Practical Questions on Film Photography

[ganjie]

good morning!

ok, i hope there are still people here who shoot using regular 35mm film. i just got into shooting manual cameras and i've had a few realizations and a ton of questions.

a quick self background so you can judge my milleage. through my dad, i've been around cameras since i was little but really never got the time or interest to pursue the craft. i've been using point and shoot for my trips since i was in highschool (was able to shift film-digital early year 2000) and had my last working camera (a canon s40) break around 5 years ago.

since then i've had nothing to take pictures with and didn't really mind until a month ago. i was with my son on top of Mt. Pulag watching the sunset and it dawned on me.. with my kid/s starting to tag along in my trips, i NEEDED to get one already!

so, i gathered funds, did my researched and upon advises from a number of my friends into photography, with the intended purpose and allocated budget i ended up with a nikon d90 with 18-55 kit lens... i thought, ok, so this end all be all camera would be good as everyone recommended it. i was amazed on the improvement and superiority it had over my now dead S40. it had all the bells and whistles, huge viewing screen, adjustable zoom lense, etc.. etc.. etc..

as i used it for about a week, i realized that for what i shoot, it was overkill. i felt anxious having TOO many options, buttons etc.. i ended up buying a manual lens with normal magnification 50mm to downplay available options.  After a few days with that setup, i guess it was a bit easier but still overwhelming.

after a few days of using it, being the minimalist that i am (guitar-cable-amp sometimes i use a OD set to almost clean boost), i decided that i needed a more basic camera since i was hooked and i plan on pursuing photography long term.

i found a mint condition Nikon FM which would go well with my current manual 50mm lens. it was in perfect condition, light meter working, shutter clicks flawlessly on all speeds including in timer mode. it didn't come with a flash and remote shutter controller but i guess it was still a good deal for a 35 year old camera.

so now, i'm a new owner of old technology, i don't know if just threw away my hard earned funds but i've never been excited about taking a picture up until now...  happy as i am, i still have lots to learn and being able to progress on a budget i guess would be the way to go.


so my questions:

1. Where is the best place to get film? also, are there any brands i should avoid?

2. Where is the best place to have the film developed? -i understand developing film is a dying trade and even the camera/picture shops don't regularly have clients who bring in rolls.

3. Are there any good repair shops that cater to these old cameras? (i don't think it'll break anytime soon but you never know right?...)

4. Does anyone have a film shooting group i could tag along with? best way to learn i guess...


hope you guys can help me start out.


Thanks and Godbless,

-Jon

[peeves24]

1. Where is the best place to get film? also, are there any brands i should avoid?

hidalgo or fujifilm stores, meron din mga online stores from the lomo guys. i buy 100s of rolls when i go to japan, shinjuku has lots of bargain bins for non-expired film. i store unused ones in my freezer to last longer

2. Where is the best place to have the film developed? -i understand developing film is a dying trade and even the camera/picture shops don't regularly have clients who bring in rolls.

digiprint for colored papaship mo yung film mo sa office nila sa multinational pque. they are the cheapest i know of. studio 58 is the best but pricey and they can do black and white.

3. Are there any good repair shops that cater to these old cameras? (i don't think it'll break anytime soon but you never know right?...)

hidalgo

4. Does anyone have a film shooting group i could tag along with? best way to learn i guess...

tayo tayo? game? tapos jam na ulit

[ganjie]

1. Where is the best place to get film? also, are there any brands i should avoid?

hidalgo or fujifilm stores, meron din mga online stores from the lomo guys. i buy 100s of rolls when i go to japan, shinjuku has lots of bargain bins for non-expired film. i store unused ones in my freezer to last longer

2. Where is the best place to have the film developed? -i understand developing film is a dying trade and even the camera/picture shops don't regularly have clients who bring in rolls.

digiprint for colored papaship mo yung film mo sa office nila sa multinational pque. they are the cheapest i know of. studio 58 is the best but pricey and they can do black and white.

