Topic: Cheapskates Photography

[Francois]

Unless you've been living under a rock or on some other planet, you all know the economy has gone haywire and our savings are being flushed down the drain. So there's no better time to share our penny pinching photographic tricks!

From ways to process film cheaply, to free imaging software, to places where to get free processing or free prints, lets make this thread every cheapskate's dream.

Anything and everything is open game here. Whether it be film cleaner, lens cleaner, developer, stop bath, fixer, hypo eliminator, paper, expired film, color, b&w, lab building, software... you get the point.

[euge...]

Probably really obvious but ...I always see if theres an out of date film bin in shops,and there are usually worthwhile deals on ultra,superia etc multipacks.Unless you only use the organic stuff brought from the special fridge on a velvet cushion by a white gloved assistant of course...

[This-is-damion]

instead of wetting agent you can use a small drop of that natural washing up liquid, ecover or similar.

If your really skint you can develop with coffenol.   must be cheap!!!!    its also great if you love horrid smelling developer.

[choppert]

Instead of lusting after the latest folding 6x7 camera.  Use what you've got and buy some more film! (from 7dayshop)

Keep away from EvilBay too, it twists your brain into thinking some crappy Industar lens is just what you need on the front of your German RF - at 1am!

[sausage100uk]

if you scan your films and want to save money on an editing software package you can't go wrong with gimp...i've used elements and paintshop pro and found gimp to be faster and more intuitive to use

[Francois]

As taken from the other film re-washing thread

A short cut is to  have the wetting agent in a plant spray bottle of distilled water 5ml to a 1 litre.  Hang the negs up and give  both sides a good spray.    Saves time and the litre of distilled water goes a long way.

Instead of buying that expensive stop bath, use the grocery store version:
White Vinegar - 500ml
Add water to make 1 liter

Use for 30 seconds between developer and fixer.

[Andrea.]

I buy my frames, cheaply from here. http://www.picture-frames-direct.co.uk/index.html. That save a lot of money :-)

I shall also be shooting more 35mm I think.

[Ed Wenn]

This is a great idea on a related theme, but I'll probably never do it: make the time to put all of the cameras you never use up for sale on evilBay. Ring-fence the money you make from the auctions to buy film/paper/chems etc. for use with the select group of survivors.

Money-saving tips:

• If you currently get your stuff lab processed and printed, stop getting prints made. Just go for the 'process only' option and then scan 'em at home. Print off the few that you like via an online printing service.
• Same goes for contact sheets. Do without. I do 'contact scans' instead. Place the neg holder (and for this to work you need them clear sleeved obviously) directly on the scanner (assuming you have an Epson flatbed or quiv with overhead light source) and scan at 72dpi and 300-500%

I'll think of more later.

Get thread!

[formica]

As taken from the other film re-washing thread

A short cut is to  have the wetting agent in a plant spray bottle of distilled water 5ml to a 1 litre.  Hang the negs up and give  both sides a good spray.    Saves time and the litre of distilled water goes a long way.

Instead of buying that expensive stop bath, use the grocery store version:
White Vinegar - 500ml
Add water to make 1 liter

Use for 30 seconds between developer and fixer.

i'm a little confused. is this for stop or for wetting agent?

oh, and you can use plain old water as stop too.

            william

[Francois]

i'm a little confused. is this for stop or for wetting agent?

It's for the acidic stop bath. It helps you keep your fixer in good shape longer (most fixers need acidity... unless you're using an alkaline fixer).

[Heather]

I just use water stop baths.

Ebay can be quite good for some things if you know where and what to look for. Poorly listed items can be a bargain. I got something like 33 rolls of film (mostly out of date but smelled like it had been refridgerated, some only just out of date) for ?8 because it had just been listed as a rather boring auction title of "camera films". Quite nice mix of colour and B&W, nearly full pack of Fuji Pro800Z in 120, etc. I'm still trying to use up that lot!

I'm not sure if caffenol is really cheaper than, say, Rodinal. Even though Rodinal costs about ?12/500ml, you only use about 10ml per roll of film so 24p a roll. Buy LARGE amounts of fix - it doesn't go off like developer can do. I bought a 5litre jug of fotospeed rapid fix about 6 months ago... still going. That's probably about 80p per patch of film-strength fix which will be used for... about 5 rolls I'd guess. 16p/roll for the fix.

The above is just to point out that the biggest saver can be working out the numbers and realising where your savings can be made. Honestly, I'd worry about the other things in washing up liquid affecting the negatives 20+ years down the line... that big bottle of photo-flo might seem expensive but you use such a teeeny tiny amount that it is probably a penny or two a roll. Your film and images are worth more than that minor savings.

[Andrea.]

I think APH09 - a Rodinal clone - is even cheaper than the real thing too.

[Sandeha Lynch]

Shoot less.

I mean, shoot smarter without bracketing and none of this "one more, just in case".

I shoot a few old folders and each one has a custom-made hood and filter holder.  Most are push-on variety made from various bits of plumbing with a 49mm filter step-up ring epoxied on the end.  A couple are bayonets where the 'base' is an empty bayonet filter with a step-up attached.



Oh, and empty filter rings make for decent hoods.

[david b]

Shoot less.

I mean, shoot smarter without bracketing and none of this "one more, just in case".

Tsk, have you not noticed the name of this site?

[Francois]

One of the cheapest developers is Ilford ID-11. While it can be used full strength or diluted, the full strength developer can be re-used many times without replenishment.
According to Ilford literature, 1 liter of chemistry can be re-used up to 10 times by extending the development time by 10% for each additional film processed (numbers are for deep tank processing). Results won't be as consistent as when it is used in the regular fashion but will still be adequate for many users.

To keep diluted chemicals from oxidizing too rapidly, replace the missing liquid with glass marbles. They will take the place of air in the bottles and help prolong the chemistry's life.

[david b]

Xtol is even cheaper for a 5 litre pack I think, and it works great at a 1+2 or 1+3 dilution.  That's essentially 15 litres of one-shot developer for about ?6...

[Francois]

At my Dollar store, I found some large food containers that are big enough to hold an 8x10 print. Either for making a print washing tray or for holding chemicals, the price is hard to beat (1$ is cheap for a tray). As a bonus, they come with a lid which makes them perfect for leaving the stop bath and fixer ready to use without having to live with the smell.

[eddie]

Not really a cheapskate but i remember a friend who used to hang out his negatives on the washing line to dry.

[al]

Not really a cheapskate but i remember a friend who used to hang out his negatives on the washing line to dry.

Oh dear ! 

[choppert]

What about suggestions for thrifty suppliers?....

Film - www.7dayshop.com
Chemistry - www.speedgraphic.co.uk (though their range isn't huge)
Batteries - www.battery-force.co.uk

Chops

[Andrea.]

Mathers for Ilford film
http://www.mathersoflancashire.co.uk/page17.html

[LT]

regarding chemicals - I have one word (well, 2 words joined together) for the penny-pinching mono worker:

homebrew

Its WAY cheaper, and MUCH more fun.

L

[al]

For experiments & where perfect colour balance is not important, and you're scanning use colour film and DIY develop.

Just as easy and uses the same kit as B&W (if you're prepared to rough it a bit) and actually works out cheaper than B&W because all though the chemicals are a bit more expensive, colour film (especially expired stuff) can usually be scavenged for free/far cheaper than B&W.


Then sell all your cameras on ebay and build a matchbox pinhole.  50+ square frames on a roll of 36, now that's what I call economy!! Do it now 

[Francois]

regarding chemicals - I have one word (well, 2 words joined together) for the penny-pinching mono worker:

homebrew

Its WAY cheaper, and MUCH more fun.

L

Do you have some formulas that don't involve a scale?

[choppert]

These are about the cheapest MF processing I've found

http://www.snapsphotoservices.com/120colfilmdprp.htm

[LT]

Do you have some formulas that don't involve a scale?

I certainly do!

Film Developers

D-23 (fine grain with some loss of film speed).  Lots of info regarding using D-23 avaiable on t'internet.

water at 125 degrees F - 750 ml

Metol -                             2 1/2  teaspoons
Sodium Sulphite          12 1/2 teaspoons

Cold water to make up to 1 litre.

----------------------------------------------------------------

D-76 (H) - standard all-purpose developer

Use as original Kodak D-76

Water at 125 deg F         - 750ml

Metol -                              approx 2/3 of a teaspoon
Sodium Sulphite           12.5 teaspoons
Borax                                1/2 teaspoon

Water to make to 1 litre

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Pyrocat HD (a VERY cheap and economical compensating developer - great for toycam negs to compensate for loss of exposure control).  Expose at film box speed or slightly slower. This is more complex to mix, but is worth the effort.

To make 100 ml both A and B

A solution

Water at 100-125 deg F -                                    75 ml
Sodium Metabisulphate                                      approx 1/5 teaspoon
Pyrocatechol                                                           1  1/2 teaspoon
Phenidone                                                                1/8 teaspoon (may need dissolving in isopropyl alcohol before adding)
Potassium Bromide                                               1/8 Teaspoon
Water to make to 100 ml

B solution

COLD water                                                           75ml
Potassium Carbonate                                         11 1/2 teaspoons
water to make to 100 ml (if like me you find it difficult to get into solution, just double amount of water and double the amount of B stock you use when making working developer)

Store separately.  To make working developer, use at 1(A):1(B):100 (water) at around 21 degrees.  Most films should require same development time  - around 14 minutes using constant inversions for first minute, then 4 inversions every three minutes.  Shorter times are achieved by using 4 inversions every 1 minute.

--------------------------------------------------------

Hypo-Clearing Agent (HCA - like Ilford Wash Aid etc)

1 teaspoon of Sodium Sulphite stirred into 600(ish) ML warm water.


----------------------------------------------------------

If you are thinking of doing these, make sure you look up safety information for each chemical before handling and take care to wear gloves, eye and breathing protection as necessary.   As amounts wont be exact, variations on times etc will happen but they should all work pretty well.

[choppert]

Again, not necessarily cheap in any way, but you can compose photos using an old slide mount.

Against the tip of my nose it gives me a 50mm view.  Though I do have a big hooter!

Maybe there is an ISO scale for this somewhere?

Button noses = 28mm
Roman noses = 50mm
Pinocchio/Barry Manilow = 135mm

[Sandeha Lynch]

Again, not necessarily cheap in any way, but you can compose photos using an old slide mount.

Against the tip of my nose it gives me a 50mm view.  Though I do have a big hooter!

Maybe there is an ISO scale for this somewhere?

Button noses = 28mm
Roman noses = 50mm
Pinocchio/Barry Manilow = 135mm

Hehe, but yes.  Only I broke so many plastic slide mounts carrying them around in my pocket that I eventually cut one in brass sheet (4x5 format) which is now my key-ring.

[Francois]

For those who want filters for their cameras but find the prices excessive, you can order a swatch book of lighting gels by Lee Filters. They are as thin as wratten filters yet won't be affected by moisture. If you order their large sized swatch book, it's big enough to put in front of most lenses and comes with all the color correction and lighting colors you might need.

And if you're on the cheap side, the free swatch books from Rosco and Lee Filters are big enough to put in front of flashes and cameras with small lenses.

[Francois]

I was wondering if anyone has other great software or camera recommendations for the topic...

[Ed Wenn]

Almost too obvious to mention, but there are lots of things you can do to save money on close-up filters (diopters) as long as you don't mind them being hand held. My fave lens is from a pair of my grandfather's old binoculars. They work a treat with pretty much any camera from 35mm SLRs through to my Bronicas and even the huge Graflexes that I have.

[gothamtomato]

I was wondering if anyone has other great software or camera recommendations for the topic...

If you live anywhere near an Apple Store, they give free, weekly Photoshop classes. It's a 4 class course and starts over every month. It doesn't matter if you use a Mac or not (they don't ask).

[Macca]

What about suggestions for thrifty suppliers?....

Film - www.7dayshop.com
Chemistry - www.speedgraphic.co.uk (though their range isn't huge)
Batteries - www.battery-force.co.uk

Chops

You could also add MDS Battery to that list and Price Inspector too - which I use to get bargains if Amazon doesn't have what I want.

[gregor]

great idea for a thread.

Don't forget the barter system.  I've swapped more than 1 camera across the board with friends, bartered for processing or darkroom use.  Traded prints for hard to find film, etc.

Pretty much any skill you have has potential barter value.  Last year I bartered a website design for darkroom equipment and a Graflex. 

[sapata]

Not sure if will help but when I didn't have any money to buy a film scanner for 120 negs I bought one for 35mm for much less than half price and still managed scanning my 120 negs. All you need is loads of patience and  photoshop. There's loads of tutorials available on the net by searching "photoshop stitching" .

I have to say it was a pain in the a$%** doing it but to me was either that or nothing...

[Heather]

Not sure if will help but when I didn't have any money to buy a film scanner for 120 negs I bought one for 35mm for much less than half price and still managed scanning my 120 negs. All you need is loads of patience and  photoshop. There's loads of tutorials available on the net by searching "photoshop stitching" .

I have to say it was a pain in the a$%** doing it but to me was either that or nothing...

Probably cheaper to set up a darkroom for contact printing and scanning the contact sheet... and more fun too.

[AndreaM]

As a commercial photo lab owner I get a surprising number of people offering to sell me....no GIVE me their darkrooms. Enlargers, lenses, trays, reels, easels. Even more than film cameras that people also want to get rid of, darkroom equipment is big and really in the way when its owner doesn't want to use it anymore. Sad.

So I recommend "helping' a photographer by taking their darkroom equipment off their hands for free or really cheap. If this trend keeps up maybe you can get a person with an enlarger to pay you to take it instead of you paying them!

Sources: in addition to craigslist.org there's also freecycle.org.