end.

Just wondered what medium format users would do once film stops? :shrug:

I dont own one yet and also wondered what the best medium format would be on a reasonable budget?
 
I use both, given a choice I'll always pick up a film camera. I think film encourages people to think about the shot beforehand more.
I know if I'm shooting mono or colour, trans or negs before i go to take the images, also I don't need to check if I got the shot.
I work like the above in digital too, but its harder to not be tempted to look through your files in camera.
I also like the organic feel of film workflows, seeing the print emerge in the developer just makes me feel more 'connected'.
That and I love shooting square format and there isn't really a high quality square format digital that I can use like a Rolleiflex.
I like digital for some things, but love film for the look and the it's workflow...
 
Oh dear god wouldn't it be heaven if someone brought out a TLR with a digital back?

I know there are digital backs out there for some Medium format camera's but they all seem to be priced in figures that I would need a mortgage on.

Me? I shoot some film because I like the process of setting dials etc on my camera as opposed to pressing buttons, yes I use a DSLR but its not the same.
It also takes me back to when I shot and processed my own B&W, I loved it and miss it, so though I will never be able to process my own again I can still have the fun of shooting it.
Also I never tried medium format before, so missed out on a lot of fun.
Now all I have to do is stop buying yashica flavoured lemons as both those I got have major problems, but the 124 is worth taking in for some TLC that should see it working again.
 
I like film, I use digital when I need to but mostly film. Just beginning to get into plate cameras with a couple of quarter plate beasties on the desk right now. One even has a Rollei 6x9 film back and iirc I have some 120 film in the fridge right now courtesy of Ujjwal ... :D

I also have a pack of 25 sheets of film coming - not really sure how that one will go but my point in this? Well, it's fun, right? I have way more fun with film, film cameras and film stuff in general than I ever did with digital... even though I took many many more digital pics on holiday than film ones! It's a much more hands-on side of the hobby where you can get as dirty-deep as you want. Digital is sometimes too clinical for me, but then again I enjoy the speed, the ease, and the simplicity of digital - but again, like film, it can be as simple or as complex as you feel happy with.
 
PeterA said:
I dont own one yet and also wondered what the best medium format would be on a reasonable budget?
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Depends on your intended use as there are TLRs with fixed or interchangeable lenses but they don't have interchengeable backs, or SLRs like the Mamiya 645 and the Bronica ETRS where you can change lenses and usually the backs as well if you shoot different types of film. You should be able to get a complete camera for £300 on eBay, although the prices seem to be moving up slightly just now. Keep an eye open and you can sometimes get one for quite a bit less. (y)
 
Peter B said:
Depends on your intended use as there are TLRs with fixed or interchangeable lenses but they don't have interchengeable backs, or SLRs like the Mamiya 645 and the Bronica ETRS where you can change lenses and usually the backs as well if you shoot different types of film. You should be able to get a complete camera for £300 on eBay, although the prices seem to be moving up slightly just now. Keep an eye open and you can sometimes get one for quite a bit less. (y)
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Thanks Peter. It would be the SLRs. Is there much difference b/n Mamiya & Bronica in terms of quality?

Liam said:
I would cry.

Digital can never fully replace film.
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(y)
 
PeterA said:
Thanks Peter. It would be the SLRs. Is there much difference b/n Mamiya & Bronica in terms of quality?



(y)
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I don't think there's that much of a difference in quality, but a couple of practical issues. The Mamiya 645 only had interchangeable film backs quite recently, although you could use film inserts that you had preloaded in the older (cheaper) models. The other biggie is that the Mamiya's shutter is in the body, whereas the Bronica shutters are in the lenses, so the lenses are likely to be that bit more expensive.
 
Film isn't going to just stop, film and digital do completely different things with completely different equipment using completely different materials.
 
joxby said:
Film isn't going to just stop, film and digital do completely different things with completely different equipment using completely different materials.
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Well, I guess that depends on your own particular views but I imagine most people would argue film and digital do exactly the same thing in completely different ways and with potentially different effects...

...which is not as catchy, I admit.
 
Thmaga said:
For that reason I think there will be a market for film, especially the larger formats for a good while yet!
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Hmm, they are cutting down as you can no longer get some sheet film in 50 boxes (10 instead) and kodak have discontinued 400nc/vc....
 
Been enjoying shooting film on my Rollei SL35E. Was given the camera and lenses for payment of some work I didn't want paying for anyway, but couldn't resist the chance to get some decent glass for more or less free.

