Ilford DDX Developer Question

Nick Ventura ,

So I am looking into getting a new developer (previously used d76) and I was thinking about getting Ilford DDX as I will be mostly shooting ilford hp5 and delta plus the occasional trix and tmax but I have a few questions. I was reading and it says its better to use "one shot" but are you able to pour it down the drain after using in the US? Also how much would i mix up each time if I develop 1 or 2 rolls in a paterson super system 4 tank and dilute it 4 parts water to 1 part dev? Thanks all and if anyone could recommend to me a good fixer to go along with this it would be much appreciated.

Responses

Alan Marcus , Apr 20, 2014; 05:51 p.m.

Yes it will be OK to pour all you photo effluents down the drain.
First, it is likely not possible for a darkroom hobbies to harm a municipality sewer treatment system. That being said, there are lots of myths and few truths about photo effluents and their toxicity. Municipalities set limits for silver. Some silver compounds are toxic thus municipalities with a desire to protect the environment set limits on the silver content that can be discharged into a sewer system. Generally this limit is 5 parts per million however some set the limit at ½ part per million. You will need to check with our local sewer system to find out their limits. The good news is, the silver is not in the developer, it is in the fixer.
Before going further, a commercial photo lab needs to be informed and in compliance. A home hobbyist likely can’t impute anything that will do harm. As I said the biggest no-no is silver. In actuality a photo lab does output toxic silver however the half-life is likely only 15 minutes. The silver we output quickly complexes with the sulfur of the fix bath. The silver effluent reverts to silver sulfide which is inert. This is satisfying for us but municipalities use tests that show silver and they are not impressed by the fact that silver sulfide in inert.
Actually have more to fear from two other items, one is oxygen demand that they might know about and the other is chlorine demand that they probably don’t know about. Our photo effluents like human waste begin to take on oxygen as soon as they enter the sewer system. At the treatment plant they pump and aerate to get oxygen into solution. This oxidation process renders human waste and most photo waste inert. If they fall to satisfy the plants effluent as to oxygen demand, the plant effluent will compete with aquatic life for oxygen and a fish kill or algae bloom could occur. Big photo labs add a burden to the municipal treatment plant.
Chlorine demand is another issue. Our fixer is the same stuff used by tropical fish hobbyist to rid tap water of its toxic to fish chlorine. The stuff in the fixer causes chorine dissolved in water to effervesce out of solution. At the treatment plant the last step is to add chorine to kill harmful germs and virus. A big photo processing plant will force the treatment plant to double or triple the amount of chlorine they must add. This is costly, especially if they fail to get the chlorine up to specification as the Federal Government will fine them big time on a daily basis.

Now that you know all this, don’t worry, your home photo lab can’t do the municipal treatment plant any harm. Photo chemical makers advise against discharging to a septic tank. Some fear that the chemical will interrupt the natural action. Test after test have proven that home septic tanks thrive on photo effluent. The problem with all of this is – municipalities are frightened and rule against most any chemical influx. This is a key point for the digital darkroom.

John Shriver , Apr 20, 2014; 07:25 p.m.

B&W developers aren't an issue for municipal sewerage. Spent fixer is, and it's trivial to address it. Pour your spent fixer into a bottle with a ball of steel wool. Let it spend a month there, and the silver (which is the hazard) will have plated onto the steel wool.
Or, any decent photo lab should open your spent fixer with open arms, run it through their silver recovery system, and they will get a credit for the silver that they recover.

Nick Ventura , Apr 20, 2014; 08:57 p.m.

Thanks guys for the responses!
Also how much would i mix up each time if I develop 1 or 2 rolls in a paterson super system 4 tank and dilute it 4 parts water to 1 part dev? And can anyone recommend me a good fixer for those films? Thanks!

Alan Marcus , Apr 20, 2014; 09:56 p.m.

To determine volume needed, do a trial run filling the tank with water. Add sufficient water to cover the reel plus 10% for good measure. Now pour off the water into a measuring vessel. Your goal is 4 parts water to 1 part developer. Let’s say your test revealed that you needed 300ml for one reel and 630ml for two reels.
First we find the total number of parts. This will be 4 water 1 developer = 5 parts total.
For the one reel 300ml ÷ 5 = 60ml – one part = 60ml – this will be the volume of developer. Water volume will be will be 300 – 60 = 240ml water.
For two reels 630 ÷ 5 = 126ml per part thus developer volume is 126ml. Water volume is 630 – 126 = 504ml.

