France for 8 weeks. Help me!! (Film advice, etc)

[jbf]

Hi all,

I'm leaving in about three weeks or so for a study abroad trip in France for eight weeks. I'll be taking a photography course while i'm there (while also shooting my own stuff). I was wondering if you had any suggestions for the amount of film i should carry?


I know it will be cheaper if I carry it, but i'm afraid that if i'm carrying 100 rolls of film (clear plastic bags obviously) through the airport, chances are they may not want to hand inspect the film. Hah.



I'm trying to figure out the cheapest place to get my film, etc but it seems that really its all about the same unless i buy cheaper grade film.


I'm thinking so far probably around 80 rolls of film at the very minimum.


My question is, has anyone used Arista Ultra 400 EDU?

I can get the following:

60 rolls of Arista Ultra 400 for $137 USD

or

60 rolls of Tri-X for $239 USD


Not to mention that I'm going to purchase 20-30 rolls of neopan 1600 for around 80-100 dollars and possibly at least 10 rolls of medium format film.

Any suggestions?

Has anyone used the Arista Ultra 400? How does it fare?

 

[EmilGil]

Haven't tried AEU400 so I can't help you there but I can tell you that as long as you don't put the film in your check-in luggage, there is no problem running the film through the x-ray machines at the security control. I brought some 40 rolls of Provia 100F to China a few years ago, had them x-rayed a number of times on the way and while there (airports, bus stations etc) and all 23 that I took came out fine; not a single trace of x-ray damage. Some of the remaining films then accompanied me to Cuba and suffered another 6 x-ray machines or so; still not a single trace of x-ray damage. Same goes for the Tri-X and APX that I brought on both trips.

Film isn't cheap in Europe so I'd suggest that you bring it with you or mail order when there, Fotoimpex in Berlin has good prices and will ship anywhere.

Where about in France are you going and what kind of course is it you're taking?

 

[jbf]

I'll be in the Provance region of france. I'll be staying in the small village of Lacoste. My college has a campus there.

I'll be taking an art history course (Treasures of Provance) and a 'Travel' photography course.

The photography course looks like it'll be a bit on the relaxed and maybe even amateaurish side, but I'm gonna be using it as if it was a major fine art course for me. I hope to be shooting a lot of portraiture/street work if I can. Though i'm sure there will be some landscape shots.

I'm hoping to travel around the provance region (as well as some excursions to spain and possibly other places) as well.

 

[Roger Hicks]

If you run low, order in France from www.mailshots.co.uk.

3-4 day delivery, REALLY nice and helpfuol people. No import duties in the EU, modest postage charges. Call 'em and talk to 'em first, before you leave. If they wonder why you're calling , tell them I recommended them to you: most of the people there know my name, but not all.

There are cheaper companies, some in the Channel Islands, but I doubt there's anyone more helpful or reliable.

(This should guarantee that they screw up your first/only order...)

Oh: and buy Ilford.

Cheers,

Roger

 

[jbf]

Why ilford, Roger?

Thanks for the store recommendation, but I'm afarid with the way the dollar is right now, I will nto be purchasing anything from the UK anytime soon. I cant afford the prices.


(edit: On second look... it apears that the Ilford film costs fairly close to as it does here in the states... that's a really good thing. haha. 😀)

 

[bmattock]

I know it will be cheaper if I carry it, but i'm afraid that if i'm carrying 100 rolls of film (clear plastic bags obviously) through the airport, chances are they may not want to hand inspect the film. Hah.

Regardless of what you decide to do, do not place unprocessed film in your checked luggage. The chances are very high that it will be destroyed.

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/editorial_1035.shtm

Either carry it onboard or buy it in France or some combination of the two.

You can leave your film safely in your carry-on luggage - you do not need to request a hand-inspection unless it is high-speed film or something you feel strongly about. It is only unsafe in CHECKED LUGGAGE.

Good luck, have fun. Don't drink the water.

 

[bmattock]

Why ilford, Roger?

Roger is English. Rule Brittania and all that.

 

[Anupam]

My question is, has anyone used Arista Ultra 400 EDU?

Nice tones, a bit grainy, doesn't push well. I tested mine to EI 250 with HC110, which is also what I shoot tri-X at. Here's a sample.

-A

 

[RF-Addict]

I have been using Arista EDU Ultra 400 with Diafine and I liked the results. You can easily push it to 800. I got very good results with ISO from 200 to 800. Don't know about other developers - only used Diafine with it.

