Have you tried returning to film photography?

Tallking wrote in post #9518533
I suppose if you're looking for a very specific result that only film can generate, then have at it.

That is the case for some things. Not for everything, but for some. That's why I never go so far as to make a general rule about the "superiority" of film, because 99.999% of people's photographic needs are medium-independent, so it's convenience and cost-driven.

In addition to film properties, a rationale to use film is to have access to camera capabilities that a small format SLR does not have. For example, I've used several different view cameras and I've used tilt/shift lenses, and the TS-E lenses are barely even a taste of the capabilities of a view camera. For many medium format and large format applications, there just isn't a great DSLR alternative. I have a rotating lens panoramic camera (a Noblex). There is no pano head tripod that can do quite the things this camera can because unlike a digital sensor film can bend. For most 35mm stuff, I agree that digital is the way to go UNLESS you want to do alternative printing processes from B&W film like lith prints (which are amazing), or to use an unusual 35mm camera like an xpan, a widelux, or a rangefinder.

Tallking wrote in post #9518533
But the question still remains -- cheap or expensive, why bother? I suppose if you're looking for a very specific result that only film can generate, then have at it. For me (and a few others, I suspect), digital is so much better than film that I'm not even close to considering a return to film.

Your "why bother" question relies on the assumption that "digital is so much better than film," a presumption that is, of course, highly disputable on a number of levels. But really, this thread is not intended to be a film vs. digital debate. That you will not return to film is duly noted.

Next…

I don't have enough space at home to run a dark room otherwise I would, trust me!

Also you can almost achieve most of the characteristics of film with post processing on PS.

To develop a roll of 120 (12 frames) and get a contact sheet it is £7. if you want them scanned at 4000x3000 or there abouts it costs £11! Every time I used to go out shooting with Mamiya I'd shoot 4-5 rolls of B&W and 1 or 2 rolls of colour! It soon adds up if you are out and about taking pics!

I enjoy film photography and I learnt so much about photography with it as well but if I had carried out with it I might not have had the money to get myself all the fancy digital gear that I have now!

I am on a look out for a good condition Canon A1 to use with my FD 85mm f1.2 35mm is cheaper to develop too

Question for those of you who still shoot film, where do you buy your film these days? Are you still able to buy it locally? Special order it from somewhere? Have a stock pile of it? What?

I only shot film for a short while before making the jump to digital, certainly nothing professional, just family snap shots with a 35mm SLR. I don't really foresee myself moving back to film, like many I have a collection of old cameras that sometime down the line it might be cool to take some pictures with for novelties sake but nothing serious. Anyway, it begs the question of those of you who still shoot with film though where you find your film because I see the local community college here still offers film classes (in fact all their photography courses are primarily film), and its always made me curious just where the students buy the film. This is a fairly small town, local camera sources are limited to Walmart, Walgreens, and one small camera/print shop and that is as good as it gets for 150 miles in any direction.

Dinoman wrote in post #9523958
Question for those of you who still shoot film, where do you buy your film these days? Are you still able to buy it locally? Special order it from somewhere? Have a stock pile of it?

It's easy to get online from a big photo retailer, I usually use Adorama or B&H. For unusual B&W emulsions a good place is Freestyle -- they have things like Efke and Adox films, i.e. imports and technical films etc. You can also usually have good luck on E-bay with recently expired film.

Dinoman wrote in post #9523958
Question for those of you who still shoot film, where do you buy your film these days? Are you still able to buy it locally? Special order it from somewhere? Have a stock pile of it? What?

Both my local lab and camera store carry a ton of film. If I need something that's harder to find, like tungsten film, I'll order it online (B&H or Adorama).

Dinoman wrote in post #9523958
Question for those of you who still shoot film, where do you buy your film these days? Are you still able to buy it locally? Special order it from somewhere? Have a stock pile of it? What?

When I need anything other than film or B&W film developer, I order from Freestyle photo. If Im looking for just a couple rolls of film I have 3 or 4 labs near me. Theres quite a few more in Chicago if I want to drive that far.

randerson07 wrote in post #9525866
When I need anything other than film or B&W film developer, I order from Freestyle photo.

+1 for Freestyle photo. They're great. For alternative process kits, Freestyle is #2 on the list after Bostick and Sullivan.

randerson07 wrote in post #9525866
Theres quite a few more in Chicago if I want to drive that far.

Yeah, you've got Calumet which is pretty comprehensive. When I lived in Boston I'd do most of my film shopping at Calumet.

There is actually 2 Calumets in IL the one outside Chicago is much closer to me.

got an old 50E loaded with tmax 400 and a 50mm f/1.4, great party camera

oh also have some kodak slide film im x-processing

My entry into photography started in the early eighties. I was working in a very remote part of the world so the results of my efforts were often not seen until two-months later when my prints would arrive back from a lab in the US. This is not a method I’d recommend for rapid learning.

Now I'm about to purchase my first DSLR and look forward to the immediate feedback the digital format can provide. I must admit though, the software PP requirements have me a bit intimidated. (Oddly enough, the home I purchased has a darkroom in it so I may not completely abandon film).

It's kinda funny, at the last family reunion they teased me about my old equipment; but guess who's pictures everyone wanted copies of?

Still shoot film (high contrast b&w). Just something about the results I totally dig. Still some great 35mm cameras I want.

I did b&w with my own darkroom from 1985 to 2004 in 35mm and 6x6. At that time I burned out (or got bored, whichever way you define it.) I just sold the darkroom equipment and am converting the room to digital.

I am nostalgic about the old days, but with the little I know about Photoshop, the ease in printing, economically, to 13x19, being able to change "film speed" image by image, etc. I have to admit that digital has its points. What I cannot do, yet, is burn and dodge in digital with the ease and finesse I used in the darkroom.

I imagine my great grandfather had similar comments about the car vs his horse, mule or whatever.

elysium wrote in post #9538711
Still shoot film (high contrast b&w)

And which b+w films do you consider to be high contrast? I know of high contrast color films, but not any b+w high contrast films.

HappySnapper90 wrote in post #9554897
And which b+w films do you consider to be high contrast? I know of high contrast color films, but not any b+w high contrast films.

Tech Pan is extremely high contrast, as are most technical films (like Gigabit).

The uniform grain films like Kodak Tmax, Ilford Delta, and Fuji Acros are higher contrast than the traditional grain films like Tri-X, FP4+, and HP5+

A lot of the contrast depends on development choices, but some films like tech pan need special techniques to tame the contrast.