There's never been a better time than now to shoot film.

[earleygallery]

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Paul,

 

I hear what you say and that's very much your personal preference - you seem to have been won over by the convenience of digital.

 

The point I'm making is that film different. It's a difference which people - from my own experience - seem to notice and like, as they are so used to seeing digital images now from their own/friends holiday snaps, to advertising and journalism.

 

Yes digital is 'easier' but I stand by my original remarks, it's a great time to shoot film!

[plasticman]

Paul,

 

I hear what you say and that's very much your personal preference - you seem to have been won over by the convenience of digital.

 

The point I'm making is that film different. It's a difference which people - from my own experience - seem to notice and like, as they are so used to seeing digital images now from their own/friends holiday snaps, to advertising and journalism.

 

Yes digital is 'easier' but I stand by my original remarks, it's a great time to shoot film!

 

Totally endorse this. Every now and again, when I'm tired of the background sound of the scanner batch-capturing thumbnails of my negatives, I begin to wonder whether the process of shooting film is worth it.

Then I see the results.

 

There's no question that the digital workflow is more convenient - more convenient even than my half-digital workflow. But while I still love the results from digital and the freedom to experiment without cost, the final images from film are indeed totally different, and definitely worth the time and effort they demand of me.

[andybarton]

+1 to that

[leicavirgin]

I totally agree that film is alive.....I like using it for straight shots, but also pinhole shots (I have a pinhole cap for my MP). I also have an old Yashica Lynx that is pretty amazing and a couple of special effects cameras from the LOMO line, not outstanding quality, but fun images. I have promised myself that once I have some things finished around my house, I am going to build a darkroom area in my basement....I have seen some alternative B & W film processing, orange juice and coffee with soap flakes (may have seen it on this forum) that I would like to try....has anyone here tried these?

[lieberdavid]

Hi Everyone,

 

I don't agree that there's never been a better time than now to shoot film. But I do agree that it is a good time to shoot film and an important time, if we want film photography to continue to be readily available.

 

The supposed convenience of digital photography amounts to nothing more than being able to glance at the back of a camera and see a tiny image right after the shot. Anything more than that involves sitting in front of a computer and post processing.

 

I cannot see how that is more convenent than dropping off your film at the lab and picking up the finished results later.

 

I do see, however, that for most of the snap shot shooting public that glancing at the back of their cameras is all that they really want to do, and since this market is so huge, it has nearly taken over completely the industry. We film users are suffering because of this, sad to say.

 

Cheers!

David

[StS]

Technically, the films we get today probably show the highest development level there will be - films have been optimized for scanning and the choice of material is still good. I doubt there will be much new films, although there is still some development, like the SPUR, and some old material branded newly (Adox, Rollei). In the end, I'm happy with the available material. Helping out someone with film from my bag, I was able to offer three 400 ASA B/W films from one manufacturer (Tri-X, Tmax and BW400).

 

I doubt useage will go down much further, the vast majority of convenience users has switched to digital years ago and people who used film in the last two or thee years are unlikely to switch completely to digital. My prediction would be a stable useage level, maybe even a slight increase from people rediscovering film. And then, production machines are written off.

 

Stefan

[pgk]

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Paul,

 

I hear what you say and that's very much your personal preference - you seem to have been won over by the convenience of digital.

 

The point I'm making is that film different. It's a difference which people - from my own experience - seem to notice and like, as they are so used to seeing digital images now from their own/friends holiday snaps, to advertising and journalism.

 

Yes digital is 'easier' but I stand by my original remarks, it's a great time to shoot film!

I fully accept your remarks except that I, personally, do not consider digital to be more convenient nor 'easier' (unless you like carrying around laptops, chargers, card readers, and more and learning ever more complex software). I do think that both film and digital are both exacting mediums if used 'properly'. For me its more that I really do now prefer to digital workflow and often the end result. Sloppy practice is more prevalent with digital IMHO because it is seemingly a more forgiving medium, but its not 'easier' as a result.

[redbaron]

Battery chargers are a PITA! I hate them with a passion. Every new thing I buy has its own bloody charger, except my MP. To me, that is convenience.

[pgk]

Battery chargers are a PITA! I hate them with a passion. Every new thing I buy has its own bloody charger, except my MP. To me, that is convenience.

There was some talk of the EU creating some form of 'standardised' power adapter/charger legislation (probably one of the few areas needing legislation) which might help in this respect - I have a collection, and yes they are a PITA especially when travelling.

[earleygallery]

Paul,

 

I'm not saying that digital is simple but assumed from your remarks that it was partly the generally more convenient/easier workflow which you like (you referred to not missing chemicals and being able to take a cofffee break easily). I do agree that to produce a quality end result takes as much skill and effort overall - I shoot digital too!

 

I fully accept your remarks except that I, personally, do not consider digital to be more convenient nor 'easier' (unless you like carrying around laptops, chargers, card readers, and more and learning ever more complex software). I do think that both film and digital are both exacting mediums if used 'properly'. For me its more that I really do now prefer to digital workflow and often the end result. Sloppy practice is more prevalent with digital IMHO because it is seemingly a more forgiving medium, but its not 'easier' as a result.

