Re-entering the world of film photography

rlivick · Dec 24, 2023

Hello

Rob from the central coast of California. I was heavily into amateur photography in the 70's, 80's, and 90's, but a couple of decades of nothing but digital/phone photography and since retiring this year; I am back to film photography. I even took the local community college's first semester film photography class to get back into the darkroom and will be continuing with all of their photo classes. I may even set up a home darkroom (B&W), pending approval from my better half.

Thanks in advance for the support!!

Rob

Olympus OM-1n, OM-2n
Voigtlander Bessa R3M
Leica iif
Contax iia
YashicaMat 124-G
HOLGA 120N

xkaes · Dec 24, 2023

Welcome back. We've been wondering what took you so long. It's a good thing you didn't get rid of all your gear.

And tell your better half that setting up a simple darkroom is, well, SIMPLE. Lots of shutterbugs forgo the enlarger these days -- unlike me -- so a darkroom is optional.

Dusty Negative · Dec 24, 2023

Hello Rob.

Nary a question here that hasn’t or can’t be answered. After five years of fiddling with film I am still in awe of the collective knowledge here.

So, welcome and enjoy.

koraks · Dec 24, 2023

Welcome back to the dark ~~side~~ room. We do not have cookies. We do have potions!

Alan Edward Klein · Dec 24, 2023

Welcome back. If you need a nearby processing lab that does good work, I mail my film to North Coast Photo Service in Carlsbad, CA.

Sirius Glass · Dec 24, 2023

Welcome back to Photrio and photography. My photographic interest wanes and waxes depending on my life situation, all though the tide changes decades apart. This is a good place to be to learn new techniques and knowledge to supplement your knowledge and experience. A few years ago I took a course in May with Alan Ross, an assistant of Ansel Adams, who is the one of the few that are allowed to print his negative for the Ansel Adams family. I learned more about using a light meter, the Zone System, split grade printing and other darkroom tools than I learned in years of studying otherwise. Feel free to PM me with any question, advice or help.

rlivick · Dec 24, 2023

Alan Edward Klein said:
Welcome back. If you need a nearby processing lab that does good work, I mail my film to North Coast Photo Service in Carlsbad, CA.

Alan,
Great to know! So far I've had color processed at Dexter's in Ventura and The Darkroom in San Clemente. B&W I've processed myself at Cuesta College.

Rob

mshchem · Dec 24, 2023

Welcome back. A Darkroom can simply be a dark room. I retired recently, this sort of thing is what I enjoy most. Welcome again!

TomR55 · Dec 25, 2023

Welcome back. I had a decade's hiatus from film developing as I retired and relocated. About a year ago, however, i was able to re-establish a partial darkroom---an environment where I could process films. Lacking space and any reasonable way of altering my living space, I could not return to wet printing and instead learned how to scan. That said, I truly miss printing ... for any number of reasons. One thing that I think has improved within the previous decade is the availability of environmentally conscious chemistry (in the panchromatic space), a variety of liquid developers (so I don't have to mix my own chemistry unless it's something that I need to fabricate), and various online communities (such as photo.com) that can provide good support in a variety of areas.

rlivick · Dec 25, 2023

xkaes said:
Welcome back. We've been wondering what took you so long. It's a good thing you didn't get rid of all your gear.

And tell your better half that setting up a simple darkroom is, well, SIMPLE. Lots of shutterbugs forgo the enlarger these days -- unlike me -- so a darkroom is optional.

mshchem said:
Welcome back. A Darkroom can simply be a dark room. I retired recently, this sort of thing is what I enjoy most. Welcome again!

I'm thinking a changing bag and the spare bathroom for film processing. Then scanning for now.

BMbikerider · Dec 25, 2023

rlivick said:
I'm thinking a changing bag and the spare bathroom for film processing. Then scanning for now.

I think you may be disappointed by scans unless you can sauce one of those dedicated to 35mm or 120. Flatbeds are OK but they don't have the quality of a scanner even as old as the later Nikon ones but even those will be approaching their mid teens. Get a good working one and they will have a fairly long life but you will have to use a later operating system Nikon software will not work with anything past Windows XP. Also scanning has an unfortunate habit of over emphasising the negative grain and unless you have some sort of software to correct scanning 'oddities'

Why not wait a while and go the whole hog and start darkroom printing as well. Enlargers are creeping up a bit in price but there are some which are very good and not overly expensive.

Sirius Glass · Dec 25, 2023

rlivick said:
I'm thinking a changing bag and the spare bathroom for film processing. Then scanning for now.

I prefer something larger and easier to work in. Like this:

Photoflex Changing Room

Photoflex Changing Room - The Photoflex Changing Room is an upgrade from the traditional dark bag.This double walled, light-tight changing bag includes an internal frame that provides plenty of room to work and an internal, removable "trash bag" for film…

www.freestylephoto.com

mshchem · Dec 25, 2023

Sirius Glass said:
I prefer something larger and easier to work in. Like this:

Photoflex Changing Room

Photoflex Changing Room - The Photoflex Changing Room is an upgrade from the traditional dark bag.This double walled, light-tight changing bag includes an internal frame that provides plenty of room to work and an internal, removable "trash bag" for film…

www.freestylephoto.com

This looks way better than regular, sweat your hands off, changing bags. I have the luxury of space for a darkroom, but in the past I would wait until dark and go into a bathroom or a closet to load reels.

The Photoflex tent looks quite nice!!

VinceInMT · Dec 26, 2023

rlivick said:
I'm thinking a changing bag and the spare bathroom for film processing. Then scanning for now.

I did a DIY thing for changing film/paper in my pinhole camera that I took into the field many times with good results. All that was needed was a cardboard box with a lid, a pair legs off black pants and, or course, some duct tape.

Re-entering the world of film photography

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