# What Film to use?



## dak1b (Jun 21, 2010)

Hello All!

I just recently bought myself my first film camera: Canon AE-1 Program:mrgreen:. I really wanted to experiment with film. What film would you suggest? fun experimental film? also is expired film good to use? what film could I use to make it look old? b&w?

any tips for a beginner film photographer? thanks!:thumbup:

Film is not dead.


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## Sw1tchFX (Jun 21, 2010)

I like Kodak Ektar as far as negative films go. I have a roll of portra 160 that I plan on experimenting with too pretty soon when it stops raining.


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## PJL (Jun 21, 2010)

dak1b said:


> Hello All!
> 
> I just recently bought myself my first film camera: Canon AE-1 Program:mrgreen:. I really wanted to experiment with film. What film would you suggest? fun experimental film? also is expired film good to use? what film could I use to make it look old? b&w?
> 
> ...


If you want a lot of grain, go with a fast B&W - Ilford Delta 3200 pushed to 3200 ISO is great (it's usual ISO is 1250, despite the label), or 400 pushed to 800 or even 1600. Kodak has a T-Max 3200, but good luck finding it for a reasonable price. Different color filters with B&W will also add different tonalities to your pictures.

Check out this article regarding filters:

Using coloured filters with black & white film

Expired film is fine, although the results aren't guaranteed; you could get prints that look completely normal or ones that are washed out, have uneven grain, etc. You can also take regular film and leave it in a warm place (car interior in direct sunlight for a couple days, for example) for a while if you want to get some unpredictable results. But again, your results may vary. For guaranteed trippy results, you can always use infrared film or a red-emphasizing film.

With regular film, though, if you want to keep it in good shape for a long period of time, keep it refrigerated. This includes rolls that you've taken pictures on and aren't getting developed immediately.

Have fun with it. There are a lot of films out there. Personally, for B&W I go with either Ilford or Kodak T-Max, and I tend to stick with 400+ speed because I enjoy grain in my B&W shots. For landscape shooting, I prefer Fujifilm Superia 100 or Pro 160. I've done some prints in 11x14 from the Pro 160 with a pretty good amount of cropping from the original with really, really nice results. For indoors with good lighting, I go with either Kodak or Fuji 400 or 800 (I can't really tell the difference in the results). Soon I'm going to be experimenting with Portra VC, which is their vivid color version of that film. But, like with pizza toppings, every film photographer has their favorite films, and no answer is really "right" or "wrong."


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## guitstik (Jun 21, 2010)

The best way to learn film is to choose a film medium (B&W or color), start with one speed film like 400 which is a good all around speed and stick with that for some time. If you start with Ilford, fuji or Kodak, stick with it, the reason being is that you don't want to jump around with manufacturers, speeds and mediums before you know what one will do over the other. If you pick Fujicolor superia color film in x-tra 400ASA, stick with that and play around with settings, lighting, lenses while getting to know what it will do. When you get comfortable with that film try something else but learn one before moving on. Jumping from one to another will just make it harder for you to figure out what is going on with you and your camera making your learning time that much longer.


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## dak1b (Jun 21, 2010)

ok cool. What film would you recommend if I want to shoot B&W that gives a old mysterious look? 

kind of like this:


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## white (Jun 21, 2010)

Most of the fun comes from developing and printing your own b&w.  If you want that old 'mysterious' look, just buy a solid 400 speed film (like hp5 or tri-x/t-max) and abuse the hell out of the negative. Rub it on the ground, scratch it, etc. 

By the way, that's just dust and water spots in the photo. I guarantee if you start processing your own film, the time will come when you _do not_ look forward to that stuff. And it will still happen. Again, and again, and again, and again ...


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## dak1b (Jun 21, 2010)

white said:


> Most of the fun comes from developing and printing your own b&w.  If you want that old 'mysterious' look, just buy a solid 400 speed film (like hp5 or tri-x/t-max) and abuse the hell out of the negative. Rub it on the ground, scratch it, etc.
> 
> By the way, that's just dust and water spots in the photo. I guarantee if you start processing your own film, the time will come when you _do not_ look forward to that stuff. And it will still happen. Again, and again, and again, and again ...



ok cool thanks. i also want to experiment with expired film.


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## dak1b (Jun 22, 2010)

here some film I won on ebay. yes I know there all expired but thats why I bought em! want to see what they look like when their developed. exciting. any thoughts on the film I purchased? 

8 KODAK TRI-X PAN B&W 400 GOLD 100 200 FUJI 400 FILM 35 - eBay (item 110547172784 end time Jun-21-10 10:57:51 PDT)


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## PJL (Jun 22, 2010)

Those are all good films.  You may or may not get really crazy results with expired films; I recently took a roll of Ilford HP-5 400 ISO that's about 15 years expired and the pictures came out as if the roll was brand new.  Either way, you'll get some really nice grain with that Tri-X 400.