[Nikkor AIS]

While I really feel that film and wet process printing is the utimate. The fact is by combining the most excellent qualities of film and the convenince of scanning, it makes a nice one two punch. Or the best/worst of both worlds depending on your personal opinion. Every once in a while there is fly in the honey, for instance. My last roll of film taken with my new Widelux is to wide to scan on my Nikon 5000 and my local lab cant make a CD. I guess it's a new scanner or back in the dark room I go.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gregory

[AlanG]

... My last roll of film taken with my new Widelux is to wide to scan on my Nikon 5000 and my local lab cant make a CD. I guess it's a new scanner or back in the dark room I go.

 

 

Gregory

 

Scan it in two sections, overlay and blend. I've done this many times with 6x12 film in a 6x9 scanner.

[earleygallery]

An Epson flatbed will scan up to 10x8 sheet film

[Nikkor AIS]

Allan, cool and thanks.

 

 

Gregory

[proenca]

I'm with Paul on this one.

 

Problem is that I got caught up in the digital convenience as well.

 

I'll explain :

 

I started with a film camera and then a T70, which hated because it was half auto and it was stupid.

 

Nonetheless, joined the digital slr bandwagon when the Fuji S2PRO came out ( now now, few years ago ) and went up to a Canon 1Ds II ... and then got fed up of carrying tons of lens and tons of crap.

 

Traded everything for a M7 + 50 lux + 90 cron + 35 lux and was happy.

 

Got a scanner and everything and everythin went well until one day I got my house robbed and took everything.

 

Got a MP ( always lusted for one ) and a 35 cron and start shoting again. After a while, went on holiday to Singapore and just days after arriving the M8 was announced - bought one there and used it for thousands of shots... To the point the MP was gathering dust and sold it.

 

After a while, got nostalgic and bought another MP - because I wanted a camera to pass on - and a special one. So I bought a MP Anthracite.

 

Problem is, I got a M9 now and the MP is gathering dust again.

 

Learned my lesson and not going to sell it.

 

But the thing is , I'm so into the digital workflow, the easyness of it, I cannot see spending full holidays ONLY with film.

 

Yes colours are different but when they are "right". Love velvia.

 

But where is lots of headroom ( v s digital ) with the black-highlight transition ( b/w is so much superior, I give you that ) , problem is with the colours.

 

A dodgy WB on film is freaking hard to correct.

 

Sure film has is merits and its the best time to use it.

 

Sure its cheap, but also its early pro digital cameras.

 

Yap, you can buy a Nikon F5 ( uber film camera ) for 250 gbp... but you can also buy a Nikon D2h for that price ( bought one actually for less than that ) ... and while you are not going to shoot high isos or print billboards with the D2h, its heaps better than a p&s and its pro stuff.

 

Its a good time to photograph thats for sure and film, where I can see has its HUGE merits and its a FANTASTIC time to use it, its Medium Format.

 

Heck, Hasselblad 500 CM complete with lens for 500gb ? now THAT is a freaking steal...

 

Try that with digital... Closest thing is a Canon 1Ds II and that will leave you for 1300gbp minimum without lens... and without the MF sweet DOF...

 

I like to take my MP for a spin everynow and then, and now that I won a small amateur photo contest that incldued 50 x rolls of film, she will surely see some action.

 

But I cant be arsed to go back to film. Digital , while better or not, is so much easier.

 

I dont complain much about going to the lab ( got one 10 minutes away from my office ) neither about the turnaroudn time.

 

Its the scanning that its a pain.

 

A professional CD scan is expensive.

 

A quick rush scan is bollocks and expensive

 

Home scan, while in all its glory, its S-L-O-W in high quality. Man, I still have tremors and nightmares when I would come from holidays with 10 rolls and each took at least 1 hour job to scan in my Minolta.

 

And AFTER the post processing.

 

Thats what digital sold me.

 

Its fast, easy and does the job.

 

Sorry

[psamson]

I have a M6 and recently bought a Hasselblad 503CX from Buy & Sell New & Used Cameras – Canon, Nikon, Hasselblad, Leica & More - KEH.com

 

Still using my Nikon digital, but love the film cameras.

[bocaburger]

I was fine with film, and I really could've cared less about digital. I'd still be shooting film but for the fact that all the decent labs (along with the not-decent ones) within an hour's drive of here are gone. I never liked developing my own film, I'm not about to risk a week's worth of unrepeatable travel photos through the mail or UPS/FEdex.

 

Now that I've gone to the expense of digital bodies, paying for film and developing seems like throwing good money after bad. Even when there was a decent lab here, they didn't print on an enlarger and develop in trays of chemicals, they scanned everything. If it's going to end up digital (scanned) it may as well start off digital is how I look at it.

[earleygallery]

Bocaburger you miss the point. Scanned film looks totally different to digital source images. The scan captures the grain, tonality and or colours of the given film, it's completely different. Wet printing offers a further differential.

[Nikkor AIS]

I totally agree with early gallery about the unique signature with scanned film over digital files. I really hope Andy dosnt delete my image as i dont know how to descibe in words what only a picture can say.

 

 

 

50 1.0 Noctilux @1.0 with B+W ND filter taken on Leica MP

 

Gregory

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Hallo,

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[earleygallery]

Love that photo!