As to the fixer:
Modern film all fixes using any Rapid Fix formula. This will be easy to buy. Dilute the concentrate to make a working strength solution. Likely three parts water one part fix concentrate.

Test the working strength fixer – in the light swish a cut-off portion of the tongue in the fix. Observe and time this action. The film goes into the solution opaque and soon turns transparent. That will be the clear time. Double the clear time will be the correct fix time.
If you worry about the silver in fix, take it to a local photo processor for disposal. The addition of steel wool to the spent fixer is an ion exchange reaction. The silver trades places with the iron. The spent fixer now contains iron, the silver falls to the bottom of the vessel as sludge. The reaction is fast, likely complete in one or two hours. The silver you collect from a dozen rolls of film will be far less than a gram (the weight of a raisin).

Got a question about photography?  Get answers at: http://photo.net/black-and-white-photo-film-processing-forum/00cXA6?unified_p=1

Photographer says: Have fun and keep it simple

  by: SAM JEFSON

 

 Paul Sorensen started taking pictures as a 10-year-old.
"My mom handed me a Kodak camera and two rolls of film before we went on vacation to the Black Hills," he said. "She told me I was in charge of taking pictures and that's all it took. I have been interested in photography ever since."
The time Sorensen could dedicate to the hobby has fluctuated through the years. But ever since he retired in 2008 he has been able to hike more miles and pursue eye-catching photos.
"For me, it's all about getting exercise with the camera," Sorensen said.
Hikes in the woods of Pilot Knob State Park near Forest City with his Cannon camera allow him to capture many scenes. He especially enjoys spending time in the park during the spring, winter and fall.
"Anywhere in the park is an opportunity for a great photo," he said. "We are lucky to have a park the caliber of Pilot Knob only four miles away."
The other spot Sorensen returns to frequently is the North Shore of Lake Superior in Minnesota.
"It is my home away from home," Sorensen said. "The best part about it is you get to know people you meet on the trail."
Sorensen has spent so much time on the North Shore that he was featured on the community faces page of the Lake County News Chronicle, a newspaper published in the North Shore area.
"He's never lived here, he doesn't own property here, he doesn't have relatives here. Still, if heart has anything to do with it, Sorensen is a member of the North Shore community," wrote reporter Monica Isley.
Many in the Forest City area don't have to look very far to see Sorensen's work on display.
He has been published in Our Iowa magazine, the Winnebago County website, the WCTA phone directory and calendar and in the Forest City Alumni Dream Catcher.
WCTA manager Mark Thoma said Sorensen's photo taken in Pilot Knob was selected through a detailed process and was the favorite of many.
"We try to feature a photo from the WCTA territory," Thoma said. "The customers seem to enjoy it."
Sorensen's tip for photographers is about the enjoyment.
"Have fun and keep it simple," he said.
One area photographer has enjoyed getting a few tips from Sorensen.
"Paul is great at giving encouragement to be confident in the photos I have taken," said Ashley Smith.
Smith is a fan of Sorensen's work and is especially impressed by the fact he doesn't use any photo software to alter images after they have been taken. This requires detailed planning before releasing the shutter to make a shot look nice.
"From my perspective, a lot of in-depth thinking goes into his images," said Smith. "Everything he takes always has a story behind it."
Sorensen picks up his own tips at the North Iowa Photo Club. The group of photographers from around the area meets at the Rolling Acres Christian Reformed Church in Mason City every month.
"We share our work, listen to a speaker and it is very informal," he said. "We welcome everyone in all levels of interest."
Tips from club members helps the area photographer pursue his passion even more.
"I love being able to capture a moment in time that you are never going to see again," Sorensen said. "That's what has had me intrigued since age 10."

The 5 Most Common Mistakes When Buying a Film Camera via eBay

The 5 Most Common Mistakes When Buying a Film Camera via eBay

Image © Beebo Wallace

Film cameras have been around since 1889, when the Eastman Kodak company produced the first flexible roll of plastic film. When Kodachrome for 35mm cameras came along in 1935, color pictures became the standard for most camera enthusiasts.

Most film cameras available today, such as the 2010 Fuji GF670, use 35mm film. Additionally, there are still some Polaroid instant film cameras around, but film is getting harder to find, so 35mm has become the standard. It is also getting somewhat harder to find support for film cameras as smaller camera stores have been pushed out of business by big box retailers and electronics superstores who sell primarily sell digital cameras and accessories.

This guide will take a look at the five most common mistakes when buying a film camera and how to avoid making them. Additionally, it will take a look at where to find film cameras at good prices as well as accessories and support for film camera photography.

Image © cliffpatte

1. Not Doing Any Research

Walk into just about any retail department store electronics section or electronics superstore and ask an associate to help you find a camera and without fail, they will take you to the digital camera section. Digital photography has become so popular to the mass buying public that some locations do not even carry film cameras any longer. This is why a photographer must do their homework.

The first thing that needs to be done is decide what you want the camera to do. If you are interested in doing landscape photography, portraits, art photography, or other speciality, you will want a camera suited to that particular style of photography. If you want to shoot coastal scenes, something constructed to withstand the elements is called for, but if you are just going to shoot woodland wildlife or birds, you could go with something less expensive.

When you decide what you will most likely be using the camera for, take a trip to the local library or go online and see what photographers taking those kind of pictures are using. Look into photography publications that suggest what type camera works best for capturing your target subjects. The reason the library and internet are the best sources is because most current photography magazines and periodicals deal almost exclusively with digital processes. So, with just a little bit of research, it is pretty easy to narrow down a few brands and models that will be right for your needs.

Below is a table of twelve of the most popular film cameras.

Camera	Production Run	Highlights
Bronica SQ/SQ-A	1958 - 2005	Uses 120 film. Popular with pros and great for portraits and group shots
Canon EOS 1N	1994 - 2000	Uses 35mm film. Popular with pros. Five-point area auto focus
Canon AE-1	1976-1984	Uses 35mm film. First microprocessor equipped SLR. Durable body and F-style lens capable
Fujifilm GA645	1990 - 2000	Uses 120 and 220 film. Point-and-shoot, fitted with 60mm f/4 lens
Hasselblad 500c	1957 - 1966	Uses 120 film. NASA’s camera of choice during the 1960s, for the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo missions
Leica R-series	1964 - 2009	Uses 35mm film. Can be fitted with a Leica Visoflex rangefinder and digital module
Mamiya 645/645 Pro	1975 - 1997	Uses 120 film. Fitted with 300mm f/2.8 APO lens
Nikon FM10	1995 - 2006	Uses 35mm film. Manual focus. Intended for Asian markets but found its way to the West
Nikon N80	2000 - 2006	Uses 35mm film. Built in speedlight and accepts all F-mount lenses
Pentax 67	1990 - 1999	Uses 35mm 120 film. Fitted with Super-Multi-Colored TAKUMAR/6x7 1:2.4 f=105 lens
Pentax K1000	1976 - 1997	Uses 35mm film. Manual focus with built-in cadmium sulfide light meter
Ricoh GR-1	1996 - 2005	Uses 35mm film. Point-and-shoot, fitted with a 28mm f/2.8 lens with auto focus

2. Not Knowing What You Should Look For in a Film Camera

If all you really want is a easily accessed point-and-shoot camera, you really need look no further than the phone in your pocket or purse. Also there are many modestly priced digital cameras on the market. However, if you are a hobby photographer, and you want to use film but are not sure what to choose, go online and ask for help. There are hundreds of photography and photography-themed blogs and websites available where you can ask questions of the pros and fellow hobbyist to learn what to look out for. There are also professional photographers at photography studios, you can make contact with. The longer established a studio the better, as they are more likely to have extensive hands-on experience with film cameras.

Make contact and telling those experienced photographers what you want your camera to be able to do. They will then make suggestions of what cameras you should be consider buying. Also, they can tell you what to avoid when shopping and maybe even give you some leads on available cameras. It is vital that any film camera you buy have not only the features that you want but have the accessories to let you do what you want to do.

