The sin of pride...

[Ronald_H]

A few months back I started to develop my own B/W. Because I do a lot of low light/high contrast work people recommended Diafine and Tri-X.

Sure, I shoot now with a manual everything Nikon FM, instead of a 5fps digital machine gun, I have to fumble in my changing bag to get my precious film on my @#$% reel, I have to work (= spill) with chemicals. Then I get to scanning and PP, which takes ages, especially taken the dust and stains into account (I'm getting better).

But sometimes it all comes together:

 

[Keith]

A few months back I started to develop my own B/W. Because I do a lot of low light/high contrast work people recommended Diafine and Tri-X.

Sure, I shoot now with a manual everything Nikon FM, instead of a 5fps digital machine gun, I have to fumble in my changing back to get my precious film on my @#$% reel, I have to work (= spill) with chemicals. Then I get to scanning and PP, which takes ages, especially taken the dust and stains into account (I'm getting better).

But sometimes it all comes together:

I know where you're coming from ... all the hard work's forgotten when you produce something you're really proud of ... and that's a great shot that I'd be proud of also. 🙂

 

[EcoLeica]

Yeah it can be a hassle, I feel im forever healing up dust stops on PS...but with all this work a get a strong sense of pride about my photography that i never got from working with digital. I guess its like building your own home

 

[Johnmcd]

Great shot. Love the range of tones.

John

 

[briandaly]

Ronald,

How are finding the transition from the D200 to the manual SLR? Do you still use both or have you gone completely back to film?

 

[Ronald_H]

Let's say I rediscovered the joy of film, especially B/W. My lab made such a mess of it that I was forced to do it myself. Furthermore I enjoyed my FM so much that I 'invested' in 2 more FE's, an EM, a Canonet QL17, a new lens for my Dynax 7 and the ultimate 35mm film camera, a Leica M2. Only the Leica + CLA was anywhere near expensive.

I still use the D200, but not often. If I need speed and convenience and guaranteed good results I take it. But as I don't make a living out of photography I can afford to klutz around with film a lot. And no digital can come close to the look of real B/W. The clipped highlights give it away every time.

 

[hans voralberg]

Great shot there, really

 

[oftheherd]

That is a great shot! What film and development?

 

[Rick Waldroup]

That is really a nice shot.

I have to tell you, that after having owned my own darkroom for over 30 years and processing literally thousands of rolls of film, I don't miss the darkroom one bit. I was one of these guys who went kicking and screaming into the digital age, and once I got there, I could have kicked myself in the ass for fighting the change for as long as I did.

I put just as much work into my images now, if not more, than I did when I was using film. And I am just as proud of what I produce now as I was back when I was making my prints in a darkroom.

But, I have a friend who recently sold all of his digital equipment and went back to film and he is as happy as a clam. I suppose it is just different strokes for different folks. 😉

 

[bennyng]

Looks like it's well worth the effort! Thanks for sharing.

Cheers,

 

[Ronald_H]

That is really a nice shot.

I have to tell you, that after having owned my own darkroom for over 30 years and processing literally thousands of rolls of film, I don't miss the darkroom one bit. I was one of these guys who went kicking and screaming into the digital age, and once I got there, I could have kicked myself in the ass for fighting the change for as long as I did.

I put just as much work into my images now, if not more, than I did when I was using film. And I am just as proud of what I produce now as I was back when I was making my prints in a darkroom.

But, I have a friend who recently sold all of his digital equipment and went back to film and he is as happy as a clam. I suppose it is just different strokes for different folks. 😉

Well, I started out with a digital camera, an Epson PhotoPC 500. 640x480 res. With the images from that camera I discovered Photoshop. Example below:

Yes, I really made that, I wanted to show my girlfriend she could look like a model. That's the reason for the faux Calvin Klein advert. It's not genius, but remember this is 10 years ago!

Only later I worked with 'real' cameras, affordable digital did not even exist yet, so those were all film. Quite a bit later digital came along in the shape of a Nikon D70. I'm very proud of my pics, digital or film. With film is just more of a sense of achievement I guess.

So after tens of thousands of digital images I went back to B/W film, mostly I enjoy the old cameras and the old fashioned 'look'.

 

[JeffGreene]

Great image, Ronald! What film did you use. I don't know if you used a Leica here, but you certainly got the glow! 😀

 

[Ronald_H]

The B/W pic was made with a Nikon FM and a Nikon 50mm f1.4 AF D. So no Leica, not even an RF. But I hope to get a fast 50 for my M2 soon.

Film was good ole Tri-X bathed in Diafine. It was rated at 1250ISO.

 

[skibeerr]

Great foto,

pics like this one keep you going dont they.

Lately I am turning kind of whitish working thru a load of film and trying to get the hang of whet printing. And most important for the first time in my life having to resort to clasifieing and writing things down to get a proper protocol.