Justification to buy films

Battou

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I've been shooting 35mm film almost exclusively for years and I have no forseeable causes to switch to digital. I have been shooting with consumer grade films straight off the RiteAid and Walmart shelves. I know it's impacting my photography. I am limited to Fuji film at speeds of 200, 400 and 800 of color film only at Rite Aid and have the same selection of Kodak plus BW400CN at Walmart. What's more these selections are often old stock and I am finding on a few occations irreparable colorcasting because of it. I've continued to do this largely for the simple reason Rite Aid is right there and I can not justify paying shipping and handling and wait time to order better/newer films from internet sources.

As I begin to really consider taking my photography to a paying status I need to figure out if telling Rite Aid to screw off and turning to the internet for my film and film processing is going to be worth the added overhead and inconvienience.


I know a lot of people here shoot with film that the drug store ain't packin and not everyone here lives next to a photo store so I assume someone here has made this conclution before.

Is it worth the hassle? and I am not talking image quality, that I already assume will be of some value, It's paying the mailman and waiting for them to get here I want to know about.
 
I'm starting to get into medium format and the local store only sells and processes E6 film. The reason why I want to use film is the greater tonal range, but they don't sell C-41. Good things come to those who wait. I say order bulk online and treat yourself. If you can't find a store within a 1-2hr drive, waiting 2-3 days for an order isn't so bad...shoot, aim for next day shipping! But I see why you can't justify this, you're not doing paid work just yet.

But consider this, what if you make a great shot but use low end film and if it weren't for that, you could have used it towards your portfolio? If it's weighing on your conscience, it must mean something, right?
 
I just place larger orders. Typically around Tax return time, and sometime in the fall. This doesnt just apply to buying film, its all of my hobbies.

In between larger orders I will hit up the local hobby store, photolab, video game store, what have you. But most of my supplies for whatever hobby im into at that time come from the internet simply because of the wide variety of choices, and when you factor in how much im ordering, shipping really isnt too much of a hassle.
 
Battou, it would help to know which segment of the market you wanted to get into. It does make a difference.

Also, how far is it to the nearest 'pro' lab? The most cost effective way with film for me was to get the negs developed and scanned and then I was able to do editing and post on the files so that I only had printed what I wanted to keep.
 
Battou, it would help to know which segment of the market you wanted to get into. It does make a difference.

Also, how far is it to the nearest 'pro' lab? The most cost effective way with film for me was to get the negs developed and scanned and then I was able to do editing and post on the files so that I only had printed what I wanted to keep.

which segment of the market you want to get into? General, so I can fill a gap where ever needed, and it fits my existing shooting style. I began what will end up being a three day insurance shoot this after noon, I am still waiting on a time for some wildlife work and I still have the Laccross client, That's three completely different fields in the last month, that is not including several portriat sessions I declined.

how far is it to the nearest 'pro' lab? I havn't found one yet so it's likely Buffalo or Jamestown if at all, both cities are impracticle for me.
 
Well in that case, I don't think that you can find a justification to stay with film. Unless you plan to do all of your own darkroom work as well.

There are niche markets for film but for general photography I don't think that you can beat the CODB with digital. I can tell you don't really want to hear this but get a sharp pencil and do the math. A high res scan of a roll of negatives costs about as much as just having them printed when the developing is counted. So, take $1 per shot for an example using film, if you take 600 shots and 120 of them are keepers then you spend $600 for 120 photos. We'll not get into having any enlarged.

If you are using a digital camera then your 120 shots cost you $120 @$1 per.

If you do 10 shots like this one then you save $4,800.

If you are making a living with photography then you are likely to be doing 30 or more of these a year.

Can your business afford to leave $14,400 (more or less) on the table?
 
I live a few blocks from Freestyle Photo, so I use 'better' film all the time.

But having used the drug store stuff and comparing it to the good stuff, i'd say, yes, it's worth the hassle.
 
I live near Freestyle as well so I guess I'm spoiled. I've been shopping there
for many years. I've never really bought film from drugstores, etc. I either
get it at Freestyle or I find deals on recently expired film.
 
compur & bhop, you make me jealous. :)

Does Freestyle have a sweet walk in storefront?
 
The store is not nearly as jammed packed with products as it was in the good
old pre-digital days but it's still got plenty of stuff in there.

They used to have these tall racks about 7 feet tall loaded with a dizzying
array of practically every kind of darkroom material imaginable. Loads of
papers from Kodak, Agfa, Ilford, Oriental, etc., etc. and more chemistry
choices than any one person could ever need. Plus loads of darkroom
hardware, camera gear, etc. If there was a film or darkroom material
made by anyone, chances are you'd find it there. They had some
raw chemicals too for mixing up your own formulas (though a much
better place for that was nearby in Burbank called Tri-Ess Sciences,
now gone).

Every Spring Freestyle would have a parking lot sale too where
they'd sell off their oddball stuff. Once I bought this cute little
Durst portable enlarger that folds up into a little case there. They
had a bunch of them and were selling them cheap. Wish I still had it.

