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Is shooting film still worth it in 2022 ?


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51 minutes ago, Nowhereman said:

I hope the boredom was the most serious aspect of your Covid, as suggested by the light tone of your post. As for the question, I wouldn't want to risk 50 rolls of film in Havana unless I knew how they would deal with it, and the degree of "botheration" as well.
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Thanks Mitch. Unfortunately it was not. My double dose of Pfizer only kept me out of the hospital, but for the rest, it was a very painful 5 days for my wife and I, who had it at the same time than me. I told her is a good sign that are marriage is going well. 

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2 hours ago, Steven said:

I’m just wondering how I’d convinced immigration in Cuba not to scan my 50 rolls of portra ! And how I’ll convinced immigration in Miami not to scan my 50 exposed rolls of portra on the way back

Unless they use the latest scanner you do not need to worry too much. A couple of scans won’t do a thing. As far as I understood, Miami may be using the latest ones but should accept a hand scan without issue.

Have a nice trip with whichever camera you take 🙂!

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2 hours ago, Steven said:

 I’m just wondering how I’d convinced immigration in Cuba not to scan my 50 rolls of portra ! And how I’ll convinced immigration in Miami not to scan my 50 exposed rolls of portra on the way back. 

I would take the MP 1000%, but I am pretty based there. 

 

How I travel with my Film:

I remove ALL Films no matter 35mm or 120 ( its different for large format) from their packaging. This includes ALL Paper Boxes, Plastic Wraps and Plastic Containers, just the Films nothing else. NO Packaging in any way.

Then I put all of them in a completely clear, high quality ziplock bag. Most of the time I use one ziplock bag for each type of film so I stay organized. I also make sure the have ziplocks for the exposed film.

On every Ziplock bag I put a Sticker ( Kodak provides the digital version to get printed: https://imaging.kodakalaris.com/sites/default/files/wysiwyg/film/KP-EU-DO-NOT-X_RAY-4-Per-Page.pdf ) that says something like " DO NOT XRAY, DO NOT CT, PROTECT FROM HEAT, DO NOT OPEN CANISTERS, FILM WILL BE DESTROYED IF EXPOSED TO LIGHT" in multiple Languages. ( I always reuse the Ziplock bags ) 

Then I put all of the Ziplock bags with the Film inside in a separate bigger, completely clear bag so they are all at one place. I put this bag in my carry on bag.

BEFORE I go to get my carry on stuff checked, I take the clear bag with all the Ziplock bags with the film inside out of my carry on bag and just hold it in my Hands while waiting.

Then I go to get my carry on stuff checked. I tell the people doing the check "This is all my carry on stuff, it would be amazing if you could hand check this small part of it because it will get damaged and will be unusable afterwards, all the rest can get xrayed no problem. I also say them " I know its a bit annoying, but thats why I separated it from all other stuff and put it in a clear bag so you can check it really fast and easy. If it wouldn't be unavoidable to get it hand checked I wouldn't have asked. "  

As said before its important to be as friendly as possible and as early as possible. Never get unfriendly.

Normally that works just fine, they happily hand check my film and they are finished with it before my other stuff did go through the xray / I got checked.

When this does not work ( maybe happened four or five times ) I stay as friendly as possible, I explain them that its not possible to get the Film through the x-ray machine and that I made sure the make it as easy as possible for them. If there is no other why I tell them that I know that they have to hand check my stuff when I want them to while also saying that if it wouldn't needed I wouldn't have asked.

 

I traveled with thousands of rolls films like this, through so many different Airports and it always worked for me. Its important to always be as friendly as possible, to be early and to always insist on your right to get your stuff hand checked while staying extremely friendly.

Also don't have a camera on you while doing all this. Rewind the Film before hand. Put the Films inside the Clear bag in a Ziplock for exposed Films and Put the Camera(s) in your carry on bag. 

 

As said this always worked for me and I never had a bad experience with anyone like this. Most of the people working at the Airports are extremely friendly as long as you are also friendly.  I know I repeated myself quit a lot saying you need to be friendly but that is SO important. But I assume you are a friendly guy no matter what, so I have no worries there! 

Edited by Kriehuber
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23 minutes ago, Aryel said:

Unless they use the latest scanner you do not need to worry too much. A couple of scans won’t do a thing. As far as I understood, Miami may be using the latest ones but should accept a hand scan without issue.

Have a nice trip with whichever camera you take 🙂!

Thanks mate. Even for 800 speed film ? 

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13 minutes ago, Kriehuber said:

I remove ALL Films no matter 35mm or 120 ( its different for large format) from their packaging. This includes ALL Paper Boxes, Plastic Wraps and Plastic Containers, just the Films nothing else. NO Packaging in any way.

Then I put all of them in a completely clear, high quality ziplock bag. Most of the time I use one ziplock bag for each type of film so I stay organized. I also make sure the have ziplocks for the exposed film.

That's exactly what I always do too ! 

 

13 minutes ago, Kriehuber said:

On every Ziplock bag I put a Sticker ( Kodak provides the digital version to get printed: https://imaging.kodakalaris.com/sites/default/files/wysiwyg/film/KP-EU-DO-NOT-X_RAY-4-Per-Page.pdf ) that says something like " DO NOT XRAY, DO NOT CT, PROTECT FROM HEAT, DO NOT OPEN CANISTERS, FILM WILL BE DESTROYED IF EXPOSED TO LIGHT" in multiple Languages. ( I always reuse the Ziplock bags ) 

Great tip! thanks for the link. will definitely print some of these ! 

 

14 minutes ago, Kriehuber said:

Then I go to get my carry on stuff checked. I tell the people doing the check "This is all my carry on stuff, it would be amazing if you could hand check this small part of it because it will get damaged and will be unusable afterwards, all the rest can get xrayed no problem. I also say them " I know its a bit annoying, but thats why I separated it from all other stuff and put it in a clear bag so you can check it really fast and easy. If it wouldn't be unavoidable to get it hand checked I wouldn't have asked. "  

As said before its important to be as friendly as possible and as early as possible. Never get unfriendly.

That's exactly what I do too! 

And now my turn to give you an extra tip, that has helped me before, on top of being nice! I usually throw in the ziplock a couple of Ilford 3200 rolls, even if I don't intend to use them. They are like a free pass. Some people at security are knowledgeable and will tell you "you're film is low ASA it's safe to pass in the machine".. So I show them the 3200 rolls and tell them its all mixed and beg them to pass. 

But I don't know if in cuba kindness will work. immigration can be tricky. I've had stuff confiscated on previous trips! 

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Just now, Steven said:

And now my turn to give you an extra tip, that has helped me before, on top of being nice! I usually throw in the ziplock a couple of Ilford 3200 rolls, even if I don't intend to use them. They are like a free pass. Some people at security are knowledgeable and will tell you "you're film is low ASA it's safe to pass in the machine".. So I show them the 3200 rolls and tell them its all mixed and beg them to pass. 

True! Its always good to throw in a couple of high iso Films! 

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17 minutes ago, Kriehuber said:

As said this always worked for me and I never had a bad experience with anyone like this. Most of the people working at the Airports are extremely friendly as long as you are also friendly.  I know I repeated myself quit a lot saying you need to be friendly but that is SO important. But I assume you are a friendly guy no matter what, so I have no worries there!

Good thing I'm friendly, especially with people working doing their job! What's the biggest amount of rolls you've travelled with at once ? I feel like with 10/20 rolls its always ok, but if you bring 100 they might think you're abusing... 

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Just now, Steven said:

Thanks mate. Even for 800 speed film ? 

Never tried, but I got some Trix pushed to 1600 that went through one scan in Singapore  and no issue at all. Not the latest scanner though. I got 400 iso film scanned in Vietnam too without issue (they rejected the hand scan).

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13 minutes ago, Knipsknecht said:

… good to see that you are able to take it with some humor😉. Hope, you and your wife will be okay pretty soon✌️👋!

Yes, although I know there’s not much funny about this mess. We’re both 34 years old and fully vaccinated with Pfizer, and we still got it strong enough for my wife to faint and stay unconscious a couple minutes on day 2. Everything is ok now, but I can’t imagine what some people must be going through. 

