Page 1 of 4 123 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 34

Thread: Calumet made me feel blue

  1. #1

    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Posts
    59

    Calumet made me feel blue

    Went into my local Calumet today in search of chemistry and some type 55 p/n.Upon entering the front door I did not recognize it anymore.All the employees I use to know by name were gone.Its been probably two years or more since I've been there.When I asked where the chemistry was, I was told "whats left is over in the corner, nobody buys it anymore" When I asked where the 55 was I was told "Be my guest, its over there, nobody buys it anymore either, everybody is turning to digital" Well I just got me a 4x5 starter kit from badger a few weeks ago and have been pretty excited, reading all I can on the subject, studying my old zone system books, reading up on chemistry, looking at the works of the masters, just getting all jazzed up at the prospect of doing LF photography.Well after talking to these Calumet guys for about 25 min. and being lectured on how with an EOS digital camera, a tilt shift lens, photoshop, and an Epson printer I could match and exceed LF quality, even in B&W, I left there feeling pretty blue.Is this standard protocol for them these days?Are they just trying to push digital cameras?How much truth is there behind what they were saying.I really feel like never going back there again.

  2. #2

    Join Date
    Nov 1999
    Location
    San Clemente, California
    Posts
    3,804

    Calumet made me feel blue

    Yes. Yes. None.

  3. #3
    multiplex
    Join Date
    Feb 2001
    Location
    local
    Posts
    5,356

    Calumet made me feel blue

    what sal said ...

  4. #4
    Doug Dolde
    Guest

    Calumet made me feel blue

    It's true.

  5. #5

    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Rondo, Missouri
    Posts
    2,125

    Calumet made me feel blue

    Not always. Absolutely. None.

    They're okay on the phone.
    Michael W. Graves
    Michael's Pub

    If it ain't broke....don't fix it!

  6. #6

    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Posts
    2,955

    Calumet made me feel blue

    Tilt and shift lenses can't do all that the movements on a view camera can, and you can't get the look of a fiber print from an inkjet.

    However, a 12MP digital will give you an excellent 13x19 inch inkjet print. I love LF but I still plan to buy a 35mm digital sometime this year. I intend to use them for different purposes.

  7. #7

    Join Date
    Feb 1999
    Location
    Victoria, BC, Canada
    Posts
    101

    Calumet made me feel blue

    A few months back, I was out with my daughter looking for a camera (digital, of course) as a graduation present. We found what we wanted and the sales clerk started to push the extended warranty which has become ubiquitous with any high-tech gadget you buy these days.

    Sensing my hesitancy to get sucked in, she started talking about the complicated technology of digital cameras and how it was sensible protection. "How long are you planning on owning the camera?" she asked. She said something to the effect that if you were planning on owning it for more than a few years it was an excellent investment as protection for the inevitable problems that would arise. I just about lost it at that point.

    It just so happened that they had a Leica M3 on a cloth draped pedestal standing all by itself in a glass showcase across the store. A dinosaur on display. It may be irrelevent that its list price was 3 times that of the digital camera we were about to buy. So I said to the clerk "You know, that camera over there has been taking photographs for 40 odd years and it will still be taking them 40 years from now. Why can't I expect the same service from a digital camera?"

    She had no answer, of course, but she dropped the extended warranty pitch.

    Don't worry about it. Don't fight it. Digital is the future. But don't give up on analogue either. It ain't dead yet.

  8. #8

    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Posts
    192

    Calumet made me feel blue

    Tilt and shift lenses can't do all that the movements on a view camera can, and you can't get the look of a fiber print from an inkjet.

    ahh but it's getting closer every day - smooth-gloss coated cotton fibre based papers with DMax between 2.25 and 2.4. Deep rich shadows, not bronzing/differential. An image that looks "ebedded" in the paper, not applied to the surface. Close to (but not quite the same as) a nice air dried glossy FB surface (and far nicer looking than RC Silver Gelatin prints)

  9. #9
    windpointphoto's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Racine, WI
    Posts
    262

    Calumet made me feel blue

    Calumet has been moving towards the high end pros for a long time. We all miss the old real photography camera stores. We have none in Milwaukee. Not enough good things can be said for B&H. Support these folks. I think they are still in the film users corner and provide excellent service and keep products in stock. The prices have been lower then Calumets.

  10. #10

    Calumet made me feel blue

    I had the absolute opposite experience with Calumet in San Francisco. I went in last week and had a great experience. They had a ton of digital gear, along with a ton of film and chemicals. They had ektaflo developer and pmk pyro kits (which I bought), and a whole wall full of b&w papers. I spoke with one guys (Doug, I think) who was the typical digital salesperson, full of hyperbole and nonsense, but when I asked about large format, I was referred to William, who knew quite a bit about lf and is a graflex collector and user. He laughed off what Doug said about the Nikon D2x "rivalling medium format" and said that Calumet SF still sells a lot of 4x5 and 8x10 film and he showed me the Calumet Zone VI 8x10 camera. I had an enjoyable experience. I guess it just depends on what Calumet you go to.

    Morgan.

Similar Threads

  1. blue stain on pants
    By Joseph O'Neil in forum Darkroom: Film, Processing & Printing
    Replies: 11
    Last Post: 19-Apr-2006, 15:08
  2. And how do YOU feel about Grants ?
    By Daniel Grenier in forum On Photography
    Replies: 23
    Last Post: 13-Apr-2006, 11:06
  3. Should I feel guilty about buying a Shen-hao
    By John C Murphy in forum Cameras & Camera Accessories
    Replies: 48
    Last Post: 29-Aug-2005, 10:46
  4. Blue cast on velvia.
    By Paul White in forum Darkroom: Film, Processing & Printing
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 22-Apr-2004, 08:57
  5. Blue Toner
    By Erik Asgeirsson in forum Darkroom: Film, Processing & Printing
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 11-Jan-2002, 14:14

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •