Film dead?

[46er]

Perhaps color is on its last legs, but not so for B&W. Ilford was my film of choice back in the old days, the only one that had mail-in process envelopes.

http://www.dpreview.com/news/2013/0...urce=news-list&utm_medium=text&ref=title_0_24

 

[Pan]

Interesting! I got into photography in 1956 when I got an Ansco Memar 35mm camera. I have a lot of Anscochrome and Echtachrome color slides that I took then (both ASA 32). I also used B&W, mainly Plus X but also super-fast Tri-X when it came out - 200 ASA I think, or was it intially 100? But if you did your own developing (I didn't) you could push it a lot, or so I read in Popular Photography and the other mags. Later they came out with a very fast color slide film, Super Ectachrome 200 ASA I think it was. I have some of those slides too, one illuminated only with a birthday cake candle. Neat! I really liked photography then.

 

[Gibby]

I still use film. I picked up Bronica STR-si a while ago as my full manual rig. I got an incredible deal in New York on it. Walked out the door onto 18th Street with the Speed Grip, Finder ll, 75mm lens and three film boxes for under three hundred. Kodak and Fujifilm are what I use.

 

[Ben Ruset]

Kodak recently sold its film division to one of its UK pension funds, so presumably we should still see Kodak film on the shelves for years.

Also recently it was Kodak's 120th birthday.

 

[46er]

It's not too hard to find most film emulsions, the problem is finding good processing. As long as the film has been stored properly, it should last for decades. The problem is finding the proper processing chemicals, and someone that knows how to use them. Kodak is out of the consumer side processing.

 

[dogg57]

I still use film. I picked up Bronica STR-si a while ago as my full manual rig. I got an incredible deal in New York on it. Walked out the door onto 18th Street with the Speed Grip, Finder ll, 75mm lens and three film boxes for under three hundred. Kodak and Fujifilm are what I use.

Gibby do you mean Bronica ETR-si not Bronica STR-si

 

[Boyd]

super-fast Tri-X when it came out - 200 ASA I think, or was it intially 100?

Tri-X has always been ASA 400. Or at least as long as I can remember... I was using it in the 60's to shoot photos for the school newspaper. I used to "push" it to ASA 1200. My father was into photography and we had a basement darkroom. I was processing my own B&W film by the time I was in third grade.

I have a whole crate full of antique cameras I inherited from him. For me they are just novelties though, I can't ever imagine going back to film. Too much trouble.

I also have crates full of phonograph records and doubt that I will ever listen to them again. And I have my Dad's old slide rules too but I don't use them.

Digital suits me fine.

 

[Teegate]

Digital suits me fine.

For once we can actually say ... "out with the old and in with the new." No need to ever go back.

Guy

 

[Gibby]

Gibby do you mean Bronica ETR-si not Bronica STR-si

Yeah Dog, I meant ETR-si. I was out twelve hours yesterday in Bass River and then had dinner with Dragoncjo and his friend Justin in Tuckerton. After the hour and half drive home, I wasn't thinking very clear, not that I do that when I am well rested.

I find the using film slows down the process and make you more aware of what you are photographing. Digital can make you lazy and loose focus, with a press of a button the camera will do everything for you. If the image is crappy just press the delete button and try again...

 

[dogg57]

Yeah Dog, I meant ETR-si. I was out twelve hours yesterday in Bass River and then had dinner with Dragoncjo and his friend Justin in Tuckerton. After the hour and half drive home, I wasn't thinking very clear, not that I do that when I am well rested.

I find the using film slows down the process and make you more aware of what you are photographing. Digital can make you lazy and loose focus, with a press of a button the camera will do everything for you. If the image is crappy just press the delete button and try again...

Good luck with that camera. So true on a digital lazy

 

[Boyd]

Digital can make you lazy and loose focus

Sounds like the fault of the photographer, not the camera... it's just a tool. I was sort of like that in the past. But today I choose my shots more carefully. For one thing, I'm just too lazy to sift through hundreds of shots when I get back to my computer.

Photography, like any art form, requires self discipline.

 

[46er]

.... with a press of a button the camera will do everything for you. If the image is crappy just press the delete button and try again...

Autofocus also helped to speed that along

And that is one of the main reasons digital became so popular, plus the removal of the delay in getting results and the cost of processing. But the cost of self processing in technology expense(new camera, adequate computer and software) and time involved was forgotten.

I have a brick of Velvia 50, to be used only for special trips, and a brick of Kodachrome sitting in the freezer just for old times sake

And you can still buy a brand new, shiny film Nikon

http://www.nikonusa.com/en/Nikon-Products/Film-Cameras/index.page

 

[46er]

The last roll

 

[Gibby]

I understand what everyone has to say and I agree.

I love the convenience of digital photography and everything instant it has to offer, but I also love the Bronica because I have to do everything. I might be romancing this thought a bit, but I find when I am using the medium format camera I am much more excited to see the results. It may be the wait for the return of the developed film.

FujiFilm Provia and Velvia are incredible in 120 format!

 

[Pan]

Tri-X has always been ASA 400. Or at least as long as I can remember... I was using it in the 60's to shoot photos for the school newspaper. I used to "push" it to ASA 1200. ...

I'm talking about the 1950's. Tri-X was introduced in the 1940's but first appeared in 35mm in 1954.


"Back in 1954, when Tri-X debuted with an ASA 200 rating..."

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/18062784

 

[Pan]

Digital suits me fine.

Same here!

 

[Ben Ruset]

I actually found a 10 year old expired roll of film and shot it in my 40 year old Pentax K1000.

Shooting film definitely slows you down, which is great. I'm willing to bet that my compositions in that roll are pretty good compared to when I shoot digital.

Digital is great for convenience, but I think I may start shooting film more often. There's a good lab right around the corner from my office in Princeton.

 

[46er]

I actually found a 10 year old expired roll of film and shot it in my 40 year old Pentax K1000.

Shooting film definitely slows you down, which is great. I'm willing to bet that my compositions in that roll are pretty good compared to when I shoot digital.

Digital is great for convenience, but I think I may start shooting film more often. There's a good lab right around the corner from my office in Princeton.

I am pretty sure that lab is one that processes Kodaks pro stuff, can't get much better than that. I have a couple of old 110 camera's I would love to use again, but cannot find any film for them; a Minolta 110 Zoom SLR and a Kodak Pocket Instamatic 60.

 

[dogg57]

I am pretty sure that lab is one that processes Kodaks pro stuff, can't get much better than that. I have a couple of old 110 camera's I would love to use again, but cannot find any film for them; a Minolta 110 Zoom SLR and a Kodak Pocket Instamatic 60.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=885403&is=REG&A=details&Q=

 

[Ben Ruset]

The Lomographic Society makes 110 film now. The problem is that you'll end up paying through the nose to get it processed, if you can even find a place. I have never even seen a 110 SLR. That's pretty cool!

http://shop.lomography.com/us/films/110-film