Roll films and their journey to/from New Zealand

[Grumium]

Hi all

I am preparing a 5 week trip to New Zealand's South Island for end of this year. As I am quite new to LF photography (using a Linhof 617 + 72 XL mainly), this forum and the tremendous amounts of roll film to be carried with (I am generally used to CF cards in combination with somewhat poorer picture quality ^^), I wonder if you could advise in different questions. I intend to take about 300 - 400 roll films with me, half of them being Velvia where the other half is BW (Tri-X and PanF).

Velvia's development will be commissioned to a professional lab (E6) where I will develop the BW films myself after returning to Switzerland.

We (2) will fly from Zurich, Switzerland to Christchurch with Singapore Airlines. You are limited to 7 kg of carry-on luggage per person with Singapore Airlines. In our case, one of us would take all the camera gear and the other one all the films - while still exceeding the weight limits (280 roll films without carton will roughly equal 7 kg).

I am wondering if you would recommend a different approach like to purchase (part of) the roll films in NZ. This would save those films from high and long lasting altitude radiation, helps us save time and energy at the security gates with the drawback of being much more expensive. Has anybody ever sent films to New Zealand in advance of such a trip? Are such shipments also x-rayed and are there any issues to be expected with customs?

I am also considering the development of the Velvias to be performed somewhere in NZ. What do you think? Do you have any suggestions, companies - preferably around Christchurch - etc.?

Thank you very much in advance for your highly appreciated recommendations and opinions. Kindly excuse my mediocre English skills.

Cheers
Glenn

[Sevo]

We (2) will fly from Zurich, Switzerland to Christchurch with Singapore Airlines. You are limited to 7 kg of carry-on luggage per person with Singapore Airlines.

That is your FREE limit. You can pay or negotiate for more carry-on luggage - high profile airlines like Singapore will often allow to carry-on expensive or easily damaged items to the amount you'd otherwise have in free check-in luggage, and even greedy cheapskates like Ryanair will let you carry on anything you pay for (provided it is not considered a illegal weapon)...

I have travelled with plenty of bulky items in the carry-on, the biggest and heaviest (far in excess of any camera kit I've ever moved) being musical instruments and crates of vinyl records - in some cases that was unpleasantly expensive, but I rather doubt that 400 films and a 617 will be anywhere near the size of a touring band rig (in the worst case I had to book a extra three seat row for our instruments).

[GPS]

Hi all

I am preparing a 5 week trip to New Zealand's South Island for end of this year. As I am quite new to LF photography (using a Linhof 617 + 72 XL mainly), ...
Glenn

Just highly curious and perhaps slightly off topic but - were you using the format with this 72mm lens in Switzerland? If so where? I wonder because with this combination you must be quite close to the object of interest to make an impact with the pictures. Quite a difficult combination for general landscape I would say.

[mdm]

Thats probably more films than could be bought by emptying the shelves in every city. E6 processing will cost NZD 20 per roll but C41 can be done for NZD 6 to 7 per roll at photoespresso.co.nz or wps.net.nz or imagelab.co.nz, maybe photo.co.nz in christchurch but not certain. Maybe you can get a bulk discount for processing. I buy my film and have it sent to me from B&H or Badger in the USA. To be totally honest there are not that many really good photos to be made, unless you were to spend a long time here photographing full time, going where the light is. Why dont you consider using less film and enjoy the country and its people more, you will make better photographs too, I bet. There is a private guy in Dunedin who can supply Fuji Acros ofr about NZD7 per roll if I remember correctly, and will process it for you too for NZD 6.50 per roll, I can give you his email if you like, he trades on trademe.co.nz, give him a lot of warning if you want a mountain of film. fotofirst.co.nz in Palmerston North does E6.

[r.e.]

According to the Singapore Airlines web site, your travel time will be 36 hours and include a 14 hour layover in Singapore. Personally, I would have no interest whatever in the amount of carry-on baggage that you are talking about.

