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Question about film
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2011 6:59 am    Post subject: Question about film Reply with quote
I have recently acquired a Spotmatic SP. I have so far run two rolls of film through it and have not been impressed. When I was a teenager I had a cheap plastic 110 camera and still have some of the pic I took with it in albums. They look better than what I am currently getting from my Spotmatic. The pics just look flat. I have tried several different lenses that perform great on my eos. I was just wondering if the fact that I have been using generic drug store brand film could be the culprit. Either that or I just don't know how to use film. Please be gentle with responses I have been out of film for years.

Here are a couple of samples these are some of the better ones.






PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2011 7:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
In what sense do they look flat? They do seem a little grainy though.


PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2011 8:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
what do you mean by flat?
try to do that in digital, the bokeh in #1 will be busy and the curtain in #2 will be burnt
another point is that printed pics are different than screen, especially for grain
last week I had a busy bokeh on my screen that get beautiful on paper


PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2011 8:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Well as you know, depending on the lens the background can change also the lens aperture has an effect too.......Anyway the lens looks sharp and even a cheap film can give good results, the colours look strange so I would try another cheap film like Kodak colorplus 200asa (£1 a roll in the Uk) and a scan to CD from someone else probably Walmart is the cheapest...... they own Asda in the UK and I get dev and scan to CD with index all in a nice folder and CD cover for £3

Kodak colorplus 200asa (£1) dev and scanned at supermarket (£3) using a Nikon AF210 bought for 50p....the dark/strange bits on the RH side was my finger (not use to P&Ss Wink )



Last edited by Excalibur on Sat Nov 26, 2011 7:22 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2011 10:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I don't know what you do expect from film, but to my eyes your two photos look of excellent quality
(the second one could use half stop more exposure, but that's a side note)


PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2011 10:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Yep, I agree, I can't see what you mean by flat. The colours are a little cool and unsaturated maybe, but that's the film and nothing to do with the equipment or your skill/technique.


PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2011 3:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
OK I guess my expectations were too high. I think I will try some B&W next. And I am going to shop around for developing. $14 per 24 exp is killing me.


PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2011 4:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
adent wrote:
$14 per 24 exp is killing me.


That is the nasty bit of shooting on film, isn't it?


PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2011 4:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
LucisPictor wrote:
adent wrote:
$14 per 24 exp is killing me.


That is the nasty bit of shooting on film, isn't it?

That's why every shot has to count. That's what makes film more fun to use, because you can't afford to waste shots.
It often takes me a year to finish a 36 roll of slide or colour neg.

Just think to yourself every time you wind that advance lever - that's another 58c Smile


PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2011 5:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
adent wrote:
OK I guess my expectations were too high. I think I will try some B&W next. And I am going to shop around for developing. $14 per 24 exp is killing me.


Buy expired film or bulk one and develop by your self.

B&W 35mm fresh bulk film cost around 1-2 usd , developer cost +1 usd = 2-3 usd not bad at all
C41 expired , but good film 35mm cost 1 usd , developer cost mater of developer package 1-or 5 L another 2 or 1 usd. = 2-3 usd
E-6 slide expired roll 2-3 usd + 2-3 usd for developer = 4-6 usd developed.

I never understand people who are spend a lot on car , digital gear and try to saving on film what shoot perhaps once a month /roll.

14 usd /roll quiet a lot right, do by yourself more fun and cost is lot less.

http://forum.mflenses.com/bandw-developing-essential-answers-t3238.html
http://forum.mflenses.com/e-6-diy-t36470.html
http://forum.mflenses.com/c41-diy-t36469.html


PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2011 5:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Attila wrote:

I never understand people who are spend a lot on car , digital gear and try to saving on film what shoot perhaps once a month /roll.


+1
I spend 4 Eur for develop of one colour film
Enough to buy one idiot magazine or a Campari and you already spent the same sum for much less fun.


PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2011 6:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Adent

They do like fine. Definitely have the personality of the film you used. As well the open aperture will give a lower contrast.
Try some other other films and see the difference. Also try different labs. $14 for a 24 exp is way too high for a lab to charge.
I'm paying $5 for develop only of 36 (or 120) C41 or E6 (un-carded). I scan my own but, this lab charges only $2 extra for preview (2mpx) scans of 36 exposures if done at time of development. 120 scans are another story though (ouch!).


PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2011 6:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
In my current living conditions developing them myself is out of the question. I have no space to do it. There is also the fact that I am clueless as to how to do it. Embarassed


PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2011 6:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Of course, it's not only the costs.
My local labs are utter crap.

Yes, Attila, I could develop on my own. But I do not have the time to set things up and do it.
So I need to use the local lab.
Perhaps I have found another one and will test that. At the latest with the first roll of the Holga toy. Wink


PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2011 7:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Keep in mind that the camera is just a light box; the IQ will come from the film and the lens.


PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2011 7:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
adent wrote:
In my current living conditions developing them myself is out of the question. I have no space to do it. There is also the fact that I am clueless as to how to do it. Embarassed


A kitchen basin is fine for developing, process is fast 10-15 minutes faster than go to lab. Process is simple just follow instructions. Film can dry under night when nobody use kitchen or bathroom.


PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2011 7:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
adent wrote:
In my current living conditions developing them myself is out of the question. I have no space to do it. There is also the fact that I am clueless as to how to do it. Embarassed


All you need is a sink or even just a basin.
Could I suggest you read my essential guide! Smile
http://forum.mflenses.com/bandw-developing-essential-answers-t3238.html


PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2011 10:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I went to a local camera shop today. A very small limited shop (Cord Camera) and purchased a roll of B&W Ilford HP5 today. I hope that my results will be worthwhile.


PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2011 10:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
adent wrote:
I went to a local camera shop today. A very small limited shop (Cord Camera) and purchased a roll of B&W Ilford HP5 today. I hope that my results will be worthwhile.


erm It could work out expensive unless you develope and scan the neg yourself...all the cheap places are set up for colour, but you can get C41 B/W and supermarkets can develope that (in the UK it can be as low as 99p)


PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2011 10:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Confused; You just place the neg on a flatbed scanner and or am I missing something?


PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2011 10:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
adent wrote:
Confused; You just place the neg on a flatbed scanner and or am I missing something?


It has to be one that can scan negs or alternately there are threads here showing how some members have used their digital cameras.


PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2011 11:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I checked my scanner. It won't scan negs. Well it will, they just still look like Negs.


PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2011 11:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
adent wrote:
I checked my scanner. It won't scan negs. Well it will, they just still look like Negs.


Well you need a different lens system for scanning negs...about the cheapest s/h film scanner that I know would be the Epson 2480 photo...it's old but still good and can be a low as £8 to buy if you are lucky.


PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2011 11:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
adent wrote:
Confused; You just place the neg on a flatbed scanner and or am I missing something?

Yep, you need some way of shining the light through the negative. As a basic method, you can tape negatives to your window glass and shoot them with a digital camera and a close-focussing lens. Film scanners have a light in the lid and special holders for film and slides to keep them flat and off the platen glass (film in contact with glass sometimes causes a visible pattern on the scan called Newton's rings).


PostPosted: Sun Nov 27, 2011 12:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Right now I'm just considering a negative scanner. I kinda like my current printer.
Anyone have any experience with those?
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