erl Posted March 25, 2014 Share #41 Posted March 25, 2014 Advertisement (gone after registration) Jorge, welcome to the forum with your first post! All the way from Bogota. I have not been there but my wife has and she enjoyed it very much. No worries about your English. It is better than some of us who have it as a first (or only) language. You have expressed very succinctly your reasons for shooting film and they are totally valid. I think most posters will agree. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted March 25, 2014 Posted March 25, 2014 Hi erl, Take a look here what are the reasons we shoot film today?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Bateleur Posted March 25, 2014 Share #42 Posted March 25, 2014 Though I found myself nodding with agreement at some of the previous comments I realize too there is something very individualistic in using film in this day and age. It's not just the tactile quality of the medium, from the odour as the canister is opened to the organic feel on loading through to the magic of developing and printing, but its the mindset of the practice, to me, that counts. The focus required on the subject and the intensity required from the practitioner, saying this is me putting my experience and passion into my craft. I am on the line here and take responsibility for the chain of events leading to the final result. Film allows that and gives back in measure the pleasure of practicing a craft and the ability too to share the results in a tactile form. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bateleur Posted March 25, 2014 Share #43 Posted March 25, 2014 Jorge, welcome to the forum and I agree whole heartedly with your eloquent motivation! Regards Charles Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lenicolas Posted March 25, 2014 Share #44 Posted March 25, 2014 This thread got me a bit nostalgic. Back when I lived in Paris, shooting film was a no-brainer for all of my personal projects. There's half a dozen pro labs in town and if you can scan at home, the cost of shooting film is not much higher than what we spend switching to a new digital camera every other year... (and older cheaper lenses work fine with film, mind you) But here in Oslo, I haven't found any pro lab, and the costs of amateur labs are much higher than in Paris for an inferior service. And of course life gets in the way of your plans : with work and a kid to care for, it's hard to find time to process your films at home, and don't even think of spending two hours a day (or night) scanning negs... I still shoot film, mostly because I love my cameras, but I have to keep the exposed rolls in the fridge and get a batch processed every 2 or 3 months when I go to Paris... As for scans, I have to settle for the labs automatic low res scan, and spend tons of cash on the odd imacon scan when I get an image that I wish to print... I guess my point is that film is a luxury for some of us... And for me, it's more than I can afford right now. Picking up my M6 these days is reminiscent of a romantic past when I was young, handsome, single and living in one of the world's most exiting cities. If film still works for you, enjoy it while it lasts! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tookaphotoof Posted March 25, 2014 Share #45 Posted March 25, 2014 Why not develop it yourself? I still need to bite the bullet developing color negatives, as so far I have only developed b/w. I also don't use a fridge. I simply throw my rolls in a drawer and grab a couple when I feel like developing some. I have bought a second hand complete Jobo cpe2 for around 100 euro for color negatives. Oh, I shoot film simply because I like too. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lenicolas Posted March 25, 2014 Share #46 Posted March 25, 2014 Like I said : I don't have that kind of time. (Or space). If I did, I could only process once a week, and I'd have to sacrifice one of the very few half days-off I get : then when would I shoot my projects? And then it would take a few hours every day the rest of the week to catch up on the scanning... That was ok when I was a young starving artist, but nowadays, my personal work (sadly) isn't such an important part of my life that I can dedicate this kind of time to it. I hope to get back there when the kid is grown up a little, and we have a bigger house, but untill then, photography for me is a digital game Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tookaphotoof Posted March 25, 2014 Share #47 Posted March 25, 2014 Advertisement (gone after registration) Missed that part. Anyways completely understand as I'm having the same problem more or less. Little toddler and two dogs doesn't make things easier. It's why I also choose to shoot digital from time to time. Developing doesn't take too much of my time and the only space I need is the kitchen counter. It's the scanning process that takes ages. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herr Barnack Posted March 25, 2014 Share #48 Posted March 25, 2014 Hello every one, I have been member of the forum for a while, but this is my first post. I think asking why some people still using film, is like saying that film is not a viable option but a remanent of something obsolete by its own merit, I cannot agree with that, I agree with the postulate that digital is a solution to mimic an image on a computer file, and that has a lot of advantages as a solution for the requirements of a fast pace business, for example, and that it can produce the same or better output than film (of course it depends on what you understand as "better")... Jorge Saravia Agreed. To say that film photography is "obsolete" is to say that it is no longer capable of delivering viable exhibition quality prints. Clearly, there is no merit to such a claim. Digtal is faster; film is slower. So what? There's more to photography - and to life - than just speed (the business of photography is another matter, though; speed is important in that world). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gberger Posted March 25, 2014 Share #49 Posted March 25, 2014 I can get "instant digital gratification" from the cameras in my iPhone and iPad. I get "remembrance" gratification from film. Difference??? Yeah! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sblitz Posted March 26, 2014 Share #50 Posted March 26, 2014 Living in NYC film is an easy and viable choice. Surprised it isn't in Oslo. Anyway of late I have taken to getting prints made from this custom lab. You know what? People love when I give them a picture to hold and to carry. Good enough reason. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
