Returning to real photography

Snaphappyscottiedog · 02-11-2011, 06:16 AM - **1 Like**

Up until last year when one of my dogs got ill and i had to sell my D300 to pay for the vet bills i never thought about having a SLR, i just thought i would always use digital.
I tried to get money together for the K7 and granted i have enough now but for the next couple of years i want to get back to real photography the excitement of not knowing what is in the can until it is developed.
Tonight i go and pick up a Pentax K1000 with a 28mm and a 50mm lens and loads of extras and all in excellent condition. I cant wait to get my hands on the camera again and re-learning how to use film again.
I will probably be back on asking silly questions that i should most likely know the answers to but have forgotten due to using digital.

bdery · 02-11-2011, 06:28 AM

I'm sure you will enjoy your K1000, it's a legendary tool and will serve you well.

I wonder, however, why you consider film photography to be more real than digital...

séamuis · 02-11-2011, 06:48 AM

Originally posted by bdery

I'm sure you will enjoy your K1000, it's a legendary tool and will serve you well.

I wonder, however, why you consider film photography to be more real than digital...

film photography gives you an actual physical medium that you can hold in your hand and its there from beginning to end. and for the photographer that does his own developing, its even more so because you get to actually watch the photo come to be. its about the process and having the physical medium. its also in a lot of cases about the more user involvement needed throughout the process. you have to be physically involved in virtually every part of the process from beginning to end to get proper results. and that satisfaction adds to the ‘realness’. and when its all done, you again have the actual physical results right there in your hand to touch and see.

with digital you only get a file made up of ones and zeros. you may not see the big difference but a lot of people do. you can be just as user involved with a digital camera if you do everything manually, but the medium is simply not the same. its like when people say music is more ‘real’ on vinyl. because it requires you to put other things aside and be involved with the recorded medium. to physically take part and make the process of listening to an album an actual activity. something people almost never do with digital music on a portable media player. thus you get that sense of ‘realness’. it can be hard to understand if you’ve never experienced the analogue side of modern digital equivalents. not saying you haven’t of course, but just that, its usually the reason most people don’t quite understand.

Snaphappyscottiedog · 02-11-2011, 06:49 AM

I don't really, but what i do mean is that with a slr you are in my way of thinking a bit more hands on in deciding what film to load for the type of pictures i want to take. the fact that you can't see instantly what a picture will look like until it is developed. My Nikon D300 was a very forgiving camera and i found if my calculations where out it would correct me without any prompting if used in one of the auto modes. When a mistake is made with the SLR then you learn from that as you either have to go back and try again and hope for the same conditions as before, after all a roll of film costs money and you may have 36 shots only to get it right whereas the DSLR you can nearly fire off as many shots as your memory card can hold.
I also love the DSLR and in the next couple of years hope to have the new K5 to add to my collection.

dude163 · 02-11-2011, 07:02 AM

i prefer digital with vintage manual lenses

Snaphappyscottiedog · 02-11-2011, 07:05 AM

Over the next couple of years i will be building up a collection of manual lenses so when i get my k5 i shall have the option to use both.

eddie1960 · 02-11-2011, 07:20 AM

I use both (as do a lot of forum members) you might want to look at

Film Processing, Scanning, and Darkroom - PentaxForums.com

lots of good info to be found there. I prefer film for b/w. I still shoot c41 and e6 though as well. moreso with rangefinders and medium format, but i do use a couple of old pentax bodies as well. I grew up shooting film and still prefer it for some things, but i like the immediacy of digital sometimes as well.
the one thing i find film does is makes me slow down and think about every shot a little more as every shot costs me money (mind you I'd have to shoot an awful lot of film to justify replacing my medium format camera with a 645d)
I like the wait to see what i got as well. it's kind of like opening a present. I have a whack of backlog films to get to processing, I have an idea whats on them but i'm sure there will be lots of pleasant surprises (and probably some disappointments as well)
welcome back to the past. and those old lenses will serve you well when you buy a k7 or k5 or whichever body you choose. I shoot mostly with my old lenses now

séamuis · 02-11-2011, 07:23 AM

Originally posted by eddie1960

I like the wait to see what i got as well. it's kind of like opening a present. I have a whack of backlog films to get to processing, I have an idea whats on them but i'm sure there will be lots of pleasant surprises (and probably some disappointments as well)

I have about 350-400 rolls of undeveloped film in my refrigerator.