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I am 53 years old, so I come from film with several cameras, a Leica M6 and a Mama 645 pretty early followed by many many digital cameras.

Today I am too lazy to shoot fit, even though I want to and I still own several nice oil cameras.

I believe it takes more time to shoot film, develop, scan etc. but I still love the results. As an example in this forum in the gallery of popular images I constantly click on film images.

Digital is so convenient, and allows many things like really high iso, but I still love the ascetics of film. Too bad I have become too lazy.

 

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13 hours ago, Steven said:

And now my turn to give you an extra tip, that has helped me before, on top of being nice! I usually throw in the ziplock a couple of Ilford 3200 rolls, even if I don't intend to use them. They are like a free pass. Some people at security are knowledgeable and will tell you "you're film is low ASA it's safe to pass in the machine".. So I show them the 3200 rolls and tell them its all mixed and beg them to pass. 

 

I know it's a PITA but I'd take both M's, the R and the MP bodies with the film, to be safe...........But first I'd see if I could buy the film stock in Cuba and if so have it delivered to your hotel and the hotel confirm receipt for you before you leave Paris, that way you avoid one chance of Xray damage on the flights out. Then after shooting film there I'd post the film back home or directly to your lab' people, this is something I now do when shooting film abroad, abroad anywhere.

The other option being if you can buy the film there arrange with the shop or the concierge at your hotel to have it processed there too and then the processed film posted back to you in Paris or to where you have the negs scanned, ( ask the processing lab to leave the film in a roll, not cut into strips....better that way for your scanning lab people ). No risk at all then of Xray damage in either direction. Done that quite a few times myself with no problems.

I always now use regular mail/post rather than Fedex/UPS/DHL etc, regular post is slower but rarely if ever Xrayed, I've been bitten by Fedex Xraying film before even though they swore they would not do so.

Here's a Kodak label that might help too if you do send anything.

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4 minutes ago, petermullett said:

I know it's a PITA but I'd take both M's, the R and the MP bodies with the film, to be safe...........But first I'd see if I could buy the film stock in Cuba and if so have it delivered to your hotel and the hotel confirm receipt for you before you leave Paris, that way you avoid one chance of Xray damage on the flights out. Then after shooting film there I'd post the film back home or directly to your lab' people, this is something I now do when shooting film abroad, abroad anywhere.

The other option being if you can buy the film there arrange with the shop or the concierge at your hotel to have it processed there too and then the processed film posted back to you in Paris or to where you have the negs scanned, ( ask the processing lab to leave the film in a roll, not cut into strips....better that way for your scanning lab people ). No risk at all then of Xray damage in either direction. Done that quite a few times myself with no problems.

I always now use regular mail/post rather than Fedex/UPS/DHL etc, regular post is slower but rarely if ever Xrayed, I've been bitten by Fedex Xraying film before even though they swore they would not do so.

Here's a Kodak label that might help too if you do send anything.

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!

Very good tip, Peter. I've actually thought about that too. My problem is that last year, I bought some Kodak Portra from an old shop in Bogota, and the film was probably not well maintained and all my images were ruined by a blue flare. All of them! So now I'm being very careful when I buy film in places in don't know. Damn, film is such a hassle! 

Any one knows a safe place to buy Portra in cuba ? In the meantime, I'll definitely carry an M10R body as back up. Good thing it's small and compatible with the lens I put on my MP! 

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7 minutes ago, Steven said:

Very good tip, Peter. I've actually thought about that too. My problem is that last year, I bought some Kodak Portra from an old shop in Bogota, and the film was probably not well maintained and all my images were ruined by a blue flare. All of them! So now I'm being very careful when I buy film in places in don't know. Damn, film is such a hassle! 

Any one knows a safe place to buy Portra in cuba ? In the meantime, I'll definitely carry an M10R body as back up. Good thing it's small and compatible with the lens I put on my MP! 

It just occurred to me that Leica Miami might be able to supply your filmstock and they may well know a safe way to get that to your hotel in Cuba/Havanna (?). They are after all Leica-centric and would be good people at least to call and see if they can help out in anyway.

https://leicastoremiami.com/collections/film

Cameras?, Why not take your M10-D, that'll help with the "film shooting experience" if you do need a digital back-up?..........Or as I know you like low light nighttime photography why not the SL2-S which you say is your favourite Leica for low light work? The M10-R I found is marginal when it comes to low light, but obviously it's a subjective / personal choice thing.

 

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14 hours ago, Steven said:

Good thing I'm friendly, especially with people working doing their job! What's the biggest amount of rolls you've travelled with at once ? I feel like with 10/20 rolls its always ok, but if you bring 100 they might think you're abusing... 

The highest amount I traveled with was 150 Rolls of 35mm / 120 combined + 10 Boxes of 8x10 Film. At that point I got most of it delivered to the hotel I was staying, I made sure that it arrived there a couple of days before my flight.  That way I could be sure that all the Film arrived safely. I still packed a smaller amount as carry on just to be safe. 

At that point it was totally with it to pay for fast and ensured shipping. I still made sure there was the sticker I mentioned above on the outside of the package.

Everything around the 50 Roll mark is easy to travel with, when needing more ( or when traveling with 8x10 FIlm ) I either try to supply it there ( taking some rolls as carry on and then buying whatever I need there, especially when staying longer thats great  ) or to get it send beforehand. 

 

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14 hours ago, Steven said:

 

And now my turn to give you an extra tip, that has helped me before, on top of being nice! I usually throw in the ziplock a couple of Ilford 3200 rolls, even if I don't intend to use them. They are like a free pass. Some people at security are knowledgeable and will tell you "you're film is low ASA it's safe to pass in the machine".. So I show them the 3200 rolls and tell them its all mixed and beg them to pass. 

I've been doing that for years.  Never had a problem. This last worked very successfully when I took Fujifilm GW690III and 30 rolls of MF film (with my SL2 kit) to Antarctica in the beginning of 2020.

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On 11/22/2021 at 1:13 PM, logan2z said:

I don't necessarily shoot film for the 'look' of the final result, although that's a nice side benefit.  I shoot it because I was tired of sitting in front of a computer, endlessly staring at a screen and dicking around with post-processing software.  I'm also sick and tired of constantly having to charge batteries for every single thing I touch.  Film divorces me from computers, screens and software and lets me focus on photography.  I pick up my M-A or M4 and it's ready to shoot.  My camera isn't a computer with a lens bolted to the front.  No menus, settings, screens, etc.  Developing and darkroom printing my photos also gives me a much-needed break from computers and digital everything.  I find it soothing and satisfying to work with my hands to produce a print rather than endlessly tweaking an image in Lightroom or Photoshop and finally pressing a button to have it spit out of a printer.  There's little satisfaction in that for me personally.  And no, I'm not a Luddite, I'm a Software Engineer by trade.  But I have absolutely no desire to spend my free time like I do my professional time, chained to a computer.  Film sets me free!

+1

I really use to enjoy ‘digital post processing’, when I first got into photography, I admit that I over processed lots of photos. Even trying to get my digital images to look like film, using curves, filters, etc. I even went through the hdr phase, with way over done edits. No longer my taste.

I think it was with the gr ii when I realized some of the sooc Jpegs were better than anything I could get from raw (as long as exposure/wb was adequate). And with the M8, I realized that very little editing needed to be done, maybe wb, slight exposure and sometimes lifting. Shadows, but usually not much else.

now, I try to spend less time in front of a screen, and it’s the same reason why I plan to shoot more film in 2022 

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On 11/23/2021 at 12:47 AM, Steven said:

Probably not the first time this question is asked in since the digital revolution. But with the new Kodak price increase, it's fair to ask again. Is it still worth it to shoot film in 2022? 

I'm a child of digital. I grew up with smartphones and digital cameras. Film is something I discovered a few years ago, after I started shooting with digital. At that time, it just made no sense. It was too limiting. I stopped. 

I got back into film when I got into Leica, two years ago. I have now fourteen M film bodies, and I love them so much. The feeling of using them is amazing, and I like the photos I get on film. I actually learn and practise my skills much more when I shoot a film M than a digital M. But film has become so expensive to shoot (if you think of making the joke to tell me to sell 13 of my M bodies to finance my film costs for the next 10 years, it's not the point of the conversation). 