I suggest that you get a quote from a New Zealand photo shop on the Velvia, Tri-X and Pan-F, and quotes, including shipping to Christchurch, from U.S. dealers in New York (e.g. B&H) and Los Angeles. If the U.S. quotes are attractive, I would then find out from the New Zealand Government whether you have to pay duty and/or sales tax if you (a) carry film to New Zealand for personal use during your trip (I doubt it) or (b) send film in advance of your arrival. The New Zealand participants in this forum may be helpful on these questions.

If I could make an observation, as someone who has spent time in New Zealand, I think that if I had spent my time there shooting about 10 rolls of film per day, as you are proposing to do, I would have missed most of the experience of being in the country.

[r.e.]

Hey mdm, I posted without seeing yours. I could not agree more with:

"Why dont you consider using less film and enjoy the country and its people more, you will make better photographs too, I bet".

[mdm]

You pay GST and customs fees on anything over NZD400 including shipping.

[r.e.]

You pay GST and customs fees on anything over NZD400 including shipping.

As a New Zealand resident. It may not be the same for a tourist who is visiting. As a Canadian, I'm pretty sure that I could bring film worth over NZD$400/US$318 into the country without paying GST (aka VAT) or duty. I suspect that the only question is whether I could send it in advance of my arrival without paying GST/duty. In principal, it should be possible, although depending on the shipper (Canada Post/UPS/FedEx), I might have to pay customs brokerage fees ranging from reasonable to crazy.

[mdm]

Dont think the post people know who you are, they probably make you pay anyway, though I have no doubt you could claim the GST back when you leave the country.

[Lachlan 717]

As a New Zealand resident. It may not be the same for a tourist who is visiting. As a Canadian, I'm pretty sure that I could bring film worth over NZD$400/US$318 into the country without paying GST (aka VAT) or duty. I suspect that the only question is whether I could send it in advance of my arrival without paying GST/duty. In principal, it should be possible, although depending on the shipper (Canada Post/UPS/FedEx), I might have to pay customs brokerage fees ranging from reasonable to crazy.

You'll get charged duty.

I saw a show about NZ Customs ("Boarder Security") where a Pro Shooter brought in much less than this and got stung. The Customs people declared it as being a commercial quantity and charged Import Duty at point of entry.

As for the quantity, add me as another who cannot see how you'll shoot that much film in that time, even with bracketing exposure.

[Grumium]

Thank you very much for your great response. It's much more than I had expected when going to bed late and getting up early :-)

@ David
You (as also others) are probably right. I will reconsider the amount of roll films that I take with me. This will give me more time for concentrating on each shot, end up having probably more keepers and less hassle with everything else. I would be pleased if you could send me the email address of the guy in Dunedin just for the case that I am overwhelmed by the landscape and run out of films too early :-)

@ GPS
I am new to 617 and really don't have the time to follow the light in Switzerland. As it's the interchangeable version of the Linhof 617 I also don't mind using the 180 mm lens. It's just a matter of where you are, how close you can get and so on.

@ Lachlan
I don't expect any issues with customs at arrival. I am not a pro. Not at all.

[Tom J McDonald]

Remember he will only get 4 shots per roll:
People probably wouldn't think it was excessive to take over 100 rolls and use an RB67.

[r.e.]

Remember he will only get 4 shots per roll:
People probably wouldn't think it was excessive to take over 100 rolls and use an RB67.

As a matter of arithmetic, 300 and 400 rolls of 6x17 is 120 and 160 rolls of 6x7 respectively.

Taking the average (350 rolls shooting 6x17 or 140 rolls shooting 6x7), that is about 1400 photographs in five weeks, or about 40 per day, which, based on an eight hour day, is about five per hour, or one every 12 minutes.

Leaving aside the fact that shooting 6x17 and 6x7 is apples and oranges.

Great way to miss the country, and maybe get a divorce in the process.

P.S. I went to New Zealand with a Mamiya 7II.

[Lachlan 717]

@ Lachlan
I don't expect any issues with customs at arrival. I am not a pro. Not at all.

It's got nothing to do with being a pro; it's the volume of film you're trying to take in.

Anyway, it's up to you.

