who is still using film?

[Dogberryjr]

Any Leica users in the FOG?

Just for film these days (M7, MP and IIIF).  I had an M9 for a while, but I couldn't get over the price tag; it made it difficult to take out and use as a camera should be used.  I'd love to have a digital M mount for convenience, but it doesn't look like that price curve is budging.

 

[DanielOB]

WHO IS STILL USING OIL PAINTS AND CANVAS?

Who the stuff wants to look at "paintings" not done with paint? The internet if full of art no one cares about. You just can't compare them like film of vinyl. The most highest flow of money within the art world is still modern art...

Most of modern "ART" is cheap and it is that sell them, like made in China stuff. Most people buying it do not care what is on it but care just about the size which have to cover the ruined wall, and such "Art" is less expensive than to re-paint the wall.

Selling real paintings never been easy due to cost of such things, and today is added a kind of made in china culture too. But there are still people buying Art, just internet and massive information makes such small number of people, as always was, as neglected.

 

[JeremyH.]

Any Leica users in the FOG?

Just for film these days (M7, MP and IIIF).  I had an M9 for a while, but I couldn't get over the price tag; it made it difficult to take out and use as a camera should be used.  I'd love to have a digital M mount for convenience, but it doesn't look like that price curve is budging.

My M2 is a little beat up. But I try not to damage it, it is from the 50's and still going. I had an Olympus OM2n that I really liked, and might get another. They're pretty small and work great. But I'm such a Pentax lens fan... I might have to spring for their expensive one some day.

The IIIF I had was fun to use, I even got some good shots. I sort of miss it. The f3.5 lens was a pain, but it did compact the camera greatly. You can barely seen what you're composing. It's hard to take candid moments it seemed like, but I still got good shots?

I'd like a Monochrome Leica, for digital. I still fear the photos wouldn't be as valuable to me. However in the case of family photographs and such it'd be really nice given how many have been botched due to film issues... Yes I'd take family photos with like $16k worth of camera if I had it.

 

[Tinker]

WHO IS STILL USING OIL PAINTS AND CANVAS?

Who the stuff wants to look at "paintings" not done with paint? The internet if full of art no one cares about. You just can't compare them like film of vinyl. The most highest flow of money within the art world is still modern art...

Most of modern "ART" is cheap and it is that sell them, like made in China stuff. Most people buying it do not care what is on it but care just about the size which have to cover the ruined wall, and such "Art" is less expensive than to re-paint the wall.

Selling real paintings never been easy due to cost of such things, and today is added a kind of made in china culture too. But there are still people buying Art, just internet and massive information makes such small number of people, as always was, as neglected.

When my brother was in grade school thru highschool, he was a very talented artist.  He was good enuf  that even I thought he was good.  Eventually, he ended up going to college to study art, and even more eventually, he became quite haughty in his ‘tude towards mere mortals of lesser talent.  It was while he was attending Cleveland Art Institute that he invited me to come visit.

While I was visiting, he was won’t to attend a student, or faculty, art show on campus.  The walls were covered with, IMHO, some very horribly and uninteresting examples of absolutely formless blobs of paint, each of which was enclosed with rather common forms of  frames, wood and, probably plastic meant to look like wood. 

As brother and friends observed each “painting”, the expressions of admiration amounted to such exclmations as: “Wow!” or “That is magnificent” and so on and on.  I could not stand it so I walked on ahead in hopes there might be a table just around the next corner where it might be possible for one (specifically “I”) might find a cup of Java or even better, a cold bucket o’suds.  As I stumbled along, I suddenly came upon the only art of any value in the whole darned exhibit.  I stopped to look at the small girl sitting on a stonewall and holding a flower and looking off into space with the most dreamy and beautiful expression in her eyes.  I just had to admire what I felt to be the only work of art in the whole darned building.  That was way back around 1956 or ’57 and I can still see that painting. 

As Brother and friends neared the object of my admiration, I decided I should move on, but stayed close enough I could listen to the "ooohs!" and "ahs” as they came upon a real work of art.  Actually, I was not really surprised as I heard my brother comment, “Ugh!  Why in (censored) did they ever let that thing in here?”  His friends joined in with several of their own observations based on about the same level of admiration. 

So much for my expertise as an art critic.  :
Tinker

 

[Cheese]

Tinker...as they say, art's in the eyes of the beholder...

