Fired up the film camera again. Advice please.

Mike54

Mike54

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Hi Film Buffs. For some reason as yet unknown I've bought a battery for my Canon 1000FN film camera. I'm not sure how long the film has been it but for quite some time. I've also found two rolls of film with a develop before 2003 date, I will take it it is best to sling them in the bin, unless someone can advise otherwise.
What I'm interested in knowing is what I my best options If I want to have some new film(s) processed. Can I get them developed straight to a CD at somewhere like ASDA or will I always have to have prints.
The reason I'm doing this is to try to see how much I rely on the camera / Photoshop to set exposure and composition etc.
Any tips or advice would be much appreciated.
 
as far as the film - it sort of depends on what film it is, and how it's been kept - general use film, such as Kodacolour gold 100 asa for example is pretty stable at room temperature. If it's been kept in it's box, in it's film tub, and in a dark drawer somewhere cool-ish, it'll be fine. If it's been kept out of packaging, on a kitchen windowsill, give it to someone who likes messing with Holga's and buy some more.

For processing, My local asda do a 1 hour service, process only (which I use occasionally, as I've got a neg scanner) or process to CD, where they'll scan the negs to a resolution that pretty much matches a 6x4" print - i.e. 1800x1200.
 
The out date film will probably yield images ok still but I wouldn't go shooting anything really important with it.

To begin with I'd opt for a Kodak or Fuji 400 ASA print film, you don't have to have prints and can go for the CD option. Once you've mastered the camera more onto B&W perhaps processing the film yourself and colour slide

The 1000FN should allow quite a bit of flexibility in terms of giving you aperture/ shutter priority, various programmes and fully manual
 
Thanks for updates - Big Yin I see what you mean, don't bother with the lab creating your electronic pics onto a CD, use a scanner. Using a 400 film do you know how a 35mm frame equates to a sensor in terms of megapixels, I only ask as it may relate to the cropability of any picyures.
 
With the £ to the yen it seems getting Fuji prints is more expensive, Morrisons will dev + 24X6"X4" prints (dunno if they are Fuji ) for £3.50 or dev the film only for £1..........but I go to Tesco and get dev + up to 36 exp on a CD, for a total of £1.96.
 
I do the same as Excalibur2, develop and drop onto a CD for £1.96 at my local Tescos.

The girl is pretty good and normally gets them done in under an hour for that price.
 
Would it be useful to have a sticky on this forum for FAQ about things like availability of films & where to buy, which films to try, high street processing, home processing etc?

I'd have found it very useful!
 
Thats a good idea. Also comments on the various films ( may be just a one liner) on the key characterestics from a users point of view.
 
Mike54 said:
I've also found two rolls of film with a develop before 2003 date, I will take it it is best to sling them in the bin, unless someone can advise otherwise.
Click to expand...

Noooo! Out of date film can reveal some amazing colours in photos. Use it to get yourself warmed back up again after the time away (y)
 
Ok ok, Expanding upon that, I meant she works in Tesco on a full time basis and is really into developing film, I've got to know her quite well recently as my Father left me 126 cameras with a film in each camera (kept in them to keep the shutters working etc). I wanted to get them all developed but obviously not all at once as it would cost a fortune.

So I've been a pretty regular visitor down there recently. She only charges me for the films that have anything on them, so saves me quite a bit of money.
 
Mike54 said:
Thanks for updates - Big Yin I see what you mean, don't bother with the lab creating your electronic pics onto a CD, use a scanner. Using a 400 film do you know how a 35mm frame equates to a sensor in terms of megapixels, I only ask as it may relate to the cropability of any picyures.
Click to expand...

The 35mm film is the standard that a full frame sensor is based on - 36mm x 24mm. I generaly scan my own 35mm stuff at 4800dpi and re-samppe down as needed, which gives a starting resolution of something like 6800x4500 - around 30 megapixels. The scanner will go higher - but all you're doing is getting 2 or more pixels per grain in the film :LOL:

Oh, and the other bit of advice i'd give, is get the composition right in the camera - rather than cropping :D
 
Many thanks for all Your comments and advice. I will use the old film, not where it counts, and see the results. I also found an exposed film which is going to ADSA tomorrow morning. You never know it might have something interesting on it; on the other hand it might be my usual rubbish or even a gelatin blob.
The camera is an EF mount so most of the few lenses I have will fit it. So far I've its original Canon 35-105 lens and its 19-35 Vivitar (not great quality but they works).
My 24-105 L and 70-300 also seem to be OK.
 
Oh - the 35mm film cameras just LOVE L glass - as I occasionally find when I scrounge some for my EOS-3 :LOL:
 
I frequently use out of date film, however it has been kept in the fridge from new, it's absolutely fine. Regarding old film (and slightly off topic), I recently developed a 'lost' 120 film that I had used in the late 50's when I was still at school. It was in a metal screw top cannister (as most were in those days), the film developed absolutely fine. Makes you wonder what would happen if someone found an SD card in 50 years time, would the technology still exist to read it? I doubt it very much, I suspect a whole generation of images could be lost. Hopefully us film photographers will ensure that doesn't happen.

Nigel.
 
spaniel said:
Makes you wonder what would happen if someone found an SD card in 50 years time, would the technology still exist to read it?
Click to expand...

I think I read that the British Library was investing in old Amstrads and the like so that its catalogue of computer programmes from the 80s could still be read. I'd hate to think of Jet Set Willy being lost for future generations.

I imagine something similar is being done for SD cards and raw files that are in its collection.
 
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