Christian Photographers Community

Hi folks,

I've been browsing the forums getting to know folks and think this is a wonderful group of people. Glad to be here.

I wonder if anyone here bothers with shooting film anymore? I like digital and we have a nice DSLR that I bought for the family this year (my wife loves it, so do I) but I also shoot film, mainly black and white, and usually in older cameras. Anyone else like the effect of an old-school film emulsion?

If so, what do you shoot with and what sort of film do you enjoy?

I like twin lens reflex cameras and enjoy the Yashica line the best. I plan to do some shooting with Infrared film very soon, I really like the amazing effect of film that sees the spectrum of light that is there but unseen by our eyes.

Scott

I only have a Nikon F50, which is film.  So yes I use film.  I find it expensive, and when $$$$ ste tight I rarely use it.  I am hoping to get back to taking pictures this summer.

I used to be a staunch DSLR user... but after I got my first rangefinder (a Yashica MG-1) and a mini holga camera, I fell in love with film.

wow, i just visited your blog, smhead. You got some very interesting photos there. i'll link you up.

I shoot film in old cameras, 120 and 35mm, I have too many cameras! At the moment I'm carrying a Braun Paxette 35 (1963) http://www.kameramuseum.de/0-fotokameras/braun/kb-sucher-alt/paxette/paxette35.html. It's such a lovely camera and the film advance is pretty cute but such a pleasure to use. It folds down from beside the lense and you pull it across the front of the camera with your shutter finger.
I manage to get cheap films occassionally but can't get the processing price down so I have 6 or so sitting in a drawer waiting for their time to shine. On one of them I tried an experimental process of shooting to the end of the film with a lens cap on, then on the last frame shooting on bulb, holding the button down, pressing the film rewind release button and winding the film back, exposing it as it is wound across the pressure plate. I saw this on someone's website one day and it looks quite cool. Not easy to print the resulting photo though - I guess it needs to be scanned on a flatbed and stitched together.

Quote from: Tim on April 26, 2009, 04:13:59 AM
I shoot film in old cameras, 120 and 35mm, I have too many cameras! At the moment I'm carrying a Braun Paxette 35 (1963) http://www.kameramuseum.de/0-fotokameras/braun/kb-sucher-alt/paxette/paxette35.html. It's such a lovely camera and the film advance is pretty cute but such a pleasure to use. It folds down from beside the lense and you pull it across the front of the camera with your shutter finger.
I manage to get cheap films occassionally but can't get the processing price down so I have 6 or so sitting in a drawer waiting for their time to shine. On one of them I tried an experimental process of shooting to the end of the film with a lens cap on, then on the last frame shooting on bulb, holding the button down, pressing the film rewind release button and winding the film back, exposing it as it is wound across the pressure plate. I saw this on someone's website one day and it looks quite cool. Not easy to print the resulting photo though - I guess it needs to be scanned on a flatbed and stitched together.

really? what kind of photos does that technique produce? can you share the link please? i'm curious.

Hi Scott,
Saw your comment asking if there is any film shooters out there, well I'm a reluctant digital user (Olympus E510) and prefer film in the following formats, 6x7 (Pentax), 4x5 (Cambo +  Linhof Technica IV), & 8x10 (Sinar P2MB).
I'm an Australian citizen and am about to Immigrate to the US in September this year (Delaware, initially) to set out and record my favourite subject, Industrial Photography using the 8x10 as the main camera.
In the mean time, If you're interested in industrial photography this web address may interest you ...........
http://www.hfinster.de/StahlArt2/archive-en.html
Regards,
Patrick.
Perth, Australia.

Just bought a 4x5 last month. I also got some old Polaroid (lands) from the 60's I am going to get film for at some point. Been hitting the 35mm Ilford hard and heavy the last few weeks too.

My overall goal for 2011 is to teach myself wet plate. We shall see. 

For over 20 years I used a Pentax K1000.  The quality is outstanding.  You can see my work at  www.karenmarieimages.com    Currently I am making the transition to digital however.  If anyone has an interest in purchasing the Pentax I would talk further. 

The K1000 is a rock solid camera, with a proven design about 47 years old.   Super machine, but with the advent of digital, and most photography classes going digital, it's value is probably less than it's worth as a memento.   You'd do well to get $50 for it on ebay.

For a very long time, it was the mainstay of college photography classes.   The most economical and rugged high-quality camera available with full manual control.   But no more.    And they made a huge number of them.

I'd say keep it.   

Hi Scott, I have grown up using film and started doing film plus digital for weddings a few years back and then went completely digital for weddings.I still prefer using "real" cameras but love the convenience and versatility of digital and it is a great learning tool.I have heaps of film cameras and mainly have concentrated on pentax over the years but also own canon,minolta,praktica,nikon film slrs plus numerous compact film cameras and rangefinders and right back to box cameras,Kodak Instamatic and Folding 120mm and 620mm cameras.My favourite pentax film slr is the MZS but I cut my teeth on slr cameras on a pentax spotmatic. Also have a Pentax 645 system and pentax 6x7 and 2 lenses. The 6x7 lenses have an adapter that I can use to couple with my pentax 645.Now that I am retired I have started using film again occasionally but due to the cost am a bit more selective at what I shoot or intend to shoot. I am doing another wedding in November in Digital but may shoot some film as an aside for fun.I have a blog also and have started putting up my course on wedding photography that I taught over the years. I have lots of other photography courses in Keynote format(mac) and intend to progressively bring these to the blog. One of the courses I have been developing  is "using vintage cameras". I note some of the highest price wedding photographers in the US a still using film. Looking back on some of my notes on my wedding course a few years back I predicted film would make a comeback and I think it is.It won't replace digital though. I would still shoot super 8 movies and super vhs video if it was cost effective and convenient.I have lots of older movie cameras as well but about to donate a couple of them to a film school.My son works in the motion film industry but I started  him off on super 8 cameras.My favourite films for weddings were ilford xp2 for black and white and the fuji 400 vhs and 800 nps professional colour range. Also fuji velvia for slides and Fuji Reala for colour pribts. When I started photography the fastest Kodak Colour Film was at asa(iso) 25.Thanks for your post and interested to read the other comments. I will send this and have a look at your blog.regards  geoff t

ps my blog link    http://geoffthompsonsblog.blogspot.com/

Well hello,  I wouldn't call myself a film shooter unless its for football season then I get ready to go.  I have my canon t3i in one hand. I have my Sony digital cam on the stand.  I try not to miss a shot, but if I do the cam got it. I have it set up on remote so when I move it moves. Sweet.  This little video is just from my ipad2 it is of my mothers day present.  I got it early not that I mind, you will hear my daughter on there and the Farristown Middle School Mascot "Flyer".  Thanks for reading and looking if you like to see some shot video on football just holler, oops just gave it away yep from the south .  Living in Kentucky,but a huge UT fan go VOLS.  [attachimg=1]