[Brian C. Miller]

Five week trip, 400 rolls. 80 rolls per week, 11 per day. I just finished a day photographing a local rally, and used nine rolls. Nine rolls, 6x6 for 12 shots per roll, no bracketing, 108 shots. And it wasn't scenic. A few times running around "locally" I've gone through 25 rolls in a weekend shooting 6x7, so I'd say it's not a bad estimate. Consider what your usage has been on your busiest weekend, and that should give you a good rough estimate.

If you are serious about photographing the countryside like a maniac, 400 rolls should cover it. I have no information about customs, etc., but I'm guessing that you might as well order in the film at a NZ store, and pick it up locally. If customs is going to nail you for VAT and all NZ taxes, might as well spare yourself the pain of bringing it in, and then just ship the exposed rolls home.

[Tom J McDonald]

As a matter of arithmetic, 300 and 400 rolls of 6x17 is 120 and 160 rolls of 6x7 respectively.

Taking the average (350 rolls shooting 6x17 or 140 rolls shooting 6x7), that is about 1400 photographs in five weeks, or about 40 per day, which, based on an eight hour day, is about five per hour, or one every 12 minutes.

Leaving aside the fact that shooting 6x17 and 6x7 is apples and oranges.

Great way to miss the country, and maybe get a divorce in the process.

P.S. I went to New Zealand with a Mamiya 7II.

Oops. I assumed this trip was a photography trip and not a holiday. I didn't see anything about the wife.

[E. von Hoegh]

My last trip overseas was Germany for one month. I used 6 (six) 36 exposure rolls of 35mm film and 4 sheets of 4x5 T-Max. I got every photo I wanted, and 95+% were keepers. All 4 LF sheets were of course keepers.

edit: The 35mm film was purchased and processed in Germany, Agfa 100 speed reversal. A bit over half the cost of Kodak, and for my purposes at that time and place, better.

[Grumium]

As mentioned by Tom, I will only get 4 shots per 120. Taking into account that I can only use the ground glass before loading the film, the need of some bracketing for slide films, slight movements of the ND grads to get them finally right, ... I consider one film as one picture.

Tom was also right in assuming that it is a photography trip. I am one of those lucky guys being married to a woman who shares the same passion for landscape photography. That's why we call such a photography trip also holiday ;-) We really enjoy to stay at one place for hours, waiting for the perfect light ... whether it turns up or not.

Thank you all.

[GPS]

As mentioned by Tom, I will only get 4 shots per 120. Taking into account that I can only use the ground glass before loading the film, the need of some bracketing for slide films, slight movements of the ND grads to get them finally right, ... I consider one film as one picture.
..l.


Thank you very much for your great response. It's much more than I had expected when going to bed late and getting up early :-)

@ David
You (as also others) are probably right. I will reconsider the amount of roll films that I take with me. This will give me more time for concentrating on each shot, end up having probably more keepers and less hassle with everything else. I would be pleased if you could send me the email address of the guy in Dunedin just for the case that I am overwhelmed by the landscape and run out of films too early :-)

@ GPS
I am new to 617 and really don't have the time to follow the light in Switzerland. As it's the interchangeable version of the Linhof 617 I also don't mind using the 180 mm lens. It's just a matter of where you are, how close you can get and so on.

...

Grumium
on the friendly note, I think you do well taking seriously the suggestions and the surprise of the posters here about the huge amount of film you intended to take.
I'm a long time (25 years of experience in the business) stock photo shooter, have about 20 cameras, special home made stuff and I love 120 film. My first though reading your post were - this is an enthusiast on his first exotic photo trip aboard. And yes, me too I have a Linhof 617 camera...
But look at it "coolly" - you say, you like waiting hours for the light to take a picture (hopefully you know the light will come, otherwise it would be a horribly ineffective way to take pictures). If you wait 2 hrs for a picture and you have 400 films (and you take those 4 pics just for one scene) it would be 800 hours of waiting. If you took pics just 12 hrs/day it would make 66 days of taking pics. You only have 30 days...:(

