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I like film...(open thread)


Doc Henry

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Hello Philip,

 

Your system for exposing negative film & slide film in your Post #20353 is the traditional method used during the last quarter of the 20th Century.

 

If you were to decode those little boxes on the side of your film cartridges they would tell you pretty much the same thing that you figured out empirically.

 

Which is 1 of the reasons that electronically shuttered cameras with an "A" setting, which read these little boxes, sometimes seem to determine more accurate exposures than their mechanically timed siblings.

 

Best Regards,

 

Michael

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 I'm not too picky to be honest as this is just a hobby.

 

 

Philip  - Ha, ha, LOL, you slay me!! Not too picky??   :)

Let's review:

You are picky enough to prefer film... :)

Then you are yet still picky enough shoot with a laborious Hasselblad... :)

THEN you are still yet picky enough to shoot a dying and exposure-challenged slide film... :) 

Most of all, your insights on a meticulous scanning workflow (and arguable obsession with preserving shadow detail) is well documented (not just on this forum)... :)

All this, and you say you are not "picky" and it's just a hobby?? :)

Your pickiness is what I like most about you!  You like to get into the details and perfect your craft, or hobby, or whatever it is :)  I have learned a lot from you and it is all because of your pickiness!!

Edited by A miller
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Hello Philip,

 

Your system for exposing negative film & slide film in your Post #20353 is the traditional method used during the last quarter of the 20th Century.

 

If you were to decode those little boxes on the side of your film cartridges they would tell you pretty much the same thing that you figured out empirically.

 

Which is 1 of the reasons that electronically shuttered cameras with an "A" setting, which read these little boxes, sometimes seem to determine more accurate exposures than their mechanically timed siblings.

 

Best Regards,

 

Michael

Dear Michael - 

 

Why stop there?

 

What about the millions of disposable film cameras that have been sold over the decades that don't even have an aperture or shutter speed setting?  Simply the use of a fast film and a lab that has the processing machines to fix bad exposure to a significant extent in the process of cranking out prints.  Many if not most of those precious moments have been captured sufficiently ok with this workflow.  Before I knew any better, I certainly never thought twice about it.

 

To me, though, this line of reasoning has nothing to do with this thread.

 

It is a utilitarian view of photography and not an artistic view.

 

Best regards,

 

Adam

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Hello Adam,

 

As per your Post #20360:

 

"Picky" is a term that has a certain unstructured & flighty quality to it.

 

I do not see Philip as being a "picky" person in terms of how he does things. I think of Philip as a person who purposefully does things in a precise manner. A somewhat different set of circumstances.

 

Best Regards,

 

Michael

Edited by Michael Geschlecht
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Hello Adam,

 

As per your Post #20360:

 

"Picky" is a term that has a certain unstructured & flighty quality to it.

 

I do not see Philip as being a "picky" person in terms of how he does things. I think of Philip as a person who purposefully does things in a precise manner. A somewhat different set of circumstances.

 

Best Regards,

 

Michael

 

Hello Michael, 

 

Some definitions of the term "picky" from the internet that I found on a quick perusal:

 

  • exacting especially about details;

 

  • very careful or too careful about choosing or accepting things : hard to please

 

  •  very selective

 

In the context of the world in which we live, every one of us (you not excluded) are "picky" - with a doctoral diploma :)  - about our photography and related workflow :)

 

 

Best regards,

Adam

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Hello Adam,

 

Thank you for your response in your Post #20361.

 

What I was writing about in my Post #20359 was that Philip had empirically rediscovered that the marked box film speed was not always the speed that gave the optimal results.

 

I was pointing out that film cartridges from sometime in the 1980's had the parameters of film speed, etc encoded in the 12 little boxes on their sides & that Philip had, pretty much, figured out what was encoded there.

 

Best Regards,

 

Michael

Edited by Michael Geschlecht
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Hello Adam,

 

Thank you for your reply in your Post #20363.

 

I prefer the terms "purposeful" & "precise" for all of us. You included. because of the connotations sometimes attached to "picky".

 

Then again: 5 people can sit in the same chair & look at the same apple & see very different things. And everybody benefits from a discussion of these differences in perception.

 

Best Regards,

 

Michael

Edited by Michael Geschlecht
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Hello Adam,

 

Thank you for your response in your Post #20361.

 

What I was writing about in my Post #20359 was that Philip had empirically rediscovered that the marked box film speed was not always the speed that gave the optimal results.

 

I was pointing out that film cartridges from sometime in the 1980's had the parameters of film speed, etc encoded in the 12 little boxes on their sides & that Philip had, pretty much, figured out what was encoded there.

 

Best Regards,

 

Michael

 

Thanks for your response that you made in Post #20,364.

