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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
10-14-2016, 03:56 PM
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I think this 60 year old 50mm lens is sharper than my pentax lenses.....
Voigtlander Vitessa L / Portra 400 / Tetenal Press kit
The camera seems to overexpose with the built in light meter. All I did to these was levels and bump the contrast. Some of that coquina is razor sharp... on a retina display prior to killing it with compression for the web... also looks like i scanned a hair on the first one.... didn't even see it until I posted.
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Forum: Film Processing, Scanning, and Darkroom
03-17-2017, 08:25 AM
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Just ordered my 5 rolls..... :D
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Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing
11-11-2016, 08:52 AM
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I have owned inkjets in the past, and always felt like they were wasting ink, dying, etc.
I am embarking on a printing project (like 20 years of unprinted family photos) and purchased a used DS80 printer. It works differently than an inkjet in that you get the paper and the 'ink' (which is a film) together and you will get exactly the number of prints it says.
The quality is amazing. Black and white looks good (tri-x film scans from my pakon) and so do the digital. I am using capture one to process and love it.
My thoughts so far...
Pros:
- continuous tone, glossy paper... these look like REAL photographs
- the photos are nearly waterproof
- the prints are instantly dry
- print time is next to nothing per print
- known cost per print (unlike inkjet)
- 8x12 will cover 90% of my needs (anything larger I can proof at home and then send off for it)
- I can probably sell it for what I paid for it when I am done with the project
Cons:
- only one paper type (apparently you can choose glossy or matte however)
- printer (even used) wasn't cheap like the $150 after rebate ink jets
- you have to gang up your photos as you use the same amount of 'ink' (film) if you print a 1x1 square or an 8x12
Pretty cool. I have never been a printer. It is already making me think differently and hopefully my photography will continue to improve.
Jamey
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Forum: Film Processing, Scanning, and Darkroom
11-10-2016, 04:02 PM
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an underexposed shot is pretty obvious in my mind.... if you aren't developing enough things will look 'flat' and not very contrasty.... if your chems really go bad i have heard you will get color shifts but i never experienced that.
here are a few examples of some tetenal press kits I did that turned out well:
rolls 19-22 4:45
rolls 14-18 4:30
rolls 11-13 4:15
etc
roll one was of course the recommended time 3:30
the worst thing that can happen if you overdevelop is more contrast, so no big deal for me as I like that look.
make sure you have your temps correct and it really is pretty forgiving time-wise.
good luck
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
10-18-2016, 06:33 AM
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I have had various DA primes in the past, and don't miss them at all. Normally when I want the extra depth of field it is for portrait situations, so not using the 20-40 for that scenario. These are both @20mm, using capture one on the raw files. It is a very rare occasion where I want to go much wider.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
10-18-2016, 04:01 AM
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This is a really good combo for me. Small and covers both landscape type shots as well as kid portraits with bokeh in the background. Worth considering if you want to travel light.
Jamey
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Forum: Film Processing, Scanning, and Darkroom
10-18-2016, 03:58 AM
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C-41 b&w still needs to be done in c-41 chems... not b&w sorry
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
10-14-2016, 04:03 PM
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Pentax MX FA-43 / Tri-X 400 / Xtol
Did post processing in capture one.... I like it really contrasty....
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Forum: Film Processing, Scanning, and Darkroom
07-26-2014, 11:48 AM
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I just wanted to encourage anyone looking to start doing C-41 at home to give it a go. It really isn't any more difficult than black and white.
In fact pretty much everything is the same.... you have to get your film off the roll into your developing tank, and you pour in chems exactly like b&w etc.
1) The developer has to be 102F and the fixer from 95-105F (or there abouts, read the instructions) Most folks do this by either using a water bath with a submersible water heater, or simply by microwaving :-) The temps stay close enough for the 3.5 - 4.5 minutes you will be developing. (longer times if you are pushing or if the developer is getting older)
2) Storage and reuse are highly debated. According to the manufacturers you might get 8-12 rolls from 1 liter. According to internet folklore you can in reality get 30 rolls if you want to. The developer doesn't go bad 'all of the sudden'. You will see color shifts at the point that it starts to exhaust and then you know it is time to either add more time to developing, or make up a new batch. Most people keep theirs in the fridge with no oxygen (squeeze that coke bottle!) but there is also the story of the guy who left it under the sink for two years and it worked fine. :-)
3) The blix (that is what they call the bleach/fixer chems) will push air out of your tank, so make sure to do this step over a sink! It helps to leave the cap off the lid so the air can escape as it wants to.
I am on my second batch of the Tetenal Press Kit (B&H sells it in powder form) and I did 21 rolls mixed 24 & 36 135 film the first batch. I tend to do the exact 3:30 developer time for the first 10 rolls, then add 30 seconds the next five, and add a minute the last. If I want to push I follow the instructions for it and add to that time as well.
Even if you are conservative on your usage, this ends up being a good way to save money and be creative on things like pushing / pulling etc.
