Selling up

[peripatetic]

I'm very excited, just been scanning in some Neopan CN400 - developed at Jessops.

It sure does seem nice! Sharp but with plenty of depth, and wonderful DR.

Nothing more than an anecdote, but I seem to be getting better results with my Coolscan V with this film.

I would rank them:
1. Neopan CN400
2. Kodak BW400CN
3. Ilford XP2

If someone tells me I've got it all wrong and they get better results from one of the others I'd not disbelieve it. I ain't no expert!!

 

[Roger Hicks]

I'm very excited, just been scanning in some Neopan CN400 - developed at Jessops.

It sure does seem nice! Sharp but with plenty of depth, and wonderful DR.

Nothing more than an anecdote, but I seem to be getting better results with my Coolscan V with this film.

I would rank them:
1. Neopan CN400
2. Kodak BW400CN
3. Ilford XP2

If someone tells me I've got it all wrong and they get better results from one of the others I'd not disbelieve it. I ain't no expert!!

Actually I'd exactly reverse that list, which shows how much of it is down to personal preference and personal experience.

Do you know the fabled etymology of 'expert'? It comes from 'ex', a has-been, and 'spurt', a drip under pressure.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Thardy]

Well, after the frustration of ruining yet another film while trying to load it into a development tank I've decided enough is enough. I'm going to sell my Zeiss ZI and Biogon 2/35 lens.



Many thanks
Andy

I haven't read the entire thread but I think your problem is related to your reels. My 17y/o daughter turned me on to the FOOLPROOF REELS by Samigon. She took photography in school and successfully loaded her reels the very first time. The Samigon reels have a very large tab which allows film to be easily guided onto the reel. I can even load 120 film unto these. 😉

I bought a few at BHphoto.


I bet these will be easy to load EVEN in a changing bag.

 

[mgd711]

I haven't read the entire thread but I think your problem is related to your reels. My 17y/o daughter turned me on to the FOOLPROOF REELS by Samigon. She took photography in school and successfully loaded her reels the very first time. The Samigon reels have a very large tab which allows film to be easily guided onto the reel. I can even load 120 film unto these. 😉

I bought a few at BHphoto.


I bet these will be easy to load EVEN in a changing bag.

This is the same style of reels in the 'AP' branded tanks that I used to use. I've also seen these sold under the Arista Premium brand by Freestyle. The large tab's make it easy to start the film loading.

 

[peripatetic]

Well gee Roger - I would regard you as an expert (but the good kind).

I'm pretty sure that Jessops are using Fuji minilabs - maybe not all C41 processes are exactly the same for all films.

Anyway, it's coming up great, which is all that counts. 🙂

 

[morgan]

Clark Photo and York Labs (same company) still process B/W film (non C-41) via mail for about $6 per roll WITH prints.

Google them for their websites, then look at the price list.

On the other hand, dump the junk if you don't like it. Stop being a luddite and get a real camera.

It looks like York no longer does b&w, but Clark still does for $6.40. Thanks for posting these options, it's so cheap compared to the ~$16.00 to send it out from Ritz Photo.

 

[kshapero]

I have been using North Coast Photographic in San Diego. I get 6 Meg scans and developing for $10 regardless whether C-41 or not. pricey but the results are the best I have seen. I gotta thank K. Rockwell for this tip (I can't even type his whole name).

 

[Zero Nakajima]

York still does b/w too. I just got back 3 rolls.

 

[Michael Markey]

I find that it is not Bill, I only have a cheap Epson flat-bed, but my film scans are quite different to my digital files, and hardly need any fine tuning in PS. Mostly the colours seem more subtle and natural, and looking through my work, I can usually differentiate between the two.
Dave.

Andy
I get my BW done by Ilford. Seven quid for processing and two scanning options . Std 1800x1200 for £3 or Hi res 4500x300 for £10. With the later you get a mid res and low res as well.With postage it is about £17 in total. They will dev any BW film .Expensive but I can`t be bothered to dev at present. Perhaps I should or get a scanner like Dave.

Dave
What model is your scanner ? Does it compare with the resolutions from Ilford ?

Mike

 

[monochromeimages]

Andy, I've had similar problems with the film sticking half way through. I have found two things help.

1. cut a but more off the leader.
2. if it sticks keep going with very small movements of the reel. It will get there eventually.

Interestingly film from my CV Bessa 3m was worst for this. One reason why I sold it. Wonder if it's significant sine the Zeiss is also CV ?

I am in the UK and have a couple of spare Patterson tanks. If you want to try one I will give you one if it will mean you keep the Zeiss and don't give up on film. Let me know ....

 

[binky]

Don't do anything rash. I remember selling off my vinyl albums years ago, and soon after I had a sick feeling in my gut. Sure, there is no snap-crackle-pop with CDs and they're much easier to handle, but now I have a semi-precious stereo system that tries to sound analog.

That sick in the gut feeling put me in check when I think of getting rid of my film cameras in favor of digital. Most recently I sold my Canon 5D, but I still have my analog Nikon, Contax, and even my Oly XA. Don't get me wrong, because I still shoot digitally, but I didn't shed a tear for the 5D, which is a good camera (even though it's a generation behind the 5D Mk2). On the other hand, I'd probably get that gut sickness if I sold my XA.

Anyway...your RF cameras and lens. You might want to think it over carefully. It's a relationship, and you should look at how you can work around the problems. When it's gone, you'll probably miss the quirks, the rituals, and the process (ahem) of photography. I'm not saying you won't take pictures well with a digital--it's just different. And there's no easy bridge in between. So, vive la difference....

JC

 

[android]

I haven't read the entire thread but I think your problem is related to your reels. My 17y/o daughter turned me on to the FOOLPROOF REELS by Samigon. She took photography in school and successfully loaded her reels the very first time. The Samigon reels have a very large tab which allows film to be easily guided onto the reel. I can even load 120 film unto these. 😉

I bought a few at BHphoto.


I bet these will be easy to load EVEN in a changing bag.

Thanks for suggesting this Thomas, these look very interesting. There has been a lot of great advice shared here and as a result I am now pretty much set on keeping a hold of the ZI (and lens). I was also more or less convinced to send film off for processing but may well seek out a couple of these reels instead.

Thanks again
--Andy

 

[android]

Andy, I've had similar problems with the film sticking half way through. I have found two things help.

1. cut a but more off the leader.
2. if it sticks keep going with very small movements of the reel. It will get there eventually.

Interestingly film from my CV Bessa 3m was worst for this. One reason why I sold it. Wonder if it's significant sine the Zeiss is also CV ?

I am in the UK and have a couple of spare Patterson tanks. If you want to try one I will give you one if it will mean you keep the Zeiss and don't give up on film. Let me know ....

Thanks John, I hadn't thought that the camera could be responsible in any way. I'll bear that in mind as I try to get back on track with this. And thanks for the kind offer, my plan is to hunt down one of the easy loading reels described above. I hope these will help me to feed the film through in its entirety rather than just the first 1/3rd!

 

[Anupam]

Changing tent!

 

[Dave Wilkinson]

Andy
I get my BW done by Ilford. Seven quid for processing and two scanning options . Std 1800x1200 for £3 or Hi res 4500x300 for £10. With the later you get a mid res and low res as well.With postage it is about £17 in total. They will dev any BW film .Expensive but I can`t be bothered to dev at present. Perhaps I should or get a scanner like Dave.

Dave
What model is your scanner ? Does it compare with the resolutions from Ilford ?

Mike

It's an Epson 'Perfection' 4870 - and long superseded!, ( I've had it about three years ) but it's fine for my max. A4 prints🙂
Dave'