Only shot a roll, and it's true, really thinking about the frame much more than with digital, though I'll probably only still get a few decent shots :D But I enjoy the whole experience, loading the film, winding the film on, the manual nature of the shutter release, winding back the film into the cannister etc etc. even the odd inquisitive looks people give you. Or maybe I'm just weird....

I think film is somewhat comparable to vinyl records and classic cars etc. There's always going to be a market for it no matter what advances are made in digital photography.
 
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juno said:
.....even the odd inquisitive looks people give you. Or maybe I'm just weird
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No you're certainly not weird, you just enjoy the film experience, that's all. ;)

As for people looking, yes I do get that myself from time to time when I'm out and about. On occasion, they may even approach me to ask about the camera and we end up having a pleasant chat which we possibly would never otherwise have had if I'd been using a digital camera.

With regards to film dwindling, well Ilford (Harman Technology) will tell you a very different story with regards to their sales. There is still much demand for paper and chemistry as well as their films. In fact, the last time I spoke with a guy there, he did say that sales had actually increased over the previous three or four years. I don't honestly know the score with colour, but at the end of the day as long as photographers continue to use film, there will always be a market for it.
 
Peter B said:
I don't think there's that much of a difference in quality, but a couple of practical issues. The Mamiya 645 only had interchangeable film backs quite recently, although you could use film inserts that you had preloaded in the older (cheaper) models. The other biggie is that the Mamiya's shutter is in the body, whereas the Bronica shutters are in the lenses, so the lenses are likely to be that bit more expensive.
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Thanks. Good to know (y)

Carl V said:
With regards to film dwindling, well Ilford (Harman Technology) will tell you a very different story with regards to their sales. There is still much demand for paper and chemistry as well as their films. In fact, the last time I spoke with a guy there, he did say that sales had actually increased over the previous three or four years. I don't honestly know the score with colour, but at the end of the day as long as photographers continue to use film, there will always be a market for it.
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Some positive news :)
 
PeterA said:
Some positive news :)
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He said, trying not to be negative...
rotf.gif
 
Great British Landscapes Magazine went live from midday today, you can't access all the articles yet but I have very high hopes for this website. The screencast with Joe Cornish is pretty interesting but what surprised me more is the quality of the negatives and scans, I wish I could get as much detail shooting 6x7!
 
Rolleikin said:
MR T
Ian Cameron does fine landscape work on his Pentax 6x7

http://www.transientlight.co.uk/

Some great stuff there...
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My previous post was a bit confusing, I wasn't trying to say anything I use at fault, it's me that is at fault. I'm trying to work as hard as I can to get the best out of my camera and the rolls of film I put through it. I'm by far the weakest link here by quite some margin :LOL:.

That site blows my mind, I'm still looking at the slide show right now and haven't yet found one photography I dislike. There are some I like less than others but for the most part they are absolutely epic. I don't know how he does it but he seems to capture the very essence of the places he visits. I really wish I could use the light as well as this man does!
 
Just a slight bump for anyone interested in a good scanning tutorial. I've found this to be a very comprehensive guide, particularly if you want to profile your scanner.
 
Mr_T said:
Just a slight bump for anyone interested in a good scanning tutorial. I've found this to be a very comprehensive guide, particularly if you want to profile your scanner.
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This looks really useful. I did profile my scanner about a year ago, purchasing IT8 targets at that time, but readiing this the free software I used was not upto what he has found, so may well give this a go.

Thanks for sharing (y)
 
PeterA said:
This looks really useful. I did profile my scanner about a year ago, purchasing IT8 targets at that time, but readiing this the free software I used was not upto what he has found, so may well give this a go.

Thanks for sharing (y)
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I was extremely confused about profiling my scanner, I assumed it would all be taken care of by the scanning software which just isn't the case. If you follow the instructions very carefully it should give you some very usable profiles. I ended up purchasing Profile Mechanic because I thought it would be more effective (and because it has a GUI) but found that although the profiles were a little better it probably wasn't worth the price tag!
 
I found that with the Nikon coolscan their in built was not great with slide film, particularly Velvia. And I am with you it took a long time to work out how to calibrate with IT8 targets.

This looks good on initial scan (purden the pun) although I am also looking into Silverfast software as well. I did trial Vuescan but was never happy with the final results
 
It's quite common for our digital brothers and sisters to feel smug about their technology packed gear but new research suggests that their cameras have been telling porkies all along. Naughty sensors!
 
Yeah, we do the same only we lie to the camera, no?
 
Interesting link, but it does seem to fly in the face of experience. Fast lenses really do produce shallower depth of field, and I've never noticed any increased noise at f1.8 compared to, say, 5.6 on my CMOS D60.
 
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