 

One thing that we can agree on is that Philip is a great photographer and over the years has been very generous with his personal time and taught us all a lot.

 

Cheers!

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... In the context of the world in which we live, every one of us (you not excluded) are "picky" - with a doctoral diploma :) - about our photography and related workflow :)

 

Best regards,

Adam

Nice one Adam:

 

Every time I go out to take photos I have to "pick":

- a camera

- a lens

- a film

 

So of course I am picky :)

Edited by christoph_d
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At the Rhone

 

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

Rollei 35T, Eagle640@200, ns

 

Rgds

 

Christoph

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At the Rhone

 

attachicon.gif160724_1_Rollei35T_0023.jpg

Rollei 35T, Eagle640@200, ns

 

Rgds

 

Christoph

This is great, Christoph. There is a feeling that there is an important message that we're only getting a part of, and need to decipher. There is a human element, that suggests something is happening...and, there is a reflection! If we saw the whole boat, I'm sure it would be a less thought-provoking image. I really like this shot - thank you.

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What an interesting discussion I accidentally caused. Adam and Michael, thank you for the (unnecessarily) kind words.
 
I suppose to prefer film in this day and age is some sort of madness, at least if one were to apply the standard that, given the choice between digital and film, most would naturally pick the perceived "easiest" way of photographing, being digital. In my case, and I have a feeling there is one or two other forum members who feel the same, using film a just matter of habit. This is especially true with respect to slide film, actually, which really was my first "love" in terms of emulsions ever since I shot that first Velvia 50 in the 80s. I'm actually wondering if to begin with, or switch to, film today is not a bigger step than I ever took; I just remained on more or less the same path I've trod since I began. 
 
I think this forum, esp the Film part and this thread, and a few others, like RFF, APUG and LFF, are the best places to discuss film photography today. I have learnt and keep learning enormous amounts, particularly from those who, like you Adam, who have really dived into photography to explore it fully and share your experiences.

 

br

Philip
 
 
 

Philip  - Ha, ha, LOL, you slay me!! Not too picky??   :)
Let's review:
You are picky enough to prefer film... :)
Then you are yet still picky enough shoot with a laborious Hasselblad... :)
THEN you are still yet picky enough to shoot a dying and exposure-challenged slide film... :)
Most of all, your insights on a meticulous scanning workflow (and arguable obsession with preserving shadow detail) is well documented (not just on this forum)... :)
All this, and you say you are not "picky" and it's just a hobby?? :)
Your pickiness is what I like most about you!  You like to get into the details and perfect your craft, or hobby, or whatever it is :)  I have learned a lot from you and it is all because of your pickiness!!

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Though I would post one from more recent times.  Tri-x exposed at 200, Hasselblad 501c with 80mm Zeiss, Rodinal 50:1, negative scanned on Canon flatbed scanner.  

 

 

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

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What an interesting discussion I accidentally caused. Adam and Michael, thank you for the (unnecessarily) kind words.

 

I suppose to prefer film in this day and age is some sort of madness, at least if one were to apply the standard that, given the choice between digital and film, most would naturally pick the perceived "easiest" way of photographing, being digital. In my case, and I have a feeling there is one or two other forum members who feel the same, using film a just matter of habit.

 

Perhaps even principle rather than habit—if it is harder to do it might be more worthwhile? That is, to exercise arcane knowledge is a demonstration or validation of who we are? Well, I simply have a very large freezer full of film that must be used by some uncertain deadline. So here are a couple of images to that end:

 

Pentax K1000, 150mm/3.5, XP2, HC-110, X1 scan:

29111858401_e581fcb286_c.jpg

Pondside by chrism229, on Flickr

 

Nikon FM3a, 85mm/f1.8, TMax 100, HC-110, X1 scan:

29111870191_47c5378903_c.jpg

Fallen Apples by chrism229, on Flickr

 

As regular readers know, I have simplified my Leica holdings to an M2, a 35FLE, 50ASPH and 90Summarit. I confess I still enjoy the old SLRs of my youth. Unexpectedly, I enjoyed using the FM3a far more than the K1000 on this walk (even though I owe that particular K1000 so much for all the wonderful memories it preserved for me since 1976!)  And the Pentax K2, which is to replace all the failed Pentax ME Supers, is set to arrive tomorrow, pace FedEx. I shall have to try to be more Dionysian than Apollonian!

 

Chris

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I agree with you Chris; principle could play a part, too, at least today. Or it's just that we love smell of fixer in the morning. It smells like...photography :D

 

Anyway, at the risk of lowering the level too far, here's another shot, from Budva in Montenegro. 

 

29130258191_8771b2c5ec_b.jpg

Flickr

TTL 90 Elmarit-M Superia 400 (EI 100)

 

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