# It's been 7 years...I'm going back to film



## ShutteringFocus (Oct 26, 2008)

Hey all,

I've been shooting Canon Digital bodies for 7 years now doing seniors and and nature (nature for myself mostly).

Now I'm going on some mighty extreme camping trips and I think I'm going to go back to film.

I'm going out west to do 3 trips starting in Feb. Each trip will be a month long. One will be backcountry skiing, another backpacking in the canyons, and another rock-climbing in the Rockies.

The reason why I want to go back to film is battery life and weight. It seems to me that I will be able to travel lighter and shoot longer without giving up all the beauties of SLR options if I go back to film.

I need some resources. I never did much with film other than a Canon Ae-1 and a few B&W classes at a local college.

Where can I find out about different Canon EOS bodies (I'd like to keep my lenses), things like slide film (isnt slide film the good stuff? how to I store and pack film for skiing in weather that can be -40 or lower?)

Anybody want to offer any advice about film, cameras, packing, weather conditions and how to protect my equipment?

Anybody ever packed camera equipment on trips like this before? Would you go back to film?

Thanks!
Zach


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## NateWagner (Oct 26, 2008)

to be honest, I really doubt you'll be able to pack much lighter by going back to film. I mean... if you're planning on taking a lot of photos you'll have to have somewhere to carry the film, and as for batteries, you can get (theoretically) 500 (at least) shots out of a single battery, which equates to what, 20 rolls of 24 exposure film. if you brought 3 batteries you'd be looking at the equivalence of 60 rolls of film to stuff somewhere (though as few as say 40 if you used the 36 exposure film). 

But, Hey whatever ya wanna do.


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## James Learie (Oct 26, 2008)

As far as I know, batteries will last a shorter amount of time in extreme cold, so that number (500 per battery) may be cut in half. And, again, as far as I know, film is fine in those temperatures. Correct me if I'm wrong.


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## epp_b (Oct 27, 2008)

> Where can I find out about different Canon EOS bodies


http://www.canon.com

Thank-you, thank-you, I'm Captain Obvious, I'll be here all night!



> (I'd like to keep my lenses)


You'll need to make sure that they're EF and not EF-S lenses.


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## Helen B (Oct 27, 2008)

I have a lot of experience of long trips in continuously sub freezing conditions while traveling as light as possible. I do nothing special to protect my film - just keep the cassettes in the plastic containers and be careful about condensation when going from very cold to less cold conditions (inside a tent, for example).

I do those things because I want to do them, not because I want to take photos of doing them, so the photos are secondary. I'm happy to use a very small, light, totally mechanical 35 mm camera of high optical quality (usually a Rollei 35) that can be kept on my harness or waistbelt for immediate one-handed use without being an obstruction. It doesn't hinder me at all when climbing or extreme skiing, and it is easily accessible. It doesn't need to be mollycoddled. I don't think that there is any digital camera that can provide the same mix of weight, size, image quality and proven reliability in extreme conditions, but maybe there are cameras like the new Canon G10 that are getting there in many ways.

I used to use slide film exclusively, mainly because of the lantern lectures I often gave. I'd suggest that if you want to use film, and you aren't going to give public lectures, that negative film might be better because of its extreme dynamic range. Exposure for slide film needs to be spot on, and if you don't have experience you may need to bracket, thus using more precious film than you need to.

By February of next year, the new Ektar 100 should be readily available, and that could be an ideal film.

Shooting digital has advantages. You won't have to open the camera to change film in high wind with spindrift, you can change sensitivity pretty much as you wish, and you don't have to be too concerned about the number of frames you are shooting. I've never found the latter to be a big issue - it's good to think beforehand about which pictures are really worth taking, because it is not just a frame of film it may also be a temporal or mental interruption to what you are really there for (or it may not). I've explained that badly. If you prefer to snap away, then digital is a big advantage. It's not a cut-and-dried thing.

If you do want to use an SLR there is a lot to be said for digital, though you lose the extreme dynamic range of negative film.

There's a lot more I could write...

Good luck,
Helen


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## epp_b (Oct 27, 2008)

Not to hijack this thread, but...

Helen, winter will arriving here shortly and I was wondering if you had any tips on using a DSLR in very cold winter weather; I'm talking well below 0C, ranging from about -30C to -15C on any given day.  I have a D40 and I'd like to get some great winter shots, but not with a substantial risk of ruining my camera.

PM me if you think it's not appropriate to reply here.


