danwilly
Established
I have been into rangefinders and processing and printing my own BW but when the recession hit we lost our house along with my well-appointed darkroom. I packed everything up into plastic totes, including my cameras, but telling myself I would probably never again get back into my hobby. I left behind my enlarger and we moved into a rental.
Recently I hauled out my cameras to show my grandkids and my grandson completely lit up when he saw my black body Bessa. Apparently he knows beauty when he sees it. Showing him how it works only increased his interest so I made him the promise that he can have it when I die. Of course this led to several questions about when I am going to die. Bless his heart.
So I figured what the hell. I took my Bessa along on our recent vacation to New Orleans and the Mississippi Valley and I shot up two rolls. I went into the basement the other day and cracked open the totes and found my chemistry. I make my developer and fix from scratch so it was a crapshoot mixing chemicals that were at least five years old. So I added an extra gram of metol and a couple extra grams of sodium sulfite to make up for deterioration and hoped for the best. Had to consult the data sheet and I couldn't remember how many ml's a patterson tank holds. Finally, after a couple hours of setup I processed my two rolls. And behold, out came two perfectly crisp sets of negatives. I ordered a film scanner and will load the shots onto my chromebook and work with them there. I am willing to make that concession to the digital world although the most enjoyable moments of the hobby were the hours I spent in the darkroom making prints. However, prints get stored away and there is only such much you can do with them. At least when they are digitized you always have easy access.
I am fixing my grandson up with a fully auto Minolta loaded with a roll of Arista II. His assignment will be to shoot up a roll of film with one rule only. No pictures of people. Should be interesting to see how he thinks it through.
I know our days in this hobby are numbered. I have about 40 rolls of film stockpiled and will probably be ordering more. Checking the freestyle catalog reveals only a couple of manufacturers are left. But we can have fun perhaps for a couple of more years.
So here I am asking forgiveness for my backsliding of the past five years and looking forward to rejoining the RFF.
Dan
Recently I hauled out my cameras to show my grandkids and my grandson completely lit up when he saw my black body Bessa. Apparently he knows beauty when he sees it. Showing him how it works only increased his interest so I made him the promise that he can have it when I die. Of course this led to several questions about when I am going to die. Bless his heart.
So I figured what the hell. I took my Bessa along on our recent vacation to New Orleans and the Mississippi Valley and I shot up two rolls. I went into the basement the other day and cracked open the totes and found my chemistry. I make my developer and fix from scratch so it was a crapshoot mixing chemicals that were at least five years old. So I added an extra gram of metol and a couple extra grams of sodium sulfite to make up for deterioration and hoped for the best. Had to consult the data sheet and I couldn't remember how many ml's a patterson tank holds. Finally, after a couple hours of setup I processed my two rolls. And behold, out came two perfectly crisp sets of negatives. I ordered a film scanner and will load the shots onto my chromebook and work with them there. I am willing to make that concession to the digital world although the most enjoyable moments of the hobby were the hours I spent in the darkroom making prints. However, prints get stored away and there is only such much you can do with them. At least when they are digitized you always have easy access.
I am fixing my grandson up with a fully auto Minolta loaded with a roll of Arista II. His assignment will be to shoot up a roll of film with one rule only. No pictures of people. Should be interesting to see how he thinks it through.
I know our days in this hobby are numbered. I have about 40 rolls of film stockpiled and will probably be ordering more. Checking the freestyle catalog reveals only a couple of manufacturers are left. But we can have fun perhaps for a couple of more years.
So here I am asking forgiveness for my backsliding of the past five years and looking forward to rejoining the RFF.
Dan
Rayt
Nonplayer Character
Couple of years?!? I can't forgive that statement. Sorry
Rob-F
Likes Leicas
You are forgiven! Sometimes we have to do what we have to do.
I think we will be using film for more than just a couple more years. If Kodak won't make it, then Ilford will, and so will Efke, et. al.
I think we will be using film for more than just a couple more years. If Kodak won't make it, then Ilford will, and so will Efke, et. al.
btgc
Veteran
There's nothing you should ask forgiving about. Glad you had a spark until ashes of daily routines. So let's have fun with this. Tech comes and goes, fun stays, experience grows. Welcome back!
Ko.Fe.
Lenses 35/21 Gears 46/20
Dan, you are back to Normal!
I'm moving my film developing to my in-law's rental apartment, btw
I'm using BH to order film in bulks. Currently 10+ films to choose from.
They also have C-41, easy to use 1L kit. With scanner it is another fun with film.
I'm using expired and cinefilm for it.
I'm moving my film developing to my in-law's rental apartment, btw
I'm using BH to order film in bulks. Currently 10+ films to choose from.
They also have C-41, easy to use 1L kit. With scanner it is another fun with film.
I'm using expired and cinefilm for it.
