Insane and lovin it...

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<p>...I just pulled the trigger on a spanking brand new Canon EOS 1V film body. I've not shot film for about 10 months because the job has me on working 900+ miles from home, on a long term IT project. </p>

<p>And for this reason I've not shot film because I don't have the darkroom equipment with me (on the road) to develop and such...well hell, I got the urge regardless, so I have my daughter fly up my EOS 3 film SLR body, but it arrived broken...smashed in fact...</p>

<p>But you see, I am determined, so I when to BH's site on a whim and low and behold then have at least one EOS 1V body in inventory, so I snatched it up, then I brought up freestyle's site and bought about $300 in required B&W development kit.</p>

<p>I've got tons to shoot up here in Oregon, but I've always been uncertain about doing B&W development on the road...too dang many things to bring up, keep track of, pack up, etc....but that was then....this is now...yea I know I could've bought a used body for a heck less, but I want a new one with warranty that will last several decades...</p>

<p>Anyone shoot & develop film while working remote/on the road/during temporary work assignments too, or am I the only crazed film shooter here?!? Developing in a hotel room will be new territory for me...will be on the road at least through late summer...</p>

 

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<p>I've never done it, but I figure if I'm only gone for 2-4 weeks, why bother wasting some of that time developing? I always stockpile it and do it at home when I'm bored. I enjoy the sites and take pictures when I'm on the road.</p>

<p>I've never been on anything like a long term IT project though. It can't be too hard. Just like developing film in my bathroom if you have the right tools and chems.</p>

<p>How much longer are you going to be there? If it is at least a couple more months, and you got time to burn in the evening / on weekends, go for it !<br>

A couple of years ago, I moved to Delhi, India, for 2 years, and I took tanks & chemicals with me (MF & Large Format even) -- was the best thing I ever did (photographically speaking)...</p>

<p>Lots of pro's used to shoot and dev on the road. I think HC-110 was made for this; short dev ties with solution A. Diafine was another good one, not being temp dependent. With either of these your dev cycle could be 6 mins. or less.</p>

<p>I'll be away for several more months at least...</p>

<p>I've got old issues of <em>Modern</em> and <em>Popular Photography</em> and every so often they'd have another story about how to do your developing on the road. Usually consisted of getting square bottles to fit in a small suitcase. There were some portable enlargers that also would fit in a suitcase. ;)</p>

<p>Sounds like a great way to have fun on the road.</p>

<p>I did a 13 month long project a couple states away. Instead of getting a Hotel room each week, I had them rent me an apartment. Not a bad deal at all, worked out to be the same $ for them. I didn't have to pack a bag every weekend, I could keep my stuff in the remote location and it was more like home.</p>

<p>Even if you are in a hotel, you should be able to get a daylight film changing bag and a Paterson developing tank. As stated above, just use HC-110!</p>

<p>I'm going to give HC-110 a try....never used it before. Jason you read my mind...talked to the client today about putting me in a furnished Studio apt...a lot less $$ for them, and I have more home-like amenities, can keep my stuff there on weekends I'm back in my home state, etc...in the hotel I hate the packing, unpacking, cleaning up, just too much to remember...</p>

<p>On a six week trip to Paris two years ago I took my developing tank with me and a liquid developer with which I was very familiar. I bought hypo locally. I loaded the tank at night using my coat as a changing bag (closed all buttons and the zip, put film and tank inside coat, folded bottom part twice and used clothes pegs to keep it folded; put my hands through the arms of the coat and loaded the reel). Very unproblematic. The main thing is to use a developer you are familiar with.</p>

<p>In case you overread it: The main thing is to use a developer you are familiar with.</p>

<p>I put the developed films in the usual sleeves, which I had also brought along (difficult to find these days, unless you want to change brands), and checked them with a loupe. I am glad I did, because I encountered a few situations where I wanted to reshoot - and was able to do so.</p>

<p>It is not a pain in the neck to develop on the road. I find it very worthwhile</p>

