Film as a learning tool...

[slackercruster]

You can learn the basics of photography either way. Film is pretty dead and headed out at some point.I started with film 40 years ago. Glad I learned it, but would never go back to a wet darkroom. I'm 100% dig.

TBS, I'd love to see a monochrome dig cam that would replicate film exactly. Just put 4 ASA settings on it that will reproduce panatomic x, plux x, tri x and maybe royal x. If they like, put the option of pushing a stop or two. But it must replicate film exactly for me to buy one. Leica has a monochrome model, but it is too high $ and it is not built along these guidelines. Oh...make it run on 2 or 4 AA batts!

 

[gsgary]

You can learn the basics of photography either way. Film is pretty dead and headed out at some point.I started with film 40 years ago. Glad I learned it, but would never go back to a wet darkroom. I'm 100% dig.

TBS, I'd love to see a monochrome dig cam that would replicate film exactly. Just put 4 ASA settings on it that will reproduce panatomic x, plux x, tri x and maybe royal x. If they like, put the option of pushing a stop or two. But it must replicate film exactly for me to buy one. Leica has a monochrome model, but it is too high $ and it is not built along these guidelines. Oh...make it run on 2 or 4 AA batts!

Sorry but you are talking out of your arse when you say film is on lts way out , sales have gone up for the last few years Lomography

 

[gsgary]

I was going to say before i messed up on my phone Lomography say their sales of film are up 100% on last year

 

[bhop]

People are not mentioning the most important part of using film (imho) darkroom printing, which is where all the magic really occurs, especially chemical painting.

There is a serious learning curve with printing if one wants to be really good. But in theory, it is simple and the steps are fairly straight forward. Leaning to control and move the light around is what takes time patience and filling the "learning bin" (aka trash can)

I personally love shooting film, but i've never liked the darkroom. Once film scanners became affordable, it was like a dream come true to me.

 

[Josh66]

I was going to say before i messed up on my phone Lomography say their sales of film are up 100% on last year

Kodak have been reporting that sales have been up in the last few years too. (From what I understood, the film and chemical division of Kodak has always been doing fine - it's the other divisions that are suffering.)

Haven't heard anything about Fuji, but I suspect they are doing just fine too. (Although they did just recently announce a global price increase, which will take effect in August...)

 

[spacefuzz]

If you need to learn the basics of photography use digital, instant feedback and access to the histogram are beyond valuable. You can do some interesting things with film though, and its nice to have the option. Yesterday for the eclipse I was shooting with the D800 an F100 side by side, will be interesting to compare.

Of course I kept trying to check my histogram on the F100 by reflex....whoops.

 

[gsgary]

Kodak have been reporting that sales have been up in the last few years too. (From what I understood, the film and chemical division of Kodak has always been doing fine - it's the other divisions that are suffering.)

Haven't heard anything about Fuji, but I suspect they are doing just fine too. (Although they did just recently announce a global price increase, which will take effect in August...)

Fuji should be ok, i have bought10 films in the last 2 weeks also some ilford fp4 and hp5

 

[gsgary]

Here's a shot from my last roll, i don't think my 5D would have coped as well with the dynamic range

 

[Josh66]

[...] i don't think my 5D would have coped as well with the dynamic range

The dynamic range of color negative film VS. digital blows me away every time.

As far as dynamic range goes, film can do what is just not possible with one digital exposure...

edit
It's like HDR every time you click the shutter.

 

[cepwin]

Wow...I've seem to have started a very interesting discussion. @spacefuzz....oh yes..please post your results...I'm sure a lot of people would love to see them, myself included. @gsgary..wonderful pix of your dog..pin sharp with beautiful bokeh and nice detail even in the shadows. It confirms what I saw in the three color images I bought. This gentleman got incredible dynamic range...no special tricks or processing required..he just knows how to process color expertly and use long exposure to his advantage. To get the results he did in digital you'd probably need to use HDR or other processing techniques. Also..from what I'm seeing film is doing anything *but* dying especially in the fine art community. I didn't speak with one fine art photographer who was shooting digital although I'm hearing that some of those folks are at least peaking at the 36mp D800. Obviously in other areas like wedding/portrait where you're dealing with volume or sports/news where fast turnaround is important digital is the way to go. As I said earlier...if I try this route I'd try making the negatives myself both to save $$ and to get that experience...the experience like putting the card in the card reader to see what comes up but on steroids.

Point of correction: I am just looking at an article on the future of film and apparently some wedding photographers *are* turning back to film to differentiate themselves from the competition..interesting.
The Future of Film ( link originally in the "future of film" thread.)

 

[cepwin]

Well...I broke down and found a working Nikon FG for $60 on ebay .. it will work with at least two of the lenses I already have so hopefully I'll be ready to go.

 

[Sw1tchFX]

You can learn the basics of photography either way. Film is pretty dead and headed out at some point.I started with film 40 years ago. Glad I learned it, but would never go back to a wet darkroom. I'm 100% dig.

TBS, I'd love to see a monochrome dig cam that would replicate film exactly. Just put 4 ASA settings on it that will reproduce panatomic x, plux x, tri x and maybe royal x. If they like, put the option of pushing a stop or two. But it must replicate film exactly for me to buy one. Leica has a monochrome model, but it is too high $ and it is not built along these guidelines. Oh...make it run on 2 or 4 AA batts!

If you want that, why fake it, just shoot the real damn thing?

 

[djacobox372]

For a person "just learning photography", I think film is an utter waste of time,effort,and money.

I agree!

The instant feedback that digital gives you, along with the $0.0 per shot on-going costs, allows one to learn the basics of photography far faster and more cheaply then with film.

Once you've mastered the technical aspects of photography (exposure, lighting, and composition), film can help slow you down and cure any spray-n-pray tendencies you have.

 

[cepwin]

Well, hopefully I'll find it worthwhile.....it will at the very least be a nice change of pace..

 

[Josh66]

If you're still learning photography in general - take notes when you're shooting film. Make a little log sheet - 'frame 1, f/4; 1/125; 50mm; ISO 100; metered for shadows', etc.