For a long time the biggest reason holding me back from shooting in analog is the cost to maintain the hobby. All the miscellaneous expenditure adds up, starting from cost of the roll of film, followed by the developing, printing and scanning costs of the end product. Of course there are ways to curb the spending, be it by bulk buying of film, developing the film yourself, printing selectively or by pass that entirely, only scanning for digital archiving (DIY again might pinch the cost down). So far I’d been heading to Fotohub (the lab nearest to my home), I favor it for its proximity. The quality has been rather dismal. I went for their develop + print + scan package that’s priced at $21.29 twice. The first round was ok, but the second round (where I sent in 5 rolls at a go, not sure if that’s a factor for disappointment) was just a hot mess. Bear in mind the cost multiplies quickly when you involves multiple rolls of film. For example, I used up 5 rolls of film during a short trip up north 🇲🇾. The total cost spent just at Fotohub left me $106.45 poorer. But that’s before considering the cost of each roll of film. I used 3 rolls of Kodak Portra 400 ($10 per roll), 1 roll of Fuji Pro400H ($14) and 1 roll of Kodak Ektar 100 ($10), shipping from B&H cost me about $13. So the cost of raw materials (film + shipping) adds up to $67. So when I add up the total cost of shooting film for this trip ($67 + $106.45 = $173.45), it starts looking quite pricey. Should I repeat this in my forthcoming holiday (shooting another 5 rolls), the equivalent total cost of shooting film could get me a 2 Terabyte (TB) G-Drive. Now I could store a hell lot of stuff on a G-Drive, so on surface it does seems shooting digital looks way more economical.
If I keep the habit up, I’d be poorer and poorer as time passes. I could afford this for now, thanks to my current gainful employment, but I couldn’t say the same 8 years ago. I was just a student, trying to stretch my monthly allowance. Every dollar counts, so of course I’d settle for digital. 📷💸😰
Sure I would eventually have to pay for storage (more hard drives with higher capacity, of better quality since the cheaper ones don’t last). Eventually they might add up to about the same, or perhaps more… I’m on my way to checking out another G-Drive (probably the 4TB capacity drive) to back up images I’ve been accumulating this year. The good news about data storage is that eventually the cost per TB would come down. I remembered paying SG$450+ for a 4TB G-Drive about 3 years ago. I can get that for half the price now. Of course I could get competitors’ range for much cheaper (ahem Western Digital, Seagate) but they don’t last. Maybe it’s just bad luck but I’ve not a positive experience with these priced affordable drives.
So is there a way to circumnavigate through the relatively high cost of shooting film?
Use less expensive film
Go for the really basic color and black and white negative films out there. Kenmere’s 100 ASA black and white film retails at US$2.85 (24 exposures) and US$2.99 (36 exposures). AgfaPhoto Vista 400 color film goes for US$2.99 (36 exposure), same goes for Kodak Gold 200 and Kodak Ultramax 400 (both Kodak rolls have 24 exposures each). I purchase my 35mm films online, either from B&H or Adorama. I feel it’s more convenient and as a consumer you get to choose from a wider range of 35mm than if I were to buy from a local shop. At least with B&H, there is this DHL SuperSaver shipping option that is fast and economical. But do note the delivery via this option is handled by SingPost for delivery when the parcel reaches Singapore.
Shoot in 35mm format
It’s no surprise I picked up a 35mm camera. 35mm film is comparatively cheaper to 120mm (medium format) film. An average of 24/36 exposures on a 35mm roll compared to 12 exposures on a 120mm film. Of course there are pros and cons to each format. You seem to get more shots per roll with 35mm film but that also means you spend a longer time on each roll. Imagine a scenario where you decided to swap the roll of color film you were using because you felt in the mood for some black and white. You could either take note of the last exposed frame number and roll back the film into the canister to use later (I’m clumsy so nope, not going down this road), or use another camera loaded with a different film. Pictures shot on 120mm film resolves better than those on 35mm film, but medium format cameras on average cost more and are larger/heavier than the regular 35mm camera. So it’s important to think carefully which medium you want to use, which works better for your desired final product and what your budget allows.
Shoot selectively
Think twice, thrice, compose, recompose the scene before you click the shutter button. Don’t shoot every damn thing you see if there isn’t anything worth shooting… I definitely find myself more conservatively when using a film camera. But I could tone down the urge to click the shutter button more way more. In retrospect burning through 5 rolls of film for a short holiday seems crazy when my parents used the same quantity for our Europe vacation some good 20 years ago. Yup, definitely don’t spray and pray if you don’t want your pocket thin or empty.
DIY film development
Personally I’m striking this out unless I can’t find a lab in Singapore that meets my expectation. I know I’m very particular about quality but at this point I would rather let the lab experts do their job than bring matters into my own hands. I have friends who prefer to do it themselves. I’m a super klutz, the mere thought of knocking over chemicals in the middle of developing my negatives sends shivers down my spine… I think it’s better I pay the professionals to do the job.
Print your works selectively
Only print what you need, don’t print the outtakes. Developing and scanning doesn’t cost too much for 35mm rolls. So overall that might help pinch some good pennies…
DIY film scanning
Sometimes you’re lucky and got a flatbed scanner that’s able to scan negatives. I remember having an Epson scanner that came with complementary 35mm film mounts for easy scanning on the machine. I didn’t find the need to use that function back then… Also the machine died on me after a year. Talk about longevity… 😒 It wasn’t super expensive but it does caution me on buying more Epson products. Should you have a scanner with this added function, you could pinch more pennies by forgoing lab scanning the film for digital archive. You could then just have them develop the roll.
The upfront cost of buying a proper dedicated film scanner might seem steep (I’m keen on one of the midrange Plustek models which would set me back approximately SG$600+). If you’re shooting film frequently, and very particular about having control over the output… The way to go is to get a good film scanner of your own. I’m very disappointed with the scans Fotohub produces. Perhaps there are other local film labs that do a better job, I just need to find one that meets my expectation…
Now I’ve tried a different film lab (Triple D at Bencoolen) and I feel the results are much better than what I’m getting with FotoHub. The next logical step is either to pony up for higher resolution scans at Triple D or get that Plustek scanner I’ve been yakking forever about. Time to start another savings goal. 💰💸💰