<p>Wow, how much was a NEW 1V bringing these days.</p>

<p>They still bring a decent price on tthe used market.</p>

<p>I just got one about 2-3 months back.</p>

<p>Great camera.</p>

<p>Doesn't seem that crazy. You're gonna be in the same place for quite some while, same as you would be at home. It's not like you're developing in the back seat of the car while you make a run for the border and try to shoot furious drug dealers while you're at it...</p>

<p>Bruce, I am insane for paying $1,649.00 for a new 1V...I really can't justify this with objective reasonable arguments....it was the voices in the head that made me do it...and if one does not obey the voices, well....it's not pretty....seriously I did splurge because I just got a huge windfall in the way of tax refunds.</p>

<p>Today I added a 2nd V1 body, but used, and for a song of $800, brand new condition, and with the vertical battery grip included....I shoot just primes so I often take two bodies with two lenses when I go shooting, as I hate to change lenses on the road.</p>

<p>I will be buying a grip for the new v1 soon too...because the battery these bodies use may not be available in the future, but I strongly suspect the AA's that the grips use will be around for a very long time to come...one hopes...same reason my 5D DSLR's have the grips too...I hate proprietary/hard to get expensive batteries!</p>

<p>My just ordered dev kit should arrive in a few days...can't wait...</p>

<p>Yea, mine came withe PB-E2 but you can run the camera without the power booster and use the small grip that holds a single 2CR5 battery.</p>

<p>2CR5's should be available for awhile. Canon uses this battery in the wireless remote flash rig (forget the name/number) that also helps with focus assist.</p>

<p>I also have a BP-E1 on my EOS 3 that can switch between 4 AA's or a 2CR5. That should work on a 1V too but I'm not 100% sure. I'll have to check my manual. I think they work but it justs reduces framerate to 7 per second. I don't machine gun anyway but love the PB E2. The camera really handles and shoots great.</p>

<p>I've shoot more film since getting the 1V than I have in a few years.</p>

<p>I know you already love this image machine.</p>

<p>Have fun!</p>

<p>Yea, can't wait for the weekend...my Nikon CoolScan 5000 ED should be arriving in the mail soon...I use a hybred approach, shoot film, scan it to the PC, and wet print the better captures when I can borrow a friend's lab.</p>

<p>Since Nikon no longer supports their NikonScan software, my copy does not work with my Windows 7 computer, however I'm hearing great things about VueScan Pro, which runs on Win 7 and supports the Nikon CS 5000 ED...we shall see...</p>

<p>Oh right, you spent $1700 on a new film body, that is kinda crazy.</p>

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<p>I am insane for paying $1,649.00 for a new 1V</p>

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<p>I don't think it's insane, given the number of years it should last you. Compared to spending $8000 on a top of the line DSLR which will be obsolete in much less time, it doesn't sound like such a bad deal :-)</p>

<p>Derkek, what you wrote is my thinking on this...it should last a life time...my DSLR's come and go...</p>

<p>I've never had the chance to do it on the road, but at my previous residence I discovered a generous film development kit will fit in a medium-sized plastic box. Many things can be made smaller, like using a small kitchen timer instead of the larger and more expensive GraLab models, there's no need to mix HC-110 into stock [just mix it strait from the syrup], and if you only need one tank and reel there's no reason it shouldn't be possible to take it in a small cooler anywere...<br>

Am I right in remembering a Popular Science article from the 1970s about making a darkroom in a suitcase for just such a purpose?</p>

<p>B&W on the road is pretty easy, I am out fitting my "Kodachrome" Camper to be able to do that, maybe even print. <br>

But here is a good story for you. Circa 1995, Dodge City Kansas. I souped 4 rolls of Kodak 1600 color neg. in the bath tub of a Super 8 motel, C-41. I then had to dry it, scan it with a old Nikon film scanner and then transmit it back to the news desk via a 14,400 modem. I sent JPEGS that were 1.5 MB in size. It worked, archaic, but it worked...</p>

<p>Daniel, nice gutsy story you told there...beyond the call of duty, to get the pictures your client needed....nice.</p>

<p>I now have the kit to develop B&W, but will not get more kit to wet print, even though I'd rather wet print then scan and process dry...maybe if the project gets extended I'll go the wet route....but for now I'm going hybrid, shoot film master dry...lots of fun! </p>