3. Not Comparison Shopping

When beginning the search for a film camera, it is a good idea to narrow the list of cameras you might like down to just a few that are most readily available. You should have been able to do this through speaking with some pro photographers and researching online. Once you have a short list, it’s time do some "window shopping." Window shopping is simply comparison shopping of the available products you are looking for.

Since film cameras are being phased out by manufacturers, retailers have lessened their stocks of film cameras and accessories. So, it may be difficult for you to locate cameras to physically inspect. Often by speaking to some professional photographers, they will give you some leads for film cameras that are for sale.

If you must window shop online, resist the temptation to buy the first camera that appears to fit your needs. There could be more options that will please you even more. Virtual window shopping means that you have to find a retailer first and then examine what they have to offer. Don’t forget to look for accessories when considering cameras for sale. Many of the really good cameras, need battery packs, external flash systems, and other accessories to perform optimally.

4. Buying a Camera That is Not Supported

One thing that can be a bit discouraging about owning and using film cameras is the growing limited availability of film and accessories, and access to repair parts and expertise if something does go awry. It is very important to check into these issues before buying a particular film camera. For the most part 35mm film is still commonly available in retail stores and online, and there is still some availability of Polaroid instant film because of a short lived pop-culture resurgence in the 1990s, but the supplies are limited and expensive.

Currently there is still some old film for Polaroid 600 film around and new and old film for Polaroid cameras, Type 100, Mio, SX/70, and 300. For cameras that need 110, 126, 127, and 220 film, one can find film online for the most part, as these formats are no longer mass produced by the camera manufacturers. Disc film is a dead medium. If you own a disc camera, just put it away as a collector’s item.

Accessories such as automatic film winders, external flash attachments and flash bulbs, along with filters, lenses, lens covers, carrying cases and straps, can be limited in availability. It is best to choose a camera that has a fairly complete set of attachments, as they may be very difficult to find individually.

One additional thing to ensure is that there is a location that will develop your pictures and make large prints. Many online based film processors, retail department stores and pharmacies still do a considerable amount of film developing and they offer the option to manipulate the pictures. Additionally, they can provide you with a digital album of the pictures so that you can then use photo-editing software to manipulate digital copies of photos you took with your film camera.

5. Paying Too Much for a Film Camera

Film photography can be an expensive hobby. You will need a lot of patience, as searching for some cameras at affordable prices can take a while. Your best options for affordable film cameras are rebuilt and used cameras offered at cameras stores, and classified and auction sites online.

Terrestrial Shops and Dealers

Since there is still a business for film cameras and accessories, some surviving camera shops and retail stores carry film cameras and film (most often 35mm). Of the two, camera shops are best. First of all, they may very well carry rebuilt and used film cameras, and they generally have a skilled associate who can help answer your questions. Retail outlets generally carry lower-end cameras that are for the most part targeted at children, but they have good quantities of film on hand. Stay away from retail stores for the camera but keep them in mind for film and developing.

Online Shops and Dealers

The internet is full of camera shops and dealers and enthusiasts who are constantly buying and selling film cameras. These sites offer visitors maybe the widest selection of film cameras. When working with dealers, you get the benefit of the dealers expertise, but again keep in mind that many of the items can be expensive. You must weigh the features and benefits of the camera against the cost in these cases, because if you want quality, it may not come cheap.

Online Classified and Auction Sites

A very good option to try and keep the cost down when buying film cameras is to shop online at classified and auction sites. Many times there are great deals on film cameras from individuals that just want to get rid of their old film cameras because they have gone digital. The cost savings that come from shopping on sites such as eBay, can be very significant.

To look for film cameras on eBay start on the homepage by mousing over "Electronics" from the list on the left of the page, select "Cameras and Photography" to navigate to that page. Once on the "Cameras and Photography" page, select "Film Photography" from the list on the left. When this page opens, choose "Film Cameras" from the sub-category list. You can hone the search results by Type (SLR, Field, etc.), Brand (Canon, Nikon, etc), Condition (New, Used, Manufacturer Refurbished, etc.), and Bundle (check if the camera is bundled with camera accessories).

