New York PhotoPlusExpo 2018

I'm spending about $4.75 per roll for TriX (including tax) if I don't buy new cassettes. About $1 per roll savings. Not a great margin considering the extra effort and potential problems that come with bulk loading. I've had a difficult time keeping the scratching issue at bay in the past. These days I clean the felt before reusing but it's too early to see if this makes a difference one way or the other.
 
I'm having a friend's friend visit and taking a Minolta SRT to learn film. A bit OT but the young are getting into film quite a bit and good to know the cost doesn't scare them (yes I am one, but I'm seeing younger ones!).

A local camera club hangs once a month and the last time there were a couple of kids that tried developing B&W. I should feel ashamed not having yet gotten my hands into that! I'ms sitting on some exposed undeveloped B&W. Ready for a B&W darkroom course that should be done later this fall.


Price wise, Ilford seems to be stable and standard across the board, and FP4/HP5, great stocks to standardise in. I have a heap of C41 35mm and unless I can get into a group order, will not try Ektachrome soon.


Gear alert wise; wish for a $15 OM3Ti. A dream when I began shooting. Nowadays I don't care much rather than just value... Found a listing for a used EM5II at $370 but it was sold. Would make a great "macro film scanner" set up. Oh well, my digital cheap m43 is aging and I should upgrade to a more pro level body. But at the end of the day film seems crazy fun instead.




Cal I got reminded of your fashion situation a few months ago. Turns out I ended up in a place where they still hold (academic tradition) white tie events. I live with a Chinese Postdoc that has a "Shanghai connection" with a tailor that makes to size/custom at really good prices. I'm hardly a shopper but am Currently battling the idea if I should order such a gala outfit, even if I'd only wear it for 2 required occasions a year. Well, I could become a test model at the camera club. LOL or do the move of Maggie of accidental icon, by wearing that to lesser events. :D More expensive stuff to "high roll" on...
 
Saganich said:
I'm spending about $4.75 per roll for TriX (including tax) if I don't buy new cassettes. About $1 per roll savings. Not a great margin considering the extra effort and potential problems that come with bulk loading. I've had a difficult time keeping the scratching issue at bay in the past. These days I clean the felt before reusing but it's too early to see if this makes a difference one way or the other.
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Chris,

After the initial cost of cassettes I figure using 5 feet per roll or 20 rolls per 100 feet that the cost of FP4 is $3.00 a roll and I think $3.30 a roll for HP5.

In 120 Ilford is favorably priced also. Then if you extend this into sheet films Ilford becomes a "no-brainer."

Pretty much the only Kodak film that is inexpensive is Kodak 5222. If you do all the math it too becomes $3.00 a roll without the initial outlay of cassettes. The only difficulty is that for the best pricing and availability one has to deal with 400 foot rolls. BTW there is no discount for bulking up with 1000 foot rolls.

So I'm currently developing a means of using my Topcon 250 exposure loader into a bulk respooler. Pretty much if I cycle 250 loading three times I get 100 feet. All I have to do is cut out a core that adapts to a hollow spool so that it can fit in a standard daylight loader and make provisions for this loader to handle a 400 foot roll.

Pretty much it will be so easy to re-spool 400 feet into 4 100 foot rolls that it is just doing a good friend a favor. Pretty much I figure it would take about 10 minutes. The logistics required are 4 containers that are light tight. A one liter stainless steel developing tank would work, or several smaller ones.

I also have this Leica loader that loads the spool alone without the body and felt. This cuts down the possibility of scratching the film by 50%. I have a tape measure that I happen to have found on the street that I will use as a linear spring to control a cut length of film. Pretty much just turn the crank, load a spool, and then load the spool into the cassette body. Of course this will be done in my bathroom which I will use as a darkroom.

I will be making a perhaps 6 foot long fixture so all this will be on a horizontal surface. I have this hospital bed table that I found being thrown out on 72d Street outside a doctor's office that I have been saving that could be useful as a base.

I have several 3 gallon Kodak hard rubber dip and dunk tanks with light tight lids to use as light safes.

Really crazy will be loading 15 feet of 70mm film into my Linhof CINE's for over 60 and 120 exposures of either 6x7 or 645. How crazy will be shooting a Linhof and not having to reload every 10 shots. Pretty much like shooting a Linhof like a Leica. How about $3.00 a 120 equiv. for medium format.

70mm Rollie 400S in bulk from Germany costs "no money." Limitation though is film speed: only 80-125 ISO depending on light and developer. This film has an extended range that has heightened IR sensitivity so the look resembles ACROS.

I discovered that B&H still has ACROS in 4x5. For night shooting this is the best film for bulb exposures due to no reciprocy failure. I want to freeze some of this for using Christian's old 4x5 Linhof. He gave me a 90/6.8 that is a 28mm FOV that is low coma in rendering. I'll stop it all the way down to get pinhole like diffraction.

For 4x5 Bergger Panchro 400 is mighty cheap. $33.00 for 25 sheets and even less for a 50 sheet box bulking up. This film like Ilford DDX for 320 ISO, but a presoak is required. A crazy film because it is dual emulsion. I get wonderful tonal range.

Time to load up the truck.

Expected delivery is today for the Tower 45/46.

Cal
 
Prest_400 said:
Cal I got reminded of your fashion situation a few months ago. Turns out I ended up in a place where they still hold (academic tradition) white tie events. I live with a Chinese Postdoc that has a "Shanghai connection" with a tailor that makes to size/custom at really good prices. I'm hardly a shopper but am Currently battling the idea if I should order such a gala outfit, even if I'd only wear it for 2 required occasions a year. Well, I could become a test model at the camera club. LOL or do the move of Maggie of accidental icon, by wearing that to lesser events. :D More expensive stuff to "high roll" on...
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Jorde,

Like in cameras I would wait for "Image Stabilization." Pretty much your body changes over the decades. I use to be a real lanky 5'10" 135-145 pound guy in my 20's and thirties. I had a very boyish body and a 27 inch waist. In my 40's and 50's I thickened and got more muscular, and added about 2 inches to my chest (currently a 38). T-shirt size is still a small, but my build is military like, but I'm still skinny (29 inch waist today, but at one time I was a thirty).

I would not buy highly tailored clothing until I got "image stabilization" and a routine for fitness established. I would wait until you create and establish the best body you can build, and then use the excuse of expensive clothes to maintain that body in a sustainable manner.

Also know that in menswear men expect clothes to last a decade. Really high-end clothes likely will exceed that, unless your body outgrows the clothing.

For me I think my bicycle collection is aligned with my fitness and my body type. The luxury clothing I think comes secondarily as a fruitful expansion of lifestyle. My way of thinking is robust and all in, otherwise don't bother wasting time. Go big, and go all the way. Understand the world is full of mediocrity and that is what I'm trying to avoid.

Cal
 
There is a Leitz bulk loader (called Film Tank) that takes 400' roles but they are really hard to find with all the necessary parts. I've toyed with the idea of 5222 400 ft rolls and looked for a Leitz spool handlers I could mount on a board and used inside a large changing bag. Easy to spool off 100 ft lengths, just make jig set for the thickness of the spool.
 
Saganich said:
There is a Leitz bulk loader (called Film Tank) that takes 400' roles but they are really hard to find with all the necessary parts. I've toyed with the idea of 5222 400 ft rolls and looked for a Leitz spool handlers I could mount on a board and used inside a large changing bag. Easy to spool off 100 ft lengths, just make jig set for the thickness of the spool.
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Chris,

I have two different loaders for loading 70mm stainless steel reels that also work for loading CINE cassettes with 15 feet of film.

Each of these could easily fit in a changing bag and offer the capacity to hold even a 1000 foot roll. Pretty much all I have to do is create the spool.

Hmmm...

This is mighty clever and so easy to do. I have a roll of 5222 for you to try. I'll give it to you at PhotoPlusExpo. Option A: develope yourself in D76 250 ISO; Option B: shoot at 500 ISO and give to me to develope in Diafine.

This is old school silver rich film that has unbeatable exposure lattitude for $3.00 a roll for the film.

Cal
 
jszokoli said:
Cal,

Does this mean that there will a screw mount category at the beauty contest?

Joe
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Joe,

I decided to make the LTM screw mount category very specific and limited. Entrants will be required to have a lever film advance and a M3 style rear door.

I should have a Monopoly. Pretty unlikely someone else has a Tower 45/46 or a Nicca 5 L. Dates back to 1956 and not so many made.

I really like mine: a clean sample. Some might call it a shelf queen.

Looks like Christian has the cheap camera so far.

Cal
 
Three sheet sample packs given out at the Canson booth. I'll pass on the etching, but the Presige and the Platine Fibre Rag is good for me (glossy).

Cal
 
In the October issue of Vogue Japan there is a feature that includes "Maggie" as one of the top 4 most inspirational women over 65.

The other three women include: May Musk, former beauty model and mother of Elon Musk; Grace Coddington, Creative Director Vogue USA; and Chris Jenner.

How crazy is this?

Cal
 
Fall colors are winding down, didn't shoo much really. Some Gold 200 in 135 and P400 in MF. Ektachrome comes Mid November in EU so no falling leaves there. Towards late fall hope I'll get the (120) HP5 thing going. Ilford have a certain uniformity in pricing that makes it great.


Calzone said:
In the October issue of Vogue Japan there is a feature that includes "Maggie" as one of the top 4 most inspirational women over 65.

The other three women include: May Musk, former beauty model and mother of Elon Musk; Grace Coddington, Creative Director Vogue USA; and Chris Jenner.

How crazy is this?

Cal
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Congrats!
I've been reading about the fashion industry the last week or so and it is indeed quite a polarized one. Quite a crazy one in many dimensions! Getting "up there" is a feat indeed.
A year and half since I saw a Mango billboard featuring her at Barcelona Airport.

I appreciate that insight. Found a UK supplier of ex-rental suits that seems quite attractive for these spurious black/white tie outfits. As wonderful a newly made to measure one, it's best to spend on vices such as film. I still eye that "Shanghai made to measure" option but for more utilitarian stuff like shirts. It's crazy how one can compare the more direct handmade with large chain middleman. Not much cost, been quoted $30 for a cotton shirt. Indeed one can get bespoke for good price in Asia.
 
stevierose said:
Hey Cal
What's a "CF"?
Steve Rosenblum
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Steve,

Cheap-Fxxx.

It is an interesting transition retiring: this de-accumulation process really is a game changer.

About a decade ago I started by downsizing. Literally got rid of two thirds of the stuff I owned. Much of it was hoarding stuff like old clothes just in case I needed them for doing an oil change on a car, but realize I live in NYC and don't own a car.

My purchases became more like buying durable goods, but in this manner I was not cheap. I bought used Leica film cameras, legendary glass, and even bought a Monochrome when first released. I also still own the Monochrom and also bought a SL as cameras to keep.

Pretty much in the camera department I really don't need anything, and the stuff I own I could pretty readily sell to raise/retrieve cash if I needed it. Pretty much at a saturation point where I have more gear than I need, and realize I have all good stuff that has been serviced and is good-to-go.

The idea here as I approach retirement is only own stuff that I will likely want to keep the rest of my life, and I'm thinking 4 decades out from age 60. My dad who was a poor illegal immigrant who had a brutal life lived till 94 so it is highly likely I'll make it past 100.

I feel it is like being 18 years old again where I have to think long and deep about how to approach 4 decades into the future.

CF is a play on words. I don't really waste money, but understand that somehow I have accumulated mucho treasures that I intend on keeping. CF is a way to define a man who does not want to spend or waste money.

For film Tri-X has gotten too expensive. Pretty much if I bulk load Kodak 5222 I pay about half price or about $3.00 a roll like in the old days. In 120 Ilford seems to be the way to go. Then I have 70mm capabilities to tap into get prices down to $3.00 per 120 equiv.

I do need to buy a Leica 100/2.8 APO-R lens. Found a ElPro at B&H for $349.00 boxed/mint/unused that sells on EBAY $400-$850. Pretty much hailed as Leica's sharpest lens with APO and macro capabilities. I'll be using this to digitize my negatives using my SL.

Cal
 
So I'm at a point where I'll be printing limited editions and stockpiling them for release/sale.

Paper and ink supply is mucho.

Decided to take advantage of roll paper and will increase my small print size to 13.3x20 image size on 17x24 sheet. The prints in my "workbook" are only 12x18, but the new size opens up the tonal range and level of detail quite a bit. The bigger borders also let the image breath and have more of a sculptural presence.

I'll have to make a run to Talus to buy a few Museum Cases for storage.

The 3880 is already flushed and loaded with Piezoflush and is ready to go into Public Storage.

Cal
 
Range-rover said:
Thanks for adding this Cal, great video's!
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Bob,

Tim Kane's Ted-Talk was interesting. He really laid it all out there about how divided our country is and created an optimistic POV that we really needed.

Also SRAM the U.S. bike component manufacturer was providing bicycles in Third World countries that hugely made a difference. Made me understand profoundly how we take mobility for granted. Bicycles made a huge difference in these undeveloped countries that lack infrastructure. Access to work, education and healthcare opened up advancing quality of life.

Anyways attending a Ted-Talk conference breaks one out of their bubble. Attending this conference really changed me.

Cal
 
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