Purchasing film

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  • #2330
    Farktographer
    Participant

    I got a film camera finally – it’s a simple Holga 120N, and I ventured out today to get some film for it. I walked into the camera store nearest my house, boasting a wide array of cameras, bags, tripods, processing supplies and such, to find that they have no 120 film. Not one roll. When I asked them about 35mm film, they pointed out two types of color film – 200 ISO and 400 ISO.

    /facepalm

    They suggested I go to another camera supply store about 10 miles away that typically has film. They had film, but their 120 supply was very limited, and they didn’t even have slide film for 35mm.

    /double facepalm

    I’ve been checking out online recently, and know amazon supplies a good variety of rolls, but you have to buy a whole box. I doubt if I go to a big-name store (wal-mart, target, etc.) they’d have 120 film. My question is – where do you film buffs go to get the good stuff? I’m eyeing the lomography website because I could try out single rolls of different films until I figure out what I want (I’d hate to buy 5 rolls and hate the results), but more than anything I’m ranting about the fact that you can’t find any bloody film in CAMERA stores these days. Anyone have tips on where I might be able to find some?

    #40074
    sleeping
    Participant
    #40073
    orionid
    Participant

    http://www.bhphotovideo.com/
    http://www.adorama.com/
    http://www.freestylephoto.biz/index.php

    What he said. Also, ebay works great.

    Also, anything on the lomography website, I can probably tell you how to do cheaper. Redscale? Load your film backwards. Cross process? Ask your developer (unless it’s a pharmacy, then just put it in a new cassette and write “c-41” on a piece of tape). Shitty camera with a plastic lens? Goodwill. Expired film? Unless it was poorly cared for, expired is just as good as new. The “expired” effect usually comes from one or more of three other things: Really old film (like early 80’s or older), shitty cameras, or cross processing. If you really want that old film look, leave your film in the black canister, set it on your dashboard, park in direct sunlight with windows up while you cruise the mall on a hot summer day.

    #40072
    Farktographer
    Participant

    I’ve heard a lot about adorama – I also heard from a friend that there’s a place in SD that sells a good amount of 120 film as individual rolls, so I’ll cruise by that final spot before giving up. Orionid – those are some awesome tips that I didn’t know about. When you say put it in a new cassette though for cross-processing, do you mean making an impromptu dark-room, pulling the film out, and putting it into a new one? Why do that instead of just leaving it in the original one and writing “c-41”? I might want to try leaving a few rolls of film in a hot car for a few hours 🙂

    More than anything, I was just disappointed at the lack of selection in camera stores. Especially the lack of slide film. I think I’m more of a landscape photographer, so I really want to see how the colors pop with slide.

    #40071
    orionid
    Participant

    Here’s you’re impromptu darkroom: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/70983-REG/Kalt_NP10102_Large_Changing_Bag_Double.html

    Or, if your bathroom has no windows, two rolls of this: http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100197882/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053 and a towel rolled up across the bottom.

    I’ve been through pretty much every possible combo with the idiots that run the minilabs at pharmacies and super duper marts. All they know to look for is “C-41.” If you take them a roll of E6 and convince them that the process works, and is harmless, and that you’re a photographer and you know these things (not likely to convince, but even if so), they’ll see it come out with clear backing and pastel-tinted colors, automatically assume that the chemicals are bad, it must have been your film that made them go bad, drain, flush and refill the system, and ask you never to come back. If you put it in a blank cassette, write on a piece of tape “(name of film) XX Exposures, C-41)” then tell them you’re a photographer, and this is an artistic film that’s going to come out weird looking, and there’s nothing wrong with the chemistry, they generally buy it. If you just tape over the factory canister, they tend to not buy the story so much. But it’s okay, canisters are cheap: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/86474-REG/General_Brand_NP21100_1_35mm_Cassette_for_Bulk.html – Just don’t forget to ask for them back. Using those also makes loading redscale easier.

    #40070
    Farktographer
    Participant

    Thanks again for the tips. I got my first film roll developed and came up with this (it’s a very very rough draft, quick and dirty):

    As suggested, I got this slide film and re-rolled it into my own canister and told them to develop it as C41, no cutting, no printing, etc., and they did it fine. The film freaked me out at first because it was so clear, I thought that all the images were washed off, but alas, all turned out fine. Because I don’t have a scanner, I laid the film over a bright light and took a photo using my D7000, then imported it onto my computer, adjusted the set white spot and then inverted the image. Looking forward to having more fun with this film stuff you old-timers keep talking about 😉

    #40069
    orionid
    Participant

    Awesome!

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