I'm back in the game...

[BourbonCowboy]

After reading quite a few posts in this forum, I decided to pick up a film camera. So I waded into the FS section and found a nice F100/grip at a reasonable price. It should be arriving this week.

Now comes the hard part. I haven't shot a roll of film in years....at least five. I haven't developed a roll in about 15 (shot through an F3 - when I rolled my own). The last film body I shot was an old N90s. When I moved to digital, I never imagined going back to film...until recently.

Now that I've taken the plunge, I'm looking for some advice. Particularly, I'm looking for advice on film types, developing and digitizing services, etc. I'm not interested in developing my own shots, and Walmart is definitely out. In the coming weeks/months, as I ease back into the film hobby, I'll be looking for more and more advice. So please be patient, and if you have any guidance please feel free to post it. It will definitely be appreciated.

 

[Chris101]

Hey Mark. So just to get you right in the deep end, get a roll of BW400CN black and white film. Sure you could just as easily shoot color film, but black and white really shows up the benefit and difference with digital that you'll see with film.

Shoot some of your favorite subjects, but also try for some black and white standards, like clouds, trees, faces, buildings ... that sort of thing.

I prefer silver based film - it has a lot of medium induced character, but it also really needs to be self developed (or work with a trusted, custom developer) to get to that character. Chromogenic film like BW400CN is a very good compromise between control and ease, and I sometimes use it myself. Especially when I want the film to forgive camera errors.

You can (and for your first test roll, should) take it to a drugstore 1-hour, so you can get (in film time) immediate feedback.

 

[mhcfires]

Welcome back, Mark. I'll second Chris on the BW400CN Kodak Film. You can also use Ilford XP2 Super 400, another C41 film. Good luck. :smile:

 

[Chris101]

... You can also sue Ilford XP2 Super 400, another C41 film. Good luck. :smile:

I think America is too litigious as it is. :Wink:

 

[LeicaM3]

walmart sends silver b&W to Fuji in 35mm and to Dwayne's in 120/220 etc.
I develop myself, but if the backlog gets too big I go to walmart for stuff they send out; but you are right, don't give 'em anything they do themselves.

BTW, I develop 400CN and XP2 at home in Rodinal stand development with great results. But it is nice to have the C41 option.

 

[SP77]

Hey Mark, welcome to the film section. I don't develop on my own either so you might find this thread to be of some help. For "good" results I drop stuff off at my local Costco. They do a pretty good job, and give decent quality 6MP scans on a CD in less than an hour for about $3.50 per roll sans prints. Can't beat that. If I really want nice results, I send off to NCPS and get 16.8 megapixel scans back, cut negatives (or slides) in an album, and all the stuff on DVDs for about $15/roll.

For film, it depends what you're shooting.

I like to use Velvia 50 for landscape shots. For a mix of people or landscapes, I really love Fuji Superia Reala 100 negative print film. For people photos in available light, I love Kodak Portra 800, and that's as fast of a film as I've needed. For medium speeds I like the bulk Fuji 400 film. I'm not into B&W so can't really offer any suggestions there. Search this forum for threads started by me for examples on most of this.

Good luck! The F100 is great! :smile:

 

[michaelbahu]

Have a go with some Ektar 100 film its so sharp you will love it! You will immediately get that sense of what film can really do for you and your photography. It just looks different than digital in a very good way!

 

[SP77]

BTW Mark, didn't I read a week or two ago about how you were "completely satisifed" with your kit??? :m36:

 

[BourbonCowboy]

Thanks for all the feedback. I'll give your ideas a try when I settle in with the F100.

BTW Mark, didn't I read a week or two ago about how you were "completely satisifed" with your kit??? :m36:

...and I still am.:biggrin: