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Whats missing from the discussion so far is "what kinds of pictures to you envision yourself taking in MF"?
Studio? Models? Products? Street? Travel? Landscapes?
Tell us a scenario, a 5 to 7 sentence story maybe, of how YOU visualize shooting and processing and using the results.
It makes a big difference, I think, in what direction you go.
A good question and something I forgot to include in my initial post.
photography to me is a bit like my taste in music - eclectic. I like strong, geometric compositions. I like to capture the texture of architecture - the materiality and structure. I like portrait shots - nothing formal or studio. Really just shots of my friends and family - candid rather than posed, though my daughter likes to pose sometimes. I like to go for walks in the woods and find interesting patterns in nature - creepers climbing up old trees for example. Traditional landscape is not something I have had much experience of, but I would like to push further. I like our dramatic, intensely chaotic British skies.
I am quite skilled in photoshop and I like to boost the contrast in my shots, probably more so than some would advise. Initially, I would imagine I would have a lab develop and scan my shots. I need to research the type of film to buy. I would imagine I will be shooting mainly black and white.
does this help?
Well... kinda.
I have a Contax 645, a Hassy 6x6, and a 4x5 view camera, and a full color and b&w darkroom... all stored in boxes and not used since... 2003 I think. Yep, in 2003, I moved and built my 3rd darkroom, and in 2004 I moved again and haven't put one together since.
I'm just thinking... unless you're almost immediately going to start processing and printing your own b&w film, I really don't see much point in film any more. It's heart breaking, but true, at least for me.
For color, especially, a D800 + Photoshop just smokes everything I ever could? would? have done w/ film and the darkroom, even in MF, and probably even in 4x5.
And the only point of b&w film to me, would be Ilford Delta 100 for your MF, and Kodak TMAX 3200 for 35mm. Small film, embrace the grain. Large film, go for the detail and contrast.
I do miss certain things about film, that's for sure. But I don't miss having to process it before I even know what I got.
Maybe as a more experienced photographer, I'd be more confident in that now... but honestly, digital changed everything about how I work. It's my polaroid back and my final negative, all rolled into one. It's pretty much turned into my light meter too. I very seldom bother w/ the meter any more, I just bracket off 5 shots and check the histograms, then adjust the fill and accent lights based on the now free polaroids.
I guess I'd suggest that you start w/ Delta 100. Get a film can, some ilford developer and fixer, a water tub and thermometer, and start out processing your own film from jump. Why?
Because once it's developed you can print it or someone else can print it. Over and over. But getting that negative developed to its fullest potential is something you only get one shot at.
The labs all use replenishment on their developer, and it's never optimized for perfection, it's always optimized for economics. Even the pro labs. Plus, they don't know what you're trying to optimized in your development. Detail? then dilute developer and longer time. Contrast? then stronger developer and less time. But the pro labs have one formula that aims at the middle.
There's a book... geez it's been forever... um... Ilford.... Darkroom something or other. I'd strongly recommend it. Very technical. And any more, if you aren't very technical about it, there's little point in film.
And don't forget to ENJOY it. There's no other reason to bother with it in 2013
EDIT: Found the book.. out of print of course, but available used.