Losing interest in digital?

Anyone else gone through this? I have a pretty good digital kit as far as body and lenses go (for what I shoot), and a pretty kick ass strobist kit. But, I've found lately that I am much more intrigued by shooting film without any off camera lighting or any of that jazz. Just the camera, the lens, and whatever is in front of it. My AE-1 program and my Holga have been getting so much use lately, and I've been considering getting a medium format SLR setup for quite some time now. I will always use my digital kit, but it feels as if my interest in shooting digital format is slipping...

Yes, I'm switching back to film

If it was easier to develop I'd do it. I don't have the space for a darkroom and I don't like sending my stuff out to be processed.

I agree about developing. Labs are scarce and even the best are not 100% reliable. Some recommend the phototherm processor. It's small and simple to use in-house. It does E6 for slides, C41 for color neg, as well as B&W chemistry.

Processing is the most important aspect in my opinion because the photographer really needs to be fully in control to get the right exposure and color control. After processing, it's not that difficult to scan into the digital realm with a Nikon scanner...or send the best frames off to be scanned at a lab...or have a good lab make prints.

Shooting film can be very expensive. But, digital is starting to wear on me...and sounds like on some others too.

I'm fortunate to live 10 minutes walking distance away from one of most reputable labs in AZ... The processing cost really isn't much of a deal to me. And, if I don't make it into the graphic design program at ASU, I'll be a photo major here which equals free lab.

Not for me. I've just bought another old film camera (Exa 1a) and although I'll certainly run a film through it just for fun, I've no intention of ever going back to film full time.

I'm sorta interested in film, just because my friend tells me about he loves to cross process with Wal=Mart. I'd like to see funky exposures without using Photoshop.

No, I love it and I feel more creative shooting digital than I ever did shooting film... there's just so much more I can try out!

I also love having complete control over the processing, without the chemicals.

Already happened last year; haven't had any desire to use digital cameras since. That said, I digitally scan the negatives and use the advantages of Photoshop to process contrast and tonal values. I mainly just use curves, but I've got control.

I like film, I grew-up with film.
There Is something about the look/feel of a good darkroom print, almost organic.
Will I go back to film? Only as a lark.
Darkroom work is true drudgery.
Anyone who thinks they are really doing film photography without making prints wet, are missing the boat. Film processing is something any worker ant can learn(exception given to sheet film processing).
Getting a good print, well there is Magic in that process, getting a Great print, maybe once in a lifetime.
Using a good lab makes film shooting bearable and fun.

Am I getting "Tired" of digital? Not a chance.

I hope film continues on for a long time, It's a great medium.

mikekelley wrote in post #8632977
If it was easier to develop I'd do it. I don't have the space for a darkroom and I don't like sending my stuff out to be processed.

You don't need a darkroom. All you need is a changing bag and a good scanner, like the Epson 4870, 4990, or one of the V-series. That's what I use now for B&W. Haven't tried color yet, but there are development systems for color that don't require a darkroom either.

Michael

I shot film for over 25 years and do not miss it one bit. Capturing the image is the easy part, it the magic that you can do in the darkroom/image processor that makes it special. The tools available with digital allow me to be way more creative than I ever dreamed of being with film. From HDR image stacking combining multiple images, replacing picture elements, removing distractions as well as all the standard stuff like doge, burn, color adjustment, contrast adjustment and all are so easy digitally.

I'm thinking about going back to a typewriter, because I just like the way the keys feel and how the ink looks on paper.

While I am at it, I am thinking about giving up email, and start writing letters and sending them my snail mail again.

Uh huh...

I was very active in photography during the 80s and early 90s. Less so during the later 90s, mostly because of commitments that occupied much of my time. By the early 2000s, I bought my first digicam (a 2mp Sony), which was a boon for getting images on the web. Previously I'd have to run the film to the lab, then scan the photos in with my scanner. A lot of extra work if I just wanted to sell some junk on eBay.

I found the convenience of digital photography to be compelling, bought a better digicam a couple years later, and used it a lot for putting images up at my website, posting images to forums like this, etc. By the end of last year, the 1st digicam was long-since kaput, and the 2nd one was on its last legs. My wife came to the rescue and bought me a Canon XS with the 18-55 IS. My first DSLR, but far from being my first SLR. I've owned dozens of SLRs over the years. Well, using the XS was a hoot. It was a real treat using an SLR again, first time I'd shot with an SLR in probably four or five years.

Then a funny thing happened. The whole SLR experience began to be reawakened. It started by my pulling my old Nikon F2 out of the closet and going through it and my assortment of Nikkor lenses. And then checking out my EOS 35mm SLRs. And soon I was getting an itch to run some film through them. This was back in January, just a couple weeks after I got the XS for Chrismas. Took the Nikon and a lens assortment out on an excursion one Saturday, first time I shot film in years, and I've been doing at least as much film photography as digital ever since.

I miss Kodachrome. Long live E-6.

I bought my first roll of Ektar 100 yesterday. Still have some film left in the F2, so I haven't tried it out yet, but I'm getting anxious. According to what I've read, it isn't a substitute for slide film, but it's close. I have shot thousands of slides over the years, but the last time I shot with slides was 1995. All the slide film labels are strange to me now. Dunno which ones to use, so I suppose I'll just try various and if I run across an emulsion I particularly like, I'll stick with it. In the old days, my favorites were Kodachrome 64 and Fujichrome 100.

Michael

DAMphyne wrote in post #8633161
I like film, I grew-up with film.
There Is something about the look/feel of a good darkroom print, almost organic.
Will I go back to film? Only as a lark.
Darkroom work is true drudgery.
Anyone who thinks they are really doing film photography without making prints wet, are missing the boat. Film processing is something any worker ant can learn(exception given to sheet film processing).
Getting a good print, well there is Magic in that process, getting a Great print, maybe once in a lifetime.
Using a good lab makes film shooting bearable and fun.

Am I getting "Tired" of digital? Not a chance.

I hope film continues on for a long time, It's a great medium.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ !