Is there really a strong interest in film photography?

Kodachromeguy said:

Do these 1960s and 1970s reel-to-reel tapes play properly? Have you experienced issues with failure of the substrate or with data loss? In science agencies, this is a problem with the 9-track tapes that supplied data for mainframe computers. (Some of the subsequent data storage mediums have also been problematic.)

When I was in high school in the late-1960s and early 1970s, I recall that record stores in Harvard Square (Squay-yah), Massachusetts, sold classic music as LP record and reel-to-reel tape. I do not remember if much was yet offered on cassette; that may have come 5 or 10 years later. I do remember early-vintage cassette decks with the Dolby noise reduction chips. I still have some of the LPs that I bought back then, which I play on a Linn Sondek. A roommate had a reel tape deck but I never owned one.

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As Agulliver said, there is a sticky shed problem with some tape stock, notably from Ampex, but in my experience that has not been a problem with any of the prerecorded tape I have. There is a baking process by which one can recover a shedding tape for one play allowing a backup. The problem I've run into are a few tapes, usually of the back-coated type, that have lost their lube and they "stutter" when going past the playback heads and guides creating a whistle. With those I use the "Nu-Finish" treatment. I get a bottle of Nu-Finish car polish and mix it, 1:1 I think, with naptha and then let it sit overnight to let the solids settle out. I then take the clear liquid on top and use it on a cotton pad to re-coat the tape as it winds on a machine from one reel to another. This has worked very well on every tape EXCEPT RadioShack Concertape, 2 reels of which I am still trying to recover.

It is amazing how well tape holds up over the years. As I mentioned on a previous comment I've picked up numerous reels at estate sales, primarily looking for recordings made off the air. About 20 years ago the greatest find were about 200 reels of tape from the late 1940s. This tape was made with a paper backing, before acetate or mylar were used, and they sound just fine. The magnetic particles still stick to the paper. I went through those tapes, digitized them and put that project on my web site here:

http://www.otrannex.com/papertapes/

To keep this sort of on topic, photographically speaking, I am currently scanning all my late fathers color slides from the 1950s to the 1990s. Those old ones from the 50s look really good. Vibrant colors.

VinceInMT said:

About 20 years ago the greatest find were about 200 reels of tape from the late 1940s. This tape was made with a paper backing, before acetate or mylar were used, and they sound just fine. The magnetic particles still stick to the paper. I went through those tapes, digitized them and put that project on my web site here:

http://www.otrannex.com/papertapes/

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What an amazing historical archive. Well done, you have done an amazing amount of work. This speech by Pres. Truman is fascinating:

Truman's speech (joined in progress) denouncing McCarthyism and defending himself against accusations; followed by Lowell Thomas (partial)

Political sculduggery in the Department of Justice by a corrupt Attorney General for political gain - how little has changed in American politics in 70 years. I wish we had Harry S. Truman with us today.

Kodachromeguy said:

What an amazing historical archive. Well done, you have done an amazing amount of work. This speech by Pres. Truman is fascinating:

Truman's speech (joined in progress) denouncing McCarthyism and defending himself against accusations; followed by Lowell Thomas (partial)

Political sculduggery in the Department of Justice by a corrupt Attorney General for political gain - how little has changed in American politics in 70 years. I wish we had Harry S. Truman with us today.

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Thanks. If you like that, check out the other project I did with 563 reels I got at another estate sale. The cream of this crop were tapes recorded in the 50s and 60s from conservative radio that was religious or political (or combination of the two), local talk shows, and live recordings made made either in a local barbershop or at various meetings like the Birchers. A real reel history project. I have over 980 hours, pretty well annotated and searchable:

http://www.otrannex.com/the600/

Paul Verizzo said:

1990's are yesterday.

Signed, COF. Certified Olde Fart. Developed film in my father's darkroom as a wee lad in the 1950's. Also, running a Dual 1229 1970's turntable for my vinyl.

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I too have a Dual turntable that is set up for use now and my only turntable.

Paul Verizzo said:

1990's are yesterday.

Signed, COF. Certified Olde Fart. Developed film in my father's darkroom as a wee lad in the 1950's. Also, running a Dual 1229 1970's turntable for my vinyl.

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I’m there with you. I’m still running my Dual 1226. Full disclosure, I also have a B&O Beogram 5000.

Agulliver said:

I do have some BASF LH reel to reel tape which was used as instrumentation tape. The original recordings were made at 15/16 ips and started with a scientist introducing an experiment and continued with bleeps and other signals. I've recorded over them with Doctor Who radio plays

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In that project I mentioned in another comment where I picked up 563 reels at an estate sale, the guy who made those original off the air recordings had 2 Norelco recorders and he’d make the original tape on one. Then, he’d archive it using the other machine to do the copy. He’s play back at 7-1/2 ips and record at 3-3/4 ips, doing a poorman’s file compression, resulting in a playback speed of 1-7/8 ips. He also did 4-track mono and squeezed 24 hours of stuff on a 7” reel that held 3600’ of tape. I’d have to look but there might have been a 15/16 in some of the tapes. When I digitized all that I’d use software to adjust it to the correct speed. That said, I do have a couple machines that plays all 3 popular speeds, 1-7/8, 3-3/4, 7-1/2, notably an Akai X-2000s which also plays cassettes and 8-tracks.

I suppose our film equivalent for analog image compressing was the 110 and similar formats.

VinceInMT said:

I’m there with you. I’m still running my Dual 1226. Full disclosure, I also have a B&O Beogram 5000.

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I think I had a Garrard. Probably not too good. I didn't have that much money back then. My ears were better back then, however.

madNbad said:

Saddle makers and tack shops never disappeared after the general public adopted the automobile. Some made products for the emerging industry but many have continued to supply both enthusiasts and professionals. Film cameras will never be as ubiquitous as in days past but will continue as long as new users discover the joy of the process. It’s down to just a few companies making new cameras but living in a place where I regularly visit camera repair shops, most are busier than ever much to young people bringing in their grandparents camera and wanting to learn how to use it.

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Nooby here, sorry if I'm flogging the dead horse. Digital cameras are "upgraded", film ones don't. Ditto Automoviles become old models, saddles last generations. Strong interest? By all means; all of us that have an old Leica M or mechanical Nikon wants to keep them out of the museum or cupboard. My avatar here is YT in 2004 with my then only granddaughter and at the moment new Leica MP. My granddaughter is 20 now and in college. Did she become obsolete? Ha! Just a beautiful lady in college. Did my MP? ROTFL! Wetzlar has a queue yaer and a half long.

Ceers, Jorge.

Sirius Glass said:

I too have a Dual turntable that is set up for use now and my only turntable.

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It tracks at 0.5 grams.

Alan Edward Klein said:

I think I had a Garrard. Probably not too good. I didn't have that much money back then. My ears were better back then, however.

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No, back in the day the Garrard was pretty upscale. I still have my parents’ old Silvertone console (circa 1959) and upgraded it to a hand-me-down Garrard in in the late 60s. Pretty nice player. And, as you said, all that stuff still sounds pretty good with the miles we have on our hearing.

Perhaps the OP ought request a title change for this thread to "Is there really a strong interest in old audio technology?"

jorgemtrevino said:

Nooby here, sorry if I'm flogging the dead horse. Digital cameras are "upgraded", film ones don't

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Film cameras are upgraded/updated every time the film manufacturers improve the film they sell.

Now that doesn't happen as frequently as it used to, but a 1930s camera benefits tremendously from the current generation of film. When those nice people at Zeiss-Ikon made my 521/16, they had no idea that 85 years later I would load it with Ektar and get wonderful summertime shots....or Delta 3200 and take it to a jazz/blues club.

Sal Santamaura said:

Perhaps the OP ought request a title change for this thread to "Is there really a strong interest in old audio technology?"

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Not to worry, Sal. Just a sign that the thread is running out of road.

pentaxuser

Agulliver said:

Film cameras are upgraded/updated every time the film manufacturers improve the film they sell.

Now that doesn't happen as frequently as it used to, but a 1930s camera benefits tremendously from the current generation of film. When those nice people at Zeiss-Ikon made my 521/16, they had no idea that 85 years later I would load it with Ektar and get wonderful summertime shots....or Delta 3200 and take it to a jazz/blues club.

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And film cameras can become obsolete when the film sizes the were made for are discontinued. Try getting a 126 cartridge or 127 film, even 220 and perforated 70mm.

Pieter12 said:

And film cameras can become obsolete when the film sizes the were made for are discontinued. Try getting a 126 cartridge or 127 film, even 220 and perforated 70mm.

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I bought some 127 and 220 earlier this year.

I just finished a roll of 220, and I've rolled my own in the past.

Agulliver said:

I bought some 127 and 220 earlier this year.

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Current stock? Off-brand?

Pieter12 said:

Current stock? Off-brand?

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Shanghai makes 220, it's their own emulsion as far as I can tell.

Pieter12 said:

Polaroid made the Daylab Jr. that would make prints from slides. I think Vivitar had a version, too. Polaroid makes one today that will make prints from a smartphone screen.

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Now that's really cool. If I had one of those (and the paper for it), I would shoot a lot of slides.

Pieter12 said:

Current stock? Off-brand?

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Yes current stock, Shanghai GP3. they also make 620.

I've also used Rerapan 127 film which is hand rolled in Japan....B&W and colour available. It's not cheap, but it's available.

Another anecdote....I happened to hear BBC Radio 2 about 5:20pm yesterday when one of the presenters mentioned that she'd found her old film camera in a drawer in her house..."about 30 years old"....co-presenter commented that it is now probably "cool".

Agulliver said:

Film cameras are upgraded/updated every time the film manufacturers improve the film they sell.

Now that doesn't happen as frequently as it used to, but a 1930s camera benefits tremendously from the current generation of film. When those nice people at Zeiss-Ikon made my 521/16, they had no idea that 85 years later I would load it with Ektar and get wonderful summertime shots....or Delta 3200 and take it to a jazz/blues club.

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I got a Zeiss Ikon from a relative, it apparently belonged to a deceased grand uncle. I think it's pre WWII as it says Made In Germany (not West or East). It's got a Tessar 45/2.8 made by Zeiss-Opton. The rangefinder is all right, not desilvered and fairly bright; but the operation is (frankly) a nightmare. The shutter works, but I doubt it's worth the cost of the CLA.

jorgemtrevino said:

I got a Zeiss Ikon from a relative, it apparently belonged to a deceased grand uncle. I think it's pre WWII as it says Made In Germany (not West or East). It's got a Tessar 45/2.8 made by Zeiss-Opton. The rangefinder is all right, not desilvered and fairly bright; but the operation is (frankly) a nightmare. The shutter works, but I doubt it's worth the cost of the CLA.

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The lens alone would make it worth it alone for a CLA. I had a pre World War II SuperDolly with a Zeiss lens and the camera took really great photographs because of the lens.

Any pre-WWII Zeiss-Ikon with Tessar lens and rangefinder is worth CLA.

Most of them work fine without, but monetarily at least...totally worth it.

The lesser models with "Nettar" designation, or Novar lenses and no rangefinder...not so much....though the Novar Anastigmat f3.5 is a very good lens. THat is a *very* nice 35mm camera you have there. Quite desirable and still very usable.

From my perspective as a Digital Camera owner, I just don't like where Digital cameras are going at present, images look more digital with each new camera release and I feel like the images from modern cameras seem to lack any kind of soul hence why I've probably started having more of an interest in film so I would say that if I'm anything to go by as a relative newcomer to Film photography, than the interest in film will continue to grow?