It's 2014, are you still using film?

[Woody 63]

Definitely film 🙂

 

[Archiver]

Funny, but one week after saying that I haven't shot any film since mid 2012, I've brought out some film cameras again, and have decided to bring film back into my personal work.

The batteries in my M7 are fine, but I need new batteries for my Zeiss Ikon, Contax T3 and Fuji Natura Black. I'm after some choices in small, high quality cameras that are light and will slip into a padded bag pocket, and what better way than to use the cameras that accompanied me on my original film journey?

There's also a fair batch of unexposed film in the fridge, so I won't need to buy film for a while, either. Having checked my images, it seems that the last roll of film I had developed was in January 2011, so this film reemergence has been a while in coming.

 

[Rikard]

I shot digital for 5 years. Almost 2 of these years were spent travelling the world and making a lot of images. My only regret today, when it comes to my photography, is that I didn't shoot film on those travels. Never again will I let myself make such a mistake.

 

[Archiver]

I shot digital for 5 years. Almost 2 of these years were spent travelling the world and making a lot of images. My only regret today, when it comes to my photography, is that I didn't shoot film on those travels. Never again will I let myself make such a mistake.

I so empathize with this. In 2010 I had just bought my M9, and spent three weeks shooting Japan. Only the M9 and a couple of compact digitals came with me, and after I returned, I regretted not having at least the Contax T3 or the Zeiss Ikon with me.

The Contax would have gone in a pocket and only been noticeable when I wanted it. The Ikon could have shared lenses with the M9 and still been light enough to carry at the same time. And I would have had glorious film images. Sigh.

 

[gudlagoba]

I used my 5D and lenses for the intermediate digital photography course at a local college last fall. Since then, I have taken it out once in two months, exercised the shutter, and put it away.

On the other hand, I have been developing 35mm and medium format with the Colortec C-41 kit. Next is to develop 4x5 Ektar at home.
In the fall, I plan to take advanced B&W and color (analog) printing at the local college.

Dis gonna be gud...

 

[Godfrey]

less and less 35mm, more and more Polaroid ...

G

 

[GarageBoy]

Torn between both:
Digital- see your mistakes immediately, works great as a "notebook" i.e.- come back here when the lighting is better, changing ISOs on the fly is a godsend, cleaner high ISOs, only game in town with shooting color in the dark

Film- I picked up film when I heard Kodak TMZ was going away- I always liked the tonality of high speed B&W film in the dark in somewhat contrasty situations. Then Neopan 400 got cut and I decided that I NEEDED to shoot that (to see what the hypes about)

On the color side - WOW Portra is beautiful, especially in 120, even on my crappy Epson V500
Then came the color slides - WOW E6 is pretty, even in tiny 135 size- Then the death of Velvia 100F was announced, along with Provia 400X and I just HAD to shoot them while theyre still around

And that's how I have a fridge full of discontinued film...

Film cameras are great for making your subjects feel more comfortable (what IS that?) Polaroids, especially- out comes the land camera, and prepare to have people chat you up

 

[cz23]

I shot film for 25 years and digital for the last ten. I tried film again twice last year -- with a CL, M4, Nikkormat, and Rollei TLR. I gave it a fair shake but the old magic was gone. Far outweighed by the ease and consistency of digital.

I shoot B&W almost exclusively and was unhappy with the output of digital cameras -- until the M9, X-Pro1, and GR came along. I don't miss all those variables in the film workflow, and I especially appreciate how digital lets me focus on the part of photography I enjoy most -- the front-end image-making.

John

 

[Godfrey]

I shot film for 25 years and digital for the last ten. I tried film again twice last year -- with a CL, M4, Nikkormat, and Rollei TLR. I gave it a fair shake but the old magic was gone. Far outweighed by the ease and consistency of digital. ...

I hear ya. Most of what I like about shooting film nowadays is precisely the inconsistency and chance in using it. And working with Polaroids as much as I have lately, I still get close to the "see it now" experience that I get with digital capture so I can learn quickly enough to make a difference.

