Film Photography???

[Canosonic]

Until now I was mainly interested in digital photography, though now I am interested in going in to ANALOG. Can anyone point where to start? Website? Literature? Can I use my bathroom for a darkroom?
TIA

 

[DennyCrane]

Film, you say? Hang on, let me put my spectacles on and sit down on the chesterfield. I think I set that information on the credenza.

 

[terri41 13]

Hi Canosonic. ^^ Ignore useless wisecracks like these. They are borne of ignorance and a narrow view of photography.

You'll get much more help visiting TPF's film photography forums. Everything from general discussion to specific darkroom tips to be found. We also have a complete beginner's guide to B&W photography in the Articles of Interest forum (near the top of the main page). The author is also a member and ready to help.

Millions of people worldwide still use film, so you're hardly alone. Don't sweat it. Just go with what feels right for your photography experience. APUG is a forum devoted entirely to analog.

And yes, a bathroom can actually make a pretty darn good darkroom, btw. :thumbup: Have fun!

 

[DennyCrane]

It's a facetious comment to illustrate the fact film is rapidly growing into an anachronism. Kodachrome is gone. Other film lines are dwindling. Processing chemicals are getting expensive. Fewer and fewer people are processing and printing.

Yeah, you could probably buy some used stuff real cheap now... even development equipment, but there's a reason why. It's at the very end of the era.

 

[Plato]

Kodachrome is gone.

 

[syphlix]

Low budget photographer.
Canosonic.

you'll prob have to delete the "low budget" part from your sig

 

[Randall Ellis]

Until now I was mainly interested in digital photography, though now I am interested in going in to ANALOG. Can anyone point where to start? Website? Literature? Can I use my bathroom for a darkroom?
TIA

Try APUG.org, they are an all-analog site and many people there are dedicated to helping people get started using film. I've got some info on my site here about what you need to get started.

And yes, you can use your bathroom for a darkroom (I do, and it works great). Curtain backing, or blackout fabric, makes a nice curtain to cover the door (on the outside), and then a rolled towel underneath should finish you up (unless you have a window too). I have a window that is covered with the same fabric. I've used gaffers tape to stick it to the wall because gaffers tape does not leave an residue and it wont damage the paint either.

- Randy

 

[Randall Ellis]

It's a facetious comment to illustrate the fact film is rapidly growing into an anachronism. Kodachrome is gone. Other film lines are dwindling. Processing chemicals are getting expensive. Fewer and fewer people are processing and printing.

What's your source for this? I've read that film sales have leveled out and I can point you to a couple of new Kodak emulsions introduced in just the last year. Then you have the new papers coming out of Europe, the re-introduction of the Agfa chemical and paper line, and more. There are now more chemicals, films, and papers than there were 10 years ago. Just because you don't like film is not a reason to try to prevent others from making that choice. Either post legitimate sources for your sweeping generalizations or don't post anything...

- Randy

 

[Randall Ellis]

Low budget photographer.
Canosonic.

you'll prob have to delete the "low budget" part from your sig

Why?

 

[Derrel]

Canosonic,
Look for darkroom supplies and set-ups on craigslist or at yard sales...complete darkrooms, often with good enlargers like Beseler 23 CII or Omega D2, enlarging easels, paper safe, safelight,etc,etc are selling for incredibly low prices, like $100 to $40 for an entire B&W capable darkroom.

Not many people are doing home darkroom work any more,and the values/prices are so low people are actually giving their darkrooms away--I donated mine, with an Omega D2, trays, glass bottles, Omega timers, to Goodwill.

I have always liked Freestyle Photo, where you can buy all sorts of great film stuff.
Freestyle Photographic Supplies - Traditional Black & White Film, Paper, Chemicals, Holgas and ULF

 

[DennyCrane]

What's your source for this? I've read that film sales have leveled out and I can point you to a couple of new Kodak emulsions introduced in just the last year. Then you have the new papers coming out of Europe, the re-introduction of the Agfa chemical and paper line, and more. There are now more chemicals, films, and papers than there were 10 years ago. Just because you don't like film is not a reason to try to prevent others from making that choice. Either post legitimate sources for your sweeping generalizations or don't post anything...

- Randy

Where have you read that film sales have leveled out? Could you please post a legitimate source for this?

I don't remember saying that I don't like film. I started on film over 35 years ago and enjoyed it for many years. The fact remains though that with Kodachrome about gone and Ektar film remaining, you're going to pay more for film and developing.

And who was trying to prevent anything? It cannot be denied that the numbers don't support anyone saying 35mm film and developing is static or growing. Kodak is saying the opposite.

