APS Film Funk

[ben_hutcherson]

the plane had the old style rear side engines, how long ago was that ?

 

I don't fly terribly often, but my last flight last year was entirely on MD-88s and MD-90s. Delta has a decent sized fleet of those, along with the related Boeing 717. They're all derived from the DC-9, which has two tail mounted engines. I work within a few miles of the airport, and see all three in the air on a daily basis(plus UPS MD-11s, which have the big, 3rd, tail mounted engine).

 

In any case, I need to pull the negatives from the last roll of APS I shot. It was in a Pronia 6i, and I think with Kodak Gold 200 that expired in ~2008 and was pretty bad. I mess with APS rarely enough that I always have to look up how to actually look at the film :)

 

In any case, my Pronia now has some recent-ish(maybe 2014 ex.) Fuji 200 that I need to get out and shoot...

[kmac]

Yes on second thoughts the pic may be from a plane with wing mounted engines. I googled some planes with varying engine configurations and the downward angle the camera is taking the shot means a wing mounted engine would be in the bottom of the frame, as in the pic. Rear mounted engines are level with the windows. Nevertheless I think the film of these aerial shots was well expired by the time I developed it, and not kept well since the time when it was exposed judging by the results after home processing it in fresh chemicals. I'd say earlier than 2005 and subjected to some very hot summers since.

 

I have some 2008 film in the same Elph LT at the moment. I must finish it off and see what it looks like

[kmac]

If I take them at their word, it was the film. But does that explain why the image vanished and there are no edge markings? Honestly, I am not trying to pick a fight or get my money back. I am just curious as to the cause. Obviously, it is old film, but I don't know if this is something that happens to old film. I've seen it blotchy, cloudy and other ways, but not disappear.

 

Come to think of it we're only assuming there is no images on the film, the images may be so faint you can't see anything. Can you get a friend or someone to scan the film to prove it either has something or nothing at all ?

[Henricvs]

Come to think of it we're only assuming there is no images on the film, the images may be so faint you can't see anything. Can you get a friend or someone to scan the film to prove it either has something or nothing at all ?

I can scan them, but my stuff is all boxed up as I recently moved and the unpacking continues to wait for me. ;-)

[Henricvs]

I think I am done with labs. I was holding out developing color, but I think it is time to just do it myself. What a pain in the butt it has been trying to get a legitimate response from The Darkroom. I'll just do it myself from now on. Thanks for everyone's help here.

[Henricvs]

Well I got the second roll of this fill batch back and although it was better from my Contax T iX, it was still poor, so it is bad film. Luckily, the seller takes returns.

[kmac]

Glad you now know what the problem is

 

Did you get that second film back, does it have edge markings ? I suppose it doesn't matter much, now that you know the expired film is the problem. Nice image of the house, but it's a good example of color loss and a lesson learned about buying and using expired film. Short story - With three rolls of unexposed expired film without wrapping I bought some time ago, one of those rolls, supposedly unused, got mixed up with some other film that I had ready for developing. Consequently it was accidentally developed and to my surprise came out full of someone else's images, it had already been exposed before I got it. So a bit of extra sensory perception happened there I think, telling me to developer before exposing. But I must have briefly noticed "Exposed" on the paper tab and that's why it was included with the rolls ready to be developed

 

I've also made the mistake of exposing somewhat important images on recently expired film that must have been stored badly. Shadows were brown, as in your image, which spoiled the shots, all other colors were good, but I only use expired film for testing now, nothing else

Edited September 1, 2019 by kmac

[Henricvs]

Glad you now know what the problem is

 

Did you get that second film back, does it have edge markings ? . . .

 

Not yet, but I am curious to see the edge markings too. I am also sending them back to Amazon for a refund.

[Henricvs]

. . . does it have edge markings ? . . . .

Well, I just got it back and it looks exactly like the previous roll, brown and not even the faintest of images visible. They must have a tremendous scanner to pull any kind of an image from these rolls. I am amazed. The story has a happy ending as Amazon is taking the rolls back at no cost to me. Thanks to everyone who responded here. I appreciated it.

[glen_h]

I have used only one roll of APS film so far, which came in a point-and-shoot camera that I bought

used and cheap. The pictures did come out with the colors a little off, but I never tried to extract

the film from the cartridge to see what it looks like.

 

Not only was the film old, but I had it sitting around for some time before finding

some place to develop it.

 

I do remember 110 film with an image so thin that I couldn't believe that anything

was printable, but prints still came out with visible people on them. C41 films

are pretty surprising sometimes.

[kmac]

I finished the 2008 film in the ELPH LT. Not real good, the whole film was dark green. Home developed in near fresh chemicals and I did all the rights things regarding times, temps etc. It has edge markings though. This is where my little adventure with APS comes to an end. Need fresh film or only just expired and stored well, to get decent shots

 

APS pic on 2008 expired film of one of my unfinished projects - a 105mm Tominon lens fitted to a 2A Model B Kodak Hawkeye, NOS bellows fitted and converting it to take 120 film

Edited September 5, 2019 by kmac

[Henricvs]

Yup, it is hit or miss with old film and can put you off. I got some good shots with this Fuji Nexia 100. I hope the rest of those rolls are as good. I also got some Vistaprint that worked out although the color is unique, but I think it is the nature of that film.

