Hello everybody. I'm Mark and I like film.

Late into photography. Learned to develop and print at school but never had a camera of my own. Got a digital camera 5 or 6 years ago (now 33 or maybe 34, I forget), then a digital SLR when they became affordable. Couldn't bare trawling through thousands of near identical, unexciting images whilst not being able to bare to delete any of them "just in case".

Bought a Stereo Realist from eBay in the US. after seeing some B&W stereo photos at a Lartigue exhibition and couldn't believe what I was seeing... like standing in a smokey cafe in Paris in the early 1900's. Knew I had to have one.

After shooting a few rolls, realised my photos were so much better with a lot more thought and got shot of the digital and bought a Bessa R2.

I also have an EOS30 that rarely gets used in favour of the Bessa and I hope to be shot of it soon to make way for a medium format camera.

And, as of two weeks ago I now have a darkroom with a 2nd hand Durst M70 so that I can get rid of the middleman altogether and that's how I came to be here. Saw someone mention APUG on the http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/ forums.

Oh, and I live near London.

Thanks.

Welcome to the real world Mark.

Welcome to APUG from inside Vancouver (where the monsoon season is about to begin).

Hi Mark, welcome from another island, Hawaii. Glad you found film again.

Hi Mark,

like you I've toyed with the dark side, but simply preferred using film. Since you live near London you should treat yourself to a visit to Silverprint some time. Just, be prepared not to come out empty handed. :)

Brian

Welcome from New England. Hold on to your horses...it's quite a ride!

After shooting a few rolls, realised my photos were so much better with a lot more thought and got shot of the digital and bought a Bessa R2.


Welcome from South Shropshire. Getting the Bessa R2 was a major turning point for me too. It's my most used camera. If you want a cheap introduction to medium format take a look at the Mamiya C220/C330 TLR range. There's quite a few of us on here that use one.

Cheers

Mike

Welcome Mark.

I'd recommend a medium format range finder such as the many under valued 6x45's. it is a seemless transition from the Bessa to a MF RF.

Welcome from Washington DC!

Welcome to the darkside Mark! .. Btw, you might want to join LIP London Independent Photography http://www.londonphotography.org.uk/ I used to belong to them when I lived in England a few years back. Quite an interesting group.

Hi Mark, welcome from Kansas

Mike

Wow, that's quite a welcome, thanks.

Brian, I'd been looking at the Silverprint web site with a view to getting one of the Speedibrews reversal kits to reproduce the B&W slides on my Realist that got all this started in the first place. I'll get down there in the next week I reckon.

Andrew, thanks for the link, I'll have a look.

Thanks everyone.

Dear Mark,

Ah! You read AP? Sensible move (alternate weeks anyway...)

Welcome and cheers from the back page,

Roger

Welcome to APUG from NYC

Welcome Mark... from western Massachusetts USA. Glad that you found us here at APUG. I hope that you will have many enjoyable visits to this wonderful site.

gene

Welcome from Oz. Nice to see another d*** to film convert!

Hi Mark, welcome to the site.

hello Mark - welcome to Apug from somewhere else not so far from London.

Hi Mark,

Welcome to APUG from Seattle.

Bob

Hello!

from Sunny Stevenage, just down the road from london.

Welcome Mark.

Enjoy your stay.

regards

Stoo

Welcome to the APUG jungle!:);)

Hi Mark - enjoy APUG, you'll find it addictive...

Welcome to the medium format crew...

Mark