print or slide film

[uzibear]

i am a 100 percent newbie. i just got my new n80 with nikkor 24-85mm lens today. i've never used an slr before. i am hearing that slide film will give me better results. i am also confused about processing. does one simply process slide film the same way as with print? i read somewhere that the cost of using slide is less, so i was wondering about costs of devoloping. do you have to develop every roll? i will be shooting mainly outdoor and landscape.

[Jeff82]

Slide film developing is cheaper, and IMHO the work flow is easier for archiving, etc. But, if the final image you want is a print, slide images won't be of much value to you unless you have a good film scanner or are willing to pay to have prints made from slides. So, the first question you need to ask is what kind of finished image your want.

May advice would be to shoot print film if you want prints, and slide film if you only need a few prints, or just want projected images. In terms of the price difference, I pay about $12 per 36 shot roll for film and developing of slides, and about $20 per roll for film and high-end developing of print film per 36 shot roll. You could probably knock about $3 or $4 per roll off the cost, if you develop at Walgreen's or Walmart.

Slide film gives you less exposure latititude, but more color differentiation. It's also more sensitive to the use of filters, and under-exposes really well. For these reasons, I think you get better images from it. However, some of this is lost when you print slides.

Print film is has greater exposure latititude, and over-exposes really well. Is available in faster speeds, and is just all-around good stuff.

For what it's worth I shoot about half prints and half slides. Almost all scrapbook stuff I shoot I shoot with print film, and almost all of the insect/nature/shooting-to-shoot stuff I do I do with slide film.

Also, print film is developed differently than slide film, and all film needs to be developed --well, if you want images it does.

--Jeff

[paulnj]

The cost to SHOOT slides isn't ALWAYS cheaper!!!!

slides can be viewed without PRINTS(this is the short answer) while print film MOST people get prints from.

the "PRINTS" are what adds cost to EITHER type of film.

I honestly think you should grab PRINT FILM and start there... until you are CONFIDENT in you shooting/ exposure ABILITIES. slide film is not very tolerant of under/ over exposure , while print film is to a degree

[Outdoorsman]

Any newcomer to film photography, in my humble opinion, should start with print film. Here's the reason: 1) Print film is available everywhere and slide film is not always handy. Practically every town in the world has a one-hour minilab that can handle print film, but slide film processing isn't always available for same-day service. I personally would have to drive 90 minutes to the nearest pro lab that can same-day slides. And then 90 minutes back!
2) Print film will give you instant gratification and feedback without worrying too much about screwing up exposure. The lab will be able to fix bad expsoures (in the print) to a certain degree. You don't have that luxury with slide film- what you see on the slide is what you get. If you can use your camera's meter, then you can get a decent exposure. You don't want to worry about exposure too much right now- just work on composition. Because most SLRs will expose the film properly without too much user interface. Composition is the one thing the camera cannot do for you. I have hundreds of rolls of print film from my beginner's days- many, many shots of pretty lame, but properly exposed scenes. I cannot stress the learning of composition enough.
So when you have gotten fairly good at the camera and making good images, then switch over and start playing with slide film. I always tell people who want to try slide film: buy two or three rolls, and be prepared for heartbreak. You will get lucky on a few, but most will not look right, or will be unreadable. Then wipe the tears and really look at the ones that didn't work- learn from the mistakes. It takes practice, time, and money, but when you start to get good, you will feel like a National Geographic photographer. You will still have lots of boring shots (like me), but by then, even your most boring shots will blow away the best of your friends' crummy snapshots.
As for your processing question: there are a few different ways to process slide film. It has to be processed differently from print film. Often slide film is called "reversal film" because at a certain step in the chemical process, the colors are reversed from negative to positive. What you get back is the actual piece of film mounted in a 2X2 inch plastic frame. The image is there, ready for viewing. If you want prints from your slides, you have to pay extra. And they are not nearly as inexpensive as prints from negative film. To get slides, you usually have to send out the film. If you have a local lab that will process it right there, then great- you don't have to wait! If you're like me, you have to send it off. There are lots of labs that accept film from just about anywhere in the country. One lab that I've always had gread luck with is Slidepro in Bozeman, Montana. Or you can buy prepaid processing mailers- little envelopes that you stick your film in, slap a couple of stamps on and then wait two weeks. You get a little package with your slides in the mail. You could also take your film to the lab and have them send it out. My local Rite-Aid does it for $8 and it takes 5-7 days. I don't use them unless I'm in a jam.
So start with print film. You will get nice pictures back that will be very useful learning tools. Good luck!