 

Contax-Tix_53080002 by Henry Chavez, on Flickr

 

Contax-tix_53080013 by Henry Chavez, on Flickr

 

Contax-tix_53080015 by Henry Chavez, on Flickr

 

Contax-tix_53080021 by Henry Chavez, on Flickr

[Henricvs]

Here is one from the Vistaprint scan. I was trying to use fill flash and failed or at least I think I did. I'm still trying to figure this little camera out.

 

[kmac]

Yup, it is hit or miss with old film and can put you off. I got some good shots with this Fuji Nexia 100

 

How old is your Fuji Nexia 100 ?, your pics look pretty good. The latest expiry date I can find for Nexia film is 2012.

 

My 2008 Kodak Advantix 200, the only APS film I have, was very cheap for 10 rolls so I wasn't expecting perfect pics. I only wanted to satisfy my curiosity about the concept of the APS system, as much as that was possible. What I've concluded is that I like the 24mm size film much more than 110 size, in a small pocketable camera. So if I had to carry around a small film camera in my shirt pocket, it would be an APS rather than 110 or 35mm. 24mm, still with good quality about it, was a perfect compromise between the tiny and usually grainy 110, and the bulkiness of 35mm P&S cameras (compared to small APS cameras). It's all academic though because APS is not viable anymore except for film hobbyists like you and I who are willing to give it a try, to be inquisitive about yet another film size in a P&S camera, all done within our hobby of film photography. In the real world, my ancient Canon IXUS 40 digital resides in my pocket and it's never missed a beat since 2005. It's very small and ideal for the odd snapshot.

 

I noticed that the Contax TIX fetch high prices on today's market. New, it was sold as a very good quality and very expensive APS camera. Is it worth paying big bucks for a used Contax TIX today and perhaps only use it for a short time while ever expired film is available, and then have to put it on the shelf for display ? Looking at your pics, I envy you for owning one, but I was just wondering ....

[Henricvs]

How old is your Fuji Nexia 100 ?, your pics look pretty good. The latest expiry date I can find for Nexia film is 2012.

. . . .

 

I noticed that the Contax TIX fetch high prices on today's market. New, it was sold as a very good quality and very expensive APS camera. Is it worth paying big bucks for a used Contax TIX today and perhaps only use it for a short time while ever expired film is available, and then have to put it on the shelf for display ? Looking at your pics, I envy you for owning one, but I was just wondering ....

 

I can not find a date on my Nexia to save my freaking life! However, when I bought it from Amazon it was supposedly always refrigerated as was the Vistaprint. I get what you say about the format being obsolete, but like you I also enjoy being able to use obsolete. I just look for deals on APS and stock my dedicated fridge with all manner of film. The TiX is a sweet camera and the lens is worth every penny for an obsolete camera. I got mine from Japan because I wanted a nice copy. The price is a bargain when you consider the cost of a Contax T2, which I believe uses the same lens, it is a steal!

 

To answer your question regarding setting it on the shelf, don't do it. If it interests you, get it, stock up on film and use it. That's what I'm doing. I figure I have some 20 summers left and I have more than enough APS in stock to use my Tix between now and then.

[kmac]

I can not find a date on my Nexia to save my freaking life! However, when I bought it from Amazon it was supposedly always refrigerated as was the Vistaprint.

 

They appear to be well preserved and maybe in one of the last production runs, probably 2012 expiry date. The colors are rich and the films responded to the auto exposure in your Contax real well, nice clean images, could be mistaken for digital shots.

 

With my film, the seller said very little about them. I took a risk which didn't pay off so the films must have been still in their wholesale cardboard boxes, never refrigerated, and the seller just grabbed 10 at a time to list as they sold. Problem for me now is I have 9 rolls of dud film left over

 

I have no idea how many summers I have left lol but I'm using my time for medium format. The APS was for a bit of fun and to see if every thing worked ok in the ELPH LT which I bought from a nick-nack and used book shop for $2. More power to you for stocking up on film and exercising that great Contax, it seems to be a superb camera.

[Henricvs]

They appear to be well preserved and maybe in one of the last production runs, probably 2012 expiry date. The colors are rich and the films responded to the auto exposure in your Contax real well, nice clean images, could be mistaken for digital shots.

 

With my film, the seller said very little about them. I took a risk which didn't pay off so the films must have been still in their wholesale cardboard boxes, never refrigerated, and the seller just grabbed 10 at a time to list as they sold. Problem for me now is I have 9 rolls of dud film left over

 

I have no idea how many summers I have left lol but I'm using my time for medium format. The APS was for a bit of fun and to see if every thing worked ok in the ELPH LT which I bought from a nick-nack and used book shop for $2. More power to you for stocking up on film and exercising that great Contax, it seems to be a superb camera.

 

Thanks, bye the way, that ELPH LT is a great camera. I had had one for years. The lens is pretty good too, not at the level of a Contax, but still damn good. Don't give up on the film. If you private message me, I'll send you a couple of rolls.