Analog film photography and cameras

Here's my first attempt at processing b+w: it's hp5, and a picture of some shapes...

Didn't go that well, I forgot to wipe the bubbles off it after I took the film out of the tank!

A few shots I've sorted out scans of recently:

Sam, since you've posted your images for us to see, I will offer some feedback. I'd like to be kind,
but I think you may possibly gain more from my being honest.

Your first image of the girl, lined up in a rules-of-thirds style, is a bit too contrived. It doesn't look
natural, and the photo seems to do nothing more record that the young lady is actually very good looking.

The second image is well exposed, but thats it. Again, a cliched and hackneyed of a girl is given. It could
have used imagination to a much better impact. As it is, it just looks static, and unspecial.

The third image could have had a better angle of approach. As we see it, there is not enough to hold the
interest, and one's eye flits around the image looking for something........more.

The fourth image is one that I would have thrown in the bin, and not shown anyone. Its just lacking in life.
Yet there are three people in it, so maybe waiting a second more might have shown the better shot.

Your last image cried out for some follow-up shots, closer, and maybe with the boy's permission. Not bad,
but the boards at the front dominate the image, and they have now life in them, or much story about them.

I know why people like Mr.Smyth sneer at some who use the older way to make their photographic images. I
agree with them, but I don't agree that digital is superior. Obviously I feel that film photography is worthwhile,
because the medium itself gives a mood, that digital doesn't, without potato-chopping.

Its also sadly obvious from some posts in this thread, that just owning film cameras is enough to make some
people on here feel that they've accomplished something. I suggest differently. That its only through what one
can accomplish with these cameras, that would make the user known a good, indeterminate or bad photographer.

I can teach nearly any child of 8 years old to properly compose imges and take accurate light readings manually.
Putting them together to make something a bit special, now that is the challenging part.

Anyone want my Olympus XA-2 with flash for £15 posted?

Check your PM's dude!

Here's my first attempt at processing b+w: it's hp5, and a picture of some shapes...

Didn't go that well, I forgot to wipe the bubbles off it after I took the film out of the tank!

I like this picture a lot.

I like this picture a lot.

You've got good taste then (:

Panther have shut down!

Panther Images on Leather Lane have shut after many years of great service. I was in there getting a roll developed today and was told that they only found out yesterday. As of Wednesday the 28th July they are no longer. They were so busy trying to get in contact with all of the customers who had outstanding orders with them that they seemed to have neglected their own problems of what to do next!

I bought a couple of extra rolls of film but doubt it'll ease their problems :(

One of the chaps there had apparently been working there for 22 years...

Not beautiful in terms of contrast but as No. 36 on the last roll of film I'll ever get developed there I'm rather fond of it.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4130/4835418777_4faa1fcc72_b.jpg

And on a slightly more bike related note, also from the same roll:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4128/4836029232_d4fb524a13_b.jpg

pentax k1000. best film slr body ever.

YES! amazing. I nicked this from my folks and love it. just looking for a 10mm-20mm(ish) lens for it now..... :(

Fstopqueen, this may be useful to you.

http://www.rugift.com/photocameras/pentax_cameras_lenses.htm
http://photo.net/pentax-camera-forum/00Vnqb
http://forum.manualfocus.org/viewtopic.php?id=11889
http://www.mail-archive.com/pdml@pdml.net/msg438163.html
http://zenitar16.com/component/option,com_morfeoshow/Itemid,64/gallery,2/task,view/?983a3489405d681a9953cc72db5c61d1=c4b3734a5944537edfba8a80baecbd92

oh wow, thanks... I will have a look around on those. Ideally I want a zoom one, i use it a lot for in camera effects so need a little bit of variation. (not to start the whole prime lens vs zoom debate...) but that is really great. I've been looking at the Sigma 10-20 or 10-17, but a bit pricey at the moment so shame. but yeah, thanks loads. definitely going to check those out!

Apologies for misunderstanding your hyphenated numbers to mean a range of different lenses (primes), and not the range within one lens (telephoto). I only use primes, so I erred towards my knowledge base. ;)

oh, no, those sites were great, looking for different places to buy lenses is always good. I always used to look a Ritz Camera cause a friend of mine in the states worked there (discounts :) ) but he doesn't anymore. If I'm out shooting in the day I'll sometimes take a prime lens, but at gigs, I like having the zoom. flickr.com/fstopqueen (if you want to have a look). I appreciate the info anyway. There was a pretty inexpensive 8mm up there so I might be tempted :)

first attempts with mamiya 645 + lightmeter + portra 160 nc

Wow!
Really really like your forest photos above wombat, lovely colours.

I like the first one, very much. Photos 2 and 3 seem to be almost better suited to a black and white rendition?

Good effort so early on with a new camera though.

EDIT:
With apologies to 99wombats. I've edited this image to b+w, to show how I "saw" it. I would have instinctively shot this with Fuji Neopan 400.
A lovely contrasty film, with good tone gradation, and fine detail separation. Hope you don't see this as a negative. Its praise on the original.

1 Attachment

thanks! I've shot a roll of b&w as well but yet to have it developed, the values in 2 look a bit close for b&w, but 3 might work well? I'll give it a go.. These ones seem to have come out with a bit of a magenta cast, trying to identify where it's happening (scanner/processing/film)..
it certainly makes a refreshing change from my nikon "we do all the work for you" dslr

This thread makes me miss shooting film and slide.

thanks! I've shot a roll of b&w as well but yet to have it developed, the values in 2 look a bit close for b&w, but 3 might work well? I'll give it a go.. These ones seem to have come out with a bit of a magenta cast, trying to identify where it's happening (scanner/processing/film)..
it certainly makes a refreshing change from my nikon "we do all the work for you" dslr

it's probably when scanning/photoshop. you need to add green

something odd going on here. when i correct it visually the cyan/red, magenta/green, yellow/blue sliders normally all line up (in photoshop) with some variation in shadow/midtone/highlight but they are all over the place. no real white highlights though so difficult to judge.

/attachments/28736

I think it was a little bit more magenta than that, the stuff in the background is heathery gorse with little purple flowers, you can just see one in the foreground on the right, but yes there are still some weird colour shifts going on..
GA2G: nice conversion! I've only got one back for the camera so wasn't really thinking in terms of b&w at all at the time, but it does indeed suit it.. I will have a look for some neopan, I've got a couple of rolls of hp5 to try first :)

Got some xpro back the other day, came out relatively successfully i think.

I really could do with a light table...

Does anyone know if Hasselblad made a cable release for the 500 series?
I'm hoping to find a good quality one as opposed to the cheap £10 ones.

Does anyone know if Hasselblad made a cable release for the 500 series?
I'm hoping to find a good quality one as opposed to the cheap £10 ones.

get a 45° angle adapter and a half decent cable release. (from teamwork?)
i use the adapter as release is quite close to the lens

that sounds like a good idea, if hasselblad didn't make one then i'll definitely do that.
Thanks very much