Back to film, what's the cheapest way to buy and develop it?

In general, and particularly in the UK.

I'm missing film. My Praktica Mini is proving to be a revelation, it
reminded what joy there is in simplicity. I no longer care, at least
for now, nor want to care about the details of the camera. I want it to
be as basic as can be, I don't want the camera to distract from the
activity or the scenes. Image quality is no concern, the fun is all
that matters, oh, and of course, composition!

I'm therefore getting this other cheapo.

http://www.fujifilm.com/JSP/fuji/epa...D=clear_shot_V

Yes, it's a small fixed-focus P&S with manual film rotation. To me
that's pure zen. I'm getting rid of all my other cameras. I'll just
keep a basic film, and a basic digital, and of course, my pencils! I'm
also getting a bike; it's spring now, and it'll soon be summer. The
bike will take me farther than I can walk.

What's the cheapest way to buy & develop film, especially in the UK?
I'm particularly interested in B&W, and perhaps slides. I see no
advantage in colour negative for me over digital. That said, would it
be just easier to shoot colour film, scan the prints, and than channel
mix them? Would you suggest I just shoot B&W and develop it myself (not
done it since 1980s), just the film, and get a film scanner? Also, what
particular films may be interesting?

wrote:

http://www.fujifilm.com/JSP/fuji/epa...D=clear_shot_V


Wow, nevermind. Way too simple. I like fixed focus, but this has fixed
aperture AND fixed shutter! I guess the mju ii should be simple enough.

wrote:
wrote:


http://www.fujifilm.com/JSP/fuji/epa...D=clear_shot_V



Wow, nevermind. Way too simple. I like fixed focus, but this has fixed
aperture AND fixed shutter! I guess the mju ii should be simple enough.



Fuji Clearshot V Compact Camera Plus 3 Films.
£12.99

* 35mm compact.

* Built-in flash.

* Fixed focus.

* Includes 3 Fuji 400 ASA 24 exp films, battery and strap.

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5601514/Trail/C$cip%3D36801.Photography%3EC$cip%3D36812.35mm+cam eras.htm

Paul Furman wrote:

wrote:
wrote:


http://www.fujifilm.com/JSP/fuji/epa...D=clear_shot_V



Wow, nevermind. Way too simple. I like fixed focus, but this has fixed
aperture AND fixed shutter! I guess the mju ii should be simple enough.



Fuji Clearshot V Compact Camera Plus 3 Films.
£12.99

* 35mm compact.

* Built-in flash.

* Fixed focus.

* Includes 3 Fuji 400 ASA 24 exp films, battery and strap.

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5601514/Trail/C$cip%3D36801.Photography%3EC$cip%3D36812.35mm+cam eras.htm

I liked the idea of the product, a compact 35mm with fixed focus,
manual film drive and a big viewfinder. Pure simplicity. The lens is a
fujinon so it must be good enough for a basic usage. It uses AA
batteries, rather than those camera batteries, and those are only for
the flash, which is manual. Did I say it's compact? It weights 120gms,
whereas the Olympus Mju II weighs 185gms.

But, am I misunderstanding this? it says "Mechanical shutter release,
fixed at 1/125 seconds shutter speeds". What does this mean? Is it only
fixed for the flash or is 1/125 the only shutter speed there is? I like
fixed focus, I don't mind fixed aperture, but fixed shutter too? That's
a little strange. So all shots would be at 1/125 and f/10 regardless of
the scene? Hmmm, strange.

http://ffcue.fujifilm.com/JSP/fuji/e...M_Brochure.pdf

Wait, this could be fun. Fixed exposure. How strange. It reminds me of
some people who'd shoot all scenes with daylight white balance
(digital), even indoors. They like things to look as they are.

It could also be a disaster. I guess the only control one has is what
film to put in (eg, 100, 200, 400).

How would you shoot with such camera?

The more I think about it the less strange and perhaps more intriguing
it seems. One advantage of fixed focus in such small cameras is that
it's very predictable. Perhaps fixed exposure is predictable too. Maybe
this camera would be immune to difficult exposure situations that would
confuse more expensive ones.

wrote:


The more I think about it the less strange and perhaps more intriguing
it seems. One advantage of fixed focus in such small cameras is that
it's very predictable. Perhaps fixed exposure is predictable too. Maybe
this camera would be immune to difficult exposure situations that would
confuse more expensive ones.

Indeed. The idea of a fixed-exposure camera startled me at first. But
now I think I'm starting to like it.

http://www.canon.co.jp/Imaging/enjoydslr/p_3_006.html

And then again there's Ken Rockwell

http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/notcamera.htm

"They were made on a 50 year old fixed-focus, fixed exposure box camera
for which I paid $3. This camera is more primitive than today's
disposables... You need to learn to see and compose. The more time you
waste worrying about your equipment the less time you'll have to put
into creating great images. Worry about your images, not your
equipment."

Very well said; exactly my intention.

And then again there's Panoramas. This camera would perhaps be better
for them than other P&Ss, considering that it's light for trekking and
hiking, and that exposure would be fixed so that changes in direction
won't cause the camera to change exposure. Not that I want to shoot any
panoramas, but just mentioning the point (Nevermind the fact that,
besides being film, it's also manually driven, so shouldn't need
batteries, which are used for the flash, and flash won't be needed
outdoors).

I just want to, as Ken Rockwell put it, only be concerned with content
and composition, not equipment. I don' t think I'll find a camera more
basic than this.

I think it's clear to me now. This camera being so cheap I think will
be a fun challenge. It's also clear to me now that it's print film that
I want, as it more forgiving when it comes to fixed exposure than B&W
and slides.

I'll go get one today, and if I like it, I'll get another next week
considering that it's cheap and they seem to have stopped making it.
It's no longer on the fujifilm UK site.

The cheapest film is to purchase 35mm film in 100 ft rolls
and load it into cassettes yourself. Even cheaper if the
film has expired, slow (= 100 ASA) film keeps quite well
past expiration if properly stored -- several years if
refrigerated. Look for sell offs at camera stores and
ebay.


--
Nicholas O. Lindan, Cleveland, Ohio
Consulting Engineer: Electronics, Photonics, Informatics.
Remove blanks to reply: n o lindan at ix . netcom . com

wrote:

I'll go get one today, and if I like it, I'll get another next week
considering that it's cheap and they seem to have stopped making it.
It's no longer on the fujifilm UK site.

Got one. Something of an anticlimax. The camera itself is not as small
as I thought it would be. The viewfinder is big indeed, which is good,
much more comfortable to look into than the mju ii, much more
comfortable. I'm not sure I'll keep it. I may take it back to the
store. I'm almost sure that I wouldn't' be buying a second one even if
they'd stopped making it.

What's the cheapest way to buy & develop film, especially in the UK?
I'm particularly interested in B&W, and perhaps slides. I see no
advantage in colour negative for me over digital. That said, would it
be just easier to shoot colour film, scan the prints, and than channel
mix them? Would you suggest I just shoot B&W and develop it myself (not
done it since 1980s), just the film, and get a film scanner? Also, what
particular films may be interesting?


look at online classified ads or haunt garage sales and flea markets for
some photographer's old kit of a bulk loader and a bag of empty cassettes.
buy a 100 foot roll of film and learn to load your own. probably the same
seller also has a set of stainless steel tanks and reels to develop the
stuff too.

Tri-x was the world standard for all things from portraiture to arts. now I
believe the torch has passed to the former soviet states where they still
put silver in the film, and not those chemical color couplers and delta
crystals.

do they still make IR film? that is guaranteed coolness and artsy