Comeback

[coastguard]

Some help please! Seriously thinking of taking up photography after some 20 years.Gave all my Durst darkroom equipment away to a young man starting up.
Still have 35mm film cameras and 6x7 pentax.Kept because of sentimental value.
My aim would be to produce decent B & W prints. Would appreciate all that knowledge out there to help.Lets not get too technical,just basic knowledge please.From what direction should I approach.

 

[Derrel]

Digitial camera...Lightroom software and its Color Filter Effect pre-sets that simulate filters like yellow,red,green,blue filters; inkjet prints made with a printer on quality papers. Digital B&W prints can be VERY beautiful,and good. Or, you can have images printed by a lab that specializes in printing, often at very affordable costs compared to maintaining the needed inks and paper stock for yourself.

Digital B&W allows dodging and burning in, cropping, selective enhancements, and the "negative" is safe,secure, and easily modified or improved to get a good print. Prints are fairly repeatable, compared to darkroom B&W prints, which depend on the worker more than on the negative itself.

I would recommend a d-slr, Adobe's Lightroom software, and sending out the files to be printed by a pro lab, at least to start.

 

[jeffW]

If you're truly set on shooting film I would answer all the unknowns before even buying a roll of film. Are you going to develop the negatives, do you have space in the house where you can make a light tight room and work with messy smelly chemicals? If you're thinking of taking them to a local lab I would check on that as most labs are gone therefore prices are at a premium. Where are you going to print, lots of darkroom equipment for cheap on Craigslist if you're willing to sort through garbage. Not so sure how much I trust chemicals, paper and even film as it's been sitting there for some time in the back of a warehouse. Again what use to be common could now be a major pain.

Honestly I agree with Derrel look at going digital, it's still about seeing the composition. Depending upon how many lenses you have and what genre of photography you favor - I might suggest looking at mirrorless. Not to get into a "taste great"..."less filling" argument I only suggest mirrorless for the fact if you have a bunch of favorite lenses buying a couple of adapters and you can very easily be using those lenses on a mirrorless system as the body is much more shallow than a dslr allowing the use of an adapter.

 

[mdruziak]

Going all digital certainly would be much easier. But there is no reason you couldn't shoot film, develop it yourself, scan the negatives, and edit with a program like Lightroom.

Home development of BW film is pretty easy. It takes me about 40 minutes to develop a roll of film from setup to cleanup. I use a changing bag to load the film into the tank so I can do the whole process in my kitchen/bathroom/laundry room with all the lights on.

To print, you could print at home or you could upload your edited photos to an on-line printing service and have them print for you. If you wanted to print at home, you could get started with your All In One printer. But make sure you get some decent photo paper. At some point you might consider upgrading to a decent photo printer if you can justify it.

Most importantly... have fun!

 

[coastguard]

Going all digital certainly would be much easier. But there is no reason you couldn't shoot film, develop it yourself, scan the negatives, and edit with a program like Lightroom.

Home development of BW film is pretty easy. It takes me about 40 minutes to develop a roll of film from setup to cleanup. I use a changing bag to load the film into the tank so I can do the whole process in my kitchen/bathroom/laundry room with all the lights on.

To print, you could print at home or you could upload your edited photos to an on-line printing service and have them print for you. If you wanted to print at home, you could get started with your All In One printer. But make sure you get some decent photo paper. At some point you might consider upgrading to a decent photo printer if you can justify it.

Most importantly... have fun!

 

[coastguard]

Very many thanks to you all who appreciate my plight.All the information gave me food for thought.
Will let you know how I get on.I think above all I have to enjoy myself.