Conclusion

Choosing to buy a film camera can be a step back in time, but with some challenges. Film cameras have become harder to find and good quality ones in great condition have increased in value. It is important then to ensure you keep from making any of the five most common mistakes made by film camera buyers. Be sure to do some research so that you will know what type of camera you’ll need and what brands and models of cameras will fit those needs. Don’t just go buying whatever you find first. Take the time to window shop and compare different cameras to find the one that is right for you. You will also want to make sure that the camera you choose can be supported with film, and other accessories. Finally, don’t pay too much for a camera. Online classified and auction sites will often offer the best deals on film cameras.

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*This article was published on eBay's Buying Guides here.

Pentax K1000 Review by Derek Dysart

Pentax K1000 Review by Derek Dysart

The Pentax K1000 (originally marked the Asahi Pentax K1000) is an interchangeable lens, 35 mm film, single-lens reflex (SLR) camera, manufactured by Pentax from 1976 to 1997, originally in Japan. The Pentax K1000 is simple, and it is one of photography's greatest, most popular and longest-lived cameras, makes it a historically significant camera. According to Wikipedia, the Pentax K1000 eventually sold over three million units.

And here, a review of the Pentax K-1000 by Derek Dysart:

I picked up a used Pentax K1000 off of eBay since my previous film camera (a donated Fujica MPF105X) died. After shipping, the camera cost $56 US. I’ve shot four roll of film through the camera now and so far I’m very happy with the camera and decided to write up this review of the Pentax K-1000.

Manual all the way

When the Fujica died, I had the K1000 recommended to me by my brother who is an art professor. While he doesn’t teach photography (his MFA is in sculpture) he said every instructor he knew recommended the camera to their students because they are easy to find parts for and build like a tank. One of the big draws of the camera is it is 100% manual. Manual focus, manual aperture, manual shutter speed, manual film advance, manual everything.

On the left is the frame counter, the right is the shutter speed setting. The film speed is set by lifting the shutter speed dial and turning it until the film speed is indicated. This is not necessary for operation, but it is in order for the built-in light meter to give the right reading. Above the shutter speed you can see the film advance lever. Something I haven’t seen on other cameras I’ve used is the orange dot net to the shutter release button. This indicates the shutter is cocked and ready to trip.

The aperture is set on the lens (an Asahi Pentax 50mm F/2 in my case) via a selector ring. Visible on the lens is something you don’t see much any more on modern lenses, a depth of field indicator. What this will tell you is a a particular aperture setting (say f16), what range will have an acceptable level of sharpness. In this photo, you could expect objects between roughly 2.5ft and just a bit under 3.5ft to be in focus.

There is one small button battery that goes in the bottom of the camera right next to the tripod mount to drive a built-in light meter, but it is not required for operation. When I got mine, it had no battery, so I had to install a fresh LR44 silver oxide battery. Something to keep in mind, the light meter is always on, there is no on/off switch. It really only draws current when it is metering light, so when the camera is not in use it is important to replace the lens cap to preserve the battery.

The camera offers both a standard hot shoe adapter as well as a PC sync port. To prove a point, when I took all the photos here with my 20D with some strobes set up, I put the flash trigger in the hot shoe, set the exposure to match what my DSLR was set at (albeit at a lower shutter, max sync speed is 1/60) and took this photo:

History

Doing a bit of research on the camera, the K1000 was manufactured by Asahi Pentax all the way up to 1997, it’s biggest draw being its simplicity. While it is no longer available new, it’s long production run and popularity make it readily available, and many copies can be found on eBay at a given time. My local camera store even had a used one in the case (though they wanted $169 for only a body). I’ve read some accounts that the design was sold to Vivitar, who continue to make full manual 35mm cameras that accept the same Pentax K-Mount lenses, but looking at even the Vivitar V3800N, there seem to be some extra features like a multi-exposure button just under the shutter release. Regardless, there is a rich supply of both bodies and K-mount lenses out there that make this a worthy purchase if you’re looking for a manual 35mm SLR.

