Shoot Film

[msvadi]

It turns out to be fun: you shoot, you don't really know what you get, then you develope, and find something nice ;)

Canon Canonet QL 17
Kodak 400 Tri-X pushed to 1600

http://newton-i.usefilm.com/2/8/6/0/2860/732375-large.jpg

[DocFrankenstein]

Vadim, I'll start shooting film. Drebel is nice, but the way film handles the overexposed highlights... is does have a different look.

[msvadi]

Vadim, I'll start shooting film. Drebel is nice, but the way film handles the overexposed highlights... is does have a different look.

Doc, that's the right decision ;)
I started to take pictures only because of digital, but at some point one has to try the real thing ;) I was going to buy Elan 7NE, but, I was not sure if the film was for me. So, I decided to buy something really cheap and try a totally different experience. So, I bought this on the ebay:

http://www.bytephoto.com/photopost/data/500/3279CRW_8682.jpg?8871

It's a manual focus, fixed lens, rangefinder camera. They call it a poor's man leica, because of an excellent 1.7/40 lens ("ultra cool" review is here http://www.netaxs.com/~cassidy/images/equipment/ql17/ql17.html ) (if you decide to get one of these, on the ebay they go for $50-$70, but you have to check several things with the seller: if the rangefinder and slow shutter speeds are okay, if the meter is acurate, and that the camera does not leak the light) Now that I am sure that I like shooting the film, I am going to get Elan so I can use my small collection of the EF lenses (really, EF-S must die ;) ), but, shooting with a Canonet is really a lot of fun, and I am really glad I bought it.

If you are not planning on getting into the dark room printing immediately, you will also need a film scanner. I decided to buy Minolta Dimage Scan Dual IV for a number of reasons. It provides good quality, but is relatively cheap. It goes for about $240, has 3200 dpi resolution (output is a 14 megapixel image :) with Nikon V, you'll get 20+ megapixels), and has a good dynamic range. The next least expensive alternative is Nikon for about $550. However, with Nikon one would be paying for DICE technology - something very useful, but it does not work with b&w film, and I plan to shoot only b&w.

[msvadi]

a few street shots with Canonet and Kodak T-Max 400 film

http://img.photosight.ru/2005/03/15/793970.jpg

http://img.photosight.ru/2005/03/15/794105.jpg

http://m9.photoline.ru/secbase/pic/1110923237.jpg

[Michaelmjc]

Film isn't that bad, but I still prefer digital.

Haha the bum, isn't he pleasant today.

[DocFrankenstein]

I keep wanting to do it. I have everything I need to get started except time.

For 25 bucks a year, I get access to a darkroom and all chemicals. (except paper

And I have an old zenit with a 58mm lens.

I also have 6 midterms in a month. :evil:

[msvadi]

Do It! (and good luck with your midterms )

by the way, how one gets an access to a dark room, is it at your college/university or through a local photo club?

[Ballen Photo]

Msvadi, It's nice to see you have piqued your interest with an old rangefinder camera. Your shots look marvelous! I especially like the framing and composition you used on the two Bikers. LOL on that guy displaying His IQ. ;)
Nice work here. :D
-Bruce

[DSMITH131]

I still use my film and love it

[DocFrankenstein]

by the way, how one gets an access to a dark room, is it at your college/university or through a local photo club?
It's the U of Toronto photo club. I haven't been there yet.

That canonet is a beauty. I want one too. :D And I'll get one if I get into film... as well as elan, some m42 lenses, fed... ;)

The bum is hilarious! Especially because of the doll on the left :lol:

[arumdevil]

Drebel is nice, but the way film handles the overexposed highlights... is does have a different look.

you can say that again, there is something about the way B&W film, and the whole process, works. If you have the time and the money you can't beat it.

and you have some really nice shots here msvadi.......

I'm stuck with the digitial for now though.

[Meghan]

i dont have a digital, so all i do is film. I love film and being able to develope my prints...i know you do it with digital too in a different way. but for me theres something about film i like better then digital.

film is fun!!
Meghan

[msvadi]

thanks for your comments, guys :)

[Jackal]

Lets not forgot.....if your film prints get wet nothing happens. ;)

I do printing in my college's photolab. I use 100tmax and a Minolta Maxxum 7000.

i like digital more, though. But I like the printing quality of film. :)

[mbze430]

Film is great. I highly recommend anyone that even thought about going to shoot film. Each film has it's on characteristic, it gives your pictures different personality.

[stoneylonesome]

Msvadi; Great shots. That was the first 35mm Camera I owned, My Dad gave it to me, wish I still had it. :)

[Olegis]

Great pictures, msvaldi !
The real beauty of the rangefinder cameras is about the impression - when people see it, they think that it's a point and shoot camera, so they don't get very alarmed. Many don't realize that in fact it's very capable piece of equipment with excellent lens and sophisticated metering systems.

I myself bought an old Pentax ME camera exlusively for B&W film shooting - it's a manual focus SLR camera with Aperture priority exposure, but it's very small. In fact it's only a tad bigger than your Canonet and easily fits into a coat pocket. I got it for $60 from ebay and it came with a beautiful Pentax 50mm f/1.7 lens - both the camera and the lens were in excellent condition. I wanted to buy a rangefinder, mainly for the size and lack of mirror mechanism - but couldn't find a nice deal, so I went for the small SLR.

Now I'm trying several kinds of film to see which one suits me the best. So far I like the Ilford XP2 400 - it's a C41 process film and has excellent tonality. The grain is sometimes worse than I would like it to be - but I still like the effect of it. I develop it in a local professional minilab and scan every roll into a CD (the minilab produces some lousy quality scans, but it's enough to see the pictures and even post them on my website).