Digital BW, The Print

Yup I agree , but it's a sign of the times with everything that is going on
with digital. Sadly we'll likely see more of it as time goes on.. 

 

So a share for those of us that are stubborn ..well, or think they are.
I'll admit to not shooting 35mm film anymore but still have one heck of a
stable of 35mm camera's and literally hundreds of rolls of transparency and
B&W film..  Like David I have a Pentax 6x7  also have a couple of 4x5's and
8x10's. Plus a zoom back for the 4x5. These I still shoot. And I think I
have enough film to last easily the rest of my life.. I have for many years
used a process of shooting film , drum scanning & print.. Sadly I never got
much into the dark room side of it like so many  did.. when I discovered
drum scanning that was the way I choose to go so abandoned the print side of
my old dark room. I do have a film processer so I can develop my own but
generally  it's easier for me to ship it out for developing to a lab as my
volumes are low..

 

Anyway for the past couple of years I've been doing something a bit off the
wall and it has honestly helped me justify keeping that side of it going..
So I'd like to share that. I have only been doing it with 4x5 so far.. The
only images I am doing this with are images that are worth doing it with so
for me some of my best.. I scan the film or transparency  and when I'm
satisfied with the file and the print I sign the film with a Sharpie. I've
been doing the prints  a bit on the larger side, and attaching the film to
the back of the framed art work and it goes with the sale.  I can still make
another print if needed with the file but am only doing a smaller version.
I have only done three of these so far and I'm hoping to get to maybe three
or four of these a year.. assuming I get the right images and still have the
guts to continue something that many would likely consider pretty stupid.
For me this is justifying keeping this gear and has added a totally
different market that I think will make it work for me. It has really
changed pretty much everything in how I look at it. 

 

jimbo

 

From: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com] 
Sent: Friday, March 13, 2015 10:03 PM
To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Digital BW] Rolleiflex to be liquidated

 

  

It's a real shame to see this happen. I was more of a Pentax 6x7 fan, but
all medium format cameras are/were great.

The longevity problem created by the digital switch is difficult to
confront, too. You could buy a Rollei and shoot with it the rest of your
life. If things went really bad, you might need to replace it once. The
bellows on your view camera might need to be replaced a couple of times. And
your enlarger might need realignment and an occasional new bulb. As long as
you could get film, your old box that holds film was good to go.

 

Now, your digital camera is obsolete in a couple of years and quits working
in just a few more. With analog, when a new film came out, you could buy a
roll and get improved images for a couple of dollars. Now, if a new sensor
comes out, its of no use to you unless you buy a whole new camera. And
certain manufacturers don't have a problem making your lenses obsolete at
the same time. (Isn't that right, Sony?!)

 

Though I went 100% digital six years ago, I hate to see this stuff go.

 

 

David Kachel

 

___________________

 

Artist-Photographer

Fine B&W Photographs

 

WEBSITE: www.davidkachel.com

BLOG: thetransparentphotographer.com

EMAIL: david@...

 

PO Box 173

Globe, AZ 85502

(928) 275-0925





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