The Figital Revolution

After reading this post remember that it is always 5 o’clock somewhere so have a stiff drink ready…

I have yet to get the “official” release from Fuji but from what I gather the following is true:

Discontinued:

Velvia 50 4×5 quickload
Velvia 100 4×5 quickload
Velvia 100F 4×5 quickload
Provia 100F 4×5 quickload
Color 160s and 160c: 35, 120, 220, 4×5, 8×10, and 4×5 quickload
Color 800z: 35mm 5pack, 120 and 220
T64 in all formats
Neopan 400 in 120

Not gone only new packaging:

Provia 100F 4×5 and 8×10 now in 20 sheet boxes
Provia 100F 120 now in 5-packs
Arcos 100 120 now in 5-packs
Arcos 100 4×5 now in 20 sheet boxes.
Velvia 50, 100, 100F 4×5 and 8×10 now in 20 sheet boxes
Velvia 50, 100, 100F now in 5-packs

From what I gather this is effective immediately. So what does this mean?… 1. get a freezer and buy a lot of what you love and 2. Support companies like Kodak as they are quickly becoming the best option for the future of film…. did I mention they just released Ektar 4×5  and 8×10 sheet film? Fuji still has many amazing films so don’t despair…

One final thought… discontinuing of certain films may be ok in the long run as I mentioned in a recent interview with Scott Sheppard
Executive Producer/Anchor of Inside Analog Radio … as there are currently too many films offered for the existing size of the film-shooting market… I suspect that this attrition process will continue until we have hit a point at which each company produces their “best” films only and  in a quanity that can be sustained financially by film-shooting photographers.

If anyone has additional info please share…

Viva la Revolution

Filed under: analog film technology, analog photography, film capture, film scans, fuji film, kodak, kodak ektar, photography today Tagged: end of fuji color films, fuji color films discontinued, fuji discontinues film

Click on the audio logo to listen status of “The Photographer’s Coffee Break”- the Caffenol C process for hybrid photography- as well as a brief outline of the capitol campaign just started here on FR. This is a very important message and should be listened to by all supporters of FR! The updated Caffenol C page with its capitol goal can be seen here: www.caffenol.com

Thank you for your support!

Viva la Revolution

Filed under: Admin Tagged: online photography discussion, the future of figital, the future of hybrid photograhy

Inspired by a recent comment on the Figital Revolution Facebook page, this Audio Blog explores the concept of Figital and the Figital Revolution. Click on the Audio logo to give a listen.

Filed under: analog photography, AudioBlogs, digital photography, facebook, figital revolution, iphone post, stephen schaub Tagged: film digital divide, future of photography, what is figital

So the custom case I ordered from Uncommon arrived in record time and the printing is very, very nice. The design of the case is one of the best I have seen but there is a deal breaker… the case is too tight to use with my screen protective film. I have tried several types and they all have a tendency to bubble the clear film when the lower portion of the case is attached. This is a real bummer. I did try the case with Invisible Shield by Zagg installed on the screen and it worked fine but I really don’t like the feel or look of Invisible Shield so I took it off. I even called the folks at Uncommon to see if they had a solution and they said they were aware of the problem and  just recommended using the Invisible Shield as that seems to work with their case.

So where do this leave us / me… if you don’t use a screen protective film on your iPhone or if you use and like Invisible Shield and want a custom printed case then I’d give this case very high marks… but for my needs it is a real disappointment.

Filed under: iphone post Tagged: uncommon iphone case

Here is the direction my current love fest with the iPhone is going…

All blurring is due to long exposure in the iPhone… in this case 16 seconds. The low resolution adds to the image feel. The artwork was then converted to black and white and had minor adjustments for overall contrast but not much. The image tone and grain were also added in Photoshop… the grain helps to “blend” the tonal range of the image. I chose to print the image on Japanese Shikishi (300 gsm) which is a beautiful uncoated hand-made paper.

I like it alot!