[paulnj]

one thing I must correct in your GREAT reply......

" And they are not nearly as inexpensive as prints from negative film"

most labs do REPRINTS from CD, SLIDES , CARDS or NEGS at the SAME PRICE

AND

If you specify " DEVELOP ONLY/ DO NOT MOUNT" you can print the WHOLE roll for the SAME price as C41(print ) film. You would need to find a lab that you have BUILT A RELATIONSHIP with in order for them to work with you in that way in most cases though

[Outdoorsman]

one thing I must correct in your GREAT reply......

" And they are not nearly as inexpensive as prints from negative film"

most labs do REPRINTS from CD, SLIDES , CARDS or NEGS at the SAME PRICE

AND

If you specify " DEVELOP ONLY/ DO NOT MOUNT" you can print the WHOLE roll for the SAME price as C41(print ) film. You would need to find a lab that you have BUILT A RELATIONSHIP with in order for them to work with you in that way in most cases though

But I didn't want to put out too much at once. I figured he wouldn't want to deal with slide film anyway. It's easier to deal with prints and print film for beginners. It's also easier for beginners with slide film to get slides and not filmstrips. I prefer slides anyway, since they're easier to handle. That, and as I said in my original post, I have to drive 3 hours just to get to a lab that will do such things for me. I wanted to consider that uzibear might be in a similar predicament. I probably didn't specify how remote my location is from any kind of real services. The only place locally that does prints from slides charges $1.80 per 4X6 print, and it takes 5-7 days. I could go to the only local digital lab, but they charge even more, and don't even use drum scanners. So 5.99 for a 24-exposure roll of print film comes out to about a quarter per print... but that's local prices. Everywhere's different. I wish i could get mine for the prices you're paying! ;)
I love living out in the sticks for the photo popportunites, but the lack of real-world services is VERY inconvenient.
Thanks for the input!

[Franglais]

Hey strange coincidence I'm using the 24-85 a lot with my F80 at the moment.

Normally I prefer slide film for landscapes. In ideal conditions it gives better results than colour negative film, for landscapes at least. The effect is like looking through a window, whereas negative film is like looking at something slightly solid. However in difficult light, slide film is a nightmare - high-contrast shots burn out, colour casts look really awful and can't be corrected.

Right now it's the start of summer, and I've got a trip planned to the sunny south of France - I think I'm going to take Fuji Reala negative film. The best light conditions are going to be 6am-9am and 6pm-9pm and I want to be able to shoot over a longer period.

Afterwards I'm going to cloudy, rainy Brittany in North-Western France. I hope I will be able to get back to my Fuji Provia 100F slide film.

I recommend that you start with negative film till you get the hang of the camera. Then try sldie film - when the conditions are right

Charles

[paulnj]

I'll trade places with you ANY DAY you're ready ;)

I shoot 4 rolls of film a year AND 50 GIGS OF FILES


E6(PROVIA 100F) was my flavor of choice , but that was after 3 years of PRINT FILM to get the above mentioned IMPORTANT parts of photography under somewhat of a control

PRINT FILMS of today coupled with a digital lab(run by a TRAINED tech) are more than adequite for nearly all applications. I have seen many a print/ magazine image FROM PRINT FILM that rival images made from velvia or provia(add kodak films too)

BOTTOM LINE is .......PRINT FILM 4 NOW, then (as you mentioned) grab 3 rolls of E6 and see how good you REALLY ARE at exposures