CVS Film?

bvy · Jul 31, 2009

I just put together a 35mm pinhole camera (The Populist). I dont plan to make a habit of buying drug store film, but I was trying to minimize my losses in case my experiment fell apart. So my first roll to take through this camera is CVS 400 speed film, and Im trying to get a feel for exposure times. I downloaded a small app that gives me exposure times for most name brand film (Kodak, Ilford, etc.). You pick the film and it gives you a table. Basically Im just trying to get a feel for what brand or type of film the CVS film might be most comparable to in terms of exposure time. Can anyone help? Thanks.

Brian

By the way, my focal length is about 23mm and my pinhole diameter about 0.22mm for an effective f-stop in the neighborhood of f/105.

Denis K · Jul 31, 2009

If the CVS 400 is a color print film then you can't go to far wrong in just assuming it is private label Kodak Gold 400. The exposure latitude of 400 speed color negative file is legendary.

Are you going to do the development yourself or take it to a mini-lab? If it really is a color film and you take it to a mini-lab you might want to warn them the image registration may not exactly match a typical 35mm camera.

srs5694 · Jul 31, 2009

The last I checked, CVS film was made by Fuji. (I just processed a roll a few days ago, but I bought that roll several months ago, perhaps over a year ago.) I can't point you to a specific Fuji-branded equivalent product, if you need exact reciprocity data.

McFortner · Jul 31, 2009

Try going to http://www.imageaircraft.com.au/DXsim/ and enter the DX bar code and it should tell you what type of film is loaded in it.

Michael

David Grenet · Jul 31, 2009

thanks for that link Michael, very useful!

McFortner · Aug 1, 2009

David Grenet said:
thanks for that link Michael, very useful!

No problem. I'm glad I can finally give something back to the group. It's a useful link when I get my hands on some store brand film! I'm a junkie for bargain film....

Michael

Sirius Glass · Aug 1, 2009

Thanks Michael.

Steve

bvy · Aug 1, 2009

McFortner said:
Try going to http://www.imageaircraft.com.au/DXsim/ and enter the DX bar code and it should tell you what type of film is loaded in it.

Michael

That is a good link. Thank you. Unfortunately, the film is in the camera so I can't read the information off.

I'm probably splitting hairs anyway. I should have done some investigation and invested in film that I thought I might use for this purpose for a while. That way I could get to know its properties. I don't plan to make a habit of using private label film. (Of course, if the results are decent and I determine what brand of fim it really is, maybe I will.)

PhotoJim · Aug 1, 2009

The private label film I occasionally buy here in Canada is absolutely Fuji - it's easy to tell because the plastic film canisters are identical to Fuji's.

Fuji's are transparent with identical-coloured lids that fit snugly into the bottom with hardly a lip. The edge of the lid is knurled.

The only similar canisters I've seen are Foma's, which are identical but solid black. Fuji also uses slightly different canisters for other types of film; for slide films, the lid is identical but black; for black-and-white, the lid is identical but grey. The bottoms are the same for all Fuji films.

Nicholas Lindan · Aug 1, 2009

All 400 speed films have the same exposure requirements.

With an f-stop of ~1:100 at ASA 400, your standard exposure in sunshine, with the sun over your shoulder, would be around 1/4th of a second ("sunny-11", which seems to hold for Cleveland, so I imagine it will work for Pittsburgh). 1/2 second for hazy clouds (distinct shadows), 1 second cloudy bright (no shadows), 2 seconds overcast, 4 seconds open shade.

srs5694 · Aug 1, 2009

PhotoJim said:
The private label film I occasionally buy here in Canada is absolutely Fuji - it's easy to tell because the plastic film canisters are identical to Fuji's.

Fuji's are transparent with identical-coloured lids that fit snugly into the bottom with hardly a lip. The edge of the lid is knurled.

The only similar canisters I've seen are Foma's, which are identical but solid black.

Fuji, Foma, and Ferrania all use similar -- but not identical -- canisters. Some Svema film also came in similar (but again, not identical to the others') canisters. There are subtle differences between all of these, which you can spot if you study them side-by-side.

bvy · Aug 3, 2009

Okay, I'm pretty sure I've trashed a perfectly good roll of film. Really, I don't know. I experimented with a variety of subjects, lighting conditions, exposure times, etc. Anyway, time to develop the film. I'm not real comfortable having CVS process the film. I've read some horror stories, not to mention, the last time I saw the photo lab tech at ours, she was beating up the instant print machine. And she had no teeth.

But I digress. I don't necessarily need prints right away. Just a CD -- especially if it's cheaper. I'm in the Pittsburgh area. Should I trust a retailer, or go with a mail-in service? If the latter, I'd appreciate some recommendations. Thanks!

Denis K · Aug 5, 2009

Consider this. A place like CVS might make sense. If you can find a 1-hour place that has a very informal environment you might be able to talk them into hanging around while they process the film. That way you get to see the film at the various stages in the process and perhaps help them correct for any irregularities in your images. This would more than balance out the downsides of a less than perfect lab.

Ektagraphic · Aug 5, 2009

Try mailing the film into Swan Photo Lab. They are somewhat inexpensive and do a great job. http://www.swanphotolabs.com/swan08/mailers.php

Venchka · Aug 8, 2009

Do you have the box? Does it say "Made in Japan"? If so, it's Fuji Superia 400.

There are only 3 companies making color negative film that I know of. Kodak, Fuji and Ferrania.

It's a test roll of film from a homemade pinhole camera. CVS, Walgreens, Target, anybody local, can't hurt it too much. All you're after is an idea of what exposure to use. streaks, lines, crud, etc. won't matter. You could put it in an envelope at Walmart and it will go to a Fuji lab. Be back when it gets back.

Mtnvue · Sep 1, 2009

I can concur with Nicholas on this. When I use 100 film, I am usually shooting about 1 sec in bright sunlight with my Populist. Of course, it depends on the aperture, but my times are about the same as his. Most of the time I use the camera it is in open shade and I am shooting closer to 4 seconds.

CVS Film?

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