My Experience

I’m no stranger to shooting in manual mode. I’ve understood the exposure triangle that is ISO, Aperture and Shutter speed for quite a while, and employ that knowledge even with my digital SLR when shooting in manual mode. That said, one part I struggle with in manual focus. The SLR I grew up with was the Minolta Maxxum 7000, one of the first autofocus SLR’s on the market, so I didn’t exactly grow up focusing all the time. Add to that the fact that my K1000 uses a microprism focusing system. With this sort of system there are a bunch of microprism under the ground glass of the focusing screen. When you subject is in focus, it will be sharp in the small center circle, when it is not, you’ll see small dots.

Or that’s how it is supposed to work. Truth be told, I miss the split prism focusing that the Fujica had. With that, the image split and you turned the focusing ring until it matched up. To nail your focus, you just found a vertical line in you image you wanted in focus, and got it to be one straight line. The first roll of film I got back from the lab I shot with the K1000 had a lot of images that were out of focus. I found the key is to turn the focus ring until the image looks pretty much in focus, then turn it one way until I see dots, go the other way until they disappear and reappear, then split the difference between those two points. My second roll of film was much better focus-wise.

Where this becomes a challenge is in low light situations. When there isn’t a lot of light, it is often hard to make out the little black dots. I specifically loaded a roll of ISO3200 film (Kodak TMax) to try some low light shooting, but as of this writing I haven’t gotten it back from the lab (still searching for a local lab that will process B&W film for a reasonable price).

In all fairness, the camera manual (which can be found here) indicates there was a split-image focusing version made. If you’re looking at purchasing one of these camera, I’d make sure to know what focusing screen it has.

The Verdict

All in all what I love about the camera is it makes you slow down. You have to check the exposure of your scene, set your aperture and shutter speed, then you have to focus. I have the utmost respect for sports shooters who tell stories of shooting back in the 70′s and early 80′s before autofocus. I suppose it is a learned skill that you get good at, but it hard enough trying to focus on a two year old at a state fair, I can’t imagine trying to nail focus on someone like Fran Tarkington or Rod Carew during a game. (Yes, both nods to my Minnesota heritage) All the same, this process really makes you think about the photo you are taking, which I like.

The main ding I can think of is processing film is a pain and it’s expensive. There just aren’t that many places out there that do it anymore. If you’re shooting B&W film, finding a lab to process it make it even harder (it should be noted that there is C41 film out there that can be processed like color film). Two things I might do if I start to get serious is pick up some used developing tanks off of craigslist and start processing my own B&W film (it really isn’t that hard to do) and get my own scanner. Either way, the cost of some tanks, a dark-bag to load the film reels and chemistry to develop the film would probably be the same as processing less than 10 rolls of film. The scanner is a bit more, especially if I get one dedicated to scanning film.

The Results

So what sort of images does the camera make? As I mentioned, I’ve shot four rolls of film through the camera now, 2 rolls of Fuji Velvia 100, 1 roll of Kodak TMax3200, and one roll of Ilford Delta 400. The later two are B&W film and I unfortunately had to send them out for processing, and even when I do get them back, I’ll have to scan them myself since Kodak (the processor I sent them to) would do scans of B&W. Hence the hassle of film in a digital world.

Below is one entire roll of film, Fuji Velvia 100, 36exp. This was all shot on August 28th, 2008 on a trip to the Minnesota State Fair. I dropped the film off at my closest photo lab that will process E6 (color reversal or “slide”) film and also had them scan it. Looking at the EXIF from the images, they use a Noritsu QSS-30 minilab to do their scans. The color looks a bit off to me, and I may re-scan the slides on a Nikon Coolscan that I have access to see if I can get better results. The reds look way over saturated to me. I know that Velvia is known for its highly saturated colors, but stuff I’ve seen in the past seemed lean more blue than red.

* All photographs © Derek Dysart. Dysart is a web developer & designer based out of the Milwaukee area. This original article was published on his blog here.

Minolta X-700 Review

Minolta X-700 Review

Photo by Siim Vahur

First manufactured in 1981, the Minolta X-700 is a single lens reflex camera. It has manual, aperture priority and programmed automatic exposure modes when used with MD lenses. MC lens can be used in aperture priority and manual modes. An immediate commercial success for Minolta, it was awarded the EISA "Camera of the Year" award in 1981 and was continually produced until 1999, well into the autofocus era. The camera is the last manual-focus camera body Minolta produced.

