Film solutions

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kentdunne

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I'm sure there's some thread about this somewhere, But I used the search tool for about 10 minutes to no avail. I hope you don't mind.

I, to be honest, am mostly digital. I used a D70s most of my time for it's convenience. I have a Nikon N8008 and a Nikkormat that I use for film uses, but I usually only go through one or two rolls of film once every two weeks. Then i drive to the local camera store,and hope they have more Tmax 400 for me. (Why would they? but sometimes the guy stocks a few rolls for me, no more than 5-6)

For christmas, I got a Leica M4 and 12 rolls of Tmax 400. I went out to shoot with it at some parks on the holiday, and came back having shot 2 rolls of film. This is going to get expensive quickly. I need a way to cheaply get film for this.

Bulk loading isn't much of an option, I am a student and live in a dorm room.

The cheapest I can find Tmax 400 24exp is 3.50 for 1 casette.

Actual printing isn't a problem, I process and print myself in my school's darkroom. School covers the cost of developer and fixer and paper.


How do you guys manage the cost?
 
Unless your room mates don't respect your privacy, living in a dorm room won't prevent you from bulk loading your own film. Load the loader in your school's darkroom, or buy a small and inexpensive changing bag. The loader itself as you no doubt know, is used in lighted situations once loaded. There is a small expense up front for the loader. Empty cassettes should be available from your local C-41 developing location. You can then load film as you need it in the sizes you need. You won't pay for your next semester, but you willl save in the long run.
 
Hi Kent,

since long ago, after processing my films (which is the cheapest stage) I scan the relevant images per film. This scanning and sometimes posting to the RFF gallery or Flickr, quite relieves me from the urge to print in comparizon to the pre digital stage. So the good images are there and can be seen at computer screen.

This allows me to print only the very best, and reduces the printing by big percentages.

Lastly, our RFF member and friend Keith, accidentally came with a great idea which I am applying since then and never thought about it before, although it is the most logical thing to do for the guy looking for either comfort or saving: Keith freezes exposed film until he arrives to a sizesable amount of units to process.

As for the color printing, I am still waiting for the highly good inkjet printers to go measurably cheaper, and then I will start my orgy.

Cheers,
Ruben
 
Ok, as far as bulk loading goes, I know nothing,
How much does a loader and cassettes cost? Is there anything online as a How-To?
 
Where do you live? I'm a student, too, and bulk loading really is the only way to go. It costs less than 2 Euro a roll if I use HP5/FP4 or APX. Just like oftheherd said, it's really not an issue in a dorm room. Otherwise I'd get 100 rolls at once, rather affordable, too (from Austrial it'll cost about 2.60-3 Euros a roll, Tri-X e.g.)

Ok, as far as bulk loading goes, I know nothing,
How much does a loader and cassettes cost? Is there anything online as a How-To?
Click to expand...

The loaders sometimes go for less than 10 Euros (shipping included) on ebay.de/.at, so I guess it'll be the same on ebay.com. The cassettes go for 5 Euros for 6 of them where I live, if you can find them that is.

There's really no how-to required, it's pretty straight forward. I just got the stuff you need from a friend, w/o explanation, since he didn't know either. The bulk loader basically consists of two parts, the large part with the film - ah, I'll stop here. Just found a tutorial, here you go.

martin
 
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I would just buy film from B and H or Freestyle online (http://www.freestylephoto.biz/). You can buy the Freestyle Arista premium stuff which is supposed to be Tri-X (much nicer than T Max for my taste) for like $2/roll. At that price I wouldn't bother bulk loading.

Also you should start processing your own film. It's really hard to get good black and white results unless you control the developing process as well.
 
I do process my own film, I said that above.

other than that, thank you so much. this is exactly what I'm looking for. I try to use Tri-X whenever possible, but it's even more expensive. I've used this Arista stuff before, and got perfect results. Just have never been able to find it again!

Thank you guys so much
Sorry this is under the wrong category. I just found the Film subforum before I posted this post. But consider this post answered
 
Personally, I wouldn't bother bulk loading. Here in the UK I can find cheap pre-loaded film that works out no more expensive than bulk loading.

The cost of a couple of rolls of film a month just doesn't really seem prohibitive. A couple of years ago when I had no money I didn't shoot a lot of colour because the combined cost of film and processing was high. But I shot loads of black and white. A couple of rolls of film plus self-processing was about the same price as 2 beers.
 
You can save money by shooting less! Be more careful and selective about what you shoot and just shoot less frames. Unless I'm at an event or on a trip I shoot less than one roll per month.
 
Yeah, shooting film isn't like shooting digital. I used to get through more film than I do now, but it was never more than one or two rolls a week.
 
This isn't really an answer to the OP's problem, but I find the more cost limits taking pictures, the greater proportion of good pictures I have.

When I used a digital camera, I would take 200 pictures of which I found only 4 or 5 would be good. On one 36exp. roll of 35mm, I would still get 4 or 5 good ones, and now I mostly use medium format I still get 4 or 5 pictures I like out of 12.

Although the digital pictures didn't cost me anything in film or developing costs, the amount of time I save by not having to sort through and title 200 pictures, delete the bad ones, photoshop the marginal ones etc., makes the cost well worthwhile.
 
"Then i drive to the local camera store,and hope they have more Tmax 400 for me. (Why would they?...)"

I know the original query has been covered, but I just felt like saying that the person who buys stock for your local photo store knows you are buying a few rolls every so often. So it is in their best interest to replace it after you buy it. Basically, if they sell a roll, they know people are buying it. People won't buy it if it isn't there. So they stock it.

I'm not a real fan of buying things like film and chemicals over the internet, because that just leads to threads like "My photo store no longer carries film :("

Chemicals and bulk film are economical enough that buying locally for a couple bucks more has little impact on your bottom line. Especially if you are going to pay $10 shipping to save $5 on 100'. I like Freestyle, and use them for films I cannot source locally. But for those films that I can pick up and hold in my hand prior to payment, I refuse to buy sight unseen.
 
Film

Film

Kentdunne,
Since you don't have to pay for processing,printing or paper, I would take the advice from members above
and look to online stores and check ebay also. You are
saving more than most already. Wish I had the opportunity that you have and I wouldn't complain about the price of a roll of film. Just think about how good you have it already.:rolleyes:
Nelson
 
shoot slide film -- there are some very good E-6 film available.

BTW the way to get good is by shooting more, not less ...
 
Freestyle Arista Premium 400 @ $1.99/roll

Freestyle Arista Premium 400 @ $1.99/roll

I don't see the need to roll your own with prices like this.
 
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