What ya buyin this week?

[Gabriel013]

going for film over digital?

can you tell a difference in printed image quality?

[Norrec]

Well, I'm into B&W lab photography. And the quality really depends on how/what you shoot. Faster speed film is grainier, lower = smoother, sometimes you might want grainy to be honest. Size of the image can be changed in the darkroom on a great scale if you get some sharp images. Also, the feel of a finished photograph that you shot, developed, enlarged, developed to photo paper yourself... well, It's pretty nice.. haha
There are so many variances in quality for film images, so I can't really compare dig and film for you (sometimes better, sometimes not as good). But film gives you so much more freedom, and a better feeling.

I wouldn't mind a Nikon D100, a really nice Digi SLR cam, or one Fuji SLR I saw with 12 (!) megapixels.. But way out of my price range for a while.

Also, (added after I wrote all this so I wouldnt have to find a suitable place for it in the paragraph) Digi prints you either have to print yourself (low quality inless you have a truly highend printer) or take it to and everyday film processing place (quality is good if the image is good, but costs $$ (££ for you, haha))

I wrote too much.

As long as I'm here, I forgot I bought Jon Stewarts book 'Naked Pictures of Famous People' the other day. Very funny so far.

[Gabriel013]

Thanks for the info Norrec.

I guess if you're developing them yourself then that's a different matter. I can understand why you'd take filmn over digital.

I bet the development equipment is expensive, right?

[Norrec]

I don't own the equipment, other than the film, camera, and paper, I use the schools equipment. But I believe a new enlarger (device you place the negative in, and focus to transfer to the paper, nothing complex, just a light and lens that shine down) can be quite expensive. But, I also think you can get refurbished parts and build your own, good as new, relatively cheap. Also may need a decent air circulation/replacement equipment for any fumes from the chemicals.
Developing fluids though, I'm not really sure of the cost. But in the film developing stage, we use about 5 different chemicals, and in photo development, 3-4. If you can get the most use of each chem, It might not be so bad in anycase.
Eitherway, after I'm done here at school, and when I get my own place, I plan on making a small darkroom of my own. The enlarger and other things are pretty much a one time investment, the chemicals are pretty much the only thing you need to buy more of, unless something breaks and needs replaced.

Actually, I just looked it up, enlargers aren't too bad of a price either. On BHphotovideo.com (awesome photography,video, audio, etc etc etc site) a low end enlarger can be about $170. Highest price average is around $3000 though, and one goes up to $19,000.

We use mostly B&W Beselers, which seem to run $180-900 on this site.