Snaphappyscottiedog · 02-11-2011, 07:40 AM

Sheesh that will take either some amount of time or money to develop that lot.

stevebrot · 02-11-2011, 07:44 AM

Originally posted by séamuis

I have about 350-400 rolls of undeveloped film in my refrigerator.

Shame! Shame! I prescribe a potent laxative!

Steve

eddie1960 · 02-11-2011, 07:54 AM

Originally posted by séamuis

I have about 350-400 rolls of undeveloped film in my refrigerator.

wholly crap. i feel bad about having 16-17 right now
you need to spend a month or 2 in the darkroom just to catch up (or spend a ton of cash and have someone else do it)

séamuis · 02-11-2011, 07:57 AM

Originally posted by Snaphappyscottiedog

Sheesh that will take either some amount of time or money to develop that lot.

im like garry winogrand in this regard. i often enjoy the practice of taking photos more than the development, because i am out and about and connecting with people. also after so long, with taking photos and when you know your equipment inside and out you often know pretty much how a photo is going to look when you capture it. (thats something that comes with being 100% in control of every part of the photo taking process and is something that can be learned just as well with a digital but often isn’t, by most.) but yea, I have a problem.

honestly, I haven’t a clue anymore what is on most of that film. its mostly all B&W though so I haven’t much to worry about in regards to expiring since its being kept cold. also, the volume of film is pretty low compared to most serious amateurs. it also doesn’t in any way indicate just how good of a photographer I am. little secret: im not that good.

séamuis · 02-11-2011, 07:59 AM

Originally posted by eddie1960

wholly crap. i feel bad about having 16-17 right now
you need to spend a month or 2 in the darkroom just to catch up (or spend a ton of cash and have someone else do it)

don’t have a darkroom, but I do have all the necessary equipment for developing. what I have been looking into is bulk film loading. this seems more sane, considering my habits.

eddie1960 · 02-11-2011, 08:09 AM

I used to bulk load in the 70's when i was a poor student. you have to be meticulous with the canisters and loader, it doesn't take much to create micro-scratches all the way along the film. with the price of freestyles knock off b/w films (i.e. Arista +kodak plusx and trix) it's not as huge saving any more, at least not at my volume levels

séamuis · 02-11-2011, 08:21 AM

Originally posted by eddie1960

I used to bulk load in the 70's when i was a poor student. you have to be meticulous with the canisters and loader, it doesn't take much to create micro-scratches all the way along the film. with the price of freestyles knock off b/w films (i.e. Arista +kodak plusx and trix) it's not as huge saving any more, at least not at my volume levels

thanks for the insight, much appreciated. I enjoy freestyle myself, but Im not much for ordering and taking delivery of my film from the internet, and getting quality film from the local shops isn’t exactly cheap. (this is a huge ‘photography’ city having SCAD here and being a big tourist city, and yet we only have three or four shops that actually sell and develop film.) kind of a shame really, and buying bulk rolls of ILFORD from all of them is cheaper than buying a brick of ready canisters. but I will certainly look more into buying from freestyle, I know im sure thankful they are around.