 

[Elmar50]

The best camera is the one you have with you. So, if I have one to choose, it's a digital. Monochrome, color, low and high ISO all in one body. Back in the film days, one of the reasons I became a Leicaphile was having one body for color and another for B&W and I used a wideangle (I have a 35 preaspheric Summilux which is tiny and my favorite lens) and either a 50mm or a short tele. It all fit in a small bag. The opportunity to purchase a used M9 at a really good price (effectively- no depreciation for 3 years!) allowed me to go back to my old work flow. I still prefer film for B&W  (MP is my Monochrome). As for digital vs analog- it's subjective. As for what is art, digital has made photography so ubiquitous, that for me, what's important is- does the image say what I want it to say? My reason for photographing is Roy Batty's "All these moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain". I don't want to forget.

 

[JeremyH.]

My problem with color is to compete with digital you need to use slide film. It's beautiful, and converted to B&W it's stunning. But it's so difficult for metering just right. It's too easy to screw up. Porta is ok for some content. But honestly for film I like expired color.

I'll say I like 35mm, too. I use a 50mm all the time but 35mm is handy for candid when you're with people you know, or in highly populated areas.

The worst thing about digital for me is price, generally. Sony Nex cameras aren't too bad (7 or better). Leica's are a fortune. But if I want really good quality I'll just shoot medium format. My big problem is the pictures somehow don't mean much to me with digital.

I'm a little bit of a camera nerd for analog, and knowing what's good... I've got a Minolta XE-7, which has an amazing release. Also I've got a Olympus Pen D3 half frame, 1.7/f; it needs to be gone through however. I use a P&S Yashica T4. But actually I love Olympus Stylus (not zoom) Epic/Mju or standard because it's got the best protective body and is good at metering. I had a Contax G2, and the lenses are VERY good on it.

Photos are;

Contax G2 3200asa, Contax G2 efke 50asa (rodinal), Yashica GSN Porta 160asa, unknown on agfa x-ray film, M2 w/Canon 50mm 1.8 - Efke 50asa, M2 w/Canon 50mm 1.8 - Efke 50asa.

 

[mrboult]

I recently picked up an old Konica SLR on eBay for a few £. I purchased it for the 2
Lenses it came with that I'll adapt to my mirrorless camera.

But when I saw the camera had a 'fresh' roll of film I began to take pictures. . . . Who knows what the results will be come developing, and I doubt this little foray will have me back shooting film again, but I am already enjoying the excitement of waiting to develop/see my pictures. Also the selective nature of taking shots, when there are only 24 shots on the roll. . . 

 

[HowardH]

Update. I finally took that roll I mentioned last year and one other I found to be developed and it was like opening a time capsule!  There were pictures of my son in the sixth grade!  (he's going into his senior year)  It has rekindled my love of film.  The guy at the Wolfe store told me that believe it or not, film is making a comeback.  I ordered some fresh Portra 400 from BH in New York and it arrived today.  I'll still going use my D610 but I'll be bringing my F100 body along in my bag.  It's a much easier decision as the D610 is a full frame camera as well as my lenses.  I like the anticipation after dropping off the exposed rolls and seeing what is waiting for me on the prints.  I also had a motor winder/battery holder (MB-15) but the batteries were so old that they corroded and maybe ruined it.  It was sent to Nikon a couple of days to see if it can repaired.  If not, I'll just buy on on Ebay.  Time to start shooting!

 

[Sparktrician]

Update. I finally took that roll I mentioned last year and one other I found to be developed and it was like opening a time capsule!  There were pictures of my son in the sixth grade!  (he's going into his senior year)  It has rekindled my love of film.  The guy at the Wolfe store told me that believe it or not, film is making a comeback.  I ordered some fresh Portra 400 from BH in New York and it arrived today.  I'll still going use my D610 but I'll be bringing my F100 body along in my bag.  It's a much easier decision as the D610 is a full frame camera as well as my lenses.  I like the anticipation after dropping off the exposed rolls and seeing what is waiting for me on the prints.  I also had a motor winder/battery holder (MB-15) but the batteries were so old that they corroded and maybe ruined it.  It was sent to Nikon a couple of days to see if it can repaired.  If not, I'll just buy on on Ebay.  Time to start shooting!

If Nikon can't or won't fix it, you might contact Mora Camera Service in DC.  Jorge Mora has been around a long time, and only works on Nikon products. 

 

[bump]

hi,
i love doing b&w photography.
my go to used to be an olympus om1. great camera i owned since i was about 10 or 11 ish back in the early 80's.
i always developed my own film, that was until i upgraded to my first play with digital.
i bought myself a canon 1ds and a handful of lenses; however i also bought an adaptor so that i could run my old olympus lenses on the canon body.
sure it meant i had to forego all the automatic focus etc and all of the exif data stated i was using a 50mm lens (due to the chip on the adaptor), but i was used to setting focus myself anyway and the multi point focus system on the 1ds didn't really interest me anyhoo.
this opened up huge opportunities to use all the olympus kit i had, including extension tubes and filters etc.
with a reverse adaptor to go from the olympus to canon i was able to use some of my add ons then revert back to the canon lens on the end.
generally nowdays i don't bother with the om1. i can do all the processing i need in bright light rather than a dark room, if i decide i don't like my processing work i can go back and re-do it as many times as i like rather than possibly ruining a film.
i tend to switch between my 1ds and a canon bridge camera (cant remember the type number) which has a 50X zoom lens.
the bridge is good for snapping and not having to carry around a bag of lenses or a camera the size and weight of a domino. the 1ds i tend to use for serious portraits or long night exposure work.
i would love to upgrade to a 1dx but find it hard to justify the price tag.
however i do miss the times of dipping chemicals and photosensitive paints. i even had an old bottle of uranium liquid used for pulling out more details from under-exposed film....
those were fun times that i look upon with fondness, yet i don't miss the time it took.

 

[southrider]

What is this "film" you refer to?

A new plug in for lightroom perhaps?

 

[pixelated]

What is this "film" you refer to?

A new plug in for lightroom perhaps?

It's a user-replaceable 20 mega-pixel light sensor that can work in (almost) any camera.
[wink]

 

[sassyinpink]

oh wow. even if u stil use film, i think its difficult to buy the chemicals to process and develop the photos right?

 

[usernumber1]

film is having a minor resurgence - all the major retailers in the US never stopped carrying any chemicals , but what is happening the local smaller stores are starting to carry as well.

it's all still there, it always was really - but now it's only for the people looking for it

 

[Bob D.]

film is having a minor resurgence - all the major retailers in the US never stopped carrying any chemicals , but what is happening the local smaller stores are starting to carry as well.

it's all still there, it always was really - but now it's only for the people looking for it

I wish I had some of those interested parties in my neck of the woods. I have not been able to give any of my camera or darkroom equipment away for years. This summer I took a perfectly good Bessler 45MX enlarger to the dump.

I kept the lenses and lens boards and the cold light head but the rest went to the dump. I thought about hanging on to the motorized carriage and maybe adapting it for some use in the wood shop but decided against that as I have more than enough junk hanging around and need to reduce the clutter in the house.

No one wanted the enlarger or anything else even for free AND I offered to transport it within 25 miles of my home. I found a couple photography clubs and schools and offered all my equipment to them for free, no takers.

The only item I was able to sell was my Jobo Color Processor. Still have all the other gear (trays, easels, timers, spot focuser, light meters, Canon 35mm cameras and lenses, and a couple 4x5 cameras) just can't let it go to the dump, but some day soon I guess that is it's fate. I was able to sell all my Bronica SQA medium format camera and lenses years ago at a good price.

 

[Sparktrician]

film is having a minor resurgence - all the major retailers in the US never stopped carrying any chemicals , but what is happening the local smaller stores are starting to carry as well.

it's all still there, it always was really - but now it's only for the people looking for it

Except for Cibachrome.  Ilford quit making it in 2011.  I don't miss the limitations of film at all, especially with the advances in digital imaging technology, but sadly, printing technology has a long way to go to equal the beauty of prints done on Cibachrome. 

I was just thinking that we had to change film rolls every 36 shots, but now, with the storage capacity of SDXC cards, we find ourselves needing to change batteries every 300-400 shots before changing memory cards. 

I'm especially loving the fact that we can see the images immediately and make corrections on the fly.

 

[Dogberryjr]

I’d forgotten the frustration of film getting lost by the lab.  Last week I sent out seven rolls to be processed, but the lab reports they only received three rolls, so those photos, whatever they were, are gone forever.  Granted, memory devices fail sometimes, but the loss of unprocessed film is especially painful.  I’ve got a bunch of film in the freezer still, but it’ll take something to get me to commit.

 

[Sparktrician]

I’d forgotten the frustration of film getting lost by the lab. 

That, and getting someone else's slides back from the lab.    [mad]

 

[AlexThePalex]

I had a professional photographer in my house the other day for some pictures, and when I saw her fumbling with a bag full of SD cards I mentioned how great it was we now have digital storage instead of old-fashioned films, and she agreed but also said she likes to use film for certain special projects because you can get effects you can't do with a digital camera.