It's been 7 years...I'm going back to film

[usayit]

I highly doubt that it is easier to pack around 10 rolls of film then one battery.

Believe me it is... especially when you take into consideration mechanical movements versus electronics. I'm still thinking that it is easier to carry 10 rolls of film with a mechanical camera than DSLR+battery+memory cards. How about failure rate in extreme weather? not sure but my bet is still on the old mechanical cameras.

 

[usayit]

Ebay prices for 350D batteries is about $5, which isn't much more then a roll of film... of course these are aftermarket batteries that MAY not last as long as 1st party batteries, but I'm 100% postive they'd last MUCH longer then a roll of film.

No one planing such a trip is going to rely on those ebay batteries.... you can get old expired film off of ebay for pennys/roll but would you bank your trip on it?

 

[ksmattfish]

The reason why I want to go back to film is battery life and weight.

I can understand cold weather battery issues, but I don't see how a film camera is any less weight and size than a digital camera. Whenever I went on a long trip the film took up as much space as the rest of the gear. Battery-less, all metal, mechanical cameras are heavy.

Would you go back to film?

Not me, at least not roll film. My advice is to get out and shoot a few rolls before you go on your trip to refresh your mind with all those film quirks. Remember, once you load a roll of film you are stuck at that ISO for 36 exposures, etc....

 

[usayit]

I guess its been a while ksmattfish.... its been long enough to forget that almost all mechanical and most electronic film cameras are capable of mid-roll change. Even 35mm from before 1950s are capable. Just put your ear to the camera and listen for the take up spool to release the film leader. Granted... it isn't as easy as a flip of a switch like on digitals.

 

[benhasajeep]

For the price of buying even a used film camera, he can buy 4 or 5 Canon branded batteries!

The trick with the spare batteries is to keep them close to your body (shirt pocket under all your winter coats). Keep them warm. If you start to notice that the one in the camera is slowing down. Take it out, put in a warm one, and put the one you took out in a warm place (its not dead yet). After switching out a couple times it will then finally be drained.

I say get some extra batteries and stick with the digital. I am still a big fan of film and use mine regularly. But I don't see long trips in the cold as a reason to buy a new film body when a digital will perform as well.

As for a solar charger depending on how long you are going to be out in the cold. It may be better just to carry another spare battery. The small chargers are in the miliamp charging range and would take a long time to charge a battery. For the weight and space extra battery would be better choice.

Longest trip in cold weather I have done was 10 days. Lowest it got at night was probably no less than -5f. I kept my batteries close to my body the whole time. Works really good.

 

[djacobox372]

once you load a roll of film you are stuck at that ISO for 36 exposures, etc....

Unless you rewind the film (leader out) and mark the number of exposures to go back to... I do it all the time.

 

[ShutteringFocus]

Wow, you all are great. This is very helpful stuff here!

To answer a few of the issues related to MY SPECIFIC situation.

The trips will be a month long. So 10-15 rolls of 36 ex. film should give me 12-18 shots per day. Now, if we remember that these are not specifically PHOTO trips and that I'll have lots of other stuff to do trying to stay warm and alive...then I think that is totally sufficient.

The issue of just buying batteries is out. I'm not taking one of my DSLR bodies. They are way to bulky and heafty.

I'm looking at something like a G9 or something film.

What I was thinking was going way back to something like a Canon Ae-1, although I like Helen's idea of the Rollei 35. I dont know anything about camperas like the 35. I'll have to do some research.

I used to own two Ae-1 programs before buying my digital cameras. They are definetly smaller and lighter than DSLRs. And, they strike me as more durable (mainly because I ran one of mine over with a car once on accident...long story...but the camera was fine.)

Something like the Ae-1 program would have no battery trouble at all. And an extra battery would be smaller than my chap-stick. I could also probably carry a wide lense like a 28, and a short zoom like a 35-70. Who knows...maybe even a 70-200? I'm not sure yet.

There is no way that you could make an argument that DSLR equipment of the same ranges would be anywhere close to the same size and weight. My 70-200 2.8 lense for my DSLR stuff is twice as heavy as that whole Ae-1 package!

Plus, lets be honest here. I miss winding the film in-between each shot. Maybe on a trip where the whole point is to NOT HAVE electronics...something fully mechanical would be fun!

Thanks for all the help and ideas.

Do you think it would be wise to mail out the film inbetween trips so that it doesn't sit around before being developed? Anyone know of any good labs that do film via mail? I could have the negatives sent back to my home and they would be there for me when I get back...how exciting...that old feeling of not REALLY knowing what your pictures look like until you open up the packages! :heart:

 

[monkeykoder]

There are lots of places that you can mail film out to. There are NEW film cameras you can buy for the cost of 5 canon batteries. You can get film cameras with a couple of lenses usually for somewhere between $100-$500 depending on what it is you're looking for these prices would include CLA (I'm pretty sure) unless you're going with an uber-pro camera.

 

[SilverGlow]

ShutteringFocus, which EOS DSLR do you shoot with? If it's the 5D, then all you need to bring are AA batteries, as that body has an AA battery adaptor in the grip, if you have the grip. Just buy 6 x the number of battery sets required and buying in a big volume box means cheap. If you shoot with a 40D or other cropped body, their grips may too have the AA battery adaptor, but I don't know for sure.

 

[Josh66]

...for the cost of 5 canon batteries.

LOL, the new measuring stick for the cost of camera gear...