________________

• iPhone Artwork #1. Vermont 2010
• Mobile Art Project
• Image Size: 9.5 x 10.5
• Printed on hand-made Japanese Shikishi, 300 gsm
• Edition size: One
• $450
• Copyright Stephen Schaub 2010

Filed under: iphone art

I am always perfecting my carry solution with regards to my camera gear so by extension this has to affect my iPhone as it has a camera too… right?! Ok this may be a bit of a stretch but this is a very cool service by Uncommon where you can make a custom case for your cell phone printed with all of your artworks and designs. The online interface is very easy to use and setting up files to meet their specs is quite simple.  The cost is a bit high but not crazy. I have just uploaded the image to the right and I will write again when the case arrives with my thoughts on its quality in both durability and printing as well as their turnaround time.

Viva la Revolution- Stephen

Note: I got a note from Uncommon several hours after I drafted this post that my order was finished and had just shipped… that’s fast!

iPhone Software Recommendation: I find this panoramic software for my iPhone 3Gs quite good…Panorama Application by i Fone Guys, $9.99…  made the image below this afternoon at one of my favorite places to eat in VT… Sissy’s Kitchen in Middletown Springs. The image is made up of 4 individual frames which were merged automatically in the software on the iPhone… very cool and great for web work!

Filed under: iphone art Tagged: art iphone case, custom iphone cases, sissys kitchen

Let the testing begin!

Filed under: kodak, kodak ektar Tagged: Ektar, ektar sheet film, kodak

If you own an iPhone 3Gs this is a must-have application for every working photographer.

For additional information please visit:

http://iphone.ambertation.de/lightmeter/

Correction: in the video I mention that this app works with the 3G and 3Gs iPhone… I was wrong… it only works with the 3Gs which is what I have.

Filed under: Camera Technologies, Exposure Meter, film capture, indian hill imageworks, iphone post, The Cuboid, visualization techniques Tagged: iphone art light meter, iphone lightmeter

Click on the Inside Analog Photo LOGO to listen to an interview with yours truly on stop your crying and start your buying.
Interview by:
Scott Sheppard
Executive Producer/Anchor

Filed under: death of film, Ektar, film capture, film scans, fuji film, fuji instax, Ilford Films, Inside Analog Photo Radio, instant film, kodak, kodak ektar, photography today, Uncategorized Tagged: buying film, future of film

After last nights wind storm the FR is forced to go it slow for a bit as we wait for downed trees to be cleared, power restored and high speed cable activated again. In the mean time I will focus on “The Photographer’s Coffee Break”, the book and process some more film from my New Orleans shoot.

UPDATE: We’re back online and the heat is one so Viva la Revolution!!

Filed under: iphone post, Uncategorized

“I’ve hit a wall with digital and I’ve gone back to view camera… looking forward to trying the new Ektar when it is released…”

- Don, Vermont photographer and comrad on Figital Revolution

It’s moments like these that give me a warm fuzzy feeling and hope for film / hybrid based photography.

Filed under: quotes

Yes, I finally broke down and purchased an iPhone… guess what… I love it! … My wife hates it!

I am going to post over the next few weeks some interesting options with regards to using the iPhone (mine is the 3gs) for imaging… I know you think I’m nuts but check out two quick shots below… 90% of the production was done using different in camera programs.

The first post will be in a day or two… I am presently testing different photo apps and post production requirements for each.

Viva la Revolution-

Stephen

Filed under: iphone art Tagged: camera phone art, i phone art photography

Yes, Mardi Gras is a bit over the top… but it is a spectacle that one has to see to believe. This quick video and snap shots were made with the help of my wife’s Kodak Easy Share camera and several shots of bourbon. (Bear in mind, all video and image were shot in the Garden District which is a far cry from the total insanity of the French Quarter…)

As for my actual artworks I will start processing film tomorrow- yes in Caffenol C!- and I will post examples soon.

Filed under: indian hill imageworks, kodak, Travel Photography Tagged: kodak new orleans, kodak Z915 Easyshare, mardi gras photography, new orleans photography

Here is some happy film news! Eastman Kodak has just announced this morning that the very popular color negative material Kodak Ektar film (C41 process) is now going to be offered in sheet film size for 4″ x 5″ and 8″ x 10″… these new sizes complement the already offered 35mm and 120 film sizes. I have written here on FR on the strengths of this film and think this is a very positive move on Kodak’s part. Now if I could just find a lab here in Vermont who still processes C41 sheet film I’d be all set…

Here is an attached PDF that is the official release information from Kodak.