The baby picture is roll 5 of 21 (Portra 400 @500 pushed 1 stop)
The gun range picture is roll 18 of 21 (Portra 400 @800 pushed 1 stop)
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
02-20-2016, 02:52 PM
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I don't understand the whole 'legacy glass may be outresolved by such and such sensor' ideas.... in art, and in music it is often the imperfections that make the art what it is... the noise off a vintage synth or amp.... the characteristic vingette on certain lenses.
People make plugins to emulate these imperfections :-)
I love the color cast that the K24 puts into the picture... Not sure that some soft corners don't help a picture in a large number of cases, etc.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
04-14-2016, 07:14 PM
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the ironies of shooting film? might be fun...
---------- Post added 04-14-16 at 10:14 PM ----------
You had to worry about running out of film before running out of battery...
---------- Post added 04-14-16 at 10:16 PM ----------
You worried about underexposing instead of blowing the highlights (well negative film anyway...)
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
02-28-2016, 07:26 PM
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I like to push Tri-x 2 stops all the time just because I like the grainy contrasty look :-)
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Forum: Pentax Medium Format
02-20-2016, 03:01 PM
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Inherited a Yashica 635 TLR from my Grandfather and it looks to have barely been used.
The 120 from B&H can't get here fast enough! I have only done 35mm prior to this.
I will be developing at home, scanning using an epson flatbed, and hopefully posting some photos in the B&W / Color threads.
I have watched a youtube video on how to load it, doesn't look too bad.
Will this lead to me wanting a Pentax 67? Every single shot on flickr etc where i see a certain 'look' always ends up being the 105 f/2.4.... I think I can spot them in any lineup...
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
02-18-2016, 09:38 PM
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Low light family indoor evening type portraits etc is why I want the K1. And the fact I have a 43/77 :-)
It is way out of my toy budget now so I will buy it 12 months after it is released, used...
Actually the reason I got into film in the first place was because of B&W and I won't stop doing that ever. Digital stuff looks too perfect and clean. I love the grit and texture of Tri-X pushed to 1600.
Not sure if I would still shoot color 35mm if I had a K1, however.
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Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing
10-20-2015, 08:42 AM
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If you are able to run windows xp on an old computer or inside a virtual machine you can get a Pakon 135 used and have lab quality scans very quickly. As in the entire roll in 5 minutes :-) It is not, however standalone.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
09-22-2015, 03:06 PM
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MZ-S | FA 43 | Kodak Portra 400 | Pakon 135
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Forum: Pentax Price Watch
09-30-2015, 06:16 AM
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
09-22-2015, 02:17 PM
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Nevermind... keeping it! I can't imagine the digital can handle bright conditions like these with as much grace as film.
I just got the 43 from a forum member. How the heck does it look like a wide angle and portrait lens at the same time? Amazing lens.
Shot these this Sunday.
Pentax MZ-S / FA 43 / Pakon Scanner
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
08-01-2014, 11:05 AM
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you can move the focus points on dslrs? ha! looks like you can.... ;-) I always focus by pushing half way down while on center focus spot, then keeping the shutter halfway pressed compose and shoot. Never occurred to me to use the focus points. Seems like it would be too slow?
So yah on your mx just hit the button should be good!
jamey
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Forum: Pentax Price Watch
07-24-2014, 06:29 AM
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I decided to switch off aperture and was doing the trial of the Capture One for the express version when I realized that the pricing seems to be on a permanent 50% off sale:
Also I was able to stack the coupon code "AMBROSE" for 10% more off.
Buy Capture One Pro 7 raw converter
I think Europeans have to pay like a 25% VAT which sucks.
Anyway I picked it up for like $135 USD...
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
07-11-2014, 06:42 AM
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I was looking at what it would cost to jump into a nikon full frame or the fuji x systems to replace what I have in pentax glass / film cameras. The reason I did that was after home developing 9 rolls of c-41 I was wondering if it was worth it. (the answer of course is, yes, for me as proven by the photos of my family which is the only reason I do this)
In any case, that got me to thinking, why do I do film?
It boils down to this for me....
1) I shoot almost everything I can wide open. I am sick to death of iphone depth of field for 98% of the photos I see of families, kids etc. Full frame FA77 is a completely different look than my F 50 1.7 on aps-c.
2) I hate post-production. I just want it scanned, and other than tweaking the brightness because the scanner guessed wrong, or editing out huge dust specs I don't do anything to the film. It looks phenomenal. (scanning on a pakon) Film gives me the contrast and punchiness I always tried to get on digital by screwing around in post.
3) Real optical huge viewfinder. I have an LX and MZ-S and love it. I worry about the future with all these EVFs.
4) Tri-X. Even if I change how I do things, I will always have at least an LX and a 50mm :-)
At the end of the day I am getting the shots I want now, and am very happy. I have to do home dev to keep costs down but that is fine. I figure I can do this at least a few more years before I get too ansy or sick of doing home dev.
Jamey
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
03-08-2014, 06:55 PM
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For being in a field, you probably want a banged up 2nd LX.... dust resistant etc and like you said spare parts, long exposures etc.
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Forum: Pentax K-5 & K-5 II
02-17-2014, 03:45 PM
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I keep one body loaded with and SD card, another with Tri-x and the third with Portra :-)
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