All Forum Comments
Comment by co049 posted on I know nothing about photography but I've bought an LX. Help! at 22/11/2013 - 14:56
andrewk wrote:
I am 65 in late December. I've been taking photos with film cameras, on and off, since I was in short pants. I was very late buying my first DSLR, a Pentax K200D in 2008 - but by 2010, I had taken more photos using the K200D than I had with all my previous film cameras.
Of course learning with a film camera is entirely possible, but it'll just take a lot longer than with digital.
Andrew
It’s a difficult one, I started with film back in 1977, processing my own work on and off over the years. Then I bought an K-r in 2011 my first DSLR, I can see the points being raised about leaning your mistakes faster with digital, BUT one of the biggest faults I see from people who have only used digital is the amount of shots/images that take without thinking about the image. ChrisA wrote:
I think it will boil down to how much time the OP has available.
Indeed, yes. I think it will boil down to how much time the OP has available.
I am 65 in late December. I've been taking photos with film cameras, on and off, since I was in short pants. I was very late buying my first DSLR, a Pentax K200D in 2008 - but by 2010, I had taken more photos using the K200D than I had with all my previous film cameras.
Of course learning with a film camera is entirely possible, but it'll just take a lot longer than with digital.
Andrew
With film you had around 36 frames on a roll and may be a couple of rolls of film with you so you think about your shots, today a 8G card can hold 800+ images. Some photographers blast away then dump 1/2 the shots then hope to get a decent image from reworking the image in Photoshop! You cannot do this with film, and I try and think about the shot to get it right and reduce any Photoshop the aim being to do none.
I enjoy both film and digital taking about a 50/50 split, each giving a different reward to your efforts, but I do get a great deal amount of satisfaction from developing and printing my own B&W work.
So I would encourage the OP with what he wishes to do and enjoy the whole learning experience of photography, he may dabble on both ponds or just settle with just one medium.
Comment by co049 posted on I know nothing about photography but I've bought an LX. Help! at 22/11/2013 - 13:21
Peter Elgar wrote:
When I want my 'Holiday Snaps' processed I give them to BOOTS Brentwood High Street -- the technician there does a great job and ALL my film is outdated !! If you use outdated film please give it MORE EXPOSURE by downrating the ASA rating so the lab gets good dense negatives to work from.
If it is 'fridge kept 100 ASA I rate it at 64 ASA but 400 loses speed more so I rate it at 200 ASA and it comes out well -- if NO BOOTS then find a Pharmacy that deals with 'SigFoto' labs -- part of Sigma Pharmaceuticals -- they also do an excellent job. ( I already have THREE PRAKTICAS saved from the Council Tip and they all work well ! )
Do you need to de-rate outdated film if it has been kept in a freezer, and is this more of a problem with colour film than B&W?When I want my 'Holiday Snaps' processed I give them to BOOTS Brentwood High Street -- the technician there does a great job and ALL my film is outdated !! If you use outdated film please give it MORE EXPOSURE by downrating the ASA rating so the lab gets good dense negatives to work from.
If it is 'fridge kept 100 ASA I rate it at 64 ASA but 400 loses speed more so I rate it at 200 ASA and it comes out well -- if NO BOOTS then find a Pharmacy that deals with 'SigFoto' labs -- part of Sigma Pharmaceuticals -- they also do an excellent job. ( I already have THREE PRAKTICAS saved from the Council Tip and they all work well ! )
Comment by co049 posted on Bulk film loaders at 28/10/2013 - 12:23
Still going strong after 34 years of service, it has traveled a fair bit with me during my service in the RAF; going as far south as the Falklands, west to America and east to the Gulf.
The great thing was with the MX is it's compact size, it didn't take up much room, I even carried with me on a cycling trip along the Pryrenees covering the great Tour climbs like the Col d'Aspin, Col d'Aubisque and the monster climb of the Col d'Tourmalet. But it was just as happy photographing the RAC rally in a wet forist in mid November!
The great thing was with the MX is it's compact size, it didn't take up much room, I even carried with me on a cycling trip along the Pryrenees covering the great Tour climbs like the Col d'Aspin, Col d'Aubisque and the monster climb of the Col d'Tourmalet. But it was just as happy photographing the RAC rally in a wet forist in mid November!
Comment by co049 posted on My Pentax MX at 27/10/2013 - 19:32
Gamka wrote:
I know that extended exposure times are needed for night shots and that Köln can be dark - but 8.5 months does stretch it a little too far.
Sorry my image of Köln caused upset, I had missed the point in the rules it being taken within that month, i'd only do the weekly competion before..I know that extended exposure times are needed for night shots and that Köln can be dark - but 8.5 months does stretch it a little too far.
Comment by co049 posted on Monthly Comp #16 - Night Shots at 22/10/2013 - 12:18
I use a Bulk film loader, it makes loading film child's play. The above image was taken on PAN 400 which I bulk loaded and took with a Pentax ME Super.
30m PAN 400 is around for £40 this makes about 20 36 exp films (£2.00 ea).
http://www.theimagingwarehouse.com/ProductGrp/Ilford-Pan-400
I managed to pick up a couple 30m rolls of near life ex Legacy Pro B&W films for £15 ea.
I all adds to part of the fun of B&W photography, load you own film, develop it, and then print
Comment by co049 posted on Bulk film loaders at 21/10/2013 - 12:23
Thanks John,
I've had 2 rattleing around in my camera bag for 30+ years and never used them. With the size of the hole it makes sense now.
I've had 2 rattleing around in my camera bag for 30+ years and never used them. With the size of the hole it makes sense now.
Comment by co049 posted on What is this for on the LX at 03/12/2012 - 21:10
I got one of these clear plastic discs with my Pentax LX and don't know what it is for.Does anyone on here know?
Comment by co049 posted on What is this for on the LX at 03/12/2012 - 21:03
I've used Harrow Technical for 2 cameras, the price was reasonable, the service was excellent and the work carried out was top class. Recomended!
Comment by co049 posted on Recommended Pentax repairers in the UK? at 02/12/2012 - 19:23
Pentaxophile wrote:
Of course you can always switch your camera to RAW, manual focus, and M mode and then avoid plodding through the menu on any Pentax DSLR... if you want!
True, and I use my K-r like that but I'd like a FF sensor to make the most of the 35mm film lenses I have instead of the cropped sensor the K-r has.Of course you can always switch your camera to RAW, manual focus, and M mode and then avoid plodding through the menu on any Pentax DSLR... if you want!
The view finder of the K-r is not as bright or big as the 35mm film cameras so focusing the manual lenses is not as easy.
Pentax K-r in manual with 300mm SMC F4
Comment by co049 posted on Pentax K1000 at 17/10/2012 - 19:44
It’s a difficult one,
When that time comes there will be no need to produce film. Imagine a camera where you can preset your favourite film type EG: Kodachrome 25 or 64. It will come, one day.
At the moment we can hark back to times gone by and still use the old technology because we can still get all the parts (film, chemicals, paper, etc.) There will come a time when that will either not be possible, or prohibitively expensive for the general populous.
I know that I'd rather cut my fruit, meat, and vegetables using a modern steel or ceramic knife rather than a rough blade fashioned from flint.
So...can anyone recommend any beginners' books or web sites to learn from? I've got the Spotmatic manual, which looks surprisingly helpful. I would like to understand some of the physics of film cameras, but I'm afraid I failed my physics O level.