HOw to choose the correct film

I will be shooting wildlife shots and was wondering if there was difference in the film you buy or they are all the same, and are some branda better than others (i.e. Kodak vs. Fuji Film)?

I seldom shoot film anymore, but tried some Kodak High Definition 400 speed about a year ago that was very good. There's a roll of Fuji High Def in the camera right now, but I haven't shot the entire roll yet and can't really comment on it.

Most film I use now days is tri-x 400 and I have gotten to the point of processing the stuff in my bathroom (its fun!!) For color, I don't often use color film, but I use slides. Kodachrome 64 is some very nice slide film but a bit hard to work with and hard to get processed - only 3 official labs left in the world! One is locaded in the USA. Provia 400 is nice, in fact I have some left in my Elan 7n right now that I need to use up. Last roll I shot up sat baking in a hot truck all day then I shot it up a few months later and came out really good. Had a slight warm feel to the slides. Stuff is a bit spendy though but its E-6. Its also a bit saturated and has some "pop" to it. The last roll of Kodak elite 200 I use seamed a bit dull and did not have the pop that I was looking for.

For wild life photos you will probably want to stay in the ISO 400 range. Check out some fuji slide film.

What is this "film" you speak of??

It's something we old dinosaurs grew up with and still enjoy using from time to time. You should try it. It's challenging.

"Film" goes along with some of the other toys we "old dinosaurs" have tucked away - changing bags, developing tanks, thermometers, enlargers, photo paper, safelights, dodging tools, the smell of acetic acid, and the like.

Nobody wants to buy the stuff from me these days, but I don't want to give it away either.

At least I was able to loan my lab equipment to my son for a college-level photo class. He went nuts with B&W photography and is now into digital and doing quite well at it.

I loaned one of my film cameras to a university student, also, Skip. He's now interning as a photographer/ videographer for the Indianapolis Colts. I'm hoping he can get me a bit closer than most people when I go to the Colts training camp in August.

It's very hard to say and it depends on the effect you're going for. Some are good at rendering faces and the others are good are making greens and blues pop.

Depends on emulsions really.

HAHAAH I am 22 but I really like the way film looks. I know digital is a lot easier to work with and more convient but I one of my professeurs has all these pictures from when he was in Africa (about 20yrs ago) and they have that nice attic look to them which I think adds a lot of character, plus the lens for the "old school" cameras are a lot cheeper

Thanks for the advice on films!

I just spent a whole role of the High Def Kodak on a white Heron and a tri colored heron feeding on minnows. Hopefully the pictures place doesn't misplace this roll and if they are good I will post them on here for you guys.

I am really excited about my new hobby!

i was an amateur when i was using film, so i basically used whatever i could get my hands on without a care in the world...i cant help sorry - digital all the way for this pixi!!

Are you interest in color neg, or color slide, or B&W? If color neg, keep in mind that the PAPER that the lab PRINTS on is a major determinant of outcome...the negative is merely the intermediary on the way to the result! And now there are Portrait and Vivid color renditions, and emulsions for High Contrast vs. Normal Contrast results!
If color slide, each slide film has a different 'character'. on its own Some are good for the 'accurate color reproduction' needed for certain applications (fashion, textiles) others are more vivid and depart from accurate palletes, but elicit the OOOh's from viewers.

No matter the type of film, there is 'graineness', ISO, contrastiness to considerr in the film choice also. Articles or books have been published on films, and attempt to provide sample shots and descriptions of the characteristics, but these books go out of date too rapidly because the manufacturers bring out new emulsions and retire others!

Well I will also have the pictures put on a CD that way I can have them on my computer to play around in photoshop.

I am confused on the color neg and color slide. Whats is the difference and is one better than the other. I am not sure what you meant when you were describing it.

If I bought good paper to get it developed on, could I give it to the lab to print it on? If so what are some good papers or should I start another thread on this topic?

Thanks a billion guys!

Nabil

Color neg vs. slide...there is no 'better' in generalities. There is 'better for a certain end purpose'! For portraits or wedding photography, color neg is better because the end goal is a wall enlargement or 8x10 for the desktop or the wedding album. Color slide would be greatly inferior in that setting. Color slide is better when 'publication' or 'print press media' like brochures and magazines and spec sheets are the end goal. My own preference for 'exhibition' was to shoot color slide and then print myself on Cibachrome (Ilfochrome) which I understand is not longer available!

Thanks. I will be using my camera for pictures that will eventually be displayed on large posters for presenting my thesis and what not. They will be about 8"x11" if not bigger. They will be of landscapes, animals and trees. So with that said it would be the color neg would be better, correct?

Does it say on the box when you buy it or do I have to go to a camera store and ask for it? I get all of my film from the grocery store.

To the best of my knowledge, film is still stamped (on the box, not the film cannister itself) with an expiration date. I always would make sure there was at least a year until the expiration date when I would use color film. Black and white didn't seem to be quite as fussy.