35mm Film Tips?

mekaylanicole

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So I just got this camera from an antique store today for 15 dollars. It still works and everything. It's the Minolta x-700. It takes 35mm film. So I went to walgreens and bought batteries, and then I looked at the film and it was 15 dollars for 4 of them. I don't know, to me that's pretty expensive. I get it, I mean film isn't really that popular anymore haha, but I was wondering if there is some kind of cheaper film options out there? Considering it's going to cost like 15 dollars to get them printed and everything too...I'm gonna go broke in like 2 days lol.
 
First, that's a nice camera, I always liked Minolta and they made some great lenses.

Second, yeah Walgreens is not the cheapest place to buy film or get it developed. Look around online for both.

If you decide you like it it's not that hard to develop your own and scan it.

There is a film section of this forum that you might have better luck in getting any other responses.
 
Go online to find film. Check out B&H, Adorama, Freestyle. There are definitely cheaper options for film. Kentmere 100, for example, is a cheap option for black and white and it's also a nice film. For color, I think Fuji is the most affordable. Also look online for your developing and don't send it to Walgreens. You might spend all that money just for them to eff it up! I remember when drug stores were still decent options - they employed people who were knowledgeable at developing because they had do - there were TONS of rolls being developed all the time and they couldn't afford to screw it up, but that's not the case anymore.

There are online film developing services: Dwayne's photo, darkroom.com, a couple of others. A few others might chime in. And of course at some point someone will say to develop it yourself. If you shoot a few rolls and get the film bug, then yes, you definitely should learn to develop at least black and white yourself. It will be a lot cheaper. But first figure out if you like film enough to bother. You don't want to invest in developing equipment and chemicals if you get bored with film after 4-5 rolls! :)

And yes, there's a section here specifically for film if you have more questions once you get shooting. Come on over and hang out with us :)
 
The price does not seem extraordinarily high to me. You might try some sources online but you will pay for shipping. I used to participate in the deal where you send in a roll for processing, and they send back a new roll with my pictures. Probably saved me a little postage that way.
 
Give this place a call. Photo World, 917 Ehlers Road, Neenah, WI 54956 (920) 731-5461. I get all my C-41 film done there, and I know they do mail in stuff. Great people, EXCELLENT prices. Will cost you FAR less to do that than it would for Walgreens to do it-trust me.

As for the camera, those X-series are pretty nice. I have an X-370 and it's a major improvement over the XG series it replaced (muuuch more reliable). Good deal you got there. Enjoy!
 
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$15 for 4 rolls of film is the norm. I work in a camera store/lab and still buy my color print film at Walmart. Fuji 400 24-exp, 4 rolls for $12.97. At my lab we charge $9.95 for dev and a cd. BW we charge $8 to dev and $4.95 for the cd. Prints are 36 cents each at time of process for 4x6's.

I'm in St. Louis.......are you close to St. Louis?
 
$15.00 for 4 rolls ? Eh... not bad. 20 years ago the same 4 rolls were $12.00, so considering devaluation is the same or less. :D
One word advice on X-700. When you load first roll do that in sunny day, use camera without a case, expose to sun the back of the camera for a bit longer period of time. The idea is to check if is not leaking the light. It is better to do that with the first roll of film to know it and not destroy any "important" pictures in case of leak. If there is a leak you may want to change the light seals or tape all the seems with black electrical tape right after loading film. My X-700 (two of them) are fine in normal weather, but in -20C they start to leak light in. :D So I use the tape.
 
Ditto on that; Walmart $1197 last time I got a four pack of Fuji. If you want B&W or anything else, Adorama or B&W to name a few are cheaper than local stores. Developing around these parts is (I use two different places) one is $7 the other $9 per roll. B&W is significantly more expensive because it goes out of state. Quite a few film people out there; film (to me) lost renders better than digital. I use both!
 
Before buying film, I'd check out the camera. First thing with any battery operated artifact, is to look and see if there are signs of battery corrosion in the battery compartment. And get in the habit of removing batteries if the camera is not going to be used for a while.

Then as Timor said, check out the seals around the door and the mirror cushion. If any seals or the mirror cushion are crumbly or gummy, replace them, which you may be able to do yourself (careful! Be very careful!!).

Gently make sure there is no dust in the film compartment or mirror compartment (No pressurized air! I use a camel's hair brush to gently flick away dust. A moistened Q-tip for the outside -- but not on lens surfaces of course.) Then once it looks clean inside and out, try different shutter speeds while you have the back open and see how the shutter seems to be doing, and how the lens diaphragm is closing down. Then, take some pictures.

Were it me, I'd test with expired film I got cheap on Craigslist or eBay for $1-2/roll. But that savings can be more trouble than it's worth. Plus, if something is wrong, you don't know if it's the camera or the film.

Film is not an inexpensive hobby, though compared to some...
 
I have a boatload of expired (stored frozen) Agfa HDC100. I could sell ya a few rolls cheap if you're interested.
 

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