Petition Kodak to Bring Back Plus-X

[HHPhoto]

I teach film photography, have for the last 11 years. Five years ago I'd have a third of the class really get into film, nowadays it is only one or two a semester.

As I am teaching film photography, too, my recommendation:
Stop the "BW and darkroom fundamentalism" in teaching.
Add something which is also unique, but different from darkroom work.
And what is clearly surpassing digital in quality:
Slide projection.

Get a very good projector with an excellent lens (that is important) and screen (Da-Lite). Even prof. gear is used very cheap now.
And let your class see their pictures huge, in unsurpassed brillance. As the young are used to the crap computer monitor quality, they will be very impressed by slide projection.

I am doing that in my classes, with constant success.

Cheers, Jan

 

[sepiareverb]

I had several in my Advancd class running C-41 this past fall, then scanning films as we have no means of C-printing in the lab.

I think I will show slides day 1, great idea!

 

[tsiklonaut]

Forget RLC (bad stuff for these films).
Use the dedicated Spur developers, or send your films to Germany to Photostudio 13 for BW reversal development. Then you get some very nice BW slides from Agfa Copex Rapid and CMS 20 II.

Cheers Jan,

You're obviously the man with the right knowhow!

I've gotten fairly good results with RLC - I guess many like to see technical films as very contrasty and sharp - steep? I like them with rich tonality and wide DR - RLC seems to fit the bill there. I'll have to try Rollei ATP with dedicated developer, looks like this might be good film for those "grainless" fine art shootouts.

B&W slide development is a taste thing I guess, I've never liked B&W slides. Color slides are from a different league though, especially through projection, just pity those good 6x7 slide projectors still cost quite a bit though, but nothing compared what they used to cost. I've always fancied a decent Götschmann, maybe someday... 🙂

Thanks again for the usable input,
Margus

 

[HHPhoto]

I think I will show slides day 1, great idea!

Yes, do it, it is unique and breathtaking! Especially for your young students who have never seen it.

But important, use quality gear. Some recommendations:

If you want a carousel projector, the best are the Leica Rt-m and Rt-s models (30% more brightness than the best Kodak carousel models).
Best lens: Super-Colorplan Pro

Kodak:
The later Ektalite and Ektapro models.
Best lens: Kodak Ektapro FF 2,5/93

Tray projectors:
Leica Pradovit PC / IR.
Best lens: Leica SuperColorplan P2 2,5 /90
Second best: Leica Colorplan P2 2,5/90

Braun Multimag 250 AF / SC 663 / SC 668 / SC 669
http://www.braun-phototechnik.de/en/products/list/~pcat.106/Diatechnik.html
Best lens: Braun Ultralit PL 2,4/90 MC

Rollei:
MSC 315, 325 P, 335 P, 66 dual P
http://www.dhw-fototechnik.de/en/slide-projectors.html
Best lenses: Rollei AV Apogon 2,4 / 90 for 315, 325 and 335.
AV Apogon 2,8/120 and 2,8/150 for 66 dual P

Kindermann:
Silent Vision 2500 line.
Best lenses:
Kindermann MC-B 2,4/90
Kindermann 2,4/90 MC

For projection screens I recommend the Da-Lite programme.

Slide projection is one very good reason for using slide film in photographic education.
The other is slide film as an excellent learning tool.
Reversal film, both color and BW, is by the way one of the best learning tools for photo students:
With reversal film in the camera you just have to do it right before pressing the shutter:
- composition has to be right
- exposure has to be right.
With a slide you create a finished image in the moment of the shutter click. No possibility of different framing or post-processing / "enhancing" afterwards (hybrid workflow excluded; looking only at the real slide on the lighttable and in projection).
With shooting slides you have to think before pressing the shutter, you have to be precise and you have to know what to do.
That is one of the strengths of this film type.
It is a strong "what you see is what you get" approach.
And that makes it one of the strongest and best learning tools in photography.

If you master reversal film, then you can master all: BW and Color negative, instant, digital.

I've followed one of the best current photography teachers / photo professors in this regard, H. Mante.
And can confirm his concept. I have the best experiences with teaching photography by using color and BW reversal film (not exclusively using slide film, but using it quite a lot in addition to negative film and printing).
I can highly recommend using slide film as a powerful learning tool.

Cheers, Jan

 

[HHPhoto]

Cheers Jan,

You're obviously the man with the right knowhow!

I've gotten fairly good results with RLC - I guess many like to see technical films as very contrasty and sharp - steep? I like them with rich tonality and wide DR - RLC seems to fit the bill there.

Hi Margus,

I like them with normal Gradation = rich tonality the most - as you do.
And there are better options for that than RLC, e.g. Spur Acurol N.

I'll have to try Rollei ATP with dedicated developer, looks like this might be good film for those "grainless" fine art shootouts.

Well, ATP is the most difficult to handle of all the high resolution films. If you don't 'desperately' need the extended red sensivity of this film, than both Agfa Copex Rapid (most easy to handle) and Adox CMS 20 II are better options.
Using the dedicated developers for them is recommended, they work best.
Or BW reversal development by Photostudio 13.

B&W slide development is a taste thing I guess, I've never liked B&W slides.

Have you ever used Rollei Superpan 200 ( = Rollei IR = Rollei Retro 400S = Agfa-Gevaert Aviphot Pan 200; all the same film) or Agfa Copex Rapid or CMS 20 II developed by Photostudio 13?
Or Superpan 200 developed by Agenzia Luce in Trieste?
You should do!!
They are looking awesome!
Make a try, you will not be dissapointed!

BW slide is not = BW slide.
The film and quality differences are big.
Go for quality films and development.

Color slides are from a different league though, especially through projection, just pity those good 6x7 slide projectors still cost quite a bit though, but nothing compared what they used to cost. I've always fancied a decent Götschmann, maybe someday... 🙂
Thanks again for the usable input,
Margus

Well, the Götschmann G 67 is cheaper than most FF DSLRs. And it blows all of them away in picture quality. And it is built like a tank and last for generations. And its Schneider lens is marvelous.
http://www.gecko-cam.com/sales/goetschmann/

Don't dream it - do it 🙂!! We only live once.

Cheers, Jan

 

[sepiareverb]

I've got a Pradovit and the Colorplan lens and a nice big Dalite screen. Will be great to have them out again, it's been a while.