Slide Film, A CALL TO ARMS! : SHOOT IT OR IT WILL DIE

[wilonstott]

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I just talked to the lab tech at Precision Camera about their discontinuation of E-6 processing. She was very nice. Listened to my woes. Consoled me.

She told me that they, on average, processed about 20 rolls a week or E-6 compared to over 250 rolls a week of C-41.

I can't blame them. It was no longer financially viable.

I love slide film, but I don't shoot enough of it.

I've decided that's going to stop. I'm going to shoot more e-6.

Everyone cried when Kodachrome died, but we didn't do enough to save it, and in all honesty, we probably could have.

We knew it would happen eventually, but I don't think we really believed it.

We have a chance now.

And it has to start now---before it's in its emminent death throes.

We need strategy. What are your ideas?

Let's not hear negativity, fear mongering, or dower end-of-e6-scenarios.

That's not what this thread is about.

It's not about eulogizing something that isn't dead yet.

It's about action.

I'm going to start shooting two rolls of e-6 to every one roll of c-41.

Let's get the discussion going.

The lab tech at Precision said that RFF kept e-6 alive at least 2 years longer than it would have otherwise.

We did that without even trying.

We are the well-organized, well-funded special interest group that saves things like this.

Us.

Nobody else cares.

Nobody.

It's up to us.

How do we do it?

 

[kmallick]

I am already doing this despite all the posts I read about the sky is falling.

 

[Mudman]

Just bought three more rolls Wednesday.

 

[loneranger]

Two weeks ago I started doing slide instead of C41. Actually it is the same price for me. I used to develop my 120 film and scan it to CD by the lab for about $11. Now I just develop the slide 120 film and dont scan it to CD, because I can just look at it with a slide loop. costs the same ($11).

 

[wilonstott]

I am already doing this despite all the posts I read about the sky is falling.

Great man.
Great to you other guys as well.

And the sky may be falling, but we have to understand that it is incumbent upon us to hold it up.

Where are you guys getting your stuff processed?

The major labs need to know there is a demand.


What are some other things we can do?

Flickr groups might be able to do something, but most likely not enough.

We need more awareness on RFF. People need to get interested. People need to know why it's worth the trouble and the cost.

Hell, with enough demand, we might be able to barter deals with major labs for better costs on processing and scans.

We need ideas.

 

[Mudman]

I go to a pro lab called McGreevy Pro Lab in Albany, NY. They do great work. http://www.mcgreevyprolab.com/

 

[kmallick]

Where are you guys getting your stuff processed?

For 35mm, I still use Fuji prepaid mailers.
For 6x6 I send them to Fuji lab via Walmart mailer. Sometimes I soup them myself. Its economical as long as you have several rolls ready to soup.

There are DIY chemical kits from Arista and soon Tetenal available from Freestyle.

 

[wilonstott]

Anybody use Dwayne's anymore? Looks like you can get out for 8.95 a roll and 4.95 for a scan cd.

Is this the best deal around?

Ninja Edit:
And I think the Fuji Mailers go to Dwayne's, right?


Double Ninja Edit:

Plus 4.50 shipping, and .50 for each additional roll.

for a grand total of $18.40 (before tax) per roll---is this the best deal in town?

 

[kmallick]

And I think the Fuji Mailers go to Dwayne's, right?

I believe the Fuji Mailers and Walmart envelopes all go to Dwayne's in Kansas for E-6.

 

[Keith]

In Australia it's like asking me to eat caviar more regularly. Slide film is horrendously expensive here and processing is much the same!

The last roll of E-6 I had processed at a pro lab cost me over twenty dollars for developing only!

 

[wilonstott]

Gag, Keith, sorry to hear that's the case.
But after reading what Kmallick said about home processing, I've just been looking into it.
This guy makes it sound easy-- http://www.yarki.net/E6/

And Arista's kits are around what I would pay for all my Black and White chemicals.
http://www.freestylephoto.biz/c1002-Color-Chemicals-Color-Slide

I'm seriously looking into this as a possible solution.
I know it won't help with getting more labs to process it, but it will keep me buying and using slide film.