philipus Posted March 26, 2014 Share #51 Posted March 26, 2014 I'm also surprised there aren't more or better choices in Oslo. Here in The Hague I can count at least five places that develop C41, two of which are chains (Hema and Kruidvat) and have several outlets scattered across town. These chains also develop E-6 for very little (Kruidvat charges 2,70€ a roll, development only). At least two of the five places develop B&W should one need that. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lenicolas Posted March 26, 2014 Share #52 Posted March 26, 2014 In Oslo there is supposedly a pro lab, but they don't advertise processing films on their website, and when I tried the adress in Google maps, I got no hit. There are a few amateur labs that will process C41, but the prices are too high to make sense (Vat is 25% in Norway, and wages are very high too) and the delays aren't encouraging. I remember 2 years ago waiting 5 days and paying around 30 euros for one roll of portra and a (digital) contact sheet. But even if you shoot digital you are in trouble : 24x30 minilab prints are 4,6 euros, plus 5 euros "processing fees" for each order. When I want to print 15-ish proof prints for a serie, (of god forbid : an a3 inkjet print to hang on my wall) it's cheaper to order from Paris or Berlin and pay the international shipping /rant Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tookaphotoof Posted March 26, 2014 Share #53 Posted March 26, 2014 I had too many bad experiences at Hema / Kruidvat stores. Countless times I received my film back with scratches. I then switched to a professional lab and never had any scratches again. As it's only my hobby at around 9 euro + 21% vat per roll it's expensive and that's why I started to develop myself. A downside of this is that I have just developed some rolls shot 4 months earlier. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bideford Posted March 26, 2014 Share #54 Posted March 26, 2014 Here in the UK the larger Asda stores will develop a roll of C-41 film for £2 in one hour. Fortunately the store I use are careful with the negatives - I have had badly scratched ones returned from more "professional" expensive on-line labs (which take a week to turn round). The results I get from a Plustek 8100 scanner are also far superior to the "high resolution" ones delivered from the same on-line labs. I always blast the negatives (once in the holder) with a Rocket Blaster before feeding into the scanner. Add to that Agfaphoto Vista Plus 200 film at £1 for 24 exposures from Poundland and I'm down to less than 12p per exposure! Black and white developed at home every time. Less than an hour to do 1/2 film(s) from start to finish. Any dust or scratches are then my fault. James Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucisPictor Posted March 26, 2014 Share #55 Posted March 26, 2014 Here in the UK the larger Asda stores will develop a roll of C-41 film for £2 in one hour. ... Lucky you! I need to wait for about one week for colour negatives and for slides even longer where I live. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tookaphotoof Posted March 26, 2014 Share #56 Posted March 26, 2014 At that price and speed I wouldn't have started to develop myself! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bideford Posted March 26, 2014 Share #57 Posted March 26, 2014 They will only process C-41 though so B&W (apart from C-41, of course) is one for home or on-line lab. I enjoy developing B&W too much to want to send it off anyway. Trying different films and developer, as well as pushing film is very rewarding and only helps to understand the medium even more. James Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CalArts 99 Posted March 27, 2014 Share #58 Posted March 27, 2014 If you count in inflation, film and processing is actually cheaper today then it was say, in 1978 (at least in the US.) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CalArts 99 Posted March 27, 2014 Share #59 Posted March 27, 2014 btw, a little bit off topic but I always enjoy watching these sorts of things: Part 1: Part 2: Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin_d Posted March 28, 2014 Share #60 Posted March 28, 2014 Digital has its place, if I could affort an M240 or Monochrome I would have them in a heartbeat, they are cutting edge technology, and they are Leica, I just can't afford them. I still shoot film with an old Leica and large format cameras because it gives me enjoyment, and satisfaction knowing that it was me who 100% created any super images, including the development. The advantage digital has is the ability to correct mistakes quickly and effortlessly without leaving any footprint, or turn an average image into something special using software, which is why most high volume professionals use them. But as many have said before me, film can give you a tangible, complete experience unlike digital. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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