I hate 35mm

NormanV · Mar 26, 2011

I hate 35mm film!
I have just counted and found that I have six cameras with part used film in them. I have no idea what is on these films. 36 exposures are far too many. I know I could buy 24 exposure films but that is still too many. I could take the film out of the camera and develop it when I have feel that I have taken enough pictures, but that is a waste.
I have a Fuji GW690, 8 pictures per roll. Perfect! My RB67 gives me 10 pictures per roll, that's not too bad.
But I love my 35mm cameras. Nikon F x 3, Nikkormat, Contax II, Konica Auto S2 and Zorki C. I don't know what to do.

lxdude · Mar 26, 2011

The best thing you can do to end your anguish is to remove the root cause. So send me your 35mm cameras and your pain will end, guaranteed.

brucemuir · Mar 26, 2011

roll yer own

Shaggysk8 · Mar 26, 2011

Roll your own film, I used to put 6 shots in my Leica, you do waste a bit of film, I then ended up going to large format, problem solved for me. But I would def roll your own.

tkamiya · Mar 26, 2011

You can buy inexpensive film such as Freestyle's Premium series (hurry, they are discontinued but it still got some!) and just rewind when you feel you have enough. That's what I am doing for myself.

Jeff Kubach · Mar 26, 2011

I've said in another forum that I perfer short rolls like in the RB67. Sometimes even 24 in 35mm is too much.

Jeff

NormanV · Mar 26, 2011

I have just obtained a Watson loader and will start loading my own film when my present stock has run out. I think 15 might be a good number. But I don't know, decisions, decisions. Maybe 12, or perhaps 11.
I'm always intrigued when I read posts from people who are proud to tell how many pictures they can squeeze out of a standard 35mm cassette. Who cares!

NormanV · Mar 26, 2011

By the way Ixdude, there is no way that you will get your hands on my little gems. Go get your own!

Les Sarile · Mar 26, 2011

NormanV said:
I'm always intrigued when I read posts from people who are proud to tell how many pictures they can squeeze out of a standard 35mm cassette. Who cares!

We all should. No demand leads to no production.

Marc B. · Mar 26, 2011

Use shorter rolls; either purchased, or load your own from 100ft rolls.
Inquire at some of the large photo retailers,
ask if your favorite film can be special ordered in 12 exp rolls.

B&H Kodak 400 12 exp
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/27716-USA/Kodak_GC_135_12_Gold_Max.html

Adorama Fuji 100 12 exp
Dead Link Removed

mgb74 · Mar 26, 2011

I understand (and I'm sure this is intended as a "vent" post). But I rarely shoot a full 36 exp roll at one time. So, if not using short rolls that I bulk loaded, I regularly shoot and process a partial roll. Just open the back in a changing bag or darkroom and snip off the exposed film.

jordanstarr · Mar 26, 2011

Man...I have the opposite problem. I wish the market norm for 35m film was 100 exposures. You must be pretty precise to have this problem. I'll take up to 20 photos of just one subject sometimes.

NormanV · Mar 26, 2011

Jordanstarr, I'm easily bored with a subject. You sound like a perfect candidate for digital.

2F/2F · Mar 26, 2011

Isn't hate a bit strong of a word?

If you like the format, but want to shoot fewer frames, you can bulk load your film to whatever length you'd like. But I would say to just leave the film in your camera until the next time you shoot 8 pix. Four times, and your roll is full, and then you process without wasting time or chemicals to develop only 8 shots. Or learn the trick of snipping off your shot film and stowing it in a plastic cartridge to be developed.

lxdude · Mar 26, 2011

NormanV said:
By the way Ixdude, there is no way that you will get your hands on my little gems. Go get your own!

I'm not interested in your little gems. Just your cameras.

C A Sugg · Mar 26, 2011

I usually bulk load to 20 exp, but perhaps because that was a standard length when I started. I find 36 exp. too unwieldy in processing.

Gerald C Koch · Mar 26, 2011

NormanV said:
I hate 35mm film!
I have just counted and found that I have six cameras with part used film in them. I have no idea what is on these films. 36 exposures are far too many. I know I could buy 24 exposure films but that is still too many. I could take the film out of the camera and develop it when I have feel that I have taken enough pictures, but that is a waste.
I have a Fuji GW690, 8 pictures per roll. Perfect! My RB67 gives me 10 pictures per roll, that's not too bad.
But I love my 35mm cameras. Nikon F x 3, Nikkormat, Contax II, Konica Auto S2 and Zorki C. I don't know what to do.

