Time to stop buying film

RattyMouse · Jan 1, 2018

Looking at my film stash in my fridge, I realize now on this new year's day that I need to stop buying film. I have waaaay more than I can shoot for probably 5+ years. I dont know why but I'm always buying film, but rarely finding anything worth shooting. I guess it's a (bad) habit from my years living in China. There I shot 10+rolls/week on average and so always had to keep stocking up. I have enough Neopan 400 in both 135 and 120 size to easily last me 5 years. I have enough Agfa Vista 200 to last me at least 2-3 years, maybe more. I have enough 400H in 120 size to last me at least 2 years. And buried in my freezer are many rolls of Astia 100F in 220 size and I think one or two pro packs of Provia 400X, if I ever decide to get back into E6.

I know that many here have enormous stashes of film, much more than I do. Have you stopped buying or do you just keep on accumulating film?

The only film that I think I'll buy in this coming year is Delta 3200 and Superia 1600. I have no high speed black and white film and only 5 rolls of Superia 1600.

Since I can't get a dark room set up, I think scanning is my future with film. Scanning and printing that is.

removedacct1 · Jan 1, 2018

I'm no longer caching film, since most of what I do (and plan to do) is wet plate collodion work. No more relying on film manufacturers!

RattyMouse · Jan 1, 2018

paulbarden said:
I'm no longer caching film, since most of what I do (and plan to do) is wet plate collodion work. No more relying on film manufacturers!

Can I use that in my Nikon FM2n?

removedacct1 · Jan 1, 2018

RattyMouse said:
Can I use that in my Nikon FM2n?

With a little creative tweaking, you could! I've used a Holga as a wet plate camera, and I know someone who uses a Rolleiflex for the task.

Theo Sulphate · Jan 1, 2018

My stock is good for about 6 months.

I have 14 boxes of FP-3000B and 18 of FP-100C. I love the Fuji film. I'm tempted to buy more, but it's so expensive and I don't know how well it lasts, even refrigerated.

eddie · Jan 1, 2018

What stands out ( for me) in your post isn’t how much film you’ve stocked, it’s that you’re “ rarely finding anything worth shooting”. Time to light a fire, and find something worthwhile.

RattyMouse · Jan 1, 2018

eddie said:
What stands out ( for me) in your post isn’t how much film you’ve stocked, it’s that you’re “ rarely finding anything worth shooting”. Time to light a fire, and find something worthwhile.

6 years in Asia has literally ruined me. I find living back in the US (where I lived 44 years) very uninteresting; even boring.

jvo · Jan 1, 2018

RattyMouse said:
6 years in Asia has literally ruined me. I find living back in the US (where I lived 44 years) very uninteresting; even boring.

Sounds like a move back to china is in order! (I'll be you camera bearer, if it helps!)

RalphLambrecht · Jan 1, 2018

I haven't bought filters since I went fulldigital in 2013 but, I noticed that the amount of exposures n general are way down too; I hope it just means that I've gotten much more selective in image creation.

eddie · Jan 1, 2018

I understand exotic locales can be a boon to making photographs. Still, I think with a little creativity and imagination, even the most mundane and “boring” subjects can be transformed.

Sirius Glass · Jan 1, 2018

I now just replenish film that I use up but I am always ready to buy a lot more if a film I love is going to be discontinued.

removed account4 · Jan 1, 2018

eddie said:
I understand exotic locales can be a boon to making photographs. Still, I think with a little creativity and imagination, even the most mundane and “boring” subjects can be transformed.

you can say THAT again !
usually the stuff that is local, borning and mundane is the least
boring and mundane of all. very little transformation is necessary !

Chan Tran · Jan 1, 2018

RalphLambrecht said:
I haven't bought filters since I went fulldigital in 2013 but, I noticed that the amount of exposures n general are way down too; I hope it just means that I've gotten much more selective in image creation.

