Thinking about film.

[Like Her]

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Hello everyone,

 

I am thinking about getting an M6TTL to partner my M9 to have a little fun with film on.

 

I can see it being useful for the occasions I might want to leave the more valuable M9 at home and for instances where battery life might be an issue or indeed when I may want two bodies to prevent lens changing.

 

I have no interest in developing my own film, so what do people do in terms of film processing?

 

I am in central london, so imagine there are a few places about.

 

For good / reasonable prints should I be avoiding places like snappy snaps and going for more professional printing?

 

Are contact sheets the way to go, choosing my favourite pictures to print or enlarge?

 

do I get the processors to scan my pictures / negatives or is it better to invest in a scanner?

 

What do people most tend to do who are not developing their own pictures?

 

Many thanks,

 

Will.

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[madNbad]

Having the film processed and scanned onto a disk is a good way to start out. Ask around and find out what services are offered. The shop I use offers different rates of resolution for the scanning services. It's a good way to start and if you start using more film then invest in a scanner.

[TomB_tx]

The danger is that you'll enjoy shooting with the M6 so much the M9 will lose some of its luster! I found that when I began using my M6 again as a second body. However, the M9 files do have advantages.

I only use "fast print" places when I'm wasting a roll to test camera repairs. In general they have poor dust and scratch control, and usually only process C41 (color print) film. Also, their scans tend to be low resolution. A good processing center will process C41, E6, and B&W films, and can scan them at very good quality with much less dust. I don't know about labs there, but in the US the higher volume labs (like Dwayne's - the last lab to stop Kodachrome processing) are not much more than the 1-hr shops with excellent results. Some labs, like Precision Camera in Austin, TX do excellent "Ultra-resolution" sans that are higher pixel count than M9 files!

I do some of my own scanning, but if I had seen the results from these places first I would have saved the money spent on the scanner.

[segedi]

For color, a contact sheet might cost more than getting small prints done. You could also get them put onto a CD and look through them that way and decide what to have scanned at a higher resolution or enlarged by the shop.

 

For B&W, I don't use the shops as there isn't any available in Calgary to do it. But it's easy to do at home and even easier paying another home Dev enthusiast to do it.

 

Chromes are sent out and you can have those scanned as well and printed from digital. Printing has become more difficult due to lack of reversal papers but printing from scans is easy. While scanning is a fairly easy process, it is time consuming and the good scanners cost quite a bit. If film was your main pursuit. I'd recommend getting a scanner, but not at the volume you will probably do. It's easier and faster to just have scans made at the time of development. A good scanner will cost more than the M6 TTL!

[Like Her]

Thanks for the quick replies!

 

Just to confirm does processing & scanning mean they develop the film and then scan it.

 

So no printing involved. E.g I get back developed negs and a CD of images?

 

They scan straight from the negs right?

 

Sounds like a neat way of doing it.

 

And a larger scan of my favourite pics if required at a later point - just bring in the negs?

[Messsucherkamera]

The most cost effective way to work if you are shooting C41 film (Color negative) is to have the negatives developed and scanned at low resolution sizes (1 Mb scans or smaller) and put on a thumb drive. Then you can look at the images on your computer to decide which ones you want to print/enlarge.

 

If you want to work in black and white, do the same thing with one small change : develop the B&W film at home yourself. Its not difficult at all and it costs me about between $0.25 and $0.50USD per roll to develop. Most labs that develop B &W film charge $5.00USD or more per 35mm roll to develop the film, prints not included.

 

It will cost a few dollars to get the hardware you need to develop B &W film (developing tank and reels, darkroom thermometer, darkroom graduate, chemical storage bottles, film changing dark bag (optional if you have a room with a bit of counter workspace that you can make 100% dark), etc. This gear will probably run between $75 and $150USD but it also pays for itself promptly in terms of money saved.

 

Just a suggestion - give it some thought...

[Scarlet]

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Develop at a lab. You're in the UK so you could also use AG Photographic's development-only option. I don't know any places in London unfortunately. For prints go to a shop you trust. You may have to try out a few.

 

As for development, I've tried good labs and "happy snap" labs and find little difference in the results. Then everyone's quality requirements differ so YMMV.

 

But if you're serious, get something like an Epson R1900 and a ColorMunki to calibrate it and print at home. One doesn't need the latest, greatest and fanciest inkjets to produce excellent prints.

 

As for scanner it, too, depends on your needs. Many here use the V700. Others, like myself, were lucky enough to buy neg/slide scanners when they were affordable and use them.

 

The suggestion to learn b/w development is good. Very economical, though perhaps less so with time.

[earleygallery]

Personally I have found Snappy Snaps reliable and of good quality. They will develop and scan (no prints) a roll of film quickly and relatively cheaply. They do C41, E6 and B&W.

 

However, Aperture in London have just started offering in house D&P - check their website, and there are numerous other processors and pro labs in London. Just stay well away from Boots and Jessops!!

 

I process my own B&W however - it's really simple and if you're getting into film you should really look at doing the same.

 

My advice would be to get a process/scan job first (lowest res. CD, which is fine for the computer/web use or making 6X4's) then have individual frames printed or scanned at a higher resolution to print yourself.

[StS]

Having the film developed and scanned in the lab is certainly a good start.

 

Developing one's own films gives much more control about the outcome. As has been mentioned, the equipment for film development does not cost much and will last a lifetime. I guess, it depends, whether one likes to develop films; I find it quite relaxing, but other views might differ.

 

Just to offer a slightly different vew on film scanners, I find that scanner/software combinations around 300 Euros are good enough for A4-sized prints. The main catch with the scanners in this price range is speed, I need about 15 minutes / frame. More expensive scanners are faster and offer a larger optical density range. However, I find the range sufficient for properly exposed and developed negatives.

 

Stefan

[Bill Clark]

Try developing your film as I find it to be a fun experience as well as much less cost than having someone else do it for you. ID-11 developer is a good way to start on your developing journey. You also need a product called "fixer" and stop bath is an option that's used after developer and before fixing your film

 

Can you find a place to scan your film after you develop?

 

I don't scan as I have my analog darkroom set up. I make a contact sheet of each roll of film then decide if any should be printed.

 

There are several reasons I still capture with film. It's where I began my photography journey in the 1950's and I still have clients who like B&W film photographs. Plus I see lots of photographs that, to me at least, look like they were over processed with computer imaging software.

 

Hope this helps you!

[Scarlet]

Plus I see lots of photographs that, to me at least, look like they were over processed with computer imaging software.

 

I completely agree with this. There really should be a block on the saturation slider in Photoshop. And all these plastic-looking models with smoothened airbrushed features. Gah.

[sblitz]

it is a slippery slope, especially if you started with film.....bought an m4 to complement the m9, m4 gets more usage today .... it is just more fun for me, perhaps if i grew up with digital i would feel different.....look, this isn't a living its a hobby and so it is about what speaks to me. but my guess once you put your toe into a film m you will me swimming in it up to your eyeballs.... as for processing, living in nyc makes it no big deal .... i send it out for process and scan .... if there is a shot i really like i go back for the drum scan or even just a print ...

[Like Her]

Thanks for all the advice.

 

I think that if I do go down this road then it will be mostly B&W film that I will start with which seems to lend itself to home processing by all accounts. I think that is something I can work up to depending on how much I enjoy using a film camera.

 

I think the process and scan method would be most suitable for me to begin with while I ease myself in.