[Baard-Einar]

I shoot with film for the Joy and to slow down, concider exposer, dof, color and the feeling of handling the gear.

But I wonder if there are any PF members under 30 who might share this entusiasme for old school film photography or is this just nostalgic 45+ oldtimer ideas?

[Swift1]

I shoot with film for the Joy and to slow down, concider exposer, dof, color and the feeling of handling the gear.

But I wonder if there are any PF members under 30 who might share this entusiasme for old school film photography or is this just nostalgic 45+ oldtimer ideas?

I'm 34 and started seriously shooting film when I was 30. Does that count?

For my part, in all seriousness, I find it so much more satisfying to create a good image on film than with a digital camera. Also, I find that if a good print is your final goal, there is something about a print from film (even an inkjet print) that a purely digital image doesn't have.

[Baard-Einar]

I'm 34 and started seriously shooting film when I was 30. Does that count?
.

Yes that counts, Colton.

[skierd]

I'm 31 and grew up shooting film. I love and terribly miss the darkroom from high school and college...


Film forces me to print, which I don't do nearly enough with digital. I'll never forget the joy of getting a box of mounted jewel-like slides! The cameras feel better, and I see better with them.

Digital is easier to get the image I want through processing, and I worry a lot less about dust!

Figital makes little sense to me except for sharing online... I'd rather stay 100% analog or 100% digital.

[nass_43]

That's a good question !

"Because I like it" would be the best answer, but is not explicit enough, so...

- because I'm in love with the Pentax MX : the feel of it in my hand, the view from the viewfinder, well, you got it.
- because developping film is magic : the moment you take the roll out of the tank, and see the result is exciting.
- because seeing the image appear on the paper in the developper is also very special !
- I also enjoy shooting large slides (6x17), and seing slides of Velvia/Provia on a light table is so damn cool !!!

But digital is nice too : it's easier/faster to share pictures with family and friends; I get to see the result immediately, thus allowing to verify that I didn't miss the shot; It's cheaper when I want to try new things and/or shoot hundreds of frames.

The good thing is : K-5 and MX can share all lenses, so it allows to limit the cost, and limit gear I take when I go shooting.

[bibz]

32 here. I think film will continue going forward. For a lot of kids growing up nowadays photos are just the things on their phone. As they get further into photography I can see the magic of film and the darkroom interesting them a lot too.

[Jamey777]

Well, I solved the developing problem years ago by building a machine to agitate my BW film. It makes developing easy and much less of a burden. And there is no way I'd ever send BW out to a lab - lame. But I still shoot BW because I like shooting the real thing, I've had the gear for years and see no point on giving it up just because I also have digital cameras. Plus, with a decent scanner, medium format film does well compared to a 36MP digital camera.

tuco please post the link to the video of your machine... it is phenomenal!!!! (I am pretty sure there was a nice vimeo unless I am confusing yours with someone elses?)

[aoeu]

To keep Eric Henderson in business. My K2DMD is a work in progress this week.

Peace?
aoeu

[redrockcoulee]

I enjoy using my film cameras whether that be a Hasselblad or a Holga for MF or using a LF. It is such a different experience using them than it is shooting digital or even 35mm. The main reason for me to shoot 35mm is that all I have to do is throw the MZ7 or MZ5n into my bag and a couple of rolls of film and it adds almost no bulk or weight to my bag. I also enjoy the quiet reflective period of developing film, although I do have podcasts playing I feel that I am away from everything. Before I had my darkroom and while my dogs were alive they were accustomed to getting their treat right after we finished the dishes. They tried to lead me to believe that they should get a treat as well after each agitation of the film tank when I developed in the kitchen, once every thirty seconds for ten minutes, I think not. I like being able to sit anywhere and look at my negatives and try to visualize what a print from them should look like. Printing is also a relaxing activity. I think the only part of the entire process I do not like is when I have a lot of fibre based paper to dry and have to run up two flights of stairs to check on the dryer.

But overall it is the expereince of using the equipment. As far as quality of the image goes if I wanted the absolute best resolution I would never use a Holga or other toy camera or a pinhole or zone plate lens. On the other hand I could list the things I like better about shooting digital as well which is why I shoot both but film is still my favourite of the two. MF or LF is a harder distiction of which I enjoy better but the Hasselblad 500 C/M is my favourite camera

[stevebrot]

The main drawback of film is that those SLRs generally have less automation than modern DSLRs

And that is supposed to be a bad thing?

To be honest, I typically use my dSLR the same way as with my film SLRs. Yep, manual focus in Av or M mode. My other cameras are fully manual with no built-in metering.


Steve

---------- Post added 07-15-14 at 09:44 AM ----------

But I wonder if there are any PF members under 30 who might share this entusiasme for old school film photography or is this just nostalgic 45+ oldtimer ideas?

Here in the Portland, Oregon area, the hipsters are all about film and vintage gear. If you see a film camera being used in public, it is usually being held by a 20-something person in skinny jeans


Steve

---------- Post added 07-15-14 at 09:46 AM ----------

It's the same one. It's a long video. In retrospect, I could have made the pace a little faster and shorten it up.

Oh, no! The video is fine. I love the anticipation of the opening sequence!


Steve

[ChrisPlatt]

Film is more sensual. Just ask anyone whose fingers smell of fixer...

Chris

[tuco]

Film is more sensual. Just ask anyone whose fingers smell of fixer...

Chris

Nothing like the smell of fixer in the morning... it smells like, victory!

But on a more serious note, that's only if you develop sheet film in trays or make wet prints and handle the paper with your hands. We have odor-less fixers today. And you don't need to come in contact with it much if at all.

[aoeu]

I'm not convinced that chemical printing is safe.

My opinion, only.

I'm not doing any more of it.

[skierd]

What's not safe about playing with heavy metals and volatile chemicals in open vats with no respiratory or for most people even gloves?

Handled properly and with care it's a safe-enough process. Color gets a bit nastier than B&W, especially some of the alternative processes out there fore B&W, and definitely has some health risks. My father had to stop developing slide film when he worked for the government because he became sensitive to the chemistry for example. For better or worse, most of us are no longer going to be printing or developing enough to have to worry about the health risks.

[MD Optofonik]

Discipline.