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As we are beginning the third week of November, I thought I'd start the discussion for December.

Since we are at the last month of the year, how about we open it to a film of choice?

So, we’ve done telephoto then wide. Then we did ISO extremes, consumer film, slide film, black and white film. I was thinking maybe a theme that wasn’t film related—back to lenses, cameras, filters, subject matter—just to mix things up. Maybe “one zoom”?

From Johnathan Mac in the August discussion:

I don’t have 4, 5, or 6, and we kind of did 7 with the ISO extremes.

Another idea: “pick one” where we have to pick a single camera, lens and film, and have to use those for entire month.

I like the idea of “pick one”. Or even your widest lens. I have a Bessa L with a 25, or a K24 not counting my fisheye lenses.

I only have two cameras, so picking one wouldn't be much of a challenge for me. And I tend to buy my film several rolls at a time (or 100' rolls and I roll my own), so that wouldn't be much of a challenge either. So I guess, lens it is! Now, which one to choose?

Also, unrelated question here. Is there a reason these discussion threads need to be in a social group? I've never understood why these were separated out from the main forum, as they seem 'hidden' from other viewers, and updates aren't transmitted as reliably as they are for regular threads. I've noticed that in November, it's "the abruzzi and twilhelm show," which is great since you guys have posted some great shots, but I wonder if we'd get more participation if there was better visibility? Maybe post the December challenges in the Weekly Photo Challenge forum? the Mini-Challenge forum?

Ok, I'm off to develop my week #2 film. Thanks for keeping it alive, guys! And Goeff, I like your website.

Thanks! While other people have participated, myself, twilhelm, and timw4mail have been the regular contributors. I think the original idea was a focused group that doesn't clutter the film cameras board with our posts and isn't cluttered by their posts, but I agree--once we get going here, people that missed it over there, may not realize anything is going on. I've posted over there at least once about things going on over here, and when I crosspost images, I mention that is comes from this group, but I don't know if that does anything. There are some active shooters in the film camera forum that don't seem to have shown any interest in participating.

If we do “pick one”, I’m thinking one of two options. Either (A) my Kodak Retina IIIC with the standard 50/2–it was sent off a month ago to New Zealand for a CLA, and should be home soon—or (B) my Nikkormat FTN with the Nikkor-H 50/2. The Nikkormat was my very first camera and the 50/2 was the only lens I had for it. It’s been sitting in a box for the last 20 years, until a couple weeks ago, when I dusted it off, and ran a roll through it to make sure it worked (it seems to.). For film, I shot mostly Tri-X when I got the Nikkormat, but I don’t have any rolls lying around, so I may have to order it. The Kodak has an indicator on the top to remind you what film you loaded (just a dial that doesn’t do anything.). The only films on the indicator that are still available are Tri-X or Ektachrome, and since I still haven’t received my Ektachrome Tri-X seems appropriate for that camera as well.

There is something appealing about spending a month shooting nothing but a 50mm.

That's what I'll do, then. I'll go a month shooting at 50mm. I've got a four to choose from, so it won't feel like stagnation. :-)
But no more Delta 3200. No way Jose.

The pick one sounds like a good idea, it's just "which one"?

A few days ago I was thinking about moving the Discussion threads to the mini challenge forum like the Single in group does. That way the Discussion thread would show up for the entire forum to see, instead of just us. We could do that for the January discussion and see if we get more interest.

I think that would be a great idea.

Also, I apologize for being absent for an extended period. I have a film roll developed for the third week of November and will be posting shortly. I hope to contribute more regularly from here on out.

Shooting with just a 50? It seems rather ordinary to me...but I use 50s more than anything else, for their speed.

But I've had my way for a few months, so I'll go along with that plan

Just one clarification, 50mm only, or are you including 55, 58 lenses too?

Nah, I'm suggesting pick one lens, any lens. I'll pick a 50, but you can pick a 85mm if you like or a 24mm. The idea was to stick to a single setup--camera, lens, and film. I don't care what you pick for each, but stick with it for the entire month (I suppose we could allow zooms, but it would be more fun if you limit yourself to a single focal length.)

Yeah, I thought the challenge for Dec was going to be a 'personal' one. I intend to shoot 4 rolls (1/week) each with a different 50mm lens. You might choose 135mm or whatever. Since my purpose here is primarily just to shoot more film images and try to figure out a best practice for shooting/processing/scanning/digital processing to make them look even 1/4 way as good as my worst digital image. I don't know what film I'll use.

I decided to go one step more retro. In addition to my old Nikkormat and 50/2, and Tri-X, I just ordered some D76. It would be more like the old days if it was someone else’s D76 (I used to develop my film with communal developer and fixer at the university art department darkroom.)

I’m guessing the Kodak won’t be back in time, so I’m going to use my old Nikkormat.

Well, my Kodak hasn’t made it back yet, so my choice for December will be my very first camera and lens: Nikkormat FTN, Nikkor-H 50mm f2. And I’ll be shooting Tri-X, which is most of what I shot back then. (I bought the camera and lens on a recommendation from a friend who was a Photography major at the NMSU art department. I then enrolled in some classes, and we all shot Tri-X for the class.)

(I was thinking of throwing a wrench in things—I have a Voigtlander Bessa (pre-WWII I think) on it’s way, but it won’t arrive until next week, and I don’t know if it will even work, or if the bellows is light tight, so I shouldn’t rely on it.)