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## usayit (Oct 27, 2008)

epp_b said:


> http://www.canon.com
> 
> Thank-you, thank-you, I'm Captain Obvious, I'll be here all night!



If you are going used, all of Canon's stuff is spec'd here (ancient, old, and new)

http://www.canon.com/camera-museum/


Not that I have any experience shooting in extremes but does carrying a completely mechanical camera buy you anything?  Not sure if electronics or mechanical movements are more durable in extreme weather and cold.  No batteries to worry about...   

I'm working off of old stories of the durable old screwmount mechanical Leica and Pentax SLRs and how they served journalists in the field.


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## djacobox372 (Oct 27, 2008)

Hmmm... each roll of film takes about as much space as a fresh battery, and it isn't much cheaper.   You may consider just spending $100 or so on 10 new batteries for your digital instead.


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## NateWagner (Oct 27, 2008)

well, the other thing I have heard is that if you're getting canon batteries they are much better in cold weather than ebay batteries. I know you'll probably lose some battery power... but then at the same time, even cutting it in half I don't see going to film as really saving you any space whatsoever


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## Josh66 (Oct 27, 2008)

Don't know what camera the OP has, but the batteries for my 350D cost a lot more than 10 bucks...  And 10 bucks is pretty expensive for a roll of film.

Just guessing here (too lazy to look up the prices), but I'd say a spare battery for a 350D is about ten times the cost of a roll of film.


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## usayit (Oct 27, 2008)

djacobox372 said:


> Hmmm... each roll of film takes about as much space as a fresh battery, and it isn't much cheaper.   You may consider just spending $100 or so on 10 new batteries for your digital instead.



I bet 10 new batteries is going to weigh a lot more than 10 rolls of film.  Weight is really important.


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## djacobox372 (Oct 27, 2008)

usayit said:


> I bet 10 new batteries is going to weigh a lot more than 10 rolls of film. Weight is really important.


 
True, but I was assuming that you'd be shooting more then 10 rolls of film... 10 rolls = 360 exposures which is about 1 battery in cold weather.

I highly doubt that it is easier to pack around 10 rolls of film then one battery.


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## djacobox372 (Oct 27, 2008)

O|||||||O said:


> Don't know what camera the OP has, but the batteries for my 350D cost a lot more than 10 bucks... And 10 bucks is pretty expensive for a roll of film.
> 
> Just guessing here (too lazy to look up the prices), but I'd say a spare battery for a 350D is about ten times the cost of a roll of film.


 
Ebay prices for 350D batteries is about $5, which isn't much more then a roll of film... of course these are aftermarket batteries that MAY not last as long as 1st party batteries, but I'm 100% postive they'd last MUCH longer then a roll of film.


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## Josh66 (Oct 28, 2008)

Well, the Canon battery is $54, so about 10 times the cost of a roll of film...

I don't mind 3rd party batteries, but $5 seems a little too good to be true.  (edit- I can't even get regular 2CR5 batteries for 5 bucks...)


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## redpoint (Oct 28, 2008)

Have you looked into a solar charger?  Maybe a little bulky but if you can charge up your camera, ipod, phone, and other electronic devices, it maybe totally worth it.


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## usayit (Oct 28, 2008)

djacobox372 said:


> I highly doubt that it is easier to pack around 10 rolls of film then one battery.



Believe me it is... especially when you take into consideration mechanical movements versus electronics.  I'm still thinking that it is easier to carry 10 rolls of film with a mechanical camera than DSLR+battery+memory cards.  How about failure rate in extreme weather?  not sure but my bet is still on the old mechanical cameras.


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## usayit (Oct 28, 2008)

djacobox372 said:


> Ebay prices for 350D batteries is about $5, which isn't much more then a roll of film... of course these are aftermarket batteries that MAY not last as long as 1st party batteries, but I'm 100% postive they'd last MUCH longer then a roll of film.



No one planing such a trip is going to rely on those ebay batteries.... you can get old expired film off of ebay for pennys/roll but would you bank your trip on it?


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## ksmattfish (Oct 29, 2008)

ShutteringFocus said:


> The reason why I want to go back to film is battery life and weight.



I can understand cold weather battery issues, but I don't see how a film camera is any less weight and size than a digital camera.  Whenever I went on a long trip the film took up as much space as the rest of the gear.  Battery-less, all metal, mechanical cameras are heavy.



ShutteringFocus said:


> Would you go back to film?



Not me, at least not roll film.  My advice is to get out and shoot a few rolls before you go on your trip to refresh your mind with all those film quirks.  Remember, once you load a roll of film you are stuck at that ISO for 36 exposures, etc....


