Calumet made me feel blue

[John_4185]

The time is coming so that LF film and supplies, will be found in specialty shops of an entirely new kind, and most will be online. Old eventually becomes a new niche. Personally, I find it liberating.

If I have to explain why to a digimaniac, they wouldn't understand, and I don't care.

[John Kasaian]

I just dropped of a few rolls of MF b&w (VP!) at one of the last real camera stores in my town as I'm too lazy to unpack my MF paraphenalia. I was told that they're doing a lot of b&w processing these days because I live in a college town and students are working in b&w.

"Wouldn't they be developing their own film as part of the class?" I asked.

"Most students don't have the time and besides, theres no funding for dark rooms anymore." I was told.

"Well if theres no darkroom, how do they print?" I asked.

"The scan it and work with it in Photoshop."

Just then I thought I heard a spirit behind me remark:

"It is true that I am of an older fashion; much that I love has been destroyed or sent into exhile"---GKC

[Marko]

Chris,

They are sales people. Theirs is a business of selling photo stuff. What does truth have to do with anything any salesperson says? They'll praise whatever has the fattest margin and denigrate anything else. Just ask any *used* photo equipment salesperson and you'll likely get significantly different spiel.

The way you talk about this stuff, I'd say you're an amateur too, just like me. I used to do 35mm B&W long time ago. Came back to it after even longer break. Being very comfortable with Photoshop and very technically oriented at the same time, I bought into digital. It was great fun, but something was missing. I am just now getting back into film, this time with LF, and it seems like I am going to settle for a hybrid - I have no place for a full blown darkroom and I will satisfy my sense of smell developing film, but then I am going to scan it and do the rest the new way. And keep a digital p&s for snapshots and scouting.

I think it is an excellent hobby and it is also much more cost effective - I consider myself lucky if I'm able to devote two weekends a month for it. How much am I going to shoot each time? With 35mm it would probably be a roll or two per occurence, with LF most likely a handful of shots. That's what, a dozen or so shots a month... A low- to mid-range digital Canon body with a couple of L class zooms could (did) easily cost well over $3000. A used 4x5 with a used 210 and a tripod, all in very decent and very usable condition, cost me less than $500. That leaves more than $2500 for film and chemicals, but lets be conservative and round down to $2500. Given my rate of shooting, say mixed b&w and color, a dozen a month - say average $3 per shot with processing - would come out at about $36 per month. Let's bump it up to $50 per month, to be on the safe side. That's 50 months, or slightly over four years.

Now, what do you think those salespeople would rather - sell you a $3000 worth of digital equipment in one loud pop now, or keep selling you $50 worth of film and chemicals and processing over next four years? Assuming, of course that you'd keep buying AND processing only at their place for all that time... Oh, and by the way, persuade you some two years down the road that it's high time for you to upgrade to the next greatest digital body, because everybody else is and because yours is hopelessly obsolete. Much cheaper this time, only about a $1000, beacause you already got the lenses... That's another 20 months or more than a year and a half of film...

So, yes, digital IS in, and yes, film IS on its way out of mainstream photography, both commercial and snapshooting, but that has nothing to do with either you or me. There's a lot of guys like us out there, quite a few like me, coming BACK to film, either as a hobby or maybe even as fine art, if they are really good at it. Either way, there's enough of us, I believe, to sustain film as a viable niche for a (relatively) long time to come.

Now please excuse this lenghty rant, I had to let it out. Makes me feel better about it too

[David Karp]

John,

I teach at a Community College (not photography). The photography instructors tell me that they have had zero dropoff in their intro photography/darkroom classes even as they have added more and more digital classes. The intro classes are primarily filled with students taking the class as an elective. There are not enough photo majors to fill up as many intro classes as we offer. We have a nice darkroom facility, and whenever I drop by it is busy and full. The students develop and print their own stuff too.

That is not to say that overall interest in film photography is diminishing. Just noting a difference between what is happening up by you, and down here, at least at my school.

[Neal Wydra]

Dear Chris,

I was in the Bensenville, IL store a few weeks back and while digital is certainly the stressed direction, they had plenty of film and darkroom chemicals and paper. I even got some friendly conversation and some moral support. Fresh film and good prices, at least for now.

[Josh Z.]

Was in the main chicago store just the other day and they still have plenty of LF stuff. Lenses and cameras on display, and a real interest amoung the staff when I had a custom lens board for an old camera (looking for lens caps)... Anyways, the Bensenville store is pretty good, but the main one in Chicago is really pretty cool. Also Central right downtown had some really old equipment that was a joy to see.

[Capocheny]

Chris,

Yup, yup, nada!

So.... I hope you asked them for a GREAT deal on the chemistry and Type 55 since "NOBODY is buying it anymore! "

If not... go back and load up the car!

Cheers

[Duane Polcou]

An organization actually exists of atlatl enthusiasts. People who like to make, use, and exhange atlatls. Hunting instruments that I believed Neanderthals used. Why? Because they find it interesting and challenging and enjoyable. They are crazy, wonderful dinosaurs.

You are trying to match your enthusiasm for equipping youself to work in what has effectively become a photographic niche, to the motivation of a salesperson to earn a paycheck. Apples to atlatls.
Do yourself a favor. Do whatever you want and don't look for the approval or even cooperation of anyone and/or everyone in the photography field. Many of them haven't sold, published, exhibited, or even taken a worthwhile picture in their entire lives. The people you respect? You'll find a way of running into them.

[jonathan smith]

The last time I went into my Calumet (LA) they treated me like a god once I started buying 8x10 supplies. Here was one guy who really "did it", made the uncompromising choice, to heck with all the convenience cameras.

Like it was said, I think it depends on the local manager/staff. Sure, there's tons of digital, but they have everything. One side note, the company that makes Lisco film holders is right next door in this crummy little shack. I think they don't even have a door, just a dark slide.

[tor kviljo]

You can get incredible sharp pictures with LF-added movements with a top quality Canon DSLR & T/S lens, as You can with a RZ67 with digi back & the tilt/shift converter, as You can with a Fuji 680GX with its built in tilt/shift, as You can with any desent-pro digi camera back & Tilt/shift system/lens/add-on these days. Only rarely You may encounter the need for biiiiig enlargements where You need the extra resolution of LF.

However, in addition to shooting film - which behaves entirely different than pixels - being non-uniform/organic in structure & having variable resolution itself - depending on contrast of subject, I feel the main issue with using LF is that You are given the near total control only a 4"x5" (or bigger) GG with 10x loupe & all the camera-movements in the world can give You. If You are able to pick the perfect photo-point & field of view & determine where the plane of sharp focus ought to be in just a minute or two - then maybe You could be just as happy with a Eos D1S or whatever they are called - and the T/S lenses.

If You - like me - find out that good images is made partly using a fair amount of time before finally setting up the tripod - partly during at least 10 minutes under the cloth - steadily altering lens/perspective/ and-where-is-the-##(+%!-plane-of focus now! -issues & being able to use both eyes to view the final setting on the GG, and partly in wet or dry darkroom, then it's easy to see that LF is more a craft & process than D-SLR'ing.... Most of the 3 steps above is heavily amputated or absent from a typical D-SLR session, as I can judge it after travelling with "digiteasers" now & then. I find I take better pictures using LF - and I have over the years used & enjoyed everything from 8x11mm (Minox) to 8"x10" + Eos 20D, so I stick to LF for the kreative part - uses the 20D for a little moneymaking (aerial photography - it's great for that)..... That thing have still not yet helped me take a picture I enjoy myself...