clayne
shoot film or die
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What? You need to be using hewes reels and otherwise its not a big deal. Changing bag is like 1% of the equation.
Is cost/convinience a major factor for your medium choice (film vs digital)?
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Jamie Pillers
Skeptic
For color photography, I think its pretty hard to avoid the obvious benefits of a digital workflow today. Far less costly, much faster, and much easier post processing.
Cost wise, I estimate I save about $1000 a year by not buying and processing film. The costs of camera gear and post processing were about the same for me either way. But the film/film processing cost was the tipping point for me.
Convenience wise, digital is far, FAR better for me. I never had the control of a print's quality in a darkroom like I do at my computer, especially for color. But even B&W images are now much easier and faster for me to fine tune on my computer than in a darkroom. And its clear to me that we're no more than one or two software & ink jet 'generatons' from being able to produce digital b&w prints as beautiful as silver gelatin or alternative processes like platinum.
The only thing I miss about the film workflow world are (1) the beauty of my film cameras, and (2) the solitary peacefulness of the darkroom.
Cost wise, I estimate I save about $1000 a year by not buying and processing film. The costs of camera gear and post processing were about the same for me either way. But the film/film processing cost was the tipping point for me.
Convenience wise, digital is far, FAR better for me. I never had the control of a print's quality in a darkroom like I do at my computer, especially for color. But even B&W images are now much easier and faster for me to fine tune on my computer than in a darkroom. And its clear to me that we're no more than one or two software & ink jet 'generatons' from being able to produce digital b&w prints as beautiful as silver gelatin or alternative processes like platinum.
The only thing I miss about the film workflow world are (1) the beauty of my film cameras, and (2) the solitary peacefulness of the darkroom.
rjschell
Established
I still shoot digital for commercial work.
However, when in film mode, I spend far less time trying to keep up with the latest, greatest cameras/lenses/ sensors, etc.. Then there's software updates. I would rather sit and view slides.
However, when in film mode, I spend far less time trying to keep up with the latest, greatest cameras/lenses/ sensors, etc.. Then there's software updates. I would rather sit and view slides.
jsrockit
Moderator
Hmm, that's a really good point that isn't brought up much.
DougK
This space left blank
I prefer shooting and scanning film, but I took a digital camera with me to NYC last weekend and burned through about 400 exposures because there were photos to be made everywhere I looked. I can't afford to shoot like that with film.
EDIT: Scanning that much film is a pain, although I will admit that I don't scan every exposure. Film cameras are cheaper, but my per-exposure cost with digital is a lot lower. I guess it depends on where I feel like spending money when i pick up the camera.
EDIT: Scanning that much film is a pain, although I will admit that I don't scan every exposure. Film cameras are cheaper, but my per-exposure cost with digital is a lot lower. I guess it depends on where I feel like spending money when i pick up the camera.
jsrockit
Moderator
Yes, this is true. It's why I use digital. It's easy to be prolific in NYC.
-doomed-
film is exciting
This sums it up nicely.
shadowfox
Darkroom printing lives
Not a factor.
People usually have a budget for something that they love to do.
I'm no exception. I love shooting film, it took me a long time to gather the bits and pieces to build a working darkroom. But I manage in the end.
Same thing with consumables, I don't drink starbucks and I never watch movies at the cinema so I have the money to buy film, paper and b&w chemical.
People usually have a budget for something that they love to do.
I'm no exception. I love shooting film, it took me a long time to gather the bits and pieces to build a working darkroom. But I manage in the end.
Same thing with consumables, I don't drink starbucks and I never watch movies at the cinema so I have the money to buy film, paper and b&w chemical.
jsrockit
Moderator
Good point shadowfox. People tend to think with their own situation and wallets when they see other people spend. None of us know what sacrifices they make to own gear and do what they love.
Mcary
Veteran
Shoot both digital and film so my choice of which medium to use generally comes down to the subject matter that I'll be shooting. If I'm just out looking for pictures I'll generally grab my M8 kits as its the easiest to lug around. Now if I'm shooting with a model I generally take my Speed Graphic along with 10-12 holders of B&W film.
Cost, sure cost is an issue, but on the other hand shooting and processing 20-24 sheet of 4x5 &W film cost me about the same as a cheap dinner out and movies or filling the car up with gas so don't really look at it as something that's going to break the bank. Why 4x5 vs 35mm or medium format, well I've never liked waiting around to finish a roll of film and find it much easier to find 4 or 6 good shots vs 12 or 36.
Cost, sure cost is an issue, but on the other hand shooting and processing 20-24 sheet of 4x5 &W film cost me about the same as a cheap dinner out and movies or filling the car up with gas so don't really look at it as something that's going to break the bank. Why 4x5 vs 35mm or medium format, well I've never liked waiting around to finish a roll of film and find it much easier to find 4 or 6 good shots vs 12 or 36.
Tijmendal
Young photog
Even though I barely/rarely shoot colour, the fact there aren't (m)any cheap 120 color films around kinda blows. If cheaper (non-pro) color films were made in 120 I would probably shoot it more.
thegman
Veteran
Depends on what you mean by cheap, I see that Lomography sells a pack of 3 100 ISO 120 rolls for £9.90, that's about as cheap as I can find. You can go a lot cheaper on 35mm though...