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## usayit (Oct 29, 2008)

I guess its been a while ksmattfish....  its been long enough to forget that almost all mechanical and most electronic film cameras are capable of mid-roll change.  Even 35mm from before 1950s are capable.  Just put your ear to the camera and listen for the take up spool to release the film leader.  Granted... it isn't as easy as a flip of a switch like on digitals.


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## benhasajeep (Oct 29, 2008)

For the price of buying even a used film camera, he can buy 4 or 5 Canon branded batteries!

The trick with the spare batteries is to keep them close to your body (shirt pocket under all your winter coats).  Keep them warm.  If you start to notice that the one in the camera is slowing down.  Take it out, put in a warm one, and put the one you took out in a warm place (its not dead yet).  After switching out a couple times it will then finally be drained.

I say get some extra batteries and stick with the digital.  I am still a big fan of film and use mine regularly.  But I don't see long trips in the cold as a reason to buy a new film body when a digital will perform as well.

As for a solar charger depending on how long you are going to be out in the cold.  It may be better just to carry another spare battery.  The small chargers are in the miliamp charging range and would take a long time to charge a battery.  For the weight and space extra battery would be better choice.

Longest trip in cold weather I have done was 10 days.  Lowest it got at night was probably no less than -5f.  I kept my batteries close to my body the whole time.  Works really good.


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## djacobox372 (Oct 29, 2008)

ksmattfish said:


> once you load a roll of film you are stuck at that ISO for 36 exposures, etc....



Unless you rewind the film (leader out) and mark the number of exposures to go back to... I do it all the time.


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## ShutteringFocus (Oct 30, 2008)

Wow, you all are great. This is very helpful stuff here!

To answer a few of the issues related to MY SPECIFIC situation.

The trips will be a month long. So 10-15 rolls of 36 ex. film should give me 12-18 shots per day. Now, if we remember that these are not specifically PHOTO trips and that I'll have lots of other stuff to do trying to stay warm and alive...then I think that is totally sufficient.

The issue of just buying batteries is out. I'm not taking one of my DSLR bodies. They are way to bulky and heafty. 

I'm looking at something like a G9 or something film.

What I was thinking was going way back to something like a Canon Ae-1, although I like Helen's idea of the Rollei 35. I dont know anything about camperas like the 35. I'll have to do some research.

I used to own two Ae-1 programs before buying my digital cameras. They are definetly smaller and lighter than DSLRs. And, they strike me as more durable (mainly because I ran one of mine over with a car once on accident...long story...but the camera was fine.)

Something like the Ae-1 program would have no battery trouble at all. And an extra battery would be smaller than my chap-stick. I could also probably carry a wide lense like a 28, and a short zoom like a 35-70. Who knows...maybe even a 70-200? I'm not sure yet.

There is no way that you could make an argument that DSLR equipment of the same ranges would be anywhere close to the same size and weight. My 70-200 2.8 lense for my DSLR stuff is twice as heavy as that whole Ae-1 package!

Plus, lets be honest here. I miss winding the film in-between each shot. Maybe on a trip where the whole point is to NOT HAVE electronics...something fully mechanical would be fun! 

Thanks for all the help and ideas.

Do you think it would be wise to mail out the film inbetween trips so that it doesn't sit around before being developed? Anyone know of any good labs that do film via mail? I could have the negatives sent back to my home and they would be there for me when I get back...how exciting...that old feeling of not REALLY knowing what your pictures look like until you open up the packages! :heart:


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## monkeykoder (Oct 30, 2008)

There are lots of places that you can mail film out to.  There are NEW film cameras you can buy for the cost of 5 canon batteries.  You can get film cameras with a couple of lenses usually for somewhere between $100-$500 depending on what it is you're looking for these prices would include CLA (I'm pretty sure)  unless you're going with an uber-pro camera.


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## SilverGlow (Oct 31, 2008)

ShutteringFocus, which EOS DSLR do you shoot with?  If it's the 5D, then all you need to bring are AA batteries, as that body has an AA battery adaptor  in the grip, if you have the grip.  Just buy 6 x the number of battery sets required and buying in a big volume box means cheap.  If you shoot with a 40D or other cropped body, their grips may too have the AA battery adaptor, but I don't know for sure.


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## Josh66 (Oct 31, 2008)

monkeykoder said:


> ...for the cost of 5 canon batteries.



LOL, the new measuring stick for the cost of camera gear...


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