Here's a review on Minolta X-700 camera by Michael Werneburg:

A fun and versatile camera from the 80's

The 80's was the period in camera technology when all-metal construction gave way to plastic bodies and electronics. An early example of this was the award-winning Minolta X-700, a camera that stayed on the market for nearly twenty years. That's a long life for an electronics product, and there's a reason. The X-700 was an inexpensive and useful camera that encourages photography.

Photo by Alvaro Munoz-Aycuens Mtnz.

Summary

Easy to use
An X-700 allows newcomers to put the camera and lens in "P" mode and let the camera do everything else. This extends to compatible flash systems as well. In short, this camera allows you to automate everything but the focus and the film advance.

The controls are all very much self-evident with this camera, as well. There's no menu system on an LCD and no tricky button combinations. It's all manual and all laid out very well—very much the opposite of today's DSLR's (which typically have a user interface more reminiscent of a photocopier).

The viewfinder is a big bright one with a lot of information laid out in a logical fashion. This camera spoils the user.

Versatile
The X-700 also has the standard aperture-priority and manual exposure modes, as well as a flash sync speed and bulb. It's got two exposure override features (a lock and a manual adjustment of +2/-2). It takes a wide range of film speeds. And it supports an enormous collection of lenses and other peripherals. It was designed as a "camera system" rather than a standalone camera and many of the peripherals can still be found (cheaper than ever, in some cases).

So once you've outgrown simple "P" mode automation, you'll find yourself able to take yourself a lot further with this versatile tool.

Dependable
I've had only one problem with my two X-700 bodies over the years. This is a well-made camera (don't let the made-in-China label on later models give you pause, Minolta was known for excellent camera manufacture and they kept the standards the same at the Chinese assembly line). The one problem I encountered was both a simple and cheap fix—in part because Minolta sold so many of these cameras that the parts and repair expertise are not uncommon.

Good things

Construction
I have used both Minolta and Pentax bodies and feel that this model was the best-built and most dependable despite the many features.

Versatility
This inexpensive camera has not only the exposure overrides mentioned above, but a depth-of-field preview, timer and a cable release socket. Again, there are plenty of extensions available such as grips, motors, data backs, flashes, etc.

Handy "P" mode
The program mode is great for beginners.

Dependability
I've used this camera on mountain hikes; in the Australian outback; in the south Pacific; in rain forests; on long cycle trips; for portraiture; with infra-red film (for which it is really suited); with reverse-mounted lenses; in the rain; in sub-zero weather (for which I will admit that its battery-dependence is not well suited); and in terrible snowstorms. I took it on the road for a 19-month journey. I found that this camera not only stood up to all of it but came to feel like an extension of my hand—it's an easy camera to appreciate because all of its functions just work.

Weaknesses

The meter
The meter in this camera seems a bit limited. As my understanding of exposure grew I came to understand that the camera was giving me inconsistent results. I put this down to the meter, though I never entirely figured out where it was going wrong. I lay the blame with the meter, however, when I started to use the Minolta XD (with the same films, lenses, flash, etc).

It seems to me that the X-700 tends to underexpose, and the results get less predictable under low-light situations. To avoid this, I suggest two things:

• use with a flash in low-light unless you have a way to independently meter and can adjust
• bracket your shots using the exposure adjustment

One note: I've used a variety of infra-red films with three film bodies and found the X-700 to yield the most consistent and appealing results.

The looks

The camera's external body is largely constructed of plastic, and doesn't look like the dependable and versatile tool that it really is. If you care what people think of your gear, this isn't the camera you want to carry around.

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Michael Werneburg is a director and business man who's living in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He's also a traveler who's lived in Australia and Japan. Werneburg likes to build things, take photos, and write about his thoughts and experiences, and then share them on his website at emuu.net. This original article was published on his website here.

