Film photography expensive

[Irminsul]

I'm a bit depressed by all this forecasting of the fast drying up of films supplies. But you guys should know... I've just taken the opposite road myself: after shooting digital, I've bought but haven't yet received an Elan 7n. This is for a photography course that I'm going to take in the summer in the local college. They want to start everyone out with film. So, we're supposed to bring a film camera, film and paper. Any suggestions regarding what brand and ISO level I should choose? I guess we'll be doing a lot of outdoor shooting. Also, you guys who recommend buying a scanner for negatives, any suggestions as to scanner models I should consider?

 

[terri]

I'm a bit depressed by all this forecasting of the fast drying up of films supplies. But you guys should know... I've just taken the opposite road myself: after shooting digital, I've bought but haven't yet received an Elan 7n. This is for a photography course that I'm going to take in the summer in the local college. They want to start everyone out with film. So, we're supposed to bring a film camera, film and paper. Any suggestions regarding what brand and ISO level I should choose? I guess we'll be doing a lot of outdoor shooting. Also, you guys who recommend buying a scanner for negatives, any suggestions as to scanner models I should consider?

Don't be depressed. Film is going to be around for many moons. There are still millions of analog shooters out there, as you are discovering by being encouraged to start with film. These are interesting times, as the big players sort things out.

You weren't told whether to buy print film or slide film? Might want to check on that first. In my photo 101 class we were shooting nothing but ISO 100 slide film, so our images could be easily viewed at class. But everyone works differently.

Ok, enough hijacking of this thread. Start a new thread asking about scanner models, okay?

 

[ThomThomsk]

I'm a bit depressed by all this forecasting of the fast drying up of films supplies.

Don't worry, film will be available for decades, probably for ever. However, we may not always have the huge range of films and papers you can buy today (I've counted at least 30 kinds of b&w film and probably the same again of paper), so if you are happy with a particular combination then it is only prudent to stockpile. Lots of Agfa fans wish they had, and it was a close run thing for Ilford a while back.

Incidentally, one of the directors of Ilford is a member of APUG, and he said the other day that around 50% of their sales are to students. If the universities ever stop teaching traditional methods then things could get interesting.

 

[Irminsul]

Don't worry, film will be available for decades, probably for ever. However, we may not always have the huge range of films and papers you can buy today (I've counted at least 30 kinds of b&w film and probably the same again of paper), so if you are happy with a particular combination then it is only prudent to stockpile. Lots of Agfa fans wish they had, and it was a close run thing for Ilford a while back.

Incidentally, one of the directors of Ilford is a member of APUG, and he said the other day that around 50% of their sales are to students. If the universities ever stop teaching traditional methods then things could get interesting.

Thanks, good to know. Coincidentally, I've just ordered some Ilford (I love b&w photos). I guess I'll order some more. That was a shock about Agfa, one of the earliest pioneers in color photography.

 

[selmerdave]

I predict 15 or 20 years of people wowing about the sharpness of their digital images, accompanied by the by-in-large extinction of the large film manufacturers, followed by a "renaissance" when people who care start to realize that there are other qualites aside from sharpness and perceived detail that affect the impact of the image. Some photographers will "realize" that despite 20 years of development of digital technology, there are life-like qualities and a warmth to film images that get lost in digital. There will sprout up various "boutique" (read 'expensive') film manufacturers and it will be a cottage industry. Some who stood by film the whole time will say "I told you so..." but for the most part the public as a whole will have no concept of the potential of film.

Sorry, but my other hobby is audio, and the comparison of today in photography and about 1984 in audio (think advent of the CD and digital audio) is very relevant IMO. Same arguments, same comparisons, same advantages and disadvantages, I expect the same sequence of events.

Dave

 

[Irminsul]

Sorry, but my other hobby is audio, and the comparison of today in photography and about 1984 in audio (think advent of the CD and digital audio) is very relevant IMO. Same arguments, same comparisons, same advantages and disadvantages, I expect the same sequence of events.

Dave

You read my mind! Also an audiophile here, of eclectic tastes in music, and the comparison has suggested itself to my mind. When I play some of my vinyl records (whether classic or rock) I can feel a vibrant warmth in the sound (never mind some pops and crackles from old records) that is miissing from the sharper digital remasterings. Analogue is a mirror, while digital is a bit of counterfeit reality. But, I guess, as the practicality of digital technologies replaces the warmth of analogue, much of this traditional warmth will be lost, to be missed only by those who remember it. Until someone "rediscovers" it, as you prophesy. But most won't care, as too much time and effort is saved by the digital format in all of these fields. But something is being lost. Hope I don't sound like old fogey.

 

[Rolleistef]

You'd be getting mad if only you saw the prices here in France.
b&w : from 4 to 6.5€ a 36 roll (hm 5.2 to 8$), from 10 to 20€ process and printing. (12 to 24$).
Idem for colour.
It's why I process my bw film myself, but I haven't bought that marvellous Jobo machine for colour....