But, it's still a good place to visit. They have a bargain table there with
specials on short-dated film and other clearance type stuff that I always
check first when I go there. ;)
 
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The nice stuff makes a HUGE difference for me. I wouldn't even think of staying with the crappy "consumer" film.

Well in that case, I don't think that you can find a justification to stay with film. Unless you plan to do all of your own darkroom work as well.

There are niche markets for film but for general photography I don't think that you can beat the CODB with digital. I can tell you don't really want to hear this but get a sharp pencil and do the math. A high res scan of a roll of negatives costs about as much as just having them printed when the developing is counted. So, take $1 per shot for an example using film, if you take 600 shots and 120 of them are keepers then you spend $600 for 120 photos. We'll not get into having any enlarged.

If you are using a digital camera then your 120 shots cost you $120 @$1 per.

If you do 10 shots like this one then you save $4,800.

If you are making a living with photography then you are likely to be doing 30 or more of these a year.

Can your business afford to leave $14,400 (more or less) on the table?

I do have to agree with Mike here, if you plan to go professional in any capacity then you need to invest in digital equipment. Film is for us sentimentalists who prefer the raw portrayal available with grain and can appreciate the amount of time that went into it - for a professional, just keep film on the backburner for the odd client that can appreciate a film result and use digital otherwise, or else you will lose an enormous amount of money.
 
I love Freestyle, and I've only shopped online and amused myself with the great catalogs. If I'm ever out there, I'm bringing an empty suitcase to accomodate a trip to the store! :lol: But they've been great online, as well as over the phone. I think their prices are very reasonable.
The store is not nearly as jammed packed with products as it was in the good
old pre-digital days but it's still got plenty of stuff in there.

They used to have these tall racks about 7 feet tall loaded with a dizzying
array of practically every kind of darkroom material imaginable. Loads of
papers from Kodak, Agfa, Ilford, Oriental, etc., etc. and more chemistry
choices than any one person could ever need. Plus loads of darkroom
hardware, camera gear, etc. If there was a film or darkroom material
made by anyone, chances are you'd find it there. They had some
raw chemicals too for mixing up your own formulas (though a much
better place for that was nearby in Burbank called Tri-Ess Sciences,
now gone).

Every Spring Freestyle would have a parking lot sale too where
they'd sell off their oddball stuff. Once I bought this cute little
Durst portable enlarger that folds up into a little case there. They
had a bunch of them and were selling them cheap. Wish I still had it.

But, it's still a good place to visit. They have a bargain table there with
specials on short-dated film and other clearance type stuff that I always
check first when I go there. ;)
 
If you can afford about $350 up front and have a computer to order from www.freestylephoto.biz then you can get everything you'll need to do your own film in your own home and get a modest year's worth of film to process as well. And I did it for that amount with HC110 and TMax. It would cost much less going Arista films and chems. And the box they'll ship it in is real, real big!
 
Well in that case, I don't think that you can find a justification to stay with film. Unless you plan to do all of your own darkroom work as well.

There are niche markets for film but for general photography I don't think that you can beat the CODB with digital. I can tell you don't really want to hear this but get a sharp pencil and do the math. A high res scan of a roll of negatives costs about as much as just having them printed when the developing is counted. So, take $1 per shot for an example using film, if you take 600 shots and 120 of them are keepers then you spend $600 for 120 photos. We'll not get into having any enlarged.

If you are using a digital camera then your 120 shots cost you $120 @$1 per.

If you do 10 shots like this one then you save $4,800.

If you are making a living with photography then you are likely to be doing 30 or more of these a year.

Can your business afford to leave $14,400 (more or less) on the table?

I can not afford to drop $6000+ for equipment equal to/or lesser than I already have in digital noncompatable film equipment. Furthermore moving to digital negates the justification of incorperating this beyond a hobby, I do not need 600 shots to get 120 keepers, if I take over 300 it's a lot and I have the cameras and lenses to do it. My own processing is in the future, however my $1.98 an hour job ain't paying for the necessary repairs to my intended darkroom, it has a hard enough time paying for anything, but it has bought this camera equipment and it has the potential to carry it's own weight now.

You are correct in the statement that really did not want to hear that. You assume by "taking my photography to a paying status" I mean to make a living from it, This is incorrect, I merely want to add to my living a little so I can improve on my own hobby wile maintaining the hobby element and my hobby is not digital. Put your pencil and your math away, I am not converting. If I wanted to hear about the calculations and equations of converting to digital with the intent to make money I would have put it in "general shop talk" not "Film Discussion and Q & A". Yes, I took offence to the mere mention of converting to digital because you missed the original point. I was not asking about making money, just justifying what I spend in the name of getting better results. I gave you the benifit with the first post as I had mentioned it but I need to set it straight now. The mention of taking my photography to a paying status was simply stating one element of justification I do already have for this, nothing more.
 

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