I just bought my first ever film camera!

dkapp · January 30, 2005

I know...I know...I'm going at this backwards.

That being said, I picked up an excellent Nikon FG & 50mm f/1.8 lens today for $40.

First off, I got some batteries & a roll of film to test exposure & shutter. Took it to the 30 minute development lab because I'm impatient like that. Everything works perfectly. What a relief.

Now for the fun part. I'm looking for some great & unique film. I've started with a a roll of Fujichrome ISO 100 Provia & Sensia slide film. Also picked up a roll of Tri-X for some great B&W. I have plans to get some real low ISO Velvia when I get to the shop next.

Do you have any recommendations on great film too try? Being new to film, I'm clueless.

Thanks!
Dave

fish · January 30, 2005

dkapp wrote:

I know...I know...I'm going at this backwards.

That being said, I picked up an excellent Nikon FG & 50mm f/1.8 lens today for $40.

First off, I got some batteries & a roll of film to test exposure & shutter. Took it to the 30 minute development lab because I'm impatient like that. Everything works perfectly. What a relief.

Now for the fun part. I'm looking for some great & unique film. I've started with a a roll of Fujichrome ISO 100 Provia & Sensia slide film. Also picked up a roll of Tri-X for some great B&W. I have plans to get some real low ISO Velvia when I get to the shop next.

Do you have any recommendations on great film too try? Being new to film, I'm clueless.

Thanks!
Dave

I've got a few nikkor lenses you might be interested in. Nothing spectacular (except for the 105D macro), but lenses none-the-less.

dkapp · January 30, 2005

fish wrote:

I've got a few nikkor lenses you might be interested in. Nothing spectacular (except for the 105D macro), but lenses none-the-less.

Sounds good. I'm always looking for good glass. I'm currently on the hunt for a good manual focus 20 f/2.8 & 28 f/2.8 AI-s lenses.

Send me a pm w/ your lenses & prices. I'll see if there is anything there interesting.

Dave

damonff · January 30, 2005

Not backwards at all Dave...keep it up...I still shoot film all the time...enjoy...

marlinspike · January 30, 2005

Well, I don't shoot slide film, and never got a chance to do my Great American Film Test before leaving back for college (long story, let's just say that all I could safely sneak out was my digital gear), but my favorites so far are Agfa Ultra 100 and Fujia Reala. Agfa optima 200 I didn't like, same with Kodak UC 400 pro (I didn't just not like the Kodak, I hated it. It's worse that their regular 400 film that you can buy at a grocery store).
Richard

pathfinder · January 30, 2005

dkapp wrote:

I know...I know...I'm going at this backwards.

That being said, I picked up an excellent Nikon FG & 50mm f/1.8 lens today for $40.

First off, I got some batteries & a roll of film to test exposure & shutter. Took it to the 30 minute development lab because I'm impatient like that. Everything works perfectly. What a relief.

Now for the fun part. I'm looking for some great & unique film. I've started with a a roll of Fujichrome ISO 100 Provia & Sensia slide film. Also picked up a roll of Tri-X for some great B&W. I have plans to get some real low ISO Velvia when I get to the shop next.

Do you have any recommendations on great film too try? Being new to film, I'm clueless.

Thanks!
Dave

I'll be interested to hear your feelings about shooting film. I took an EOS 3 filled with Velvia 100 to Bosque del Apache along with my 10D last spring. I found the film images poor in comparison to the 10D's images. Grainy and low contarast. I was shooting with the 100-400 IS L on the EOS 3. I was disappointed - not sure if the film was poorly processed or if I was expecting too much. I am eager to hear your experiences in this regard.

marlinspike · January 30, 2005

A lot depends on the developing (I do ritz because 36 exposures are reasonably priced there if you are a wolf/ritz pack member. depending on who's working the machines, the same picture can go from a 6 to a 9, with better labs getting the to 10, but too rich for my blood). Even more though depends on the film you used. The difference between two pro films of the same speed, even from the same company but different models, is huge. Which is why waiting in my freezer back home is $80 worth of film, each roll different from the next.
Richard

luckyrwe · January 30, 2005

Unique film? How about Kodak Tech-pan? I used it to shoot grainless 11x14 black and white images of close ups of candy bars. I had a tough time focusing on the grain because even at 11x14 I saw no grain. It is a very fun film. Not cheap, and developing it is something you may have to send it out for, but you will never forget your results!

That is an awesome price too. Good for you!

dkapp · January 30, 2005

Thanks everyone for the responses & suggestions. I'm getting ready to go out shooting today & will probably shoot my provia today. I'll head to the camera shop tomorrow with my list created here.

I'm pretty excited about this. From the results of my test roll, I was seriously impressed. It was cheap fuji off the shelf processed at the local grocery store. Great color, contrast & sharpness.

Dave

Mitchell · January 30, 2005

fish wrote:

I've got a few nikkor lenses you might be interested in. Nothing spectacular (except for the 105D macro), but lenses none-the-less.

I might be interested in this lens if the price is right. Please let me know!

mitch

nickphoto123 · February 4, 2005

First film camera.......
Stupid question.... What is this 'Film' stuff you all are talking about?

damonff · February 4, 2005

These are my 2 beasts:

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/canon/fdresources/SLRs/ae1pgrm/

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/minoltax700/

...they each have their advantages...

dkapp · February 4, 2005

damonff wrote:

These are my 2 beasts:

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/canon/fdresources/SLRs/ae1pgrm/

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/minoltax700/

...they each have their advantages...

I have a friend with the same Canon.

What do you use to scan you film?

Dave

cletus · February 24, 2005

dkapp wrote:

I have a friend with the same Canon.

What do you use to scan you film?

Dave

Sorry I missed this thread dave! Not owning a dSLR I still shoot film from time to time.

I've got an old (~7 years) Nikon CoolScan film scanner thats works ok. I've also got an Epson 3170 flat bed scanner that came with accessories for scanning film. For the price I've been very happy with the Epson.

As far a films go: Provia is a great film, but Velvia is just nuts. Great stuff. Treat yourself to a couple rolls of TMax 3200:

It's grainy, but it still grabs a lot of detail:

If you find the right subject (portraits are good) the grain can really add something to an image. Something else to try with TMax 3200 - If you're processing your own film, or you've got a lab that's willing to work with you, expose a roll at ISO 25,000. The results wont be pretty but it's fun to see how little light you need to make a usable exposure.

I usually keep a couple rolls of Kodak 400CN or Ilford XP2 in my bag. Both films have a wide latitude so you can use them in a lot of situations. Besides you can really muck up an exposure and usually get printable results.

Charlie Brown · February 24, 2005

cletus wrote:

Sorry I missed this thread dave! Not owning a dSLR I still shoot film from time to time.

I've got an old (~7 years) Nikon CoolScan film scanner thats works ok. I've also got an Epson 3170 flat bed scanner that came with accessories for scanning film. For the price I've been very happy with the Epson.

As far a films go: Provia is a great film, but Velvia is just nuts. Great stuff. Treat yourself to a couple rolls of TMax 3200:

It's grainy, but it still grabs a lot of detail:

If you find the right subject (portraits are good) the grain can really add something to an image. Something else to try with TMax 3200 - If you're processing your own film, or you've got a lab that's willing to work with you, expose a roll at ISO 25,000. The results wont be pretty but it's fun to see how little light you need to make a usable exposure.

I usually keep a couple rolls of Kodak 400CN or Ilford XP2 in my bag. Both films have a wide latitude so you can use them in a lot of situations. Besides you can really muck up an exposure and usually get printable results.

dude, is that junior brown. in concert? love that guys records.

cletus · February 24, 2005

Charlie Brown wrote:

dude, is that junior brown. in concert? love that guys records.

Yep... I've seen him three times now. First show was the best. Probably the best live show I've ever seen. Little hole in the wall club on a weeknight... just hardcore Junior fans.

More pics here.

Sorry for the mini-hijack Dave!

dkapp · February 24, 2005

cletus wrote:

Yep... I've seen him three times now. First show was the best. Probably the best live show I've ever seen. Little hole in the wall club on a weeknight... just hardcore Junior fans.

More pics here.

Sorry for the mini-hijack Dave!

No worries! Thanks for the great post & sharing your film experience with samples. Its hard to pick film when you just hear.."its great." I'm a visual guy, and need to see the results to know what I'm dealing with.

So far I've shot a roll of provia slides & Kodak tmax. I need to get them developed yet. Just been too busy to get to a lab.

I've got Velvia 50 loaded in the cam right now. Yeah..thats right 50. I can't wait to see the results from this one.

I've also been messing around with medium format. I'm 1/2 through my first roll. Lets hope the shutter speeds are still good on this $40 wonder I bought.

Still looking for a scanner. I'll probably decide on that once I get the pictures back. If they turned out like crap, no need in wasting money on that yet.

Thanks again,
Dave

Michiel de Brieder · February 24, 2005

Yay Dave!!
The Velvia 50

I bought an EOS 5 (Elan 7E in the US if I'm correct) some months ago, and it rocks

it was €125 incl. shipping and it was a real bargain! I think it is a thrill to shoot film!!

Kudos Dave!

cletus · February 24, 2005

dkapp wrote:

No worries! Thanks for the great post & sharing your film experience with samples. Its hard to pick film when you just hear.."its great." I'm a visual guy, and need to see the results to know what I'm dealing with.

Velvia:

Fujichrome 1600:

I forgot to mention - I shoot so little film these days that usually I just have a CD made of the images when I have the film processed.

dkapp · February 24, 2005

do you guys keep film in the refrigerator or freezer? Any benefit of using either?

Dave

dkapp · February 24, 2005

cletus wrote:

Velvia:
I forgot to mention - I shoot so little film these days that usually I just have a CD made of the images when I have the film processed.

Thats a good point. I figure the $10/roll they charge, I could have a scanner paid for in 15 rolls. By my current usage, that would be about 4-6 months.

Have you ever cross-processed your slide film? I'd like to try it, but don't want to waste a roll of decent pics if it turn out like crap.

Dave

cletus · February 24, 2005

dkapp wrote:

do you guys keep film in the refrigerator or freezer? Any benefit of using either?

Dave

Stuff that's fairly delicate like Velvia or TMax 3200 I keep in the refrigerator. You could probably store Ilford XP2 in a sauna without hurting it.

I've never stored film in a freezer, but I seem to remember the trick was to put a bunch of film in a ziplock bag, seal it and then stick it in the freezer. When you want to use the film, pull the bag out but leave it sealed until it gets up to room temp. That way there won't be as much condensation on the film canisters.

dkapp · February 24, 2005

cletus wrote:

Stuff that's fairly delicate like Velvia or TMax 3200 I keep in the refrigerator. You could probably store Ilford XP2 in a sauna without hurting it.

I've never stored film in a freezer, but I seem to remember the trick was to put a bunch of film in a ziplock bag, seal it and then stick it in the freezer. When you want to use the film, pull the bag out but leave it sealed until it gets up to room temp. That way there won't be as much condensation on the film canisters.

I have my extra film in the fridge, and I'll just leave it there. I figured if the place I bought it has it refrigerated, I might as well too. With this being my first experience with film, I'm happy to admit my ignorance & just copy what others do

Dave

I just bought my first ever film camera!

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