Film is much more expensive in Europe - no matter which country you buy it from. Take your film with you on the plane - no need for hand checking as hand luggage x-rays will not damage the film. I have traveled through numerous airports on teh same trip and never had a problem with fogging. You also want some nice color slide film for the Provence! The colors are beautiful

 

[jbf]

Hmm...

The only developer that'll be available to me while i'm there is Sprint Developer. Which I guess is similar to D76.


Not sure.. A part of me says just spend teh cash and buy the tri-x and the neopan.

I dont mind using the 120 format of the fomapan/arista ultra as the grain wont be noticeable at all... but not sure about the 35 format.

Ahh you just had to go ahead and say provance. haha.

I'm going to be taking maybe 13 rolls kodachrome with me. Hopefully that'll be enough. 😀

 

[jbf]

Ok... so I've somewhat narrowede down the list:


60 Rolls of Tri-X
20 Rolls of Neopan 1600
60 Rolls of Agfa Ultra 400 EDU (120 film)



I'll also be taking the following which I already have/own:

10 Rolls of Kodachrome
10 Rolls of Assorted Fuji Superia (400/200)


Do you think that is enough film for eight weeks?


The only thing that im not sure on is the amount of Tri-X.

 

[MartinP]

Remember there may(?!) well be a lot of sunshine around in April/May - maybe something slower than Tri-X might be handy, though I know you can lose some light with filtering if you need to. Also, the cheapest way for photography students to get film used to be through their college. Does the organisation running the course have the possibility of supplying film ? After all, they can order thousands of rolls of the stuff.

For the rollfilm size, have a think about whether you are going to be using 120 for those special, slow, important shots and then think of your film choice . . . ?

Enjoy the trip 🙂

PS. It sounds a bit like bull****, but if you haven't done so already, learn some basic french structure in the next few weeks and bring a dictionary, textbook etc with you !! A few words can be very helpful for ice-breaking purposes. (And yes, I can manage three languages well enough to work, but still do basic verbs and grammar if I have to go somewhere new).

 

[jbf]

We have a supply 'store' if you want to acll it that, but they actually charge more than adorama or B&H. So in that case, prices are definately not cheaper. 🙁


As far as the medium format film...


I had thought about that, but a good portion of me also likes to use the camera just as I would a rangefinder for street shooting. I mean, i dunno.


Any recommendations for the 120 film?

 

[MartinP]

Ouch, bad luck with the college pricing then.

For 120, maybe before you leave you could have a try of pulling Tri-X, or look at Plus-X (assuming you want to stay with Kodak). It is perhaps too late to look at older, slow emulsions like Efke, but those could look very nice indeed for landscape purposes.

Probably everyone would say try your film-choice before you leave - and before you buy a zillion rolls of something you aren't sure about. Nevertheless, it is possible to buy film over here ! Try Rogers suggestion or Fotoimpex.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Why ilford, Roger?

Thanks for the store recommendation, but I'm afarid with the way the dollar is right now, I will nto be purchasing anything from the UK anytime soon. I cant afford the prices.


(edit: On second look... it apears that the Ilford film costs fairly close to as it does here in the states... that's a really good thing. haha. 😀)

(1) To a large extent because Ilford is best value in the UK and from Mailshots. My wife uses more Tri-X than HP5 (but vastly prefers XP2 to Kodak's equivalent); I love HP5. To save money, Fomapan 200 is really good stuff but only 200 (and barely, then) in DDX and the like; in most devs, 125.

(2) Sorry, I should have remembered about the collapse of the dollar -- after all, a significant part of my income is in dollars -- but of course shipping to France costs a lot more from the US and there can be taxes to pay.

(3) Yes, the prices are a surprise, aren't they? A good reminder that it really is driven by exchange rates.

Cheers,

R.

 

[polaski]

SImple solutions

SImple solutions

I realize cost is an issue for all of us, but remember that France has stores that sell film. That's one way to avoide a roll-by-roll hand inspection. You can also telephone the security office of your stateside departure airport and discuss the matter with them.

If you need help carrying heavy suitcases in Provence, I'm your guy.

Have a wonderful trip.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

jbf,

I am pretty sure you're going to Provence, not Provance. Sorry but it's a bit egregious a mistake and you don't want to repeat it.

As for film... I believe Roger's advice is not cheap nationalism. Ilford is widely available in Europe, and you may find it sells for probably more reasonable prices than any other type.

If I were to stay at a place for two months, I'd take only a limited amount of film and purchase the rest. I see no use to load myself twice with film I may or may not use. If you were going for a month I'd say load it up! After all, 40 rolls of film, strategically placed in your hand luggage aren't that hard to carry (and that's what I took during my month-long stay in Europe, two years ago). But two months... I'd take more B&W than color, and only 40 rolls (with only 10 in color).

I'd cut down on the load because:

a) you will spend a lot of time in class and doing homework and other tasks. Not time enough to photograph.

b) your weekends and holidays may take you down long or difficult roads, and you don't want to lug about too much film.

In short, take some survival film: B&W of assorted speeds, like half 400 and half 125. Add some color film and consider the possibility of buying it in situ, as it is easier to find than B&W.

I have used Arista II ISO 400, not EDU. You can push it very well (exposed @ 1600 you soup it in T-Max for 15 minutes and the range is very nice), and it works wonders always. I'd take some of that one... and, some Ilford FP4 (ISO 125). As for color, your Kodachrome is a nice touch, but don't expect super saturated colors from it.

In my experience, the first three rolls I shoot anywhere I go traveling are basically to throw away. For some reason, only until my second or third roll do I develop an idea of what I want to immortalize in film and why. Lately, I've grown wiser and only "waste" one roll as I begin my stay. Since you will be in a small town, with plenty of time, get used to "scope the joint" first, and see how the place looks. If you raise the camera to your face to take a photograph, and the subject notices you, smile and ask for authorization. The French (I don't know if it's only the Parisians but I'd rather err of the side of caution) have something called "le droit à l'image", which is some kind of legislation that shelters them from being photographed against their will. Be nice, strike up a conversation, ask for a photo permission and shoot once you have been cleared. If it works in Germany for me, it should do it for you.

Although you can always use a long lens... 🙂

Good luck and enjoy your French sojour! 🙂

 

[jbf]

Well im not so worried about the hand inspecting issue... its mainly trying to make sure i have all my bases covered with film. hah.

 

[jbf]

jbf,

I am pretty sure you're going to Provence, not Provance. Sorry but it's a bit egregious a mistake and you don't want to repeat it.

As for film... I believe Roger's advice is not cheap nationalism. Ilford is widely available in Europe, and you may find it sells for probably more reasonable prices than any other type.

If I were to stay at a place for two months, I'd take only a limited amount of film and purchase the rest. I see no use to load myself twice with film I may or may not use. If you were going for a month I'd say load it up! After all, 40 rolls of film, strategically placed in your hand luggage aren't that hard to carry (and that's what I took during my month-long stay in Europe, two years ago). But two months... I'd take more B&W than color, and only 40 rolls (with only 10 in color).

I'd cut down on the load because:

a) you will spend a lot of time in class and doing homework and other tasks. Not time enough to photograph.

b) your weekends and holidays may take you down long or difficult roads, and you don't want to lug about too much film.

In short, take some survival film: B&W of assorted speeds, like half 400 and half 125. Add some color film and consider the possibility of buying it in situ, as it is easier to find than B&W.

I have used Arista II ISO 400, not EDU. You can push it very well (exposed @ 1600 you soup it in T-Max for 15 minutes and the range is very nice), and it works wonders always. I'd take some of that one... and, some Ilford FP4 (ISO 125). As for color, your Kodachrome is a nice touch, but don't expect super saturated colors from it.

In my experience, the first three rolls I shoot anywhere I go traveling are basically to throw away. For some reason, only until my second or third roll do I develop an idea of what I want to immortalize in film and why. Lately, I've grown wiser and only "waste" one roll as I begin my stay. Since you will be in a small town, with plenty of time, get used to "scope the joint" first, and see how the place looks. If you raise the camera to your face to take a photograph, and the subject notices you, smile and ask for authorization. The French (I don't know if it's only the Parisians but I'd rather err of the side of caution) have something called "le droit à l'image", which is some kind of legislation that shelters them from being photographed against their will. Be nice, strike up a conversation, ask for a photo permission and shoot once you have been cleared. If it works in Germany for me, it should do it for you.

Although you can always use a long lens... 🙂

Good luck and enjoy your French sojour! 🙂

As far as the classes go, homework will be minimum.

I'm taking one photography course and one art history (which in all honesty, is a joke).

So my for the most part my entire time in Lacoste and France will be shooting film!

I've read quite a few times about the 'le droit a l'image' and im sure our photography professor will give us a little etiquiette schooling, etc. 🙂