3. Are there any good repair shops that cater to these old cameras? (i don't think it'll break anytime soon but you never know right?...)

hidalgo

4. Does anyone have a film shooting group i could tag along with? best way to learn i guess...

tayo tayo? game? tapos jam na ulit

thanks for the reply Peeves, so Hidalgo talaga is the place to be! heheh..

what's a good price range for developing? within my area (Q.C.) to get a roll of film going here are the fee's i was given:

1. developing fee: P70/roll
2. CD transfer - P125/roll
3. printing - P7/picture (4R)

are these fair prices or at least comparable to what they have in Hidalgo?

[progressive_pilipinas]

good morning!

ok, i hope there are still people here who shoot using regular 35mm film. i just got into shooting manual cameras and i've had a few realizations and a ton of questions.

a quick self background so you can judge my milleage. through my dad, i've been around cameras since i was little but really never got the time or interest to pursue the craft. i've been using point and shoot for my trips since i was in highschool (was able to shift film-digital early year 2000) and had my last working camera (a canon s40) break around 5 years ago.

since then i've had nothing to take pictures with and didn't really mind until a month ago. i was with my son on top of Mt. Pulag watching the sunset and it dawned on me.. with my kid/s starting to tag along in my trips, i NEEDED to get one already!

so, i gathered funds, did my researched and upon advises from a number of my friends into photography, with the intended purpose and allocated budget i ended up with a nikon d90 with 18-55 kit lens... i thought, ok, so this end all be all camera would be good as everyone recommended it. i was amazed on the improvement and superiority it had over my now dead S40. it had all the bells and whistles, huge viewing screen, adjustable zoom lense, etc.. etc.. etc..

as i used it for about a week, i realized that for what i shoot, it was overkill. i felt anxious having TOO many options, buttons etc.. i ended up buying a manual lens with normal magnification 50mm to downplay available options.  After a few days with that setup, i guess it was a bit easier but still overwhelming.

after a few days of using it, being the minimalist that i am (guitar-cable-amp sometimes i use a OD set to almost clean boost), i decided that i needed a more basic camera since i was hooked and i plan on pursuing photography long term.

i found a mint condition Nikon FM which would go well with my current manual 50mm lens. it was in perfect condition, light meter working, shutter clicks flawlessly on all speeds including in timer mode. it didn't come with a flash and remote shutter controller but i guess it was still a good deal for a 35 year old camera.

so now, i'm a new owner of old technology, i don't know if just threw away my hard earned funds but i've never been excited about taking a picture up until now...  happy as i am, i still have lots to learn and being able to progress on a budget i guess would be the way to go.


so my questions:

1. Where is the best place to get film? also, are there any brands i should avoid?

 - if you're practicing, any will do. But personally, i wanted to shoot with kodak films but their rolls are more expensive than those Fujicolor rolls in SM malls. so i ended with using fujicolor films because they're cheaper

2. Where is the best place to have the film developed? -i understand developing film is a dying trade and even the camera/picture shops don't regularly have clients who bring in rolls.

 - fujifilm/ykl stores in SM is readily accessible than hidalgo stores.

3. Are there any good repair shops that cater to these old cameras? (i don't think it'll break anytime soon but you never know right?...)

- Hidalgo

4. Does anyone have a film shooting group i could tag along with? best way to learn i guess...

- not sure. but i used to join "At maculangan's" Lomography group way back in 2006 in Cubao Expo. Btw, try visiting cuabo expo sometimes on weekend nights. You  might be lucky finding a Photo Film group or try searching facebook im sure there is a group.

hope you guys can help me start out.


Thanks and Godbless,

-Jon

Goodluck!