Traditional film revenue sank 30 percent to $593 million, mostly due to uncertainty in labor-contract negotiations in the entertainment industry and an overall decline in demand for film, Kodak said.

Fuji is concerned as well.

The rate of decline is apparent from film sales — since only people who buy film need to have it developed. Over the last four years, the sale of film has been dropping at a rate of 25 to 30 percent each year. In 2006, 204 million rolls were sold, a quarter of the 800 million sold at the peak in 1999. “It’s pretty alarming,” said Bing Liem, senior vice president of sales for the imaging division of Fujifilm USA.

So, no one is trying to "prevent" someone from making a choice. I am trying to drive home the fact film is declining and might not be a wise economic choice. I'd hate to see someone spend a lot of money on gear that may be unusable in a few years.

I wish film photography was as strong as ever. I'd love to have another Canon AE-1 or AE-1 Program. I had a lot of fun taking shots back in the 80s. I don't believe it's reasonable to expect film support to last more than 5 more years at the outside. I also wish bigblock V8 cars were at my local Dodge dealership. It ain't happening. We can enjoy technology in it's day, but we have to be realistic about technology evolving. And sometimes that means cherished things like film photography passing in favor of digital.

 

[Derrel]

According to one lab owner in 2007, it seems as if film sales by 2007 had declined about 75% since the peak in 1999,and decreased 20 to 30 percent annually over four consecutive years.

Film Sales Statistics - How Much Has Digital Cameras Affected Film Sales? - Yahoo! Answers

According to the New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/09/business/09film.html?ref=business

In this article, a senior FujiFilm official told the Times that 800 million rolls of film were sold in 1999, the peak of film usage. In 2006 however, only 204 million rolls of film were sold. And the article also states, "The Eastman Kodak Company’s film business has plummeted, and the company has spent the last few years making a transition to digital technology."

Any talk about film making a "comeback",etc. is wishful thinking. Numerous film and darkroom products have been discontinued. Kodak itself has stopped making all film cameras. Not a single,significant film camera has been released over the past four years. Film is fun to work with,and a wonderful way to capture images, but it is clear that the vast majority of images are being captured using digital technology. I think film will be around for quite some time, just like cassette tapes were available or many years, well after the capture medium had lost favor to digitally captured sound.

 

[Plato]

According to one lab owner in 2007, it seems as if film sales by 2007 had declined about 75% since the peak in 1999,and decreased 20 to 30 percent annually over four consecutive years.

Film Sales Statistics - How Much Has Digital Cameras Affected Film Sales? - Yahoo! Answers

According to the New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/09/business/09film.html?ref=business

In this article, a senior FujiFilm official told the Times that 800 million rolls of film were sold in 1999, the peak of film usage. In 2006 however, only 204 million rolls of film were sold. And the article also states, "The Eastman Kodak Company’s film business has plummeted, and the company has spent the last few years making a transition to digital technology."

Any talk about film making a "comeback",etc. is wishful thinking. Numerous film and darkroom products have been discontinued. Kodak itself has stopped making all film cameras. Not a single,significant film camera has been released over the past four years. Film is fun to work with,and a wonderful way to capture images, but it is clear that the vast majority of images are being captured using digital technology. I think film will be around for quite some time, just like cassette tapes were available or many years, well after the capture medium had lost favor to digitally captured sound.

I have no clue if I'm typical but, as an amateur, I used to run through about a dozen 36-shot rolls each month. I haven't shot a single roll in two years.

 

[1986]

Freestyle is a really good website to buy supplies from. B and H is where I get my film from, their prices are the best I have seen (for Kodak films and Illford at least). Also search google for some info and direction. There is a lot of good information also there is a some good information on this forum as well. As for books I found Ansel Adams book series very informative. The Camera, The Negative, The Print.

Feel free to PM me if you have questions as well.

Congratulations on moving into real photography.

( don't quote me and start a argument about film and digital. It is just my opinion that film is the only true artistic form of photography. you just can't get any feeling from subjects in digital photography. It's just a cold medium. In my opinion)

 

[Randall Ellis]

Where have you read that film sales have leveled out? Could you please post a legitimate source for this?

I have it from Ilford sales representatives directly. If I can dig up the email I'll quote in its entirety here.

Thanks for posting the info from Fuji. While Kodak state that they are seeing decresing sales, they still have produced multiple new emulsion in recent years. I', no marketing expert, but I'd say that they feel that film will be around for some time longer or they would not have invested millions of dollars in R and D on those new emulsion. While I appreciate you prediction, those of us who use film get a bit tired of people predicting the death of film, over, and over, and over. Given that almost every know photographic process is still in use at some level today I find it difficult to believe that film will ever go away completely.

- Randy