Film ruined by GAS :-(

[vicmortelmans]

Hi,

Having about 10 operational camera's may indicate that I'm a GAS victim. I kind of enjoyed having the disease, but more and more it causes me trouble.

Just this afternoon I decided to take the dust from my Pentax Spotmatic F and shot half a roll with what would have become beautiful pictures of my children. But alas, I used wrong settings: I used flash and overlooked the shutter speed, which was still at 1/1000sec. Definitely ruined :bang:

It's something I experience more and more. I have manual SLR, auto SLR, manual rangefinder, auto RF, point-and-shoot, zone-focusing,... camera's. All camera's require different typical settings and the more camera's you have, the longer they tend to live on the shelf. If you stick to one camera, it's operation becomes natural behaviour, but switching from one camera to another seems to cause confusion and mistakes.

How do all the 'major' collectors on this forum keep up?

Groeten,

Vic

 

[rogue_designer]

When I was regularly shooting more from my collection, I made it a point to shoot a roll through each pretty regularly. More often than not, I would choose one for a few days, and only carry it. Keeping me pretty well up with the feel and control of it. Then swap to a new one for a few days. Rather than grabbing whichever one each time I went out the door. (I actually had them lined up on a shelf, and when I finished with one, it would go on the right edge of the shelf, and I would pick a new one from the left... constantly cycling)

However. I found myself looking for reasons to use the Canon P more and more, and have gradually stopped using other RF's altogether. *shrug*

I imagine I would be in the same boat if I randomly grabbed one out of the closet now.

 

[vicmortelmans]

Hi, Rogue-designer,

To add a comment with respect to your experience, I already made progress compared to about a year ago. At that time, there would be a film in most of my camera's and I would pick one from the shelf at will. But then it could take weeks and weeks until a film got finally finished and developed. Now I have film in two camera's at most... That typically lasts for a week or two and then I pick another camera.

Anyway, I don't have a clue which camera I'd like most to prefer above the others...

Groeten,
Vic

 

[Xmas]

Vic

I have a PDA, a low coat 2nd user Palm is ok
It has a text file 'film in camera'
Contax g1 41 FP4 date
Kiev 64
Kiev 68
...

And as well a file for each camera
Contax g1 41 FP2 date
time 1/125 f/6.3 bracketed +-1 at Lake
...
I replicate the records to capture enough time data to trace a frame back to a time and body and lens serial number.
When you get an intermittent fault it is not a good idea to strip the wrong body.
Like you I have had disasters, like stripping the wrong body.
I also have an avery label on top plate and bottom plate the top plate repeating the film type, the bottom plate any fault.
The palm has a short cut mechanism (baseline) and options for predictive test software(shareware) dont use the latter.

Noel

 

[edodo]

That's the reason I bought four times the same camera, even doublets (notice the canon 35mm f1.8 AND f2.0). That way I just don't ruin film because all the cameras act exactly the same way.

Then I always waste shots of film when I use my good ol' rolleicord because I always forgot if I have already advance the film or not. I waste 120 film wich cost even more!

 

[SolaresLarrave]

Easy, just use one kind of film only. 🙂 The settings will be always the same, no matter what.

 

[shadowfox]

Interesting question, one that I've struggled often. To me it's a matter of balancing the parameter. Keep at least one parameter constant. Either use a well-known film with a new camera, or use a brand new film type with a known camera, it's a recipe for disaster when I use a new film type to test-roll a brand new camera 🙂

 

[Xmas]

If you try B&W bulk just to check it works and then go to colour and then check it for flare, you can easily forget, how many cameras do we think Vic and I have film in (>ten?).

Noel

 

[rogue_designer]

I think the OP was mostly talking about having a hard time switching between camera controls - getting used to the feel and methods with different bodies, than remembering what film.

But good tips all around. 🙂

 

[Xmas]

I accept I had generalised, I never have problems with controls, hood caps yes, wrong film speed on meter yes, I always check rewind knob, before unlatching baseplate or back.

Dont know how people with camera in drawer for several months cope. It was easy when I only used K25 in one camera.

Noel

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

How do all the 'major' collectors on this forum keep up

What makes you imagine that collectors put film in their cameras?