Filzkoeter
stray animal
You are forgiven, welcome back
Couple of years left with film? Humbug! Maybe the big players like Kodak or Fuji will die a slow death... but let's take a look what happens right now in the film market:
-Ilford is doing great... 2012/13 they invested 350.000 gpb in a new film cassette factory.
-Adox is doing great and is starting to produce more and more own films, papers and chemicals (with Agfa know-how and machinery). They have built a small film factory not far from where I live.
-Bergger started producing own completly new film (Bergger Pancro 400, only available in large format atm).
-There's this German coating company 'Innoviscoat' that started coating films for companys like Adox or Bergger.
-Foma just released a new film a couple of days ago (Retropan 320).
-Ferrania lives again! Currently they are restoring their factory to produce new color films.
There's a hell lot happening at the moment on the market and I don't think it'll stop soon.
Couple of years left with film? Humbug! Maybe the big players like Kodak or Fuji will die a slow death... but let's take a look what happens right now in the film market:
-Ilford is doing great... 2012/13 they invested 350.000 gpb in a new film cassette factory.
-Adox is doing great and is starting to produce more and more own films, papers and chemicals (with Agfa know-how and machinery). They have built a small film factory not far from where I live.
-Bergger started producing own completly new film (Bergger Pancro 400, only available in large format atm).
-There's this German coating company 'Innoviscoat' that started coating films for companys like Adox or Bergger.
-Foma just released a new film a couple of days ago (Retropan 320).
-Ferrania lives again! Currently they are restoring their factory to produce new color films.
There's a hell lot happening at the moment on the market and I don't think it'll stop soon.
squirrel$$$bandit
Veteran
Yeah, I think film could be like vinyl records, a relatively popular niche for people who like a particular aesthetic. Could last a long time. Welcome back! I just returned to it myself and it's great.
dave lackey
Veteran
So sorry for your troubles.
How old is your grandson? I think that is a great thing you are doing with him. Please post some photos from his shooting!
How old is your grandson? I think that is a great thing you are doing with him. Please post some photos from his shooting!
willie_901
Veteran
Just give your grandson the Bessa and you can enjoy him enjoying it while you are alive.
Win-win.
Win-win.
Lauffray
Invisible Cities
With a title like that I thought you had probably punched someone, welcome back
Rob-F
Likes Leicas
That is exactly what I think, too. And the same for vacuum tube amplifiers. There are more brands of tube amps now, than there were in 1960. And plenty of tubes in production. They don't make tubes in the USA anymore? That's OK! They make them in Saratov, Russia, and elsewhere in eastern Europe. They make them in China. They don't make film in the USA? OK, they make it in Croatia, in the U.K., and elsewhere.
danwilly
Established
My grandson is six years old. But he is the artist in the family. With the Minolta he can concentrate on the composition without having to learn about shutter speed and f-stop, that can come later. And yes, I have another Bessa he can use once he is ready for the more technical aspects of photography. Then perhaps he won't be in such a hurry to have grandpa kick the bucket.
dave lackey
Veteran
At age 67, I think it premature to think about kickin the bucket...spend time now filling it with fun times!:angel:
Godfrey
somewhat colored
Welcome back. You have nothing to forgive. You have a lot that others might envy. Give it away and it will all come back to enrich your life.
Enjoy your photography, regardless of what that word means to you personally.
Enjoy your grandson's enthusiasm too ... you'll have so much fun seeing what his fresh eyes see.
G
Enjoy your photography, regardless of what that word means to you personally.
Enjoy your grandson's enthusiasm too ... you'll have so much fun seeing what his fresh eyes see.
G
oftheherd
Veteran
No forgiveness needed for your circumstances. Glad you seem to have made it back to some semblance of your former status. Even more glad your grandson wants to follow his grandpa's hobby.
I know you will, but keep working with him. However the medium may change, he may well gain a hobby that will keep him with something to do for the rest of his life. And a reason to sometimes remember Grandpa.
I know you will, but keep working with him. However the medium may change, he may well gain a hobby that will keep him with something to do for the rest of his life. And a reason to sometimes remember Grandpa.
Godfrey
somewhat colored
mfogiel
Veteran
Photography is a great longevity recipe: keeps your mind active, keeps your feet on the move, makes you meet people and let's you enjoy giving out the prints to friends.
BTW, most great photographers have been active till the (usually late) end, so just get back on track and no excuses !
BTW, most great photographers have been active till the (usually late) end, so just get back on track and no excuses !
dave lackey
Veteran
Ah Dave, you're not a Sicilian...
G
Nah, just a descendant of a Scotsman, in jeans... with ancestors who registered as immigrants (from Stirlingshire) in NYC in 1793 with the proper surname "leckie/lecky" but wound up with a misspelled version due to a clerk unable to understand their heavy accent. I have been told that is where my stubborn rebelliousness comes from so I refuse to get old.
I do wonder why I enjoy film photography so much more now that it is a special interest instead of mainstream...
Just filling my own bucket!