mrdarklight
TPF Noob!
- Joined
- Sep 4, 2009
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Something spurred me recently to get back into film photography, and I'm loving it so far.
There's just something fundamentally different about film. I've had two different digital cameras now (best one is a Canon S2-IS) and although they're fine cameras, I just don't feel like putting any effort into the pictures I take with them. There's just something underwhelming about digital photography, it's hard to put my finger on. Maybe it's that I take more time to consider each shot with film because it costs money to pull the trigger, or that film has such better detail. I'm not sure.
Anyway, I figured if I was going to get into film I'd do some MF, because now that I'm an adult I can afford the equipment (well, some of it). At the same time, film equipment prices have crashed and supply is way up, so it is a good time to get back in.
I bought two MF cameras on eBay: An Agfa Isolette 1 (About $30 shipped) and a Yashica-Mat (About $110 shipped). I ran a roll of Portra VC through the Agfa, but I'm pretty sure the lens is fogged. It looks hazy, and most of the prints were low in contrast.
I've also run a roll of Ilford HP5 through the Yashica-Mat. It's hard to tell if I have a very good lens in it from the 5x5 print proofs, but there's nothing obviously wrong with it. I'm growing to quite like it.
I'm also putting together a darkroom and got a Beseler 23c with a 75mm lens and 6x7 negative holder. I figure it will still work for the 6x6 negatives I have.
Yeah, I've fallen hard, apparently.
Anyway, I have a few questions, but I'll just start with this: Do I need a grain focuser? Can't I just use some kind of magnifying glass and check focus of prints with that? The extra $30 for the grain focuser isn't going to kill me, but I've already sunk a good deal of money into this.
There's just something fundamentally different about film. I've had two different digital cameras now (best one is a Canon S2-IS) and although they're fine cameras, I just don't feel like putting any effort into the pictures I take with them. There's just something underwhelming about digital photography, it's hard to put my finger on. Maybe it's that I take more time to consider each shot with film because it costs money to pull the trigger, or that film has such better detail. I'm not sure.
Anyway, I figured if I was going to get into film I'd do some MF, because now that I'm an adult I can afford the equipment (well, some of it). At the same time, film equipment prices have crashed and supply is way up, so it is a good time to get back in.
I bought two MF cameras on eBay: An Agfa Isolette 1 (About $30 shipped) and a Yashica-Mat (About $110 shipped). I ran a roll of Portra VC through the Agfa, but I'm pretty sure the lens is fogged. It looks hazy, and most of the prints were low in contrast.
I've also run a roll of Ilford HP5 through the Yashica-Mat. It's hard to tell if I have a very good lens in it from the 5x5 print proofs, but there's nothing obviously wrong with it. I'm growing to quite like it.
I'm also putting together a darkroom and got a Beseler 23c with a 75mm lens and 6x7 negative holder. I figure it will still work for the 6x6 negatives I have.
Yeah, I've fallen hard, apparently.
Anyway, I have a few questions, but I'll just start with this: Do I need a grain focuser? Can't I just use some kind of magnifying glass and check focus of prints with that? The extra $30 for the grain focuser isn't going to kill me, but I've already sunk a good deal of money into this.