02-11-2011, 06:16 AM - 1 Like	#1
Snaphappyscottiedog Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Larbert, Scotland Photos: Albums Posts: 33	Returning to real photography Up until last year when one of my dogs got ill and i had to sell my D300 to pay for the vet bills i never thought about having a SLR, i just thought i would always use digital. I tried to get money together for the K7 and granted i have enough now but for the next couple of years i want to get back to real photography the excitement of not knowing what is in the can until it is developed. Tonight i go and pick up a Pentax K1000 with a 28mm and a 50mm lens and loads of extras and all in excellent condition. I cant wait to get my hands on the camera again and re-learning how to use film again. I will probably be back on asking silly questions that i should most likely know the answers to but have forgotten due to using digital.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
What is REAL photography? [final]	RioRico	Photographic Technique	54	06-21-2012 08:24 AM
Has anyone done real estate photography before?	jennverr	Photographic Technique	19	02-02-2011 07:17 AM
Returning to photography	LostAgain	Welcomes and Introductions	1	12-29-2010 07:25 PM
Returning to Photography and Pentax after 30years.	Touchwood	Welcomes and Introductions	3	10-08-2010 04:38 AM
Real Estate Photography	spun	Photographic Industry and Professionals	16	08-12-2009 09:43 AM

02-11-2011, 06:28 AM	#2
bdery Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Quebec city, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,360	I'm sure you will enjoy your K1000, it's a legendary tool and will serve you well. I wonder, however, why you consider film photography to be more real than digital...

02-11-2011, 06:48 AM	#3
séamuis Banned Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Savannah, U.S./Baguio City, P.H. Posts: 5,979	Originally posted by bdery I'm sure you will enjoy your K1000, it's a legendary tool and will serve you well. I wonder, however, why you consider film photography to be more real than digital... film photography gives you an actual physical medium that you can hold in your hand and its there from beginning to end. and for the photographer that does his own developing, its even more so because you get to actually watch the photo come to be. its about the process and having the physical medium. its also in a lot of cases about the more user involvement needed throughout the process. you have to be physically involved in virtually every part of the process from beginning to end to get proper results. and that satisfaction adds to the ‘realness’. and when its all done, you again have the actual physical results right there in your hand to touch and see. with digital you only get a file made up of ones and zeros. you may not see the big difference but a lot of people do. you can be just as user involved with a digital camera if you do everything manually, but the medium is simply not the same. its like when people say music is more ‘real’ on vinyl. because it requires you to put other things aside and be involved with the recorded medium. to physically take part and make the process of listening to an album an actual activity. something people almost never do with digital music on a portable media player. thus you get that sense of ‘realness’. it can be hard to understand if you’ve never experienced the analogue side of modern digital equivalents. not saying you haven’t of course, but just that, its usually the reason most people don’t quite understand.

02-11-2011, 06:49 AM	#4
Snaphappyscottiedog Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Larbert, Scotland Photos: Albums Posts: 33 Original Poster	I don't really, but what i do mean is that with a slr you are in my way of thinking a bit more hands on in deciding what film to load for the type of pictures i want to take. the fact that you can't see instantly what a picture will look like until it is developed. My Nikon D300 was a very forgiving camera and i found if my calculations where out it would correct me without any prompting if used in one of the auto modes. When a mistake is made with the SLR then you learn from that as you either have to go back and try again and hope for the same conditions as before, after all a roll of film costs money and you may have 36 shots only to get it right whereas the DSLR you can nearly fire off as many shots as your memory card can hold. I also love the DSLR and in the next couple of years hope to have the new K5 to add to my collection.

02-11-2011, 07:02 AM	#5
dude163 Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 824	i prefer digital with vintage manual lenses

02-11-2011, 07:05 AM	#6
Snaphappyscottiedog Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Larbert, Scotland Photos: Albums Posts: 33 Original Poster	Over the next couple of years i will be building up a collection of manual lenses so when i get my k5 i shall have the option to use both.

02-11-2011, 07:20 AM	#7
eddie1960 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,667	I use both (as do a lot of forum members) you might want to look at Film Processing, Scanning, and Darkroom - PentaxForums.com lots of good info to be found there. I prefer film for b/w. I still shoot c41 and e6 though as well. moreso with rangefinders and medium format, but i do use a couple of old pentax bodies as well. I grew up shooting film and still prefer it for some things, but i like the immediacy of digital sometimes as well. the one thing i find film does is makes me slow down and think about every shot a little more as every shot costs me money (mind you I'd have to shoot an awful lot of film to justify replacing my medium format camera with a 645d) I like the wait to see what i got as well. it's kind of like opening a present. I have a whack of backlog films to get to processing, I have an idea whats on them but i'm sure there will be lots of pleasant surprises (and probably some disappointments as well) welcome back to the past. and those old lenses will serve you well when you buy a k7 or k5 or whichever body you choose. I shoot mostly with my old lenses now

