Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/04/21
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Slobodon, Photo Industry practice in California is to cart all the waste to Nevada and dispose of it there. That is the law in California for a commercial lab. The reality of photochemistry for a modern process, C41 or E6, is that after the silver is removed and all the chemistry is mixed there is very little toxic possibility left. Remember, this is all very reactive stuff, it is designed to convert other chemicals very quickly. That means that it will decompose into fairly safe chemicals rather rapidly. If this concerns you, what about all the thousands of people overdosing on vitamins in LA-LA land and putting that into the water shed. Also biologically active chemicals going out in the thousands of pounds. Don dorysrus@mindspring.com -----Original Message----- From: lug-bounces+dorysrus=mindspring.com@leica-users.org [mailto:lug-bounces+dorysrus=mindspring.com@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of Slobodan Dimitrov Sent: Thursday, April 21, 2005 12:33 PM To: Leica Users Group Subject: Re: [Leica] End of an Era, Tak of Mac Camera Retires It's the disposal after use that concerns the city. We need to have a paper trail showing what is done with the chemistry. The city engineer assigned to look into this does not have a formal background with photo industry practices. S. Dimitrov On Apr 21, 2005, at 9:25 AM, GREG LORENZO wrote: > Slobodan, Patterson (I believe) makes environmently friendly dark room > chemicals. Have you looked into this? > > Regards, > > Greg > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Slobodan Dimitrov <s.dimitrov@charter.net> > Date: Thursday, April 21, 2005 9:09 am > Subject: Re: [Leica] End of an Era, Tak of Mac Camera Retires > >> Once B/W hits $15 to $20 a roll, for quality film, that will be >> just >> about enough for the amateur at play. >> I'm already having permit and disposal problems with the City of >> Los >> Angeles over the photo center at Angels Gate Culture Center. >> I'm currently looking for a white knight like Waste Management, >> etc., >> who can take over that problem as write-off with a non-profit. >> I suspect that in the not too far off future home processing for >> the >> amateur will become a felony offense because of hazardous waste. >> Although in Los Angeles County each household is allowed 150lbs of >> haz-mat materials per year. That's more than enough for the >> average >> home printer. >> S. Dimitrov >> >> >> >> On Apr 20, 2005, at 12:37 PM, TTAbrahams@aol.com wrote: >> >>> It is obvious that the midrange collectibles are losing value >>> quickly. In >>> Tokyo the "mint" M3's and M4's are now at a price level that a >> couple >>> of years >>> ago would have got you a user version of the same camera. My >> feeling >>> is that we >>> are looking at an "adjustment" as the stock brokers call it. >>> Remember the classic car bubble in the 90's. Cars that sold for >> $10 >>> million+ >>> are now lingering at the specialist stores for 20-30% of that >> price >>> with no >>> takers even at that discount! >>> There are only so many collectors out there and most of them >> have all >>> the >>> rare stuff already. The big market was the collector/user market >> and >>> that is >>> changing as we speak. I am fairly typical of that market segment >> and >>> albeit I am >>> willing to pay fair value for a M2/M3 or Nikon SP I now have >> more than >>> I can >>> comfortably use (and justify). When I go to stores in Tokyo or >> to swap >>> meet >>> here in Vancouver I am no longer looking for cameras, I look for >>> lenses, >>> accessories and "gadgets" instead. >>> The one camera that I am buying at the moment is the Nikon F - my >>> justification is that I need several bodies for my experimental >>> Rapidwinder F (extremely >>> limited production of 6-7 of them) but truth be told - I just >> like that >>> camera. It is one of the most brilliant designs in 35mm camera. >> You >>> can add motors, >>> meter prisms, special finders, etc. or you can strip it down to >> a >>> basic box. >>> Lenses are plentiful and cheap (and good!). Oh, it is noisy and >> not >>> very >>> sophisticated but that is the charm of that camera. It is the >> SLR >>> equivalent of the >>> Leica M2 or Nikon S2. Unfortunately other people have realised >> that >>> too and >>> prices are creeping up. "Beater" bodies used to be $ 50-75 and >> are now >>> almost >>> double that. On the other hand I can buy 8-10 of them for what a >> user >>> M3 or M2 >>> would be! At the latest swap here in Vancouver I got a Nikon F >> with a >>> Prism >>> finder (dented and scratched but clear prism) and an early >> 28/3,5 for >>> $120! >>> Karen's hope for a clean Nikon SP for US$ 1500 is quite >> feasible. In >>> the >>> last year prices in Tokyo have dropped by almost 40% and will >> probably >>> drop >>> further after the introduction of the Limited Edition black >> paint >>> Nikon SP. It is a >>> gorgeous camera and I would dearly love one, but at $7000+ I can >>> resist it >>> (now the lens is an other matter - a modern 35/1,8 could be >>> interesting and most >>> likely a bit more flare resistant than my old one). >>> As for the slow decline in black and white film availability - >> I >>> suspect >>> that in the future we will have to seek out speciality stores >> for our >>> needs. >>> Kodak claims that they will continue to make films like Tri-X >> for the >>> foreseeable >>> future (however, they did not define "foreseeable"). It could be >> that> black/white film and chemicals will be more of an "artist" >> supply than >>> an "imaging >>> store" supply. >>> The biggest problem is going to be chemicals - Kodak is getting >> out >>> of it >>> and even basic stuff like Metol, Hydroquinone, and Phenodine is >>> getting >>> difficult to find and the prepackaged stuff - D76, Microdol-X >> etc. in >>> the stores now >>> is more often than not old stock. Well, pick up a copy of Steve >>> Anchells' >>> "Darkroom Cookbook" and make your own. The Photographers >> Formulary >>> stocks most of >>> everything you need and as a bonus - it is considerably cheaper >> than >>> buying >>> "ready-mix". We should remember that the idea of packaged >> developer is >>> fairly >>> recent. As late as the 50's it was quite common to mix your own >> from >>> scratch >>> (with the added benefit of adjusting formulas to your own >> shooting >>> style). >>> As for film, try the Chinese "Lucky" - its 400 ASA film is >> quite >>> good. The >>> base is different from