[renz13]

good morning!

ok, i hope there are still people here who shoot using regular 35mm film. i just got into shooting manual cameras and i've had a few realizations and a ton of questions.

a quick self background so you can judge my milleage. through my dad, i've been around cameras since i was little but really never got the time or interest to pursue the craft. i've been using point and shoot for my trips since i was in highschool (was able to shift film-digital early year 2000) and had my last working camera (a canon s40) break around 5 years ago.

since then i've had nothing to take pictures with and didn't really mind until a month ago. i was with my son on top of Mt. Pulag watching the sunset and it dawned on me.. with my kid/s starting to tag along in my trips, i NEEDED to get one already!

so, i gathered funds, did my researched and upon advises from a number of my friends into photography, with the intended purpose and allocated budget i ended up with a nikon d90 with 18-55 kit lens... i thought, ok, so this end all be all camera would be good as everyone recommended it. i was amazed on the improvement and superiority it had over my now dead S40. it had all the bells and whistles, huge viewing screen, adjustable zoom lense, etc.. etc.. etc..

as i used it for about a week, i realized that for what i shoot, it was overkill. i felt anxious having TOO many options, buttons etc.. i ended up buying a manual lens with normal magnification 50mm to downplay available options.  After a few days with that setup, i guess it was a bit easier but still overwhelming.

after a few days of using it, being the minimalist that i am (guitar-cable-amp sometimes i use a OD set to almost clean boost), i decided that i needed a more basic camera since i was hooked and i plan on pursuing photography long term.

i found a mint condition Nikon FM which would go well with my current manual 50mm lens. it was in perfect condition, light meter working, shutter clicks flawlessly on all speeds including in timer mode. it didn't come with a flash and remote shutter controller but i guess it was still a good deal for a 35 year old camera.

so now, i'm a new owner of old technology, i don't know if just threw away my hard earned funds but i've never been excited about taking a picture up until now...  happy as i am, i still have lots to learn and being able to progress on a budget i guess would be the way to go.


so my questions:

1. Where is the best place to get film? also, are there any brands i should avoid?

2. Where is the best place to have the film developed? -i understand developing film is a dying trade and even the camera/picture shops don't regularly have clients who bring in rolls.
 
3. Are there any good repair shops that cater to these old cameras? (i don't think it'll break anytime soon but you never know right?...)

4. Does anyone have a film shooting group i could tag along with? best way to learn i guess...


hope you guys can help me start out.


Thanks and Godbless,

-Jon

1. Personally i use Kodak ProImage 100 and Superia X-Tra 400 para sa high speed needs and nag hoard ako ng Neopan 400 bago maubos sa fujifilm

2. I always go to sa photo concept @ hidalgo dati sa fortress digital ako eh nagasgasan nila yung negatives ko so lumipat ako
     And kung black and white, DIY! haha will develop yung mga neopan ko once dumating na yung tank ko hehe

3. kung sa hidalgo try kuya dong, sa may SM sya ka street nya ang henry's

4. Meron, try mo sa Rangefinder filipinas and Lomomanila
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2408974704/ - Lomomanila
https://www.facebook.com/groups/rangefinderfilipinas/

Mas madalas may Photowalk sa Lomomanila

[palmmuteboi]

hidalgo is your best bet

personally i pref mang dong.
heres a quick history :

ive been shooting film for over 8 years now, well im no pro but started my photography journey with a pair of vintage cameras. A Yashica electro 35 and a Canonet QL17 both range finder cameras. I got these cams na hindi sila working, started my research and found Dong. He repaired and some what restored my cameras and came out in a top condition. We eventually became buddies, introduced me to some veteran photographers, journalists etc even became a mentor to me at a point in time. So there never had a problem with dong upto now im shooting digital and using a D90 i have a tamron sp500 500mm lens na pinaservice ko 18-105 and a 50mm, all good. He even serviced my other cams, a nikon EM with a pancake 50mm a nikon n2020 a canon 500n a canon eos kiss panorama a kodak hawkeye brownie and a ton more vintage compact and slr cameras.

sa films madami din sources sa hidalgo i just use fuji film, kodak color and thise typical films i find.

regarding sa pa develop or scan to cd pinaka malapit sakin is photoline so lahat dun na ok naman if i dont like it i run the photos for a quick retouch sa ps or lightroom.

[randymarsh]