ray_goulter

Ray from Adelaide, Australia, here. I started photography at about 10-12 year old on my parents farm, using Mum's Box Brownie. I moved to Sydney for work in 1964 at age 19 and soon purchased a 35mm SLR. I moved quickly to doing my own B&W processing and have done so ever since, also dabbling with Cibachrome colour prints from slides. I got a Zeiss Ikon Super Ikonta about 1974 (still have it - 120 roll film) and began my love with larger formats, and got a NikonD300 digital some years back. Then got 2 4x5's at an auction and began using LF, and a few years ago got an 8"x10" back after purchasing a SinarP2. I found that, although digital was ok, I got far more satisfaction and pleasure out of MF & LF, and still do. Regression to being a Luddite? I have now acquired an 8" x 10" enlarger, even though that size is good for contact prints, but yet to use this Durst enlarger. So what we use photographically is what gives us the most pleasure. My preference is B&W film using any of my several 35mm through to 8" x 10" cameras. 35mm and roll film cameras (I now mainly use my Mamiya RB67 with motor film transport backs) are more easily transported for sure. Go your own way!

<p>I recently purchased an RB67 120/220 6x8 motorised back for my ProS as well as some 220 Ektachrome film and know where there is a supply of 220 roll film here in Australia, mainly colour neg but some trannie as well. Unfortunately no mono.<br> We have an excellent pro lab here in Adelaide - Atkins Technicolour, so if I shoot roll film colour neg that's where I take it as I don't do my own colour neg processing or printing.<br> I'm also currently waiting on a shipment of 125 rolls of Ilford FP4 in 220 rolls (expiry 1998 so I'm taking a chance), that will go into the freezer and bled out as needed. It took me a while to find that supply. I sent an e-mail to Ilford asking if they still manufactured FP4 in 220 roll film and didn't get a response. I'm mainly interested in B&W as I've done all my own processing and printing since 1964, and after a 15 or so year absence from colour slide processing have also purchased 2 sets of Tetenal chemistry. All on eBay. I also shoot 4x5 and do my own processing with Jobo unit (all roll film and sheet film). I think 220 roll film will eventually go down the path that Cibachrome/Ilfochrome went (sob!).<br> If anyone is looking to buy a film back for 220 then make sure it is switchable from 220 back to 120. If 220 ever completely disappears then at least the back can still be used for 120, which still appears to be readily available but not in the same range as it used to be.<br> I still have 5 rolls of 120 Agfapan APX 25, one roll in a film back, 4 in freezer. I'll cry when I use my last roll of that!<br> What is encouraging is the apparent movement back to film. I switched to digital mainly for weddings which I no longer do, as the couples wanted their (many and multiple!) images on CD/DVD, but I've always retained my love of swimming in the chemicals. I've hardly touched the D300 lately, preferring the RB or one of my three 4x5s.<br> Does any of the photo.net subscribers have their own equipment to digitise their roll film or 4x5? If so, what equipment and what cost?</p>