taemo
eat sleep shoot
Lately I've been tempted to leave the digital world behind, DSLR particularly and concentrate on Film.
Seeing a friend selling most of his Nikon gears to go Leica kinda gave me the push to really do it.
I want to try shoot as many rolls I can throughout a year then develop all at once.
Currently I have a 5D Mark II, 17-40 f4L, Sigma 50 f1.4, 135 f2L and a 100-400 f4-5.6L.
Thinking of selling most of those except maybe the 135L and 100-400L
which I can always use on my EOS-3 for tele/wildlife shots, which I'm not really into though.
I will also be picking up a X100s once it comes out to satisfy my digital need, especially for landscape with the 28mm conversion lens.
What this leaves me behind is full time to concentrate shooting film with my M6 and Pentax 6x7.
Anyone else had this idea and maybe actually did it?
Seeing a friend selling most of his Nikon gears to go Leica kinda gave me the push to really do it.
I want to try shoot as many rolls I can throughout a year then develop all at once.
Currently I have a 5D Mark II, 17-40 f4L, Sigma 50 f1.4, 135 f2L and a 100-400 f4-5.6L.
Thinking of selling most of those except maybe the 135L and 100-400L
which I can always use on my EOS-3 for tele/wildlife shots, which I'm not really into though.
I will also be picking up a X100s once it comes out to satisfy my digital need, especially for landscape with the 28mm conversion lens.
What this leaves me behind is full time to concentrate shooting film with my M6 and Pentax 6x7.
Anyone else had this idea and maybe actually did it?
thegman
Veteran
Left digital for film, yes, done that, but not done this thing about shooting for a year, but wait for a year before developing. If that appeals to you though, why not?
Phil_F_NM
Camera hacker
Last year I sold all my digital gear (and all my Leica gear for that matter, save a DR Summicron and my beat up M4.) I shot film until December when the siren song of photojournalism drew me in once again and now I'm back to a DSLR but still have the film stuff and still love it.
It's quite liberating. For me it was once again realizing that all this stuff is just stuff and I don't miss it when it's gone. The move is more philosophical for me than gear oriented though.
Different tools for different jobs. When I shoot for me, I carry a film camera and a lens. That's it.
Phil Forrest
It's quite liberating. For me it was once again realizing that all this stuff is just stuff and I don't miss it when it's gone. The move is more philosophical for me than gear oriented though.
Different tools for different jobs. When I shoot for me, I carry a film camera and a lens. That's it.
Phil Forrest
nikon_sam
Shooter of Film...
I would develop as I go...why wait a year and shoot all that film then find out you did it all wrong...
Plus you'll learn a lot about exposure (in camera) when you develop your own and then you can immediately apply that to your next roll...
I've been shooting film for over 35 years now and I'm still learning...good luck in your new direction...
Plus you'll learn a lot about exposure (in camera) when you develop your own and then you can immediately apply that to your next roll...
I've been shooting film for over 35 years now and I'm still learning...good luck in your new direction...
R
rpsawin
Guest
Excellent advice...spot on. By developing as you go you will amaze yourself with the growth of your skills as a photographer.
Good luck on your journey.
taemo
eat sleep shoot
thanks for the encouragement everyone, the only thing I will definitely miss from the D/SLR family are the tele-lens hence why most likely I will be keeping the 135L but sell everything else.
my thinking on selling the 5D Mark II now is because I've seen how quickly digital cameras value decreases. If I sell mine for 1200 now, I might be able to buy another one next year for $1000 or lower.
I can always get a 5Dc or even a 40D for very low if a need for DSLR comes right away.
great advice, might actually do that especially with slide films as I haven't shot that many yet.
for B&W might wait til I have 3-4 rolls ready for batch processing them and C-41 I bring them to my local store so might do that per roll.
28mm
Established
Agreed.
Between 2009/2010, I shot 30-40 rolls of B&W and never developed any. It darn-near ruined photography for me because there was no feedback. You want to be able to see your images.
John Bragg
Well-known
Film slr prices are really low at the moment so why not get a well specified Nikon body ? F90x ? F100 or such ? Use in tandem with Leica for the longer lenses ?
Use what makes you want to go out and photograph. It's as simple as that. What do you hope to gain from film that you aren't getting from digital?
x-ray
Veteran
After exposure film starts to lose shadow information. Shadows are first and then a reduction in contrast. Not a good idea to hold exposed film for a year.
If you've not done much film keep the digital and shoot film in the eos3 for a while. See how you like processing and printing or scanning.
If you've not done much film keep the digital and shoot film in the eos3 for a while. See how you like processing and printing or scanning.
taemo
eat sleep shoot
^thanks for the info, might process them on a monthly basis then.
I guess at this point is selective shooting.
I would rather work with 2-4 rolls from vacation than over 1000-2000 digital images (my previous vacation)
With a digital camera it's so tempting to just shoot whatever I saw without really reflecting why.
I guess at this point is selective shooting.
I would rather work with 2-4 rolls from vacation than over 1000-2000 digital images (my previous vacation)
With a digital camera it's so tempting to just shoot whatever I saw without really reflecting why.
have a EOS-3 and might pair it up with the 135L for those cases but I'm thinking of a M3 or Bessa R3A w/ a 75mm or 90mm lens too
leicapixie
Well-known
First develop and see your negs as you expose! A developing tank two reels some chemicals, a thermometer, change bag, some jars, measuring jug and a few bottles. Next a scanner. A simple one. Now you can see what you are doing. This is a trivial amount of money.
If after a good few months, you really prefer film, you can slowly make it dominant.
If after a good few months, you really prefer film, you can slowly make it dominant.
clayne
shoot film or die
Not by any significant amount. Plan on 5+ years for typical speed films to even be affected in a way you might notice.
To the OP: there are more than a few people here who don't even have a digital camera aside from a phone. If you want to keep your EF lenses then yeah I'd hold onto the 3 or pick up a 1N or 1V.
To the rest: consider that seeing your shots isn't actually necessary within the art of photography. Obviously for technical reasons it helps to know the camera actually works but from a philosophical standpoint the shots shouldn't actually need to be seen with any amount of immediacy. At a certain point it surely can't be depended on as a source of "am I doing this right?" because one should know that as they're clicking the shutter.
Michalm
Well-known
Yes i have done it twice - couldn't be happier as long as my scanner is working.
Joosep
Well-known
Its not for everyone.
If something gives you a positive push, then go for it.
If something gives you a positive push, then go for it.
mmbma
Member
I did that and came back to digital. So don't sell your gear in a hurry just yet. Although I did leave DSLR for years and never looked back. Get yourself a nice rangefinder, film or digital
Archiver
Veteran
If I could do my work with film, I would give it a go. But fast turnaround time and the control afforded by digital means that I can't. I also have an emotional need to know exactly when I took my photos, which means either a date back (ugh) or meticulous notes (ugh).
When I was shooting the most film, I was still shooting digital, and the dates and times of the digital captures told me when I had shot the film images. I just couldn't do all film, not with the technology available to me. It may be different for someone who just wants to experience film photography and see the images, regardless of when they were taken.
When I was shooting the most film, I was still shooting digital, and the dates and times of the digital captures told me when I had shot the film images. I just couldn't do all film, not with the technology available to me. It may be different for someone who just wants to experience film photography and see the images, regardless of when they were taken.
Paul Jenkin
Well-known
I've used film since a kid in the early 1970s. I was also an "early adopter" of digital and have a Nikon D3 and Panasonic Luix LX7. I still shoot film predominently. Why? Because. I can't be more specific - I just like it more than digital. However, digital can also be fun and give the immediate gratification that film cannot.
Why give one up in favour of the other? Get a Canon film body that allows you to use the lenses you already have and see which medium you prefer / suits you best. If it becomes a straight choice between them and you're happy to let one wither on the vine, then okay. However, even though I'm a film nut myself, I wouldn't encourage people to burn bridges as that can be a very expensive exercise.
Why give one up in favour of the other? Get a Canon film body that allows you to use the lenses you already have and see which medium you prefer / suits you best. If it becomes a straight choice between them and you're happy to let one wither on the vine, then okay. However, even though I'm a film nut myself, I wouldn't encourage people to burn bridges as that can be a very expensive exercise.
Fraser
Well-known
I would hold onto the digital maybe even pick-up a Eos 5 for about £40 thats all you need, are you going to wet print or scan?
I've started shooting a film then dev and scan as soon as I can as I found I had a huge back log of unprocessed film.
I've started shooting a film then dev and scan as soon as I can as I found I had a huge back log of unprocessed film.
gsgary
Well-known
If i didn't develope mine for a year it would take me all of the next year to develope them, i'm shooting about 2 rolls a week through the winter and that will probably go up to 5+ in the summer