Why I'm Shooting Film Again

css9450 said:
Same here; color print film never had the same kind of impact to me that slides do. A shame it is so hard to get now (I should clarify: I realize the new Ektachrome is available but I much prefer Provia over it but Provia seems to be perpetually out of stock and outrageously expensive).
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In the past month or so Provia has become much more available, if not less outrageous in price. Ektachrome is a nice film, but less to my taste, and responds very different from Provia, and, I think, somewhat unpredictably (very heavy blue cast in open shade, perhaps because I live at over 7,000 ft.). In the past year or so that Fuji films have disappeared or been unavailable, I've been training myself to "see" the Ektachrome response. I may stick with it, and I have learned that an 81B filter is my friend! Nevertheless, I'll be keeping one back loaded with Provia for landscape work. And of course, RIP Velvia 100, sadly missed.
 
Retro-Grouch said:
In the past month or so Provia has become much more available, if not less outrageous in price. Ektachrome is a nice film, but less to my taste, and responds very different from Provia, and, I think, somewhat unpredictably (very heavy blue cast in open shade, perhaps because I live at over 7,000 ft.). In the past year or so that Fuji films have disappeared or been unavailable, I've been training myself to "see" the Ektachrome response. I may stick with it, and I have learned that an 81B filter is my friend! Nevertheless, I'll be keeping one back loaded with Provia for landscape work. And of course, RIP Velvia 100, sadly missed.
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I live in the Columbia Basin of Central Washington, east of the mountains. The light here, too, is often cool, so I use an 81B filter a lot of the time.

- Murray
 
When I shot Kodachrome it was mostly with a Gossen light meter, reflected readings. But for one month on holiday I just had the Kodak box end. I did extremely well. In a sense the box end exposure advice is incident readings, which is good for slide film.

Fuji Superia 200 and 400, colour negative, will take two stops overexposure no problem. But in bright sun I liked the effect one stop under-exposed too: dense blue sky, vivid blocks of colour.
 
I just loaded a Kodak Color Plus 200 into the M6 not used for many months. The meter arrow pointed left no matter what setting I chose. Happened once on holiday, so I remembered what to do. I toggled the ISO selection dial through a few settings and back to 200, ensuring a decisive click into the 200 detente. Worked fine then.

Having not loaded an M6 for a while I just did is like the manual says: film in, close up with the baseplate, wind on and fire. repeat. The first wind I do decisively to make the film grab. I did then take up some slack with the rewind. Next advance confirmed the rewind post rotating.
 
This thread has me reworking my budget spreadsheet tonight at work (deadly quiet night so lots of time :) )

Next paycheck:
scanner gadget and an AF-D 60mm/2.8 macro for my D810

then the chemicals and "stuff" I need aside from film:
bulk film loader
empty film canisters
3 1 gallon plastic jugs
Diafine
Fixer - probably Arista non-hardening because it's like what I used to use.

Then I'll dig out my old Rondinax 35 Daylight Developing Tank and clean it up.

The following paycheck, I'll be looking at a 100' roll. That'll be the real question... Probably FP4+ but there's a temptation for either HP4+ or Kentmere 400.

I've got a couple of Nikon's that need regular feeding :cool:
 
Ya'all may find this humorous. As part of getting more serious about film since I bought first the Nikon F4 and then the S2, I ordered a Sekonic L-308 on Friday. It arrives tomorrow.

Just in time.

My L-208 died today. :eek:

No warning, didn't drop it or anything. Just went to use it and nothing. It was bright enough out so I Sunny-16'd the image of the moment, got home and changed the battery. Nothing. Put the old one into a different gadget (a red dot sight for a rifle) and it worked fine. Not sure why it went south but there you have it. But this one:

s-l1600.jpg

Should fill in for it well enough.
 
wlewisiii said:
This thread has me reworking my budget spreadsheet tonight at work (deadly quiet night so lots of time :) )
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Oh man reminds me of my first proper summer job, as a half day hotel clerk also with downtime.

I am ramping up and am stocking for a long trip that I am planning, and goes well as an analogy to winter hibernation. There go the paychecks and the films into the freezer!
Yesterday picked up from a store a brick of 10 rolls HP5 which was the second part of an order together with 13 rolls of Delta which I got a discount code for the total. Buying film nowadays becomes a bit of futures trading as the pricing trend is upwards. And relatively big batches (20 rolls) I buy every couple years.
Last month it was Portra 160 (10) and 400 (5).
I still have Provia frozen but its supply is dry in Europe. Wanted Velvia for an autumn fix, but nothing. Ektachrome is at $100 a 120 propack here while discounted, but there has always been something with slide under the right conditions that makes it beautiful so down the line I might stock up on it.