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## dak1b (Jun 22, 2010)

PJL said:


> Those are all good films.  You may or may not get really crazy results with expired films; I recently took a roll of Ilford HP-5 400 ISO that's about 15 years expired and the pictures came out as if the roll was brand new.  Either way, you'll get some really nice grain with that Tri-X 400.



very cool I'm excited to see the results. I'll post. :thumbup:


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## Josh66 (Jun 22, 2010)

I've always been partial to Fuji films.  Color and B&W.

I don't think I've ever shot anything they make that I wouldn't use again.


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## Sbuxo (Jun 22, 2010)

Kodak Tri-X 400 is a nice 'indoor' film, but I suggest pulling it to 200 because the contrast can be overbearing, unless that's what you like. I suggest to try it. [:


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## dak1b (Jun 22, 2010)

Sbuxo said:


> Kodak Tri-X 400 is a nice 'indoor' film, but I suggest pulling it to 200 because the contrast can be overbearing, unless that's what you like. I suggest to try it. [:



when you say "pull" the film to 200 is that just setting the iso on the camera to 200? sorry i'm noob to film. :blushing:


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## PJL (Jun 23, 2010)

dak1b said:


> when you say "pull" the film to 200 is that just setting the iso on the camera to 200? sorry i'm noob to film. :blushing:


Yep, and then you tell the place you get it developed (if you don't do it yourself) that you've pulled it to 200, which will change the development. Here's an overview on pushing/pulling film:

"Push & Pull" Processing Procedure for Black and White Film

By the way, if you choose to push/pull film, you have to shoot the entire roll at that ISO or you're going to get uneven results when the film is developed.


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## Sbuxo (Jun 23, 2010)

Pull means lying to your camera and saying you're using 200 speed film, but you'll have to make up with adjusting the times of processing.


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## dak1b (Jun 23, 2010)

Sbuxo said:


> Pull means lying to your camera and saying you're using 200 speed film, but you'll have to make up with adjusting the times of processing.



ok so as stated above I only need to tell the people developing my film that I pulled or pushed my film. Does every developer allow this method pf pushing/pulling? or do I need to go to a special lab for the developments?


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## Sbuxo (Jun 24, 2010)

idk about labs cuz I'm the only one who touches my film. [:


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## guitstik (Jun 24, 2010)

If you want to have some fun, take some fast B&W film like 800 or 1600 to the dentist and have him shoot it with a few rads. When you shoot the film push and pull it anyway you want just for the heck of it and see what comes out when you develop it. If you want to reproduce the results (as close as you can) take copious notes on the test shots you take.


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## Josh66 (Jun 24, 2010)

dak1b said:


> Sbuxo said:
> 
> 
> > Pull means lying to your camera and saying you're using 200 speed film, but you'll have to make up with adjusting the times of processing.
> ...


Most places should be able to do it.  It would be a good idea to call them first though.

If they don't know what you're talking about, take your film somewhere else.


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## Alpha (Jun 24, 2010)

Shoot a roll of PanF. Develop in just about anything.


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## dak1b (Jun 27, 2010)

is the best place to store unused film a refrigerator?


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## Josh66 (Jun 27, 2010)

Yes.  That's where I keep all of mine.

That, or the freezer.

If it's been kept in the cold, you can pretty much ignore the expiration date...

Even at room temperature, expired film would still be usable.


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## Sbuxo (Jun 27, 2010)

Fridge fsho.


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## dak1b (Jun 28, 2010)

so I just got my canon ae-1 today...i'm excited! :thumbup: so when i'm done with the roll of film how do I proceed? Do i  Just take it out? won't the light mess it up once i take it out or  what? please explain.

thanks!!!!!!!


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## Josh66 (Jun 28, 2010)

You have to rewind it first!  

Here's how:
How do I rewind film in my Canon AE-1 Manual Camera? - Yahoo! Answers


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## dak1b (Jun 29, 2010)

O|||||||O said:


> You have to rewind it first!
> 
> Here's how:
> How do I rewind film in my Canon AE-1 Manual Camera? - Yahoo! Answers



ok so after I rewind the film I just take it out and then what...? where do I store it?


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## white (Jun 29, 2010)

dak1b said:


> O|||||||O said:
> 
> 
> > You have to rewind it first!
> ...


I put mine in the fridge until I process it. What film are you using?


