Railfan Technology > Ok, how many of you still use film?

I was just wondering. How many of you guys still photograph trains with film? I converted to digital 3 years ago, and have enjoyed it for the most part. You can get away with some things that slide film just won't do. Yet then again, at times, I feel like there is something missing from the experience of photographing a train. Now I know that many of the younger kids here on TO have probably never exposed a chrome, or may not know what the sunny 16 rule is.

I'm not asking which is better, cause there both good. Whatever you prefer, knock yourself out. Just wondering how many of you still shoot film, and if so, why?

Thanks!

I still use Fuji 100 sensia..although I will be purchasing a digital SLR very soon.

T-max 400 120 and 35mm...been shooting it since the mid 80's will shoot it until one of us hits the grave. (Which probably won't be that long a wait.)

Martin Burwash

Tri-X and Provia 100 in the 4x5. The 35mm is all digital these days, though.

Kit Courter
Torrance, CA
LunarLight Photography

Still use K-64 for my rosters and nice action shots all my other shots are digital (Been shooting Kodachrome since 1975) I carry my 35m and digital everwhere

I've been shooting digital since 2003 and have continued to shoot Fuji Velvia 50 right along side the digital. I've shot two cameras for a number of years, so it wasn't that hard to keep on keeping on. My big concern with slides right now will be how big of a PTA processing might be for someone who lives in a small town.

We film shooters are becoming increasingly rare. In the end, I want something tangible from my efforts, and that's a mounted chrome (Fuji Provia 100 for those who care, ever since Fodak killed K25).

Slide processing issues will shortly be coming to a head again, at least in the east. The Kodalux courier system is folding; most area slide shooters I know access Dwayne's in KS through a drugstore chain like CVS via Kodalux. Guess we'll have to go back to mailers...

Fuji Velvia 100 and Provia 100f. 120/220.

Lets just hope there are enough landscapers out there to keep it alive and we will hitch a lift with them.

I don't trust all this electronic stuff, once the film has passed through the camera and processing I have a tangible, solid, real thing, sorry but, imo, you can't beat that.

Steve (Apprentice Luddite).

I still use film kodak e100vs and a dslr ......

Would love to know the following:

How many of you are shooting film BECAUSE you think it gives better results? Vs. shooting film due to cost of buying digital or lack of computer, or simply don't want to deal with something new? The last issue should not be taken as a insult, just want to get a better understand of the reasons you choose to shot film.

I still use film. I use some HP5 for my Elan 7, and then several films for my 4x5 camera.

Delta 400 for B&W, Provia 400 for color, but I'm lucky in having good-quality processing available right here in Portland; it's tougher in a lot of areas.
Last couple years, haven't shot enough film to make the switch to digital economic but some paying jobs coming up might tip me over -- the publications aren't set up to work with film any more.

For most things I shoot with the digital SLR. However I regularly carry a pile of film cameras with me for personal or art photography. I shoot Ilford HP5+ in 120 and 35mm, Kodak 160NC and VC in 120 and I'm taking a color darkroom class this semester, using consumer Fuji SPH400 film.
No 4x5 yet but I've been thinking about getting one.

-Alex

J. Alex Lang
Pittsburgh, PA

Im still shooting film. Neopan 400 and Agfa APX-400 for 35mm and TXP 320 and Provia 100f for 4x5. Develop my BW films in DDX developer.

Take Care,
Alex Ramos

Provia 100F.

I can still shoot film if the Canon T90 still works. I just don't want to have to drag two sets of cameras out mostly.

Richard S. Marsh
Cedar Falls, IA

Cameraman Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Would love to know the following:
>
> How many of you are shooting film BECAUSE you
> think it gives better results? Vs. shooting film
> due to cost of buying digital or lack of computer,
> or simply don't want to deal with something new?
> The last issue should not be taken as a insult,
> just want to get a better understand of the
> reasons you choose to shot film.


I still like the look of a slide projected on a large screen. I still like the color I get with Velvia, particularly at sunrise and sunset compared to all the futzing around I have to do with a digital image taken at the same time of day. As noted previously, I bought a Fuji S2 in 2003 and replaced that POS with a Nikon D2x in 2006. So I guess you could say cost wasn't an issue, computers or trying something new.

I shoot digital, but would like to learn how to shoot film. I almost won a camera off of eBay but got outbid at the last second. I would like to get a camera that I can use my lenses on, so it's gonna have to be a Canon. I don't want to get too far invested into another camera. I'd like to try some exposure shots and maybe some more arty shots, but leave the average foaming to the digitals.

Even after picking up a digital SLR three years ago, my EOS 1v is still exposing Provia regularly. Digital is a great tool, but I think knowing how to expose an image on film in difficult lighting without the Photoshop crutch should be a requirement.

I carried two cameras for film, a couple of 35mm bodies for the 'chromes and a MF for B&W. Then is substituted a prosumer digital for the B&W to check out the digital potential. Now it is just the digital for both color and B&W. Yes, I have two bodies when needed but I cannot imagine purchasing another roll of film unless the nieces or nephew suddenly want to see how the darkroom equipment works. I think the digital is better and is certainly more fun. I wish it had come out 20 years earlier and I knew more about it now. Can you imagine those 30mb photo files on the computers of 30 years ago? No one would have gone digital under those conditions.

So keep up with what you know and what you like. Both formats offer wonderous image capture.