Splitting rolls of film?

MattKing · Jan 31, 2017

The only reason some of us may be saying that what you intend to do is "wrong" is that some of us may have tried what you are intending and learned that it doesn't work out so well.
And I'd expect all of us have traveled at one time or other to interesting places and learned what works well with film and what can get in the way.
I think you will find that splitting rolls of film will tend to get in the way, and result in your enjoying both your trip and the photography less. I base that on experience with splitting rolls, and experience with interesting travel.
I would buy a couple more rolls, and I would be prepared to waste a portion of them.
I hope that advice helps you enjoy the trip and the photography more.

railwayman3 · Feb 1, 2017

MattKing said:
The only reason some of us may be saying that what you intend to do is "wrong" is that some of us may have tried what you are intending and learned that it doesn't work out so well.
And I'd expect all of us have traveled at one time or other to interesting places and learned what works well with film and what can get in the way.
I think you will find that splitting rolls of film will tend to get in the way, and result in your enjoying both your trip and the photography less. I base that on experience with splitting rolls, and experience with interesting travel.
I would buy a couple more rolls, and I would be prepared to waste a portion of them.
I hope that advice helps you enjoy the trip and the photography more.

Very fair observations....I've learn over many years that, when visiting "special" places, the simplest and least of your photo equipment you can get away with, the better. If you're enjoying unique architecture, absorbing historic places, or enjoying local life (or food !), or socialising with your friends, you don't want to complicate things by fiddling with unfamiliar films or equipment. I'm sure that's all that I and any of the previous posters are trying to say.
I love experimenting at times....last year I spent some time systematically trying out various filters for B&W to see which (IMHO) gave the best rendering of blue sky , white clouds and landscape....the full set (light yellow, mid-yellow, dark yellow, yellow-green, light orange, dark orange and red !). Great fun, but when I went to Austria for three weeks in the autumn, I took just one of these filters. My experimenting proved that this would give me what I wanted, and I could concentrate on enjoying the holiday and the landscape, travelling light, and not boring my wife and friends by proving that I really am a nerd who fiddles with his camera stuff all the time !

LAG · Feb 1, 2017

MattKing said:
The only reason some of us may be saying that what you intend to do is "wrong" is that some of us may have tried what you are intending and learned that it doesn't work out so well...I hope that advice helps you enjoy the trip and the photography more.

railwayman3 said:
Very fair observations....I've learn over many years that, when visiting "special" places, the simplest and least of your photo equipment you can get away with, the better. If you're enjoying unique architecture, absorbing historic places, or enjoying local life (or food !), or socialising with your friends, you don't want to complicate things by fiddling with unfamiliar films...

I do not want to be a bother if I insist but, Is there any reason why we shouldn't let people make mistakes themselves? Why should not people take risks for themselves? Why do people have to learn from others and not from themselves?

~~My advice is "take risks, make mistakes, learn from them" ..., that is compatible with enjoying the trip~~

Best

pdeeh · Feb 1, 2017

LAG said:
Is there any reason why we shouldn't let people make mistakes themselves? Why should not people take risks for themselves? Why do people have to learn from others and not from themselves?

This

MattKing · Feb 1, 2017

LAG said:
I do not want to be a bother if I insist but, Is there any reason why we shouldn't let people make mistakes themselves? Why should not people take risks for themselves? Why do people have to learn from others and not from themselves?

My advice is "take risks, make mistakes, learn from them" ..., that is compatible with enjoying the trip

Best

So it is okay for you to give advice, but not the rest of us?
Sorry, but I couldn't resist.
To the OP: feel free to use whatever advice you see fit. And to test out for yourself whatever advice you think needs testing.
And for what it is worth, I think the fact that you asked for advice is a good thing. In my time, I have gained a lot of good things from other's advice. And I've made my own mistakes too.
I (and I expect the others too) just read your request and wanted to help, because we ourselves have benefited so much from the help we have received in the past.

Harry Stevens · Feb 1, 2017

LAG said:
I do not want to be a bother if I insist but, Is there any reason why we shouldn't let people make mistakes themselves? Why should not people take risks for themselves? Why do people have to learn from others and not from themselves?

My advice is "take risks, make mistakes, learn from them" ..., that is compatible with enjoying the trip

Best

Asking for advice and then bitching about it when it arrives is something different.

LAG · Feb 2, 2017

MattKing said:
So it is okay for you to give advice, but not the rest of us?
Sorry, but I couldn't resist

I agree with you (I've just edited my post) -- I was giving myself out loud the answers to those questions --. But you got my point "to the OP" after all.

Best

Harry Stevens said:
Asking for advice and then bitching about it when it arrives is something different.

Speak for yourself! You can read this thread again starting here (#22):

Harry Stevens said:
...This thread is riduculous ...

TattyJJ · Feb 2, 2017

Everyone is free to give whatever advice they see fit, the problem, Harry, is that you didn't give advice!
You just described the idea as riduculous and crazy, then proceeded to bleat on about how I'm so wrong and should do what your telling me!

That's not advice, it's not even constructive criticism, it's being an ass

pdeeh · Feb 2, 2017

MattKing said:
I (and I expect the others too) just read your request and wanted to help, because we ourselves have benefited so much from the help we have received in the past.

I don't doubt that almost every bit of advice offered to questions posted at APUG is given in good faith and with the best intentions.
The problem arises that it is often offered carrying a great many unacknowledged assumptions about what the OP wants from photography.
Of course APUG is the home of photographic orthodoxy, so we shouldn't be surprised if it is often a very conservative place.
For instance, almost all advice offered on what a "good negative" looks like is based on the idea that the negative will be used to make a darkroom print on photographic paper. Not a safe assumption in 2017.
Or that the best and only way to learn is to start with simple things and repeat them by rote until "mastered".
Or that the photographic virtues are (e.g.) sharpness, consistency, "mastery".
(They're "academic virtues", born of the professionalisation of teaching of photography in the US in the 40s and 50s I'd say)

All these are perfectly reasonable approaches, of course, if one subscribes to them.
If one doesn't, they're of no interest or use.
So when someone comes along and asks "what's the best way to experiment?" and is greeted with a chorus of "don't experiment!" , let's not be surprised if they sound a bit miffed.

Here's a quote from Man Ray:

Man Ray said:
The streets are full of admirable craftsmen, but so few practical dreamers.

for "the streets are", I suppose we could substitute "APUG is"

TattyJJ · Feb 2, 2017

pdeeh said:
I don't doubt that almost every bit of advice offered to questions posted at APUG is given in good faith and with the best intentions.
The problem arises that it is often offered carrying a great many unacknowledged assumptions about what the OP wants from photography.
Of course APUG is the home of photographic orthodoxy, so we shouldn't be surprised if it is often a very conservative place.
For instance, almost all advice offered on what a "good negative" looks like is based on the idea that the negative will be used to make a darkroom print on photographic paper. Not a safe assumption in 2017.
Or that the best and only way to learn is to start with simple things and repeat them by rote until "mastered".
Or that the photographic virtues are (e.g.) sharpness, consistency, "mastery".
(They're "academic virtues", born of the professionalisation of teaching of photography in the US in the 40s and 50s I'd say)

All these are perfectly reasonable approaches, of course, if one subscribes to them.
If one doesn't, they're of no interest or use.
So when someone comes along and asks "what's the best way to experiment?" and is greeted with a chorus of "don't experiment!" , let's not be surprised if they sound a bit miffed.

Here's a quote from Man Ray:

for "the streets are", I suppose we could substitute "APUG is"

THIS, SO MUCH THIS!

pdeeh · Feb 2, 2017

Thanks. But let's not forget this bit:

I don't doubt that almost every bit of advice offered to questions posted at APUG is given in good faith and with the best intentions.

TattyJJ · Feb 2, 2017

pdeeh said:
Thanks. But let's not forget this bit:

I don't doubt that is the case, initially at least, on the most part

Harry Stevens · Feb 2, 2017

TattyJJ said:
Everyone is free to give whatever advice they see fit, the problem, Harry, is that you didn't give advice!
You just described the idea as riduculous and crazy, then proceeded to bleat on about how I'm so wrong and should do what your telling me!

That's not advice, it's not even constructive criticism, it's being an ass

Well after reading some of your other nonsensical contradictory rambling on this site I would say you are a either a wind up merchant or incredibliy dumb.

TattyJJ · Feb 2, 2017

Grow up FFS

Harry Stevens · Feb 3, 2017

You are a wind up merchant aren't you........

BrianShaw · Feb 3, 2017

Question from an ignorant foreigner: what does that expression mean?

BrianShaw · Feb 3, 2017

BrianShaw said:
Question from an ignorant foreigner: what does that expression mean?

Cancel question. Ignore. Delete. Don't answer... I googled it.

TattyJJ · Feb 3, 2017

BrianShaw said:
Cancel question. Ignore. Delete. Don't answer... I googled it.

Don't worry, he's just being a pain in the ass. Has now moved on to posting rubbish on all my threads!

rpavich · Feb 3, 2017

Ill chimb in because i have cut rolls myself, for the same reasons you are giving.

What I found is that it was not only a hassle but with the amount of frames wasted it wasn't worth it financially either.

A 24 shot roll of color film is $2.00 if you shop smart. If you waste 5 shots per roll the that amounts to 8 cents per frame = 40 cents....not worth even thinking about.

I finally decided to shoot rolls of 24 exposures and forget the money wasted, enjoy my trip.

And lastly, ive found that while on an important trip, simple is better than complex and known is better than unknown.

You are free to do what you like of course, you will find what works for you and what doesnt, hopefully not at the expense of some once-in-a-lifetime images.

tezzasmall · Feb 4, 2017

TattyJJ said:
For now at least i want to split my rolls of expired Velvia so i can take some test shots and see what condition it's in without having to potentially waste a whole roll.

TattyJJ,

I've just reread the whole thread and suddenly noticed the following word in one of your bits = 'Velvia'.

It may be obvious to some, but do you realise that that this is a SLIDE film and not a print one? Just checking, just as I had to as not a user of it.

Terry S

TattyJJ · Feb 4, 2017

tezzasmall said:
TattyJJ,

I've just reread the whole thread and suddenly noticed the following word in one of your bits = 'Velvia'.

It may be obvious to some, but do you realise that that this is a SLIDE film and not a print one? Just checking, just as I had to as not a user of it.

Terry S

Yes, i am quite aware

Splitting rolls of film?

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