Topic: Anyone shooting film?

[Ravie]

Last week, my wife brought home some post-garage sale leftovers. One of the treasures was an almost perfect Minolta Hi-E. Great camera with a seiko movement and rokkor lens..  Only problem is after research I found that without some modifications, they essentially don't work without the original 1.35v mercury batteries which were outlawed around 99. They literally do not function whatsoever as the aperture, shutter speed, and shutter motor all rely on the battery. Sad. Guess it's a shelf-piece.

But I have this great Canon FTb which I used quite a bit as a teenager; shooting lots of short process black and white film (only requires two chemicals and 68 degree running water to develop) that has been traveling with me into adulthood.

As long as I have had it, and possibly from the beginning of it's life, while it will take a whole roll of film, the counter wheel would not advance past 13/14. So today I decided to dive in head first and figure out why.

Turns out the advance arms with little fingers on them were not catching on that particular part of the gear. So I removed the stop arm, sharped it on the side that was a bit short, polished it, and tested it. Worked great.

After futzing with the stupid aperture/ISO knob and aligning it to function correctly, I once again have a clean, ready to use 35mm camera.

-------------

I've been thinking about writing a short tutorial on how to use it, and sending it along with a fresh roll of film all loaded up and ready for picture taking and sending it around to my friends across the US to take 2 pictures each. I may not. I might see if I can find an easier to use/cheaper/smaller camera and do that. I would really hate to lose this camera as I've had it since I was probably 14, and shipping it will probably cost 12 bucks each time. something smaller that could fit into a priority mail small flat rate box would be a better choice, I think.

I asked a local friend who works at a Camera shop what it would cost for them to develop a roll of film. 15 bucks. Cripes. I remember it being more like 6-8 bucks not more than 10 years ago or so. I know why, I mean I'm not blind...it's just crazy.

I'd really like to get a short process B&W system like I used when I lived at home (my dad has been a professional photographer for years and years...if you've read shutterbug, you've read articles by him) so I can shoot to my hearts content...  Not sure how doable that is but it could be fun, and much cheaper. May parents are coming to visit next weekend, maybe I can talk my dad into bringing me a chem can so I can develop again...


Anyone shooting film?

[flatlander]

it must be 10 years at least since i last used film. that sounds kind of sad considering that i have a huge box full of 'analogue' cameras: olympus, canons, hasselblad and some exotic pieces... i still feel personally attached to them although i don't think i'll shoot another roll of film any time soon.

great to hear about your FTb. as i teenager i used to pick up cameras with some sort of defects for cheap, fix them and use them. the FTb was one of the first, most used and i still have it. some of my own favourite pictures came out of it. it's one of those that i can't give away.

your idea of sending a camera around would create a nice album of your friends - with a personal and surprise result. i like it. but would use a smaller camera, and one that's more automated. at least it should set exposure automatically. i think that would be harder for people to figure out than focus.
film is perfect for this idea as people won't be able to preview their pictures and delete to retake them. gives them a bit less control, makes it more real. go for it!

[754]

I got a lot of use out of my Canon TLB.. Bought it in 76
  Have not used it in about 4 years, i should finish off the film and develop it..

[dave500]

I sold my last camera a few years ago,it just wasn't being used,an old canon T50 with sunpack flash and a couple of lenses,got 90 bucks for it.

[Bob Wessner]

I still shoot a good deal of film, 35mm and 4x5. I shoot black and white exclusively in film. Still have my first "real " 35mm, a Pentax SV (totally manual) bought in the PX in Vietnam in 1968. Still works fine. I have several Nikons (an F an FE, FM, N90, F100). On the digital side I use a Nikon D600.

As for your mail around project, look into an Olympus XA2 35mm. Can be had cheap and very small, light and pocketable. It uses a zone focus system (near and far  ) with a great lens. It and an Oly AX are my always with me cameras. Even if it needs new light seal's, there are kits and its easily done.

[Ravie]

There was an Olympus XA2 or some variant in my house growing up my entire life. Even if we were going on a shoot with bigger badder cameras...there would always be a few shots taken with that camera. I wonder if my dad still has it..

YES!  I'm glad to hear some agreement!  I love the idea of not being able to retake...  at the end I can scan them and upload them..  I'm thinking a 36 picture roll and two pictures each. Either that or I will include a couple of rolls and once I figure out how many friends are going to get it I can give them more...like 5-6-7 photos.

[gerhed]

Went to Egypt 10 years ago--I was the only one on the tour using film.
120 and 4x5 mostly
Gives that vintage look too,

[Ravie]

Very cool. Talked to my dad this morning and he's going to bring me some developing supplies. He said he's got a whole box of Ricoh Singlex cameras, too. I still need to find a simple small camera. We'll get something...

I was looking for film today. Found on ebay some Neopan 400 3 rolls for 17.99...  I really like Tri-X but most of what I can find is like...10 rolls for 50 bucks. Not a bad price per unit I guess. I need to get a changing bag, too.

I decided that since developing costs 14.99 I'm just going to buy chemicals and do short process black and white (none of this C-41 crap) That way I can develop the film myself and just get prints wherever. It'd be nice if I had a film scanner like my dad does, but he's several states away so that doesn't help...

[gerhed]

What you'll need to develop your film
--D76 film developer
--don't need Stop bath
--Fixer
Then wash it well
My photography these days is mostly overhead digital drone stuff
--using a GoPro mostly--see below

[Ravie]

I don't think we ever used stop bath, either. Developer, rinse, fixer, photoflo, rinse, hang dry.

I see that D-76 comes in powder form?  We never did that. We bought something in small circular bottles that was a pre-mixed concentrate and used a beaker to mix it each time we developed film. I'd have to ask my dad or look it up...

Brought this whole deal up on Facebook and tagged all of the people i wanted to be a part of this and of the 10 or so I tagged directly in the post I've had one whole reply. Ridiculous.

[Bob Wessner]

I use D-76, but it does come in powder and I mix a gallon at a time. You might look into HC110 (liguid concentrate). You can mix smaller amounts. Here's a link to a Kodac PDF file on it. I've not used it yet but I know others who have.

 http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/support/techPubs/j24/j24.pdf

[Ravie]

Yes. I talked to my dad earlier today who jogged my memory on what we used. We used Kodak HC110 Developer and Ilford Fixer. We mixed up what we needed each time we developed using a beaker. One of them was like 1:9 and the other was like 1:4. We usually finished up with a couple drops of Photoflo "soap" at the end.

I went to the local camera store today (Wolfe's Camera...a nationally recognized store...a bunch of really nice super knowledgeable fellows) and got some Tri-X 400 and just for fun I picked up a roll of clearanced out Ilford 3200 speed. Figure I can do some indoor stuff just to play with it....could get some neat textures.