This week, I shot 27 rolls of film. At around 15 euros per roll and 15 euros for the dev, I've spent 800+ euros just this week. At this pace, it's around 40k per year, not taking into consideration the 2022 Kodak price increase. 

Therefore, I ask myself, can digital make me happy enough ? There are definitely some advantages: No huge recurrent costs, no need to wait for the photos, no risk to lose or damage the rolls in airports when travelling, no extra weight to carry around all day, no low light limitations.... and with a camera such as the M10D, one can get close to the film shooting experience, although nothing will ever replace the feeling of advancing the film, and rewinding the roll. 

But the real question is, can the final result be the same ? I know, I'm not the first one to try to replicate the film look on digital. But that's what this thread is about. Can one copy the film look in a digital file? 

Will it ever be as satisfying ? 

I started my Leica journey in July 2021 first Leica Q2 and subsequently .... got into the rabbit hole> Leica M10 > Leica M10 Monochrom and multiple vintage leica lens. In Nov i while visitng Leica Factory in Wetzlar ... i came across Leica M6 Classic in Frankfurt Leica store... decided to order it. 

Since i started shooting film with M6... i really enjoy the rewind sound and click and the wait for the film used up and send for development and process and scan and email to me. While in the film development store... uncle told me the film pricing going to shoot up in 2022... ended up i bought in bulk film rolls in dozens... expiry date June 2023.... yes i will be expecting the film pricing to go up and would that deter me from shooting film.... the answer will be no. 

I starting to enjoy the use of manual cameras and i was born in the 1970s and recall in the past i did shoot on film when i was young but the memory is faint. Right now i have the most advanced smartphones like iPhone 13 Pro Max and Leica Q2 (47MP), Leica M10 Monochrom modern sensor... somehow i feel something is missing and the instant technology (especial in work like MS teams and zoom and emails) does adds up more stress. 

Using film camera stop me from checking every shot i make and somehow i wont know the results till i get it develop... makes me wait and anticipate. Plus i wont be editing it on mobile phone Adobe lightroom since i got to wait for it. 

With 14 M Film bodies... its a wow... i just started my film journey and guess i am heading your direction of more film bodies... i just got a Olympus OM 1 followed by Canon AE 1 Program. Now i am thinking of getting Pentax K1000 SE and maybe Yashica FX 3.... so going back to Leica film body... maybe the next is Leica M6 TTL model or maybe Leica M-P. Leica M-P is about $7500 SGD. With $7500 SGD i can get 2 Leica M6 in the local second hand shop (roughly M6 TTL was $3600-$4000 SGD)

Whether i will shoot film in 2022... definately i will shoot film. 

next question is.... which film bodies i would like to get and shoot and have a different experience... Second hand brands like Pentax and Yashica ranges about 300-400 SGD which is affordable vs second hand Leica m6 going for 10 times more in cost but Leica Film m6 will appreciate in value over time based on historical data.

Now i am wonder... would i want to trade in my Leica Q2 for a Leica MP 0.72 brand new for 7500 SGD but the wait time is like 6 weeks or longer. 

As for photo results between Leica Digital and Leica Film and Iphone Digital.... smartphone is always the backup i use when shooting with Film in case my film miss the shot... Leica Film via Kodak 200 and 400... it gives a different feel. I moved from Canon and Sony Digital to Q2 for the digital output (unprocessed photos, direct from camera SD card) 

The fun part about film is the wait plus getting to try film bodies at affordable pricing and every film body of various brands does the same thing...but gives a different feel in operation...from the old film bodies i get to read up and learnt about the different battery types it needs for the light meter.

Getting to buy affordable, try and shoot and read up... helps me relax from the stress of worklife (pandemic world) 

I hope i can learn how to travel with my Leica Film camera via airports ... my recent trip to Germany in Nov 2021 i brought along my Leica Q2 but with Film it seems abit more complicated. Thanks to the comments on forum i saw tips on how to travel with film and those tips are much appreciated. 

 

 

 

 

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