Filed under: analog film technology, analog photography, Ektar, film capture, film scans, kodak Tagged: kodak ektar sheet film, new kodak color film, new kodak sheet film

Mobile Blogging from here.

Shooting is going really great and Mardi Gras is fun as usual. I’ve been coming to New Orleans now for 14 years and since Katrina this is the fist time things seem somewhat normal… Or at least normal for NO.

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPod touch]

Filed under: Uncategorized

As I am putting my notes together to produce “The Photographers Coffee Break”, I decided to do a quick calculation on the actual cost for Caffenol C Developer as sourced from my local grocery store… $1.00 per roll if you use distilled water… .75¢ per roll if you use tap water… not bad at all!

I am leaving for New Orleans later today so for the next few days posts here on FR will come from my ipod Touch.

Viva la Revolution-

Stephen

Filed under: Admin, caffenol, caffenol c Tagged: caffenol c cost, processing film coffee cost

I’ve been using my little Pocket Spot Meter now for a few months and I really like it, except for when I am trying to read value next to another value with a huge different in brightness… think snow in the sun next to a deep shadow from a tree. The narrowness of the tree makes a perfect reading difficult if you follow the direction that came with the meter for normal operation (“hold the meter 12 inches from your eye and sight through the hole”)…

Today I came up with a better solution… just tip the meter up a bit and put more of the circle in the value you are trying to meter.  Placing the 1 degree viewing sight exactly above or below the dividing line between to extremes values will result in a bad reading but doing what the photos below illustrate works perfect… note how in photo 2 the viewing hole is now somewhat elipical in nature… this is what you want. I checked this process out against my trusted Pentax Digital Spot Meter and my Sekonic L758DR Spot meter and in both cases all three meters were in agreement… yeah!

Link to Metered Light

Viva la Revolution-
Stephen

Filed under: spot meter, zone system Tagged: Metered light pocket spot meter tip, spot meter tip

I just started a new discussion on the Facebook Figital Revolution page- 1 Film for Life:

http://www.facebook.com/figitalrevolution

Given the current rate of films being retired this may be a good conversation to start… post not only what you like but WHY you like it.

Viva la Revolution-
Stephen

PS- if you have not joined our Facebook page do it now – more voices supporting film is a good thing!

Filed under: Admin, facebook, figital revolution Tagged: figital revolution facebook, revolution facebook

I’ve always been interested in the processes of resurrecting old cameras with new coverings… So when I discovered that www.cameraleather.com was here in Vermont and I had my new Cuboid camera just waiting for some luxurious material to cover its 4 sides I had to make the move. The Lizard skin I chose (yes!) is very durable, feels great and best of all helps keep this all-metal camera from getting too cold to hold in our Vermont climate…

The application process is very easy: the material has an adhesive backing and I found the detailed instructions provided on Camera Leather’s web site very helpful. The selection of materials available on their site is diverse and they offer coverings for many, many cameras… the Cuboid of course was a custom job.

One word of caution-  Camera Leather is not flawless when it comes to returning phone messages, email questions, etc… so don’t hesitate in sending more than one email.

Am I glad to have it now though? Dude- check it out!

Viva la Revolution-
Stephen

For more information on the Cuboid Camera please visit: www.thecuboid.com

Filed under: cuboid, indian hill imageworks, pinhole, stephen schaub Tagged: camera leather materials, lizard skin camera covering, new camera leather

Elizabeth Gilbert is the author of the highly aclaimed book: Eat, Pray, Love. As a totally tortured artist myself, I found this video very interesting and thought provoking.

So what is TED?

TED is a small nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, Design. Since then its scope has become ever broader. Along with the annual TED Conference in Long Beach, California, and the TEDGlobal conference in Oxford UK, TED includes the award-winning TEDTalks video site, the Open Translation Program, the new TEDx community program, this year’s TEDIndia Conference and the annual TED Prize.

Filed under: creativity, TED Video Tagged: creativity 21st century, eat pray love photograph, elizabeth gilbert creativity, modern creativity