Switching back to film

[VA_MEL]

The one legit frustration I've run into with the D70s is low light situations. Unless someone's holding out on me, 2k is about what it takes for a full frame sensor; the prosumer stuff is all APS-C, which is awesome, but is ultimately the same as what I have. Maybe canon is cheaper, but I have nice nikon glass.

I think you'll find the D300s does much better than the D70 in high ISO situations (I've owned both). A new D300s is under 2K, but I'd pick up a used body as photographers are trading them in for the newer full frame options. I've seen them for as low as $650 or so in like-new condition on KEH.

[Bobonli]

I think you'll find the D300s does much better than the D70 in high ISO situations (I've owned both). A new D300s is under 2K, but I'd pick up a used body as photographers are trading them in for the newer full frame options. I've seen them for as low as $650 or so in like-new condition on KEH.

...and there's the major disadvantage to digital. Like any other computer, you need to upgrade rather regularly to reap the benefits of the technology. My Nikon FM makes the same quality images today as it did when I bought it in 1984. Meter and lenses still do their thing. My Nikon D200 makes files that look like dawg feces compared to the current crop of DSLRs and part of that is low-light and noise improvements that have been made over the last 3 years.

[ericpmoss]

I would buy what's fun to use, without concern for what's 'optimal'. A D800E would be better for most low-light and action scenes than my F6, but I still capture most of what I want from the F6, it has a long life ahead of it, and I kinda like the anticipation of what will come back from the lab. Noone talks to me about a digicam, but LOTS of people ask me about my Mamiya 7 and Zeiss Ikon. It's fun. If it stops being that, I'll try something else. Maybe digital, maybe Large Format Film.

[j44ke]

Medium format is the only reason I use film now. Digital can't touch it.

[SteveP]

long time enthusiast.
all digital now. no way im going back.
film is as good as gone.

i will say though that my f-1 shutter makes a fantastic sound... metallic and so solid.
i hit it to hear the sound... it weighs freakin 10 pounds and i will prob never run film through it again... but, man, it was built like a brick shithouse.

[kendrikwiley]

I have a Nikon D70s body that I use for photo gigs and stuff but, I realized that I am way out of date! I wanted to buy a new Nikon body but, a lot of them come with movie capability that I really don't need. Can anyone suggest a good replacement for this sturdy camera?

[false_aesthetic]

D800 or, if you can find one, D800E

the E has no anti-aliasing so it's sharper.

[dnades]

Started out with Pentax K1000 (didn't everyone?) upgraded to a Nikon FA (first matrix meter- pictures improved dramatically), then onto the F100 once again a jump in less wasted film, then ponied up 1800 bucks for the D300 when it came out. Still have it, solid camera, but it is dated. Love the build quality and the images I get from it. For an aps sized sensor it is pretty damn good. Pissed at nikon for discontinuing the d700 before I could get one. The d600 doesn't have the build quality of the d700 and its focusing sensors are all squeezed into the center of the frame. The d800 has too much resolution and is pretty pricey to boot. I do miss getting the slide film back from the lab and going through it on the light table with a loupe. It was like living the moment over again. Digital is nice as you can check the results quicker but I still shoot like the camera has film in it otherwise you are seated at your computer forever and ever. I must admit hitching your camera up to a 40" or larger tv with an HDMI cable is amazing. Couldn't do that with film back in the day. Well you sort of could with a nice slide projector. Mine hasn't seen the light of day for quite a few years. I still keep an eye out for an F6 though. Killer meter in that camera. To the OP - check out Ken Rockwell's site. He still shoots with film as well as digital and he's got a lab that sends him back digital files of images from his developed film for not much money.

[false_aesthetic]

The d800 has too much resolution and is pretty pricey to boot.

I get that it's pricey but I don't get too much resolution? 36mp gets you ~20x30" print at about 240dpi (perfect for Epson printers).
100mb file sizes aren't that big when you consider that a good 16-bit scan in RGB from 35mm is ~ the same file size.

I also think what you pick-up in terms of low-light quality is fantastic. The 5d m2 or m3 are good but not that good.

[s_curran]

I shoot about 75% digital, 25% film from an old yashica rangefinder and some other randoms I have around. I am taking less and less photos over the last year, and liking a much higher percentage of them. Its hard to understand how much time your wasting in digital. You take 50 photos to get one you like, when composing one or 2 good shots could have taken way less time with better results. I did a semester abroad at one point and learned this after buying a real old russian slr. This was a really important learning experience for me. I still have a massive collection of photos that I refuse to edit from the time period before then, to me they are boring and dont serve as much purpose, they were just to capture a scene, not to expose any emotion or anything. Beyond that, there is just so little time in a day to edit things.

I think you are thinking about IG wrongly. IG is not there to replace film but to work alongside it. I carry my iPhone with me all the time. I sure as hell don't hike around my 5Dmk3. And you don't have to use filters. A lot of the people I follow don't use them and just take nice shots and use them to share the pictures.

Moreover, IG is primarily a way to share pictures when pre-internet you were confined to going to galleries. Now I can find a subject I am interested in or a photographer instantly. The pictures can be iPhone or 5Dmk3 or old medium format scanned in... they are just hosted on IG. If someone uses a shit filter their shots suck. If someone couldn't focus on an old film camera; their shots sucked.

Yeah, I like instagram because of who I follow, I realize there is a whole other world of how people use instagram though. I use it to follow my favorite photographers/adventurists/bikers and friends who take good photos. If a good friend takes bad photos, I do not follow them, its nice to not have to follow the social rules of facebook.

[false_aesthetic]

Its hard to understand how much time your wasting in digital. You take 50 photos to get one you like, when composing one or 2 good shots could have taken way less time with better results.

be still my heart!

[cody.wms]

The girl's dad's nikon s2 went off for service today. Excited to get it back and start using it. Both of my nikon fe bodies are junk and I really have never cared for my nikon em.

[spopepro]

So I've been shooting on the FM3 in the OP for a while, and got some really good stuff and had a lot of fun. But I quickly ran into the limitations you do when you have someone else doing the heavy lifting (or rather, feeding a machine the way they do these days).

So I took a couple of classes. Got a couple of new cameras.



I've been developing my own, printing, really digging on split processing (select soft + dektol), bleaching trees to make them pop (and consequently ruining half my prints that I'm trying to bleach). Next class we will get into toning. I'd try and post some of my best stuff... but this stuff isn't translating to digital. So instead enjoy my last batch sitting in perma wash.



Film is the best. Go buy a holga and and make it happen.

[false_aesthetic]

Hot damn, let's get the thread going again!

January Shipment:

Attachment 77052

[AntLockyer]

Just fixed the leaky back on my Hassy and shot a test roll.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/antloc...ream/lightbox/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/antloc...ream/lightbox/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/antloc...ream/lightbox/

[zetroc]

So I've been shooting on the FM3 in the OP for a while, and got some really good stuff and had a lot of fun. But I quickly ran into the limitations you do when you have someone else doing the heavy lifting (or rather, feeding a machine the way they do these days).

So I took a couple of classes. Got a couple of new cameras.


I've been developing my own, printing, really digging on split processing (select soft + dektol), bleaching trees to make them pop (and consequently ruining half my prints that I'm trying to bleach). Next class we will get into toning. I'd try and post some of my best stuff... but this stuff isn't translating to digital. So instead enjoy my last batch sitting in perma wash.


Film is the best. Go buy a holga and and make it happen.

Which classes did you take? Rayko? I've been wanting to get back into darkroom stuff but am not sure where I can do that anymore.

[Mabouya]

Anyone out there looking for a great deal on an FM2 that needs a little TLC, drop me a PM. (+ lens, but I can't remember exactly what it is, but I think it's also a Nikon)

[spopepro]

Which classes did you take? Rayko? I've been wanting to get back into darkroom stuff but am not sure where I can do that anymore.

Yep, Rayko. They are awesome. They don't make it clear from the website, but your class fee counts as a darkroom/film processing pass as well, which kind of makes it a deal. It's unbelievably nice to have all the chemistry mixed and disposed of, and all the equipment maintained for you and all you have to do is show up.

[XR2]

Never really left.

I shoot digital as well but film is my preference.

[Ignignokt]

I used to shoot a lot of 4x5 color and 8x10 black and white. Was fun, probably took photos I was most pleased with from those cameras primarily because they're so slow to use you have to be very careful with everything to not mess up, which leads to a lot of attention, a lot of thought about what you are trying to achieve and discipline with the craft that is unconcerned with the techtoy aspect of photography. It's easier to get lost in that stuff with small cameras that have many options for you to mess about with. If I had the money I'd like to do that again, this was 10 years ago and the money for film/processing that stuff was crazy back then, dunno what it's like now. The prints were magical...that's something that you have a hard time conveying to digital gurus, just how amazing large prints from big film can be. I've yet to see that kind of quality from digital, it's been a couple years since I've checked anything out for art photography in galleries/museums and maybe it's gotten a lot better but the museum quality stuff I made all digitally wasn't up to analog printing from big film.