I agree with you that often-times one takes one scene on one film with these 617 cameras as it is a PITA to change the film in the middle of taking pics, so one avoids leaving 1 picture on the film length for a new scene. But these cameras don't shoot like a 35mm SLR either. Especially when you wait for the scene for hours. You only gain when you shoot and think with them as an "almost" LF camera.
When I was doing 1 month trips with this camera (not the only one) I would not take more than 80-100 rolls. For the ease of travelling and the right mind set-up. Knowing that you don't have a mass of films keeps you focused on keepers. ;)
And yes, with 35 mm cameras I came home with 1500 pics, kept 500, sold 300 - but that is different shooting.
My advice is - in your case, less is more. And no, the trip won't be an Alice in the wonderland easy grand pictures all over, have no time to eat...;)

[Grumium]

I already got it ;-)

[eddie]

better to have too much film than not enough.

i have done quite a bit of travel photography. Oz, NZ, europe, S america, and SE Asia. sometimes it IS the photography....and all
'you" need to see is through the lens. so if the OP is shooting 24x7 then maybe that is tripping his trigger.

i have NEVER had any trouble anywhere in the world with customs (well there was this dick french customs guy that held me up for an hour asking me stupid questions. in the need i left with all my stuff and no tax or additional issues.) . i have taken several hundred rolls and sheets of film. (135, 120 and 4x5 formats). no issues.

if you are worried about it ship some by the PO. declare the value low (below the $400 mentioned above). carry the rest.easy as pie.

he is a tip for you when you arrive to customs. explain that you want to photograph the lovely countryside. then, somewhere along the way promise that next time you will shoot digital and not have to bring the film....this usually gets a laugh.

when/if they ask if you are a pro, say no! pros shoot digital, and if you were a pro you would have been smart enough to shoot digital to save you bringing all this sh!t along with you.

have fun!

be sure to post images when u return.

eddie

[Paul H]

Link for the Acros film (http://www.trademe.co.nz/electronics-photography/film-cameras/other-formats/auction-417127627.htm) - on TradeMe, the Kiwi version of eBay.

If you decide to post your film, send it via the Swiss postal service, and not someone like UPS, and you'll more than likely not have to pay GST (VAT). Otherwise, just post multiple packages, each with a value below NZ$400. GST is 15%, on the total (incl. postage).

Check out photo.co.nz (Christchurch), and give them a ring about E6 processing. For the amounts you are talking about, they should give you a discounted price.

Enjoy the trip, and don't forget to keep left ;)

[Neil D]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but since our earthquakes in this part of New Zealand i.e. Christchurch there are some problems re access to film and E6 processing you need to be aware of in connection with your forthcoming visit.

Due to the closure of the centre of the city (the red zone) since February, there are no E6 processing facilities operating in the city and only one photo shop - Photo and Video in Merivale Mal - where you can hand films in for this processing. In fact, The processing is carried out by PCL in Auckland and the turn around time is of the order of two weeks.

Photo and Video, in fact, is the only serious photo shop still functioning in the city and where you can buy Velvia, etc. It is rumoured that PhotoWarehouse will be reopening in late November but it is anyone's guess when Ken's Cameras will be able to reopen. You should be aware that PhotoWarehouse don't do E6 processing on site which is why slide users hope that it won't be too long before Ken's Cameras on site facilities are able to get restarted but that is very dependent on the progress of the demolitions in that part of the red zone.

In spite of all this, I hope you have an enjoyable visit here - and the sun is shining (at present!)

[Grumium]

I think you were right - New Zealand isn't like Alice in Wonderland - it is so much more.

Our trip is drawing to a close and there are "a few" rollfilms left which could stay with you in New Zealand: Fuji Velvia 50 RVP 120 (app. 50-75 pc), Fuji Astia 100F 120 (ca. 10 pc), Kodak Tri-X (app. 15-20 pc), Ilford PanF (ca. 10 pc). Each NZD 9. You are required to pick them up in Christchurch on 6th of December. Min. qty. 50.

All films have been in the freezer up to their trip to New Zealand, have never been x-rayed and have stayed in the freezer/fridge during the travel.

Please get in touch with me via PN/Private Messages.