Because now you use digital and people keeping track of shutter count. Before with film cameras nobody kept track of the shutter count.

mshchem · Jan 1, 2018

I keep buying film. I try to buy steadily so the film folks can stay in business. Same with paper. I will use it eventually, I always do. One of these days I'm going to dig out one of my 16 sheet 4x5 film packs of Tri-X 320 dated early 80's, strap on a big old Graphic flash on my Crown, fill a couple pockets full of 25B bulbs, and go play Jimmy Olsen. I'm still shooting TMY-1 4x5 100 sheet boxes, love it. Film is like money in the bank, unless you lose the urge. I love film (and paper)

Andrew O'Neill · Jan 1, 2018

RattyMouse said:
6 years in Asia has literally ruined me. I find living back in the US (where I lived 44 years) very uninteresting; even boring.

I totally get this. It took me a few years after 12 years in Japan to find myself again. Thankfully there are a few inspirational areas that I visit.

dreamingartemis · Jan 2, 2018

For my B&W needs I'm good for 6 months (At my current rate of shooting), but for my C41 needs I'm only about 1 or 2 months because I have been actively shooting Portra 160 (both 35mm and 120).

I am trying to build a large reserve because the forex exchange between USD and my country is getting worse.

RattyMouse · Jan 2, 2018

Sirius Glass said:
I now just replenish film that I use up but I am always ready to buy a lot more if a film I love is going to be discontinued.

Yeah, with Superia 1600 now discontinued, I think I'm going to keep buying that until it becomes unavailable.

RattyMouse · Jan 2, 2018

Andrew O'Neill said:
I totally get this. It took me a few years after 12 years in Japan to find myself again. Thankfully there are a few inspirational areas that I visit.

I'd give ANNNYYYYTTHIINNNGGG to be able to live in Japan. A more fascinating place on earth to me does not exist.
I always would come back from a week in Japan with 40, 50, even 60 rolls of film shot. My fingers would be literally raw from rewinding my Fuji GF rangefinders so much.

Ste_S · Jan 2, 2018

eddie said:
I understand exotic locales can be a boon to making photographs. Still, I think with a little creativity and imagination, even the most mundane and “boring” subjects can be transformed.

I live in Birmingham in the UK which is probably as far as you can get from exotic. Still loads of stuff to shoot though, probably more than I'll ever be able to photograph and/or do justice too.

Helinophoto · Jan 2, 2018

Kind of the same situation here actually.
I stocked up on many different films from 2009-2013, but I actually don't shoot all that much, especially in winter, since it's dark much of the time.
( I still have EFKE in 120 and 35mm, plus-x and neopan as well)

Well, at least I will be shooting film for a "few years", that's for sure ^^

blockend · Jan 2, 2018

RattyMouse said:
I have waaaay more than I can shoot for probably 5+ years.

You're clearly not trying hard enough.

blockend · Jan 2, 2018

Ste_S said:
I live in Birmingham in the UK which is probably as far as you can get from exotic.

In 40 years time Birmingham 2018 will be as exotic as the Amazon. Until they invent a time machine, a camera is as near as it gets.

Renato Tonelli · Jan 2, 2018

Fred Picker had been known to advise (in his newsletters) to buy a lifetime’s worth of film and freeze it. This was on the assumption that film is always cheaper if you buy it now than sometime later.
I have a large freezer full of film...

Ko.Fe. · Jan 2, 2018

HP5+ is pushable @3200 and gives same if not better results.
I also find what basic Kodak 400 C-41 is very publishable @1600.

Full freezer is well known FSU syndrome. It is affecting us still for food. Film, I was able to maintain. My small freezer has C-41, E-6 1L bottles; dozen of E-6, twenty of C-41 film rolls, three BW film bulks and two junk film bulks for tests.
So, plenty of space for beer and other bottles.

I came from FSU where many land is in Asia... It is very boring in Canada, in terms of corruption, freedom of speech, voting and human rights, justice and else. So, I'm not looking back. I could get to local politician close, take his photo. It is boring, but possible. Or I could photograph some protests. Not in FSU, then and now.

RattyMouse · Jan 2, 2018

Renato Tonelli said:
Fred Picker had been known to advise (in his newsletters) to buy a lifetime’s worth of film and freeze it. This was on the assumption that film is always cheaper if you buy it now than sometime later.
I have a large freezer full of film...

When I first returned to film, Fuji Acros 100 film was $2.50/roll. That wasnt all that long ago. Today it's nearly triple that. So I agree that buying now and freezing film is a possible way to hedge against inflation. I sure wish I loaded up on Acros back then when it was THE cheapest film at B & H.

Time to stop buying film

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