Thank you all for the warm welcome. was intending to provide update on my life happenings. I am settled down in my new place and finally unboxed all my gear.
Meanwhile, I am also spending time with this other machine from time to time. I am enjoying the georgia weather now. Suzuki Boulevard C90 by Ramkumar Sangameshwar, on Flickr
pburke wrote:
uh oh... sorry to hear that. It's not like anything film these days is inexpensive.
I was going to shoot some of my old frozen slide film now that I fixed my EOS-1n and have a Nikon adapter for it, but I have far too many new toys to play with right now that the film fun will have to wait.
Although it's true that film stuff is cheap, I have been trying to get it going for two years. I keep getting roadblocks in its pursuit. Kind of considering abandoning the idea all together.
kwoodard wrote:
Although it's true that film stuff is cheap, I have been trying to get it going for two years. I keep getting roadblocks in its pursuit. Kind of considering abandoning the idea all together.
Every time I scan images from my film days, taken with then top of the line glass on pro Fuji slide film, developed at pro labs that then were at the top of their game, I realize how much better even a cheap digital camera these days is. Also, the whole "film look" is just an organic smattering of grain, muddy shadows and a general lack of micro contrast and resolution, all easily replicated with Nik tools - basically, just mess up a perfectly sharp image, and you have your film shot.
I like black and white a lot more than analog color, though, because it can give you something that's really not visible to your eye until the process reveals it. Beaing able to use filters and change the representation of the spectrum in grayscale makes it a much more creative medium, especially if you can do your own chemical prints. However, I am perfectly happy to swap an expensive chemical darkroom with a photoshop plugin.
I think what miss the most from the film days at the races is the sound of a fast motor drive going ching ching ching, pulling film through the body as I push the button. That was the most satisfying sound of using a piece of high performance mechanical equipment. Probably the same primal satisfaction men get from using power tools in their garages If I were to loose my mirror slap sound in the DSLR as well, I might as well start shooting video, As it stands, the mirrorless camera peddlers aren't going to get my camera dollars anytime soon.
Unless your difficulties are financial, why not mention what your problems with it are, and see if anyone in the brain trust can help you overcome them?
I know the hardest part for me when learning film was winding the film on to the tank's spool in the dark. Take a junk roll and practice in the light, then move to darker and darker as you get comfortable. The first reel I had had prongs that you had to snag the film on, I got the one with the clip and that made it so much easier. Also make sure that your reel isn't warped. That'll throw off your rolling too. Instructor discovered that the reel he sold me was warped just enough to cause problems so he took it back.
kwoodard wrote:
Although it's true that film stuff is cheap, I have been trying to get it going for two years. I keep getting roadblocks in its pursuit. Kind of considering abandoning the idea all together.
Jose, always love your bird-shots. Sometimes I think would love to shoot a blackbird (very common here) sitting on a low-mounted Nikon with a lobworm in it's beak (nip), lured and shot with a remote-realeased second wide-angle-camera, but I'm just not patient enough to try it ;-)
Leighton - thanks for your kind comment on the bench-shot. I'm glad your like it. I have some cool shots (I think so) from the same morning-walk, but not the time yet to print those.
kwoodard wrote:
Although it's true that film stuff is cheap, I have been trying to get it going for two years. I keep getting roadblocks in its pursuit. Kind of considering abandoning the idea all together.
Kevin, sorry to hear about your trouble. To echo Laura - why don't you tell us what the specific problem was? I would be glad to help. I've made every possible mistake in the darkroom at least thrice, so I can feel your doubts about film-processing and think I'm qualified to offer "telepathic help".
Laura is spot on regarding the reels - it can be frustrating sometimes. A changing bag is very useful in the field, but for loading film onto the reels a dark room is much better.
georgms wrote:
Kevin, sorry to hear about your trouble. To echo Laura - why don't you tell us what the specific problem was? I would be glad to help. I've made every possible mistake in the darkroom at least thrice, so I can feel your doubts about film-processing and think I'm qualified to offer "telepathic help".
Laura is spot on regarding the reels - it can be frustrating sometimes. A changing bag is very useful in the field, but for loading film onto the reels a dark room is much better.
Issue is scams. I can do all the mechanical things related to developing film. I have lost a few $100 worth of product. Most of the time the product arrives damaged to the point of non functional. I have half a dozen PayPal claims going on right now. The other bits are just not showing up. Really frustrating.
kwoodard wrote:
Issue is scams. I can do all the mechanical things related to developing film. I have lost a few $100 worth of product. Most of the time the product arrives damaged to the point of non functional. I have half a dozen PayPal claims going on right now. The other bits are just not showing up. Really frustrating.
Sorry to hear about that, Kevin. I really hope you can work the claims out (sorry for my English).
quote]kwoodard wrote:
Although it's true that film stuff is cheap, I have been trying to get it going for two years. I keep getting roadblocks in its pursuit. Kind of considering abandoning the idea all together.
I can offer advice - likely for many film processing and chemical printing processes. From stainless/plastic tanks to film processors - tray or tank prints. Not sure, but are you getting post dated, heat damaged, or light contaminated film/paper off ebay or some other source?
Chive blossoms. All with D700. First two shots with 85/1.8 H at f/2.8 + PK-12 ext. tube. For comparison, the last is with the 55/2.8 AI-s Micro-Nikkor wide open. The contrast is slightly higher with the 55/2.8. Spherical aberration at macro distances produces a light halo with the 85/1.8—noticeable, for example, in the petal sticking out to the left.
Kevin, I'd be glad to chime in with advice too. I've worked in both B&W and color darkrooms as well as processing and printing film at home. Also worked as a photographic chemist before I ever owned a camera. My interest and experience in photography started with the technical aspects. I still feel more confident about the technical end of things and tend to question my aesthetic judgment.
Ballard wrote:
Chive blossoms. All with D700. First two shots with 85/1.8 H at f/2.8 + PK-12 ext. tube. For comparison, the last is with the 55/2.8 AI-s Micro-Nikkor wide open. The contrast is slightly higher with the 55/2.8. Spherical aberration at macro distances produces a light halo with the 85/1.8—noticeable, for example, in the petal sticking out to the left.
Hi Ken,
I always enjoy your floral images. Interesting comparison.
Your plant growing season is probably a week or so ahead of the south UK.
The chives in my garden have flower heads but petals have not broken through yet. I have the same lenses and tubes as you used so I am thinking that I should repeat your comparison setup at the weekend to see if there is consistency across the optics.
Colin
Bummer Kevin... that would certainly be frustrating. I don't know the world of film so I don't have referrals i can make to reputable dealers, though I do know that B&H has film processing products for sale. I've always had good experience with them for gear. Hope you're able to work it out and get your money back.
I've been laid up for a few days with a rash that has me in its grip... not fun contending with a rash. It did give me time, however, to go back to process some images taken over the last couple of months. That means, of course, that I have something to contribute to the thread which seems at the moment to be moving, though at a more leisurely pace. I love what I'm seeing from everyone and have dropped a few likes along the way as I've wandered through the recent offerings.
Here a a few photos taken at the DeYoung museum in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. It was a rainy day which made a visit to a museum just about perfect. Most of the work I did was with the 55 f/1.2 S.C. AI. They wouldn't let me carry my camera bag so that lens was mounted on the Df and the 28 f/2 N.C. was in Sue's shoulder bag. I'm learning from Reagan...
), lured and shot with a remote-realeased second wide-angle-camera, but I'm just not patient enough to try it ;-)