So what you are saying in essence is that every picture you take is perfect. The exposure, lighting, framing, subject, etc are all perfect. I sounds like you need to go out and take many pictures and try various things. Photography should be fun and not tedious. If you like your cameras use them. They are worth nothing sitting on a shelf.

2F/2F · Mar 26, 2011

Gerald C Koch said:
So what you are saying in essence is that every picture you take is perfect. The exposure, lighting, framing, subject, etc are all perfect. I sounds like you need to go out and take many pictures and try various things. Photography should be fun and not tedious. If you like your cameras use them. They are worth nothing sitting on a shelf.

I agree. 36 frames are easy as pie to blow through on 8 compositions. If you cannot do this, I don't know what the hangup is. Every time I go to shoot something, I know there are at least a dozen ways I might go about it. With larger formats, I often have to pick just one or two. 35mm lets me try many of them. For starters, and this is something that an editor will love you for, BTW, try a horizontal and a vertical of each one, and a left and a right viewpoint of each one. Editors love this because it gives them options as far as page layout. It is how you should approach every single news event, for sure.

Anyhow, take your 8 subjects and apply this full coverage to them. Horizontal left, vertical left, horizontal right, vertical right. There are 32 shots. Then you have another 4 shots of another composition. (Or is 9 too many to keep you from blowing a gasket?)

If you are not trying different things, and if you are afraid to take a chance on something and mess up, then you are not getting the full benefit of 35mm. There are many successful ways to shoot every subject. Try some. Do it as a matter of course, especially with 35mm. Or else just shoot your 6x9! I really don't get the complaint.

Besk · Mar 26, 2011

I feel the same way with the original post. That is why I am gravitating to 645 (15)and 6X9 (8) and sheet film.

Dealing with sheet film is tedius but you can always discard the negatives that you don't like.

NormanV · Mar 26, 2011

It's getting a bit intense now, this thread was meant as a bit of fun but with a serious intent. Not every picture I take is perfect but when I see a subject I make the decisions then. I do not like to machine-gun the subject and then decide in the darkroom or( for me at present) in the digital darkroom. I am happy to achieve 1 or 2 "good" pictures per film of 8 exposures.
I am nearing completion of a 5 x 7 camera, that is a bit too slow for me. I like 6 x 9 and will stay with that for a long time. But I do like my 35mm cameras.

hpulley · Mar 26, 2011

I went out today with my RB67 Pro S loaded with Fuji Reala 120 and my Canon TX with Delta 100 135-36 in it. I shot 3 rolls of the Reala 120 but the TX is still loaded ...

I load my own too but when I'm in a hurry it's just easier to open a box rather than reaching for a 100' roll and the changing bag!

That said, my 1N RS shoots at 10 frames per second so I can also run through a 36 roll in seconds when I really need to

jp498 · Mar 26, 2011

It's useful to have lots of shots for some subjects. Some subjects, for which digital is benefiting efficiency, such as sports or events or traveling, having the ability to shoot many images is handy, and we can burn through 36 and need some more multiple times. Other times like casual every day shooting, 2-3 frames might suit our needs and it takes too long to burn through 36. This is where MF or LF comes in, though LF isn't casual like MF can be.

Focusing on the results, not the process, I'm still looking to get a spectacular photo on every page of negatives, whether it be a 36 exposure 35mm roll, a 12 exposure 6x6, or 4 sheets of 4x5. 8x10, I'm still below my goal as the keeper rate is similar to 4x5 for me.

I'm not using 35mm film so much anymore, but it is still great for some uses such as people and events and existing light indoors for which I also use digital, but I buy lenses that work with both film and digital. Where practical, I prefer the quality of MF/LF and the latitude of B&W film.

perkeleellinen · Mar 26, 2011

Often I can go through a few rolls of 36exp per day and at other times a roll can sit in the camera for a few weeks. No matter. My grandmother hates the 36exp films; they take an age for her to finish, in fact, a 24exp film usually lasts 18 months!

David A. Goldfarb · Mar 26, 2011

Start shooting 8x10", where every sheet is the same as the area of a 36 exp. roll, and you'll stop worrying about the unexposed frames on your rollfilm cameras.

2F/2F · Mar 26, 2011

NormanV said:
But I do like my 35mm cameras.

Except when you hate 35mm.

I hate 35mm

Moderator

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency