Film virtually dead in Oklahoma City....now what?

[SafetyBob]

PKM and Roger, sorry if I touched a nerve. It was not my purpose to upset anyone, and yes, the title could indeed mislead the uneducated that may find this forum.

I must say that when I was starting this thread I was very emotional about this. I guess I am experiencing what many of you have already gone through and I have had my eyes closed about it. Most of you are already developing your own film (first try should be this weekend) and doing as much as you can at the house, then and only then do I see sending anything out. It is dissappointing that this is the state of film photography in our country.

I did check the fridge last night, I still have a good number of rolls of porta (35mm and 120) still in there. Going to try and see how much I like (or can live with) Kodak Gold. Will wait until cooler weather to order film from the internet guys.

Bob E.

[PKM-25]

Bob, I have to apologize my friend, I could have went another direction on it. We film users have to band together and one of the big problems I see right now is the language we use to describe the current state of affairs with film.

Ten years ago, my seasonal town of 5,500 people had two full service labs that did both E6 and C41 up to 8x10 sheet film. So I have adapted...but the public's perception that you can not even buy film anywhere just kills me, so I am sensitive about it.

Best,

Dan

PKM and Roger, sorry if I touched a nerve. It was not my purpose to upset anyone, and yes, the title could indeed mislead the uneducated that may find this forum.

I must say that when I was starting this thread I was very emotional about this. I guess I am experiencing what many of you have already gone through and I have had my eyes closed about it. Most of you are already developing your own film (first try should be this weekend) and doing as much as you can at the house, then and only then do I see sending anything out. It is dissappointing that this is the state of film photography in our country.

I did check the fridge last night, I still have a good number of rolls of porta (35mm and 120) still in there. Going to try and see how much I like (or can live with) Kodak Gold. Will wait until cooler weather to order film from the internet guys.

Bob E.

[SafetyBob]

PMK....Wow I had no idea that Aspen had THAT many labs up there in the first place. No harm my friend. You can count on me as one of your film friends. All of us on this forum I am finding out are all brothers-in-arms regarding the future of film on planet earth. Yes, we may not always say it right, but I think we all are so committed to keeping film alive AND growing it so others can see the power, enjoyment, and satisfaction that film photography can bring to life and to one's life, that we sometimes forget we are all in this together!! I know I did until you reminded me.....thank you.

So it seems I am going through what you have gone through ten years ago......that is what is so amazing to me, to see the huge difference in the whole way we have to operate today getting our film in the first place and getting it processed in the second. In the case of Oklahoma City, there was a big pop around 10 years ago after 3 of the 4 big photo houses here closed. We still had Epperson here to handle all our needs, no matter how small or how big a customer you were. Guess I had not realized the impact when the pro guys went digital, THAT's what put a significant hurt on the film processing business here, then the gradual sales decline as average consumers (like me) gradually started doing digital and using inkjet to print.....I was NEVER satified with any of my digital results for over 10 years.......thank goodness I wised up and came back to film. Best decision I have made in a long, long time.

I think I actually may have the guys in Norman Oklahoma's little photo place (who still sell film and a good variety of it) to actually start to process film the old fashioned way. They were very interested how I was going to develop film at home. The cost of leaving their one C-41 machine on 24/7 just for one or two rolls a day doesn't make sense BUT they aren't keen on wanting to send out something they could do.....two rolls a day.....that is manageable for them to keep doing as a SERVICE for their customers. Good for them. Plus, I think if the impression if I wanted say 10 rolls of HP5 in 120 and they didn't have it, they would order it in for me..... I just need to "alert" them what I need.

So I am feeling much, much better about life and film in general now......

Bob E.

[Roger Cole]

You didn't upset me. I just roll my eyes a bit at the "the sky has fallen on my head WRT film, the lab/local film camera store closed" posts. I've always had to send out 120 or sheet film, or do it myself. I could, back in the day, take it to places that would send it out for me, but that's really the same thing. I have always had to buy darkroom supplies, black and white film, larger than 35mm film etc. via mail order, which was harder in the days before the 'net. By the time I moved to a big city area and got interested in photography again, that was the case here too.

Just go to B&H's or Freestyle or whoever's site and load up on what you want. I just got a ship notification from Dwaynes that my slides are on the way back. Life is good.

[RalphLambrecht]

WELCOME TO SELF DEVELOPING. YOU WON' LOOK BACK. IYOU CAN DO JUST AS GOOD IF NOT BETTER THAN ANY LAB!

[Leighgion]

I've personally found little to complain about Kodak or Fuji's consumer lines. No, they're not quite up to the par of the pro films, but for the price you pay they deliver. Plainjane Fuji Superia has done well for me.

[SafetyBob]

Thanks for the words of encouragement and Roger, already have a small order in with B&H for some film and once I see how the home developing thing works this weekend, probably chemicals are in my future too.

Was unable to shoot last night with the Kodak Gold I got yesterday, hopefully tonight/this afternoon I will get some photos taken and start processing in the morning.

Bob E.