Film Photography - Discussion from RPT XXXV

pete4130

Hip to be almost square




Bronica SQ-A, 80mm 2.8, Fuji NPH 400

BlastedGlute

pete4130 wrote: »

Hip to be almost square

Awesome! Everytime I see shots like this I get an itch to buy a film camera. Where/how do you process your images?

pete4130

BlastedGlute wrote: »

Awesome! Everytime I see shots like this I get an itch to buy a film camera. Where/how do you process your images?

Just do it! Ive wanted the Bronica SQ for a few years and managed to get one on eBay in Australia (anything old is rare here). I really wanted square format too and the SQ is an under rated camera by far. I was lucky enough to get a metered prism (albeit with a slightly loose connection) but it still works.
I simply get them developed in a camera shop lab and scan them myself on an Epson V500 (cheap and very good) scanner for a flatbed.

The only PP I do is to touch up any dust on the negs/scanner and scratches from the lab (grrrr!!!) and just some levels and curves.
I wish I knew how DaireQuinlan manages to get such clean scans?

DaireQuinlan

pete4130 wrote: »

I was lucky enough to get a metered prism (albeit with a slightly loose connection) but it still works.

So does mine, I always have to wobble it a bit before it'll start working. In fact loose electrical connections seem to be the bane of the bronnie. I have to wedge little bits of paper into my battery compartment to ensure the batteries actually make the right connections, and my 80mm needs a little bit of adjustment before it'll be picked up by the prism. Still and all, it's a great system.

The only PP I do is to touch up any dust on the negs/scanner and scratches from the lab (grrrr!!!) and just some levels and curves.
I wish I knew how DaireQuinlan manages to get such clean scans?

I dev my own, hang them in a relatively dust free bathroom to dry, and then immediately sleeve them. I only take them out to scan them and give them a quick blast of compressed air before scanning. I STILL get dust spots on the negs, so the last step is to go over every ... single ... square cm ... of the scan at 200% and dust spot. Your v500 has infrared cleaning though, right ? why aren't you just using that

pete4130

DaireQuinlan wrote: »

Your v500 has infrared cleaning though, right ? why aren't you just using that

I didn't know it existed! The V500 is a massive improvement over my old, hated Canon 9900F. If you don't mind PM'ing me how to use the IR cleaning that'd be super.

I don't really have a dedicated workspace to store/scan my negs either (I'm currently homeless and living out of a car pretty much) but I was only talking to Noosixty the other day about us going halves on a colour dev kit like a Jobo minilab or even something more basic!

magicbastarder

pete4130 wrote: »

I didn't know it existed! The V500 is a massive improvement over my old, hated Canon 9900F. If you don't mind PM'ing me how to use the IR cleaning that'd be super.

i upgraded to a 9900f recently, albeit for free.

btw, there's an ETRS in the camera exchange at the moment, i think for €400 for lens, body, waist finder and back.

dazftw

pete4130 wrote: »

I didn't know it existed! The V500 is a massive improvement over my old, hated Canon 9900F. If you don't mind PM'ing me how to use the IR cleaning that'd be super.

I don't really have a dedicated workspace to store/scan my negs either (I'm currently homeless and living out of a car pretty much) but I was only talking to Noosixty the other day about us going halves on a colour dev kit like a Jobo minilab or even something more basic!

DO ITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT I have an E-6 kit on the way from gunns today

BlastedGlute

Oops, this one got packed up and shipped out of random photos :P

So if I was go shopping for a low maintenence SLR and maybe a 35-50m lens, where and what would you recommend? I must admit that I really relate to these squared off images. It's a wonderful format over the regular 3:2 style!

Any suggestions?

DaireQuinlan

BlastedGlute wrote: »

Oops, this one got packed up and shipped out of random photos :P

So if I was go shopping for a low maintenence SLR and maybe a 35-50m lens, where and what would you recommend? I must admit that I really relate to these squared off images. It's a wonderful format over the regular 3:2 style!

Any suggestions?

uh, by SLR do you mean a straight 35mm SLR ? that 35->50 lens would suggest it. If so then what do you currently shoot with ? Chances are you can pick up the same brand film camera and use all your exising lenses. Depends entirely on the brand of course.

If you're talking medium format then there are about 5 quadrillion different cameras out there. Vast majority use the same film, 120, but there are a few different formats, in cms, 6x4.5, 6x6, 6x7,6x9 are probably the 4 most common ones.

So SLR wise, Bronica make a 6x4.5 model, the ETR, a 6x6 model (which I, dazftw, and pete4130 all have) called the SQ (few different models, all the same format) and a 6x7 model called the GS. Hasselblad make a bunch of models that shoot 6x6, most affordable is probably one of the older 500cm models or something. Generally more expensive than the bronicas. Mamiya also make a enormous 6x7 camera called the RB or similarly, the RZ which is well regarded. Those are the most common SLRs

Then there are TLRs, Mostly 6x6. I have a yashica mat, bunch of others including Mamiya ones.

And finally there are a pile of rangefinders and folding cameras which would encompass an entire book of a post all in themselves.

BlastedGlute

I have no idea what to do I only started taking picture a year ago when I bought my first camera and that was a 60D

I need to get my google on I reckon!

ThOnda

Shoot, I have 20+ rolls in the fridge ready to be developed