Best Performance 35mm Film...?

[ChickenFriedRyce]

..In your opinion? I'm right now using a Nikon 4004s.

I just went through my first roll of Black and White Kodak TX 400 24 exposure film today and an old roll of Kodak Gold 200.

Just wondering because I was told shooting film sharpens skills. I'm getting them developed soon. Any reccomendations with that too? Or could I go to Walgreens?

 

[domromer]

I'm really partial to slides. If you like photos with lots of saturation then give kodak e100vs a try.

 

[ChickenFriedRyce]

Hmmm... Interesting. I've never used slides before. Do I have to develop them myself?

I'm guessing I have to add each slide in and take each out for every shot?

 

[domromer]

Hmmm... Interesting. I've never used slides before. Do I have to develop them myself?

I'm guessing I have to add each slide in and take each out for every shot?

What do you mean?

Slides are just like regular 35mm film. Except for they are mounted on cardboard holders, they are positives not negatives likr regular 35mm film. It's a cheaper way to shoot film since you only pay for development not prints.

The one on the right is a 35mm slide.

 

[selmerdave]

Hmmm... Interesting. I've never used slides before. Do I have to develop them myself?

I'm guessing I have to add each slide in and take each out for every shot?

Slide film works the same way as negative film, the only difference is that when processed you end up with a positive image rather than a negative image. The development process is E6 rather than C41 negative process, and you can do it yourself or get a lab to do it. The other difference is that when you project the slide, you are looking at the actual film that was in the camera and the image left on it, rather than a transfer from that film as with a print. Obviously a print from a slide is still a transfer. It is after the film is processed that the frames can be mounted if one wants to view them in a projector, otherwise you can keep them in sleeves just like negatives which can be easier sometimes, depending on what you're looking to do with them.

Dave

 

[bhop]

I think it depends on what you consider a good performance. Do you like smoothness? grain? contrasty films? Vibrant colors? Subdued colors?

 

[nealjpage]

I don't think that there's a "best" film. There's films that are better suited for a particular application...I like Efke KB 400 as my daily user black and white film, for example, because it's fairly cheap and it processes well in Diafine.

 

[jwkwd]

Color or B&W ?

 

[ChickenFriedRyce]

Color....


and I don't understand how to use film slides. I understand that when the photo is shot, it's already there on the film, but I don't understand how to USE it. Do I have to set a slide in for each shot? or do they come in rolls? Do I take it out after every shot? Do I have to handle i in the dark? etc.....

 

[nealjpage]

You handle slide film just like any other film. It comes in a roll. Once it's been shot, you take it to the lab and they process it, cut each frame apart, and put it in a standard slide holder.

 

[ChickenFriedRyce]

ohhhhh.... Now I understand. Thanks! I'll be sure to try some Kodak e100VS. Anything else I should give a try??

 

[nealjpage]

Fuji Velvia and Kodachrome 64.

 

[crazy_dragonlady]

I'm not a professional by no means here but I have had bad experiences with the color on Fuji film (can't remember specifics just brand) so I tend to stick with what I've always used and that's Kodak UltraMAX 400.

Not that anything else wouldn't be better but I tend to stick with what I like.

I attempted to look for some B&W film but they didn't carry any at Wal-mart and they're film stock is really slim now... guess digitals kinda outweigh the film cameras.

Now that I've told you what I use I would suggest you try out different types of film until you find one that you like.

ttfn
CDL.

 

[jwkwd]

I like Kodak 400UC, good color, kinda fast and you can get it everywhere. Well, there is always Velvia, which is always loaded in an F3.

 

[waileong]

1. There is no such thing as a "best" film. If there were, and it was universally acknowledged, do you think people would buy any other brand?

2. Shooting film on an automatic SLR doesn't sharpen skills per se if you let the camera do all the thinking (eg shoot in P mode). It's no different shooting a DSLR except you only get to see the pictures after development.

3. To really sharpen skills, you have to understand what you are doing. There are only two factors which affect exposure-- shutter speed and aperture. If you let the camera decide these for you, you probably learn nothing except how good the camera's program is.

4. To learn to shoot better, I would suggest you use the camera in manual mode.

5. Of course, the above only deals with exposure. A good picture also requires good composition and good timing (ie when to release the shutter). Here's where film is good-- you don't have the incentive to shoot multi-frame bursts all the time cause film costs money. You may thus learn to anticipate "the moment". That's the biggest payoff for shooting film.