35mm Film // I love college

 

by: Lena Mirisola 

April 18, 2014

I finish my roll of film and got it developed and I'm SO EXCITED! I love love LOVE these pictures. After shooting film in Chicago, I decided to just always keep a little camera on me to document random college memories with the best little dust spots and light leaks. This is the past 4 weeks of school for me - featuring some of the coolest people at MassArt that make my world go 'round.
To Jackiie, Sachi, Claire, Ryan, Brianna, Rae, Mikey, Billy, John, Jenny, Megan, Jayme, and of course my darling Shlee, you guys are the best.
Xoxo

Documentary photography and communications.

Film & Chemistry

I started photography in the 1960s when it was still possible to buy glass plates. For practical reasons we all used film. 35mm was a bit grainy and poor quality, so those of us who were serious soon learnt to move up to cameras that took 120 film.

As a schoolboy on pocket money, I acquired this 120 folder. Nobody really wanted these cameras anymore. You had to wind on the film using numbers on the backing paper, guess the exposure, focus by estimating the distance, and cock the shutter. My old Zeiss Nettar is about the same quality as a Rolleicord, which is pretty good. It has all the controls the thinking photographer could desire.

It has has a flash socket to connect studio flash plus a depth of field scale, things many cameras today are not equipped with. It does not have autofocus, or a built in meter. I would estimate the shooting speed at 0.1 frames per second. It can take action photos, but simply one at a time.
I still use this camera occasionally. It is heavy, but not that big when folded up.

In a digital world, film is still relevant

By Chris Shores

By Mel Evans, AP

In an age where film photography has given way to digital — leading film presence Eastman Kodak Co. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Thursday — some photography students are still clinging to those nice bright colors and the greens of summers.
Sarah Mitrani, 21, studies photography at the University of Hartford Art School in a program she said strongly emphasizes film.
“I prefer film… mostly for the quality of the negative versus the quality of an image on a digital sensor,” she said. “As of right now, digital does not even come close. A film negative can pick up more detail and a film negative can be in different formats.”
Mitrani called her school “very traditional,” and said that one digital class in the program teaches Photoshop techniques.
But at other schools, like Emerson College in Boston, the overall trend from film to digital is already being echoed inside the institution’s walls.
“I ran the darkroom at Emerson for two years. They were talking about turning half of that space into a digital lab, I fought against that the whole time,” said recent graduate Dan Muchnik. “If you’re going to take photography seriously enough to be going to school for it, you should really be taking the time to thoroughly understand the process.”
For Muchnik, 21, the process is what photography is all about. It is why he has created his own darkroom in every place he has lived. And it is why — other than freelance skateboard photo shoots in San Francisco — he still prefers to use film whenever possible.
“Dealing with chemicals from scratch…that first smell of mixtures…(it) made me fall in love with it,” he said.
Then there’s the University of Ohio, a school that in the past five years removed a film requirement for commercial photography and photojournalism programs.
Loren Cellentani, 22, is a senior commercial photography major and photo editor for the university’s Backdrop Magazine. Although she loves film photography, she said it is no longer a huge part of her day-to-day routine. Nor does she believe it will be necessary in her future line of work.
“In the advertising industry, you’ll rarely see people shooting film anymore,” she said. “With film you’re not sure if you got (the shot). Or what if the film doesn’t expose? There are all these things that can go wrong.”
However, some students said that film’s wild card nature is exactly what draws them to it.
University of Massachusetts junior Astrid O’Connor, 20, said the cost of film leads her to think critically about each and every frame before she pushes the shutter button. And Michelle McWade, 22, a recent graduate of New England School of Photography, said the nature of film means the photographer is unable to “just throw up Hail Marys” and hope for something great among a mass of photo attempts.
McWade, who shoots freelance work in Salt Lake City, will take on a wedding project next week in Vermont. The couple was specific in their requests: they wanted film and no more than two rolls, and McWade was happy to oblige.
But for some educators, like UMass travel photography professor Richard Newton, the days of film are in the past.
“A $500 DSLR with a large 12-18 megapixel sensor far exceeds the quality of 35mm film and allows for moderate cropping later without serious loss of image detail,” he said.
“There are still film people out there, like there are still vinyl record people, but I’ll just use a ‘Kodachrome’ filter in Photoshop if I ever have a need for that look.”