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## dak1b (Jun 29, 2010)

white said:


> dak1b said:
> 
> 
> > O|||||||O said:
> ...



ok sounds good. fridge it afterwards...film using: 8 KODAK TRI-X PAN B&W 400 GOLD 100 200 FUJI 400 FILM 35 - eBay (item 110547172784 end time Jun-21-10 10:57:51 PDT)


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## dak1b (Jun 29, 2010)

another question on film. i'm about to be traveling in a few days and  was wondering if its safe to bring film pass the x-rays and everything?  today I went to a camera shop and saw they had some specialize bag for  this for $15...didn't get it cuz I didn't know If I needed it or not.


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## Josh66 (Jun 29, 2010)

Have your film hand inspected.  Keep it in a separate Ziploc bag so you can just hand the whole thing to them.

Read this.

They say anything under ISO 800 is safe to go through.  I would have it hand inspected anyway though, just to be safe.

Also, they say it can go through 5 times before it could actually mess it up.


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## dak1b (Jun 29, 2010)

O|||||||O said:


> Have your film hand inspected.  Keep it in a separate Ziploc bag so you can just hand the whole thing to them.
> 
> Read this.
> 
> ...



thank you. looks like my film will be safe. only gonig to be exposed to xrays twice (carry on) 

cheers!:mrgreen:


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## dak1b (Jun 30, 2010)

what a safe aperture/shutter speed for 100-200-400 asa film? I will be shooting outdoors.


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## white (Jun 30, 2010)

Ask your light meter.


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## Josh66 (Jun 30, 2010)

All that stuff will be the same as what you're used to with digital.

If in doubt, use Shutter Priority or Program AE mode.

Make sure you set the ISO to match the film you're using.

The Canon AE-1 Program - Basic Steps - Part II  <-- How to set the ISO (step 6)

The Canon AE-1 Program - Advanced Camera Operation - Part I  <-- How to set it to Program AE, Shutter Priority, or Manual (scroll down to the bottom of the page)


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## dak1b (Jun 30, 2010)

ok cool. could I also just use my digital camera to test settings before I shoot with film...


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## Josh66 (Jul 1, 2010)

You could...  But that seems kind of redundant.  Just pay attention to the meter.  You'll be alright.


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## Sbuxo (Jul 1, 2010)

yea, that's stupid. follow the meter in your film camera, or your external light meter if you have one.


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## dak1b (Jul 5, 2010)

so of course today was the first time I took out my mint contdion canon ae-1 program and the strap comes loose and it drops on the sidewalk. 

There are a few small scracthes...nothing major...however I've noticed some distortion in the corner of the lens? at least thats wat i think it is..could just be dirty..but I cleaned everything and there are some black dots...I see from taking the lens off right above the mirror there some black rubber stuff that seems to be the issue. 

However, it seems to be pushed up into the camera, and I can't really reach it to clean. everything else seems clean..mirror lens...any advice on how clean this rubber stuff...???


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## Josh66 (Jul 5, 2010)

Well, that's no good!

That black stuff is probably the foam bumper pads breaking down...  Take a look at the shutter.  Does it still look clean?

That stuff can find it's way onto the shutter and cause it to stick.

'Right above the mirror' is probably the focusing screen.  It won't affect the pictures, but it is annoying to look at...  Be very careful if you try to clean it.  The focusing screen (and the mirror) is pretty delicate - you don't want to damage it.


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## dak1b (Jul 5, 2010)

O|||||||O said:


> Well, that's no good!
> 
> That black stuff is probably the foam bumper pads breaking down...  Take a look at the shutter.  Does it still look clean?
> 
> ...



 ya thats def the foam bumpers...the shutter still looks clean. focusing screen looks clean as well...  so far i've only used a microfiber cloth to slightly clean the mirror.   I'm taking it into a shop tomorrow, hopefully they can figure it out and clean it out accordingly.


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## Sbuxo (Jul 6, 2010)

f a i l.
hope you get it fixed


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## CalanthiaKaryn (Jul 6, 2010)

Hi..............:hug::

I am interested in making a film using solely 3D animation and special effects, what program should I use? I need something free and simple that I could download from the internet.

:lmao:


I recommend using Maya.
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




Here's the link to the free personal learning edition of Maya:
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ind

DAZ Studio is free
http://www.daz3d.com/i.x/software/studio


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## PJL (Jul 6, 2010)

dak1b said:


> ya thats def the foam bumpers...the shutter still looks clean. focusing screen looks clean as well... so far i've only used a microfiber cloth to slightly clean the mirror. I'm taking it into a shop tomorrow, hopefully they can figure it out and clean it out accordingly.


You should also probably invest in a new strap


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## dak1b (Jul 7, 2010)

looks like I need a new camera. repair cost $150 :er:

spent $75 for the camera. 

well I guess thats life. **** happens.


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## PJL (Jul 8, 2010)

Yep that sucks.  I suppose the silver lining is that you'll never do that again.  Did the repair place say what was actually wrong with it?


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