Yikes, sum it up and I have spent quite a bit, as this beauty of a Super Ikonta also is included:

Super ikonta2.jpg

But in all honesty, being quite selective shooting and aiming for print helps a lot with a large proportion in B&W.
10+! Years ago after shooting Kodachrome and getting into Medium format I had this idea of taking a long trip in the tropics using this medium, which still has not happened and is the idea in planning. Fun discussion here!

Overall in my shooting I have been quite minimalistic and always shot with the Fuji 6x9 that covers small formats and is quite sharp. Avoided largely GAS and instead put that into film and costs. The L308 meter is solid and very useful. Again for the travel agility and redundancy purpose I will probably pick one of those new age hotshoe meters. Did have a scare last week as the Sekonic was hard to turn on, but probably the cold weather did it, as it worked without issues back home!
 
Just down to two film cameras at the moment both of which I use selectively.
My original M3 DS (1955) and a black paint M4 (1969) which I bought from proceeds from a sale and when prices were sensible .
Like I say its high days and holidays as far as usage is concerned given the cost of film these days .

Michael Markey
 
Chriscrawfordphoto said:
and it only cost $20 a roll for the scans (plus $7 to develop the film). I sent them seven more rolls, which is what the recent color film shots I have posted are from. I have another 5 rolls to send them this week.
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324 USD for 12 rolls, 400 USD(600 CAD) including film price... I'm not this rich, at all. But if you could write it off as business expense, maybe.
 
Got a box from a friend with an old bulk loader & two stainless reels in it. Ordered 2 bags of Arista D-76 clone and 2 bags of fixer today as well as the scanner gadget for my D810. Probably take a couple of weeks for everything to get here but, progress is being made. Bought a couple of rolls of HP5+ for the meantime and planning to buy a 100' roll on my next paycheck.
 
I'm a Leica user - have been for most of my life. For years I boasted that film was far superior when compared to digital (35mm film to full-frame digital). Plus I enjoyed the experience of shooting film much more when compared to shooting digital. But beginning with the 18mp M9, which was arguably equal to that of most films, my digital M cameras have been producing images far superior compared to that of film. It took me some time, but even my user experience with the M10-P is almost now equal to that of shooting with my film Ms.

Although my freezer is stuffed with enough film to last me a lifetime, other than reliability, I see no reason to ever soot film over digital again.

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Leica M6, 50mm Summicron v.4 - Kodak T-Max 100

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Leica M10-P, CV 75mm Heliar Classic
 
"Although my freezer is stuffed with enough film to last me a lifetime, other than reliability, I see no reason to ever soot film over digital again."
Well, if you print in a darkroom there's a very good reason....
 
Deardorff38 said:
... Well, if you print in a darkroom there's a very good reason....
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Oh yes, the darkroom. That's another thing I don't miss - not at all. Epson and Canon inks hold up so well that they are nearly (if not completely) indistinguishable from darkroom prints on resin coated darkroom paper.
 
Chris -

Beautiful imaging, as is your way. I, too, have significant amount of Leica (and Canon) rangefinder gear and a Coolscan V, which I almost always use for B&W film. Actually, my RF gear also only seems to shoot B&W film!

Been wondering about color film lately well scanned at a lab but the total cost is a bit off-putting. I do like the color output of my M10-P...
 
snapwell said:
Chris -

Beautiful imaging, as is your way. I, too, have significant amount of Leica (and Canon) rangefinder gear and a Coolscan V, which I almost always use for B&W film. Actually, my RF gear also only seems to shoot B&W film!

Been wondering about color film lately well scanned at a lab but the total cost is a bit off-putting. I do like the color output of my M10-P...
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Thanks, snapwell. The cost does add up; I have 9 rolls of color film waiting to send off and scan, but I'm waiting to come up with the money for it. If you can afford an M10-P, film costs shouldn't bother you :) I'd love to own a digital Leica, but one like yours is around $10,000, isn't it? Way out of my range! I used to shoot all B&W in my film cameras, and did my color work with digital. I've not been well the last couple years and just haven't felt up to processing film or dealing with the time needed for scanning, plus I've gotten more interested in color photography in recent years.

It has been nice seeing that several people here started shooting film again after seeing this thread. There's some nice work that's been posted here by other RFF members. Here's a few more of my recent film pics that I am working on editing:



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My cat, Sneaky. Leica M4-2, 50mm f2.4 Summarit-M, Portra 400.



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Dog looking at me. Leica IIIf Red Dial, 35mm f3.5 Summaron, Portra 400.



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Harvested cornfield on a foggy morning. Leica M3, 50mm f2.4 Summarit-M, Portra 800.



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Bowling Alley in Bluffton, Indiana. Leica M4-2, 50mm f2.4 Summarit-M, Portra 400.



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Post Office in Poneto, Indiana. Leica M4-2, 25mm f2.8 ZM-Biogon, Portra 400.
 
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