[micromacro]

I'd like to test Pentax lenses on SLR soviet Zenit camera, which came with Helios 44K-4.
It would be interesting to check old Pentax lenses I have on FF camera - budget version

Since I've not used SLR-s for a very long time, and basically forgot all that, I need advice.

1. Is it safe to use F lenses on old SLR?
2. What film is better to minimize mess ups? 100 or 200? I think about 100 since I plan bright day pictures and partial shade.
3. And the most important, when to develop film in Florida? I really don't want to bring film to Walgreens lab and receive dirty film due to their lack of professionalism or something else (maybe dirty developer, who knows)
4. I prefer not to print pictures, but scan them for online. What format is the best to order?

[PPPPPP42]

1. Not sure what F lens is unless you are talking about a different type of mount, in which case you need an adapter.
2. I use 200 speed film, 100 is hard to find and that extra stop of film speed is rather necessary for me. I actually use high end 400 film for my B&W but average color 400 looks like crap.
3. Unless you have a strangely bad store Walgreens is fine if rather overpriced. Worst they have ever done is insert the film wrong end first so everything was scanned upside down.
4. Just tell them to develop and scan to a CD. They normally give you the developed negatives back too.

[stevebrot]

1. Is it safe to use F lenses on old SLR?
2. What film is better to minimize mess ups? 100 or 200? I think about 100 since I plan bright day pictures and partial shade.
3. And the most important, when to develop film in Florida? I really don't want to bring film to Walgreens lab and receive dirty film due to their lack of professionalism or something else (maybe dirty developer, who knows)
4. I prefer not to print pictures, but scan them for online. What format is the best to order?

1. Yes, you should be able to use auto-focus lenses, as long as they have an aperture ring
2. Any ISO 200 color print film (Kodak Gold) will work
3. Try Walgreens and move on if the negatives are yucky
4. Format? They will generally scan to JPEG.


Steve

[micromacro]

Thanks, guys.
Our Walgreens did a terrible job when my son developed film and printed pictures recently. All the pictures and all the film had some white residue on it, totally ruined. Like someone dropped them wet on the floor. Perhaps chemicals were old and with dirt, I don't know.
I rather prefer to send film to some reliable place.

[TomB_tx]

Thanks, guys.
Our Walgreens did a terrible job when my son developed film and printed pictures recently. All the pictures and all the film had some white residue on it, totally ruined. Like someone dropped them wet on the floor. Perhaps chemicals were old and with dirt, I don't know.
I rather prefer to send film to some reliable place.

All the Walgreens here stopped processing film last year, and send it to Dwayne's in Kansas instead. I often send color to Dwayne's (try Google to find it), but finally set up a B&W darkroom again and dusted off my enlarger. Nothing like watching a print appear in the developer.

[Eyewanders]

Dwayne's is pretty good but I've found them hit and miss sometimes but they're by far the cheapest. North Coast Photographic is fantastic but spendier. Lately I've broken down on bought a couple scanners and just have my local mom&pop lab here in town (Moon Photo Lab) develop only and give me back the uncut rolls. The Pakon F135 scans them beautifully in a decent enough resolution size in about 3 minutes (though it's a bit of a tinker to get it setup correctly - it only runs on Windows XP).

[stevebrot]

Perhaps chemicals were old and with dirt, I don't know.

Using the local well water rather than DI perhaps? What you describe sounds like hard-water scum.


Steve