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Film Nerd travels to India

CuS

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Oct 29, 2007
Messages
144
Format
35mm
I am heading to India for two weeks in August (in the south - so nice weather).

I am, of course, shooting film there and plan to bring 30 rolls of 35mm/36exp Neopan 400; 10 rolls of 35mm/36exp Ektar; and 10 rolls of Provia in 120 format (for my hungry little moskva-2). Not too worried about X-ray issues (I'l be hand-carrying the film).

I can easily get the Ektar souped there (family friend runs a photofinishing chain), but the B&W is another issue.

I was wondering if it would be adviable to carry some powdered developer and fix in my checked luggage?

Is it worth the hassle, or should I just be patient and bring back the film myself.

I do, for the record, process all my own film (B&W, C-41 and E-6).

Thanks!
 
Depending upon the city you travel to, you can find some decent labs which do B&W processing. GK Vale & Prabhu Digital in Bangalore (Southern India) do it. Don't know @ the customs dept. rule though.
Good luck!
 
You'll only be there for two weeks -- do you really want to mess with developing 30 rolls of film while you are there? I think the negatives will take up more space coming back than the rolls of film. Personally I would just wait until I returned home to develop the film (as I always do -- although it has sometimes taken me up to a year to deal with the backlog!).
 
I think I'd bring it all back, especially as it's only a two week trip. If you did decide to visit a lab or develop in situ, you'd probably bring some rolls back from your last few days anyway. That said, visiting a lab in another country might be an interesting experience and will give it support.

I remember back in 2003-4 I spent a year living in Sweden and didn't develop a single roll whilst I was out there, I brought all the rolls back with me. That's patience!
 
perkeleellinen said:
I remember back in 2003-4 I spent a year living in Sweden and didn't develop a single roll whilst I was out there, I brought all the rolls back with me. That's patience!
Click to expand...

Wow - thats crazy-patient!
 
I was in Bangalore for 13 years till 2009 -- Don't rely on getting the films processed in Bangalore -- apart from one hour C 41 processing, virtually all E6 and B&W processing is extinct in the labs in the city -- you'll have to wait indefinitely for the labs to get hold of their requisite batch quantity.. I too vouch that you bring back your rolls.. however, if you really want to get some processing done while in Bangalore, please PM me - I can refer you to my good friend there from whom I learnt B&W processing some years back. He may do it for you or can share his chemicals / tanks etc.

Regards,
Deb
 
I would just wait until you get back. How much time will you spend tracking down a developer rather than exploring and taking photos?!


If you wait until you get back, while you might be disappointed that your holiday is over, you'll have something to look forward to - developing your pictures.
 
Why would you develop it there, if it's OK to carry it there? If not XRay issues, then it's really a huge hassle to do there.

Besides, you want to spend your time photographing (and experiencing), not souping. Don't let a lab develop your B&W, part of the point is to have control over it yourself.
 
Thanks Deb - i appreciate the offer - might be nice to at least meet him!

Also, I will definitely do my own B&w developing - probably the C-41 as well - and absolutely the E-6.

I wonder if I have enough film (I bracket when I use 35mm B&W)?
 
Please carry the maximum amount of film that you foresee you'll use.. R K Photoguide near Gandhinagar area in Bangalore has a decent stock of various pro grade films but unfortunately that's the only place in the entire city where you can buy good films today :-( it's a sad situation but that's reality.. most of us film enthusiasts today rely on few shops like that in the country or mail order from B&H / Freestyle etc..
 
Thanks - will do

debanddg said:
Please carry the maximum amount of film that you foresee you'll useQUOTE]

Thanks - I will do that - I have only once ran out of film on a trip - a horrid experience
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