02-11-2011, 07:23 AM	#8
séamuis Banned Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Savannah, U.S./Baguio City, P.H. Posts: 5,979	Originally posted by eddie1960 I like the wait to see what i got as well. it's kind of like opening a present. I have a whack of backlog films to get to processing, I have an idea whats on them but i'm sure there will be lots of pleasant surprises (and probably some disappointments as well) I have about 350-400 rolls of undeveloped film in my refrigerator.

02-11-2011, 07:40 AM	#9
Snaphappyscottiedog Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Larbert, Scotland Photos: Albums Posts: 33 Original Poster	Sheesh that will take either some amount of time or money to develop that lot.

02-11-2011, 07:44 AM	#10
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Originally posted by séamuis I have about 350-400 rolls of undeveloped film in my refrigerator. Shame! Shame! I prescribe a potent laxative! Steve

02-11-2011, 07:54 AM	#11
eddie1960 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,667	Originally posted by séamuis I have about 350-400 rolls of undeveloped film in my refrigerator. wholly crap. i feel bad about having 16-17 right now you need to spend a month or 2 in the darkroom just to catch up (or spend a ton of cash and have someone else do it)

02-11-2011, 07:57 AM	#12
séamuis Banned Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Savannah, U.S./Baguio City, P.H. Posts: 5,979	Originally posted by Snaphappyscottiedog Sheesh that will take either some amount of time or money to develop that lot. im like garry winogrand in this regard. i often enjoy the practice of taking photos more than the development, because i am out and about and connecting with people. also after so long, with taking photos and when you know your equipment inside and out you often know pretty much how a photo is going to look when you capture it. (thats something that comes with being 100% in control of every part of the photo taking process and is something that can be learned just as well with a digital but often isn’t, by most.) but yea, I have a problem. honestly, I haven’t a clue anymore what is on most of that film. its mostly all B&W though so I haven’t much to worry about in regards to expiring since its being kept cold. also, the volume of film is pretty low compared to most serious amateurs. it also doesn’t in any way indicate just how good of a photographer I am. little secret: im not that good.

02-11-2011, 07:59 AM	#13
séamuis Banned Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Savannah, U.S./Baguio City, P.H. Posts: 5,979	Originally posted by eddie1960 wholly crap. i feel bad about having 16-17 right now you need to spend a month or 2 in the darkroom just to catch up (or spend a ton of cash and have someone else do it) don’t have a darkroom, but I do have all the necessary equipment for developing. what I have been looking into is bulk film loading. this seems more sane, considering my habits.

02-11-2011, 08:09 AM	#14
eddie1960 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,667	I used to bulk load in the 70's when i was a poor student. you have to be meticulous with the canisters and loader, it doesn't take much to create micro-scratches all the way along the film. with the price of freestyles knock off b/w films (i.e. Arista +kodak plusx and trix) it's not as huge saving any more, at least not at my volume levels

02-11-2011, 08:21 AM	#15
séamuis Banned Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Savannah, U.S./Baguio City, P.H. Posts: 5,979	Originally posted by eddie1960 I used to bulk load in the 70's when i was a poor student. you have to be meticulous with the canisters and loader, it doesn't take much to create micro-scratches all the way along the film. with the price of freestyles knock off b/w films (i.e. Arista +kodak plusx and trix) it's not as huge saving any more, at least not at my volume levels thanks for the insight, much appreciated. I enjoy freestyle myself, but Im not much for ordering and taking delivery of my film from the internet, and getting quality film from the local shops isn’t exactly cheap. (this is a huge ‘photography’ city having SCAD here and being a big tourist city, and yet we only have three or four shops that actually sell and develop film.) kind of a shame really, and buying bulk rolls of ILFORD from all of them is cheaper than buying a brick of ready canisters. but I will certainly look more into buying from freestyle, I know im sure thankful they are around.