I got myself a film camera, now some questions...

Ricky91t

Hello all,

I picked up a cheap film camera today, It's in great condition and is fully functioning, Now I need some help.

I've never taken an interest in film photography but saw this today and decided I'd give it a shot.

So some questions, It's a standard 35mm slr, with a 50mm kit lens, I'm just gonna' be using it to take a few pics and get familiar with it, So what type of film should I get and from where?

Also, developing where can I get this done, in Cork preferably or a postal service... Or would I be better off getting a cheap film scanner off ebay?

Thanks!

Oh here it is:

magicbastarder

what sort of shots do you gravitate towards?
if you want to take colour landscape stuff, velvia is an obvious option - not cheap though.
i like delta 3200 for portraits - i love the grain, and because of the grain, it's forgiving on both skin tones and slight errors in focus.
general b&w, hp5 is fine.

humberklog

There's the cheap and cheerful route: get a hold of free film (slightly out of date) from a Unicare pharmacy and when you've rattled off 5rolls then pop them back into the fuji lab in the Unicare and they'll develop them for you and put the results onto a disc all just for 15quid. Then you pop the disc into your electric typewriter and away you go.

sineadw

If you're just messing and getting the hang of it, then I'd suggest the free film route too. Slide can be a bit (although nowhere near as bad as everyone seems to make out) unforgiving, and also sh!te expensive and a lot of hassle. If it's black and white you're after I'd thoroughly recommend Foma film. Cheap as chips from Gunns so I'm sure it's the same online? Processing - if you're serious about it (and I assume you are since you've at least gone to the bother of buying a film camera when you already have a decent digital) then DIY is definitely the route to take. Not sure who processes down that way otherwise.. Others would know better. Or maybe give Barkers a ring for suggestions?

Ricky91t

Right, so what this is, Is kind of a trial period. I saw it at a good price and decided I'd chance my arm. So the money ive spent so far is enough so the free film sounds good!

Theres a unicare pharmacy near me, do I just go in and say "can I have some free out of date film... I'll drop it in when ive filled it"? Or Is there something I'm missing?

Thanks!

humberklog

Ricky91t wrote: »

Right, so what this is, Is kind of a trial period. I saw it at a good price and decided I'd chance my arm. So the money ive spent so far is enough so the free film sounds good!

Theres a unicare pharmacy near me, do I just go in and say "can I have some free out of date film... I'll drop it in when ive filled it"? Or Is there something I'm missing?

Thanks!

Yep it's simple as that. But they might be out of stock of it now, so ask'm if they have any left instead of being gung-ho and all spurs ablazing. They were giving it out by the hundreds and is still available in some shops in Dublin.

pete4130

Velvia is an expensive route, to buy, to get developed (and can be difficult to find somewhere to develop E6) and slides don't scan well unless you have a good scanner and take the time to scan them well, which most labs/shops don't do.

C41 print film (normal film) is the easiest route. Just get dev and scan to CD as Humberklog said and you'll be fine.

Delta 3200 is amazing. I love it. Again, its way more expensive to get it developed in a lab/shop and they probably won't be processed very well. Labs/shops tend to give back slightly thin flat looking negs compared to someone who can develop their own. You'll need a decent scanner to scan these too or the cost of a roll of BW is going to be in around €25 a roll to get dev and scan.

Fuji Superia is an alright film and you can usually get a 3 for 2 deal if you can't get the free film.

The Snipe

humberklog wrote: »

Yep it's simple as that. But they might be out of stock of it now, so ask'm if they have any left instead of being gung-ho and all spurs ablazing. They were giving it out by the hundreds and is still available in some shops in Dublin.

If they are still doing that, could you drop down a few rolls next time your in Limerick? :P

Ricky91t

Right, went into the unicare pharmacy in Grande Parade Cork, There was a big queue so I had a look around, couldn't see any sign of film/cameras/developing. So Instead I went to MacSweenys got some film 24exp film for 2 euro each, but they told me it would cost 9.99 a film to develop...

Anyone know of anywhere cheap in Cork? The Photography Society dark room has no ventilation system which is a health and safety hazard so I can't even use that!

Fajitas!

Ricky91t wrote: »

but they told me it would cost 9.99 a film to develop...

That's a load of dickie. It should be at the VERY most 4 quid to dev only.

Anyone know of anywhere cheap in Cork? The Photography Society dark room has no ventilation system which is a health and safety hazard so I can't even use that!

I've used darkrooms for years without ventilation systems and I'm still surviving. Worst case scenario, get a mask to breath through and use those - Don't pay a tenner for dev, that's daylight robbery!!!

artyeva

ah here if i pay €2.95 per roll for colour - develop only - in the local pharmacy way down here in the shhhticks then surely it should be just as cheap if not cheaper out there in civilisation!

Ricky91t

Fajitas! wrote: »

That's a load of dickie. It should be at the VERY most 4 quid to dev only.



I've used darkrooms for years without ventilation systems and I'm still surviving. Worst case scenario, get a mask to breath through and use those - Don't pay a tenner for dev, that's daylight robbery!!!

I'd happily do that, But I think it's more the actual health and safety side of it (more than me being concerned about myself), We need to get a ventilation system installed before it can be used at all

I did think 9.99 was a bit pricy, but then MacSweeneys are known to be just that! I'll have a look around and find somewhere cheaper then!

magicbastarder

when the assistant said €9.99 for dev, they may not have understood that you meant dev only, possibly?

Ricky91t

Sorry, I meant develop and put on a CD, It was the same price to develop and print them...

deRanged

if you go with dev only it's only about €3 per roll.
the photo soc has (or had last time I was in the dark room) a nikon film scanner. maybe you could fire that up?

/edit - the last time I had film scanned in town the results were crap. way below what my cheap and cheerful
canoscan can manage.

enjoy the film shooting - I just dug out my film cameras this weekend.

Ricky91t

deRanged wrote: »

if you go with dev only it's only about €3 per roll.
the photo soc has (or had last time I was in the dark room) a nikon film scanner. maybe you could fire that up?

/edit - the last time I had film scanned in town the results were crap. way below what my cheap and cheerful
canoscan can manage.

enjoy the film shooting - I just dug out my film cameras this weekend.

Ah, now that might be handy! If it wasn't damaged during the floods I'd assume it should still be there, I did see a computer but was only in there briefly so didn't check/notice. Thanks for that!

Also, I'm looking forward to playing with film, It makes a huge difference from the weight + size of my 1D MKII, but I keep going to look at the screen after I've taken a photo... :pac:

deRanged

one more thing - I have a lot more film than I can use. I'd be happy to donate a few rolls.
misc slide/negative, C41 and other processes.
I'll go through the inventory in a day or so and post up what I can give away.
first come first served in WGB

Ricky91t

deRanged wrote: »

one more thing - I have a lot more film than I can use. I'd be happy to donate a few rolls.
misc slide/negative, C41 and other processes.
I'll go through the inventory in a day or so and post up what I can give away.
first come first served in WGB

Oh me please!

I spend a lot of time in there, So if you drop me a PM when you've sorted through I'll happily take a few rolls to keep me going for a while