Herjulfr
Established
Yes. I have nearly swtiched to a 100% digital workflow last year as it suits my needs better. I do not develop or print my film myself and I really dislike scanning. I had to scan my slides anyway to have them printed properly, because the labs available here did a sloppy job at printing them (soft, different colours... they probably scanned them toobefore printing), so I was nearly all digital.
Cost : a year of film + scanning was the price of my new recent digital camera.
Cost : a year of film + scanning was the price of my new recent digital camera.
Dirk
Privatier
Yes it is. Film is getting more difficult to find in the variety I like and more expensive, to boot. That goes for both initial purchase and developing/scanning. That's why I just bought my first ever digital camera this month. So far, I like it more than I thought I would. It's a Canon 6D, and the picture quality is great. That it is much more convenient goes without saying.
johannielscom
Snorting silver salts
Yes.
Sold my Rolleiflex 2.8F Planar and my Tele-Rolleiflex since I could not get the negatives scanned in sufficient quality. Either was a scanner EUR 2000, or drum scans were over EUR 4.00 a piece.
I've resorted to two Ricoh GXR-Ms and now a Nikon D600.
Only to find out that the Canon 8800f and betterscanning holders I bought from a friend possibly would have cut the cake...
Oh well. At least I'm quicker on my feet with the GXR-Ms packed!😉
Sold my Rolleiflex 2.8F Planar and my Tele-Rolleiflex since I could not get the negatives scanned in sufficient quality. Either was a scanner EUR 2000, or drum scans were over EUR 4.00 a piece.
I've resorted to two Ricoh GXR-Ms and now a Nikon D600.
Only to find out that the Canon 8800f and betterscanning holders I bought from a friend possibly would have cut the cake...
Oh well. At least I'm quicker on my feet with the GXR-Ms packed!😉
msbarnes
Well-known
Ahhh so are you still shooting film, at all? Like 35mm Leica's and such.
Ko.Fe.
Lenses 35/21 Gears 46/20
Digital RF costs the fortune and it still nowhere near to b/w film.
Color film costs a lot, labs are gone in big box stores and self-developing of color is too smelly to enjoy, comparing to b/w non-toxic chemistry.
So. For me digital is for color. Cost is one of the factors.
B/W is on film to me, mostly because of IQ.
Color film costs a lot, labs are gone in big box stores and self-developing of color is too smelly to enjoy, comparing to b/w non-toxic chemistry.
So. For me digital is for color. Cost is one of the factors.
B/W is on film to me, mostly because of IQ.
clayne
shoot film or die
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Color is like 3-4 steps and quicker to do than black and white. It's also a beautiful medium - c-41 and especially e-6. Shoot medium format slide or print film sometime.
sar-photo
Simon Robinson
I answered 'yes', but it's not that black and white (pun fully intended!).
Before I got my first digital camera (Fuji X100) I used a Mamiya 6 and a Minolta Autocord. I processed my own film (both colour and black & white) and would let the film mount up until I had a good batch to process. I would then spend one Saturday I would set up my Jobo processor and develop all the film (sometimes it would have to be continued on the Sunday). Then over the next few weeks I'd scan the negs.
Added to this is the fact that, aside from Leica, there weren't any digital camera's available that tempted me - I don't like using SLR style cameras.
Just before the X100 was announced I had let my exposed film pile get up to around 50 films - it took me a full weekend to process them all and a couple of months to scan all the negs. I was thoroughly fed up with the whole process. The X100 came at just the right time for me!
Simon
Before I got my first digital camera (Fuji X100) I used a Mamiya 6 and a Minolta Autocord. I processed my own film (both colour and black & white) and would let the film mount up until I had a good batch to process. I would then spend one Saturday I would set up my Jobo processor and develop all the film (sometimes it would have to be continued on the Sunday). Then over the next few weeks I'd scan the negs.
Added to this is the fact that, aside from Leica, there weren't any digital camera's available that tempted me - I don't like using SLR style cameras.
Just before the X100 was announced I had let my exposed film pile get up to around 50 films - it took me a full weekend to process them all and a couple of months to scan all the negs. I was thoroughly fed up with the whole process. The X100 came at just the right time for me!
Simon
sojournerphoto
Veteran
Difficult. I really like black and white film, but my work and family needs mean that I have a pile of rolls waiting to be developed and scanned. Hence I'm thinking of selling all (or most!) of the kit, apart from the M-lenses, and Nikon 9000 and adding a Monochrom to the M9.
I'm sure it cna do all I need, but I will miss working with film and the film bodies, which are far ahead of the digi bodies in actual enjoyment in use. I may keep a ZI or MP for occasional dusting off and running a roll through the flatbed...
Mike
I'm sure it cna do all I need, but I will miss working with film and the film bodies, which are far ahead of the digi bodies in actual enjoyment in use. I may keep a ZI or MP for occasional dusting off and running a roll through the flatbed...
Mike
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