This is why I'm so rarely shooting 35mm film. There's just not a lot of magic in it for me now. 6x6cm is different as I have no digital camera that can replicate the FoV/DoF dynamics of a medium format film camera.

G

 

[kiemchacsu]

I have several Leica lenses and no digital M. I really like those lenses and in order to use them, I have to put films in my Film Ms. I happen to like the results so far and no demand to switch to digital.

 

[JackCheasty]

Using a pair of M6 TTL and loving being back in the darkroom. If I could afford a Monochrom or even the M240, I might jump ship to the dark side, but as it is, Tri-X and D-76 are readily available., I don't "overshoot" as I am prone to do with my D700, and the results are satisfying. Leica glass is after all, Leica glass. I recently bought a beautiful 8 element 35mm Summicron from Youxin Ye, and I continue to be amazed... I have an M2, M3, and a IIIC all of which are loaded with Tri X and being actively used.

 

[flip]

If you wanna be in the union, you got to pay your dues.

 

[dtcls100]

Still shooting about 95% film. The only time I use a digital camera (EOS Rebel T3i which belongs to my wife) is when I am taking pictures of friends and their children that I intend to distribute to a number of people. Otherwise, it is all film, as I prefer the look of film images (much more resistant to blown highlights, much better skin tones, and more pleasing rendition without spending hours messing around on a computer) and the handling of film cameras.

 

[Godfrey]

redux: more polaroid, some 35mm now too again.

G

 

[macvisual]

100% film here.

A few months ago I sold my digital Nikon D800, bought a Mamiya C330S Twin Lens Reflex camera and have about twenty rolls of 120 stored in the fridge, on the search for a Mamiya RZ 67 and a few lenses.



(peter)

 

[JChrome]

100% film here. A few months ago I sold my digital Nikon D800, bought a Mamiya C330S Twin Lens Reflex camera and have about twenty rolls of 120 stored in the fridge, on the search for a Mamiya RZ 67 and a few lenses. (peter)

I'd love to have the d800. For underwater photography, there'd be nothing better (until the next high mbpx camera comes out).

I figure if I get hired for pro work I can always rent. But for personal use, I just love the look of film (and medium format especially)

 

[craygc]

Predominantly a film shooter, I've found myself in a situation where, since April this year until around the end of next year, I need to put film on hold - not living in my place, no development equipment, nor space. As such, I got myself a Ricoh GR, and must admit its a great, very well thought out camera.

The problem is that I still produce B&W images and it can take me multiple reworks of the raw file, over a few days, to get something Im happy with. Its not that I don't know what Im doing but rather that Im very particular how an image should look and the files being so malleably don't naturally go in the appropriate direction. This is a problem I could probably live with; but even when I get a selection of digital B&W images that I feel look good, my opinion of their tonality declines when I compare them against my B&W film images. I cannot identify the difference in anyway I can describe but I see it very clearly when I see the two side by side.

I will continue using digital while I remain constrained by circumstances but the more I use it, the more I cannot wait to get back to film...

 

[thereabouts]

After being quoted just under $20 for B&W, development only, I am about to go 99% digital. Gonna sell most of my film stock all but my fave equipment.

Shame, but it's just ridiculous now. It's not the availability (or even cost) of film that's the problem. It's the lack of anywhere to develop it at a reasonable price.

 

[NJH]

Film 100%. Just about to sell my M8 in fact as it has only been used twice this year to check lenses and that is all.

I converted to scanning at home as I have far more control over the results than relying on the lab. He did a good job much of the time and an awful job some of the time but for any image I can get a better result myself with the KM 5400, its just having the time to spend on each image.

Not processing B&W myself yet but I will do for the same reasons of control and fine tuning things how I want them, I think its just crazy to rely on a lab for B&W unless one is really close to them and gets exactly what you want. Again the lab was really good most of the time but sometimes awful.

 

[robertofollia]

2015 and still using film...