Perhaps a series of small networks of people processing slide film is the answer for now.

Go in with your buddies.

What's the cheapest home processor? Jobo? What else is there--this is new territory for me.

 

[loquax ludens]

I usually soup my own E-6, but I might be willing to send some rolls to a lab if the quality was high and the price reasonable. I'll be watching this thread for suggestions.

 

[Matus]

In Australia it's like asking me to eat caviar more regularly. Slide film is horrendously expensive here and processing is much the same!

The last roll of E-6 I had processed at a pro lab cost me over twenty dollars for developing only!

I have hard time understanding why is that the case? What makes the film processing down there more expensive than in the rest of the world? Australia should be large enough to keep a few E6 labs running ... ?

*****


For me - I also shoot much more C41 recently - the Ektar and Portra are just so good and it is much easier to get a decent scan from an 'normal' lab and produce a nice print. On the other hand viewing the 6x6 or 4x5 slides on a light table is a joy. So it is a tough choice, at least for me :bang:

If I manage to get some reasonable 35mm camera again (the Hexar AF just went back to seller) I may try to shoot it more and 'force' myself to project the slides. But there are issues with that too (keeping the slides flat, for example).

 

[loquax ludens]

What's the cheapest home processor? Jobo? What else is there--this is new territory for me.

The cheapest is probably a Jobo CPA-2 or (better) CPP-2. These are common on ebay. Jobo is set to reintroduce the CPP as the CPP-3 later this year, but used CPA and CPP processors are going to be your cheapest option.

Phototherm Sidekick is another option. You can buy them new for $5500 to $6330, so not inexpensive. I rarely see them for sale used. The new CPP-3 from Jobo will likely be less expensive than the Phototherm.

 

[jpa66]

Csw

Csw

Try CSW in Chicago for slide development. I used them on Chris Crawford's advice, and found them to do a great job. Also relatively cheap: each roll ( had 120 and 135 developed ) averaged less than 6 bucks for development only. It doesn't hurt that I can drop off and pick up the film in person, also.

Jan

 

[jpa66]

Oh - forgot to mention: I prefer shooting slides as my main color film. Unfortunately, there's not much choice left in this area...

 

[wilonstott]

This is good guys. Ball is rolling.

What can we do on the forum?

How about a specific Sub-Forum that shows up on the main page Side Menu

"Chromes" perhaps or just "E-6"

Now I realize that we may get arguments that C-41 and BW should get theirs as well, but they simply don't need the help that E-6 does.

My thinking is, people see it more, they talk about it more, see more examples, use it more---greater demand and so on.

Small thing, but it's something.

I don't know any admins, but do you guys think this is feasible?



Ninja Edit:

I can't help but think if there had been a specific subforum for Kodachrome a few years before it died that it might still be around.
The Mere-Exposure Effect is something that we simply can't underestimate.
I feel like people simply forget about slide film, and this evolves into seeing slide film as a non-option.

 

[jpa66]

Just getting back to the OP about shooting slides, I really wish that there were more around. I love shooting slides, but all of my favorites are gone. I'll have to try Provia ( again - it's been awhile ) when my current stash ( "smallish-stash" ) of Astia and Ektachrome runs out.

 

[steveniphoto]

just a quick question.. ive never shots slide film before but would like to start. whats the difference between mounted and unmounted?

 

[wilonstott]

Just getting back to the OP about shooting slides, I really wish that there were more around. I love shooting slides, but all of my favorites are gone. I'll have to try Provia ( again - it's been awhile ) when my current stash ( "smallish-stash" ) of Astia and Ektachrome runs out.

Provia is still in production, and E100g and Elitechrome (always liked this one) are still on sale at Adorama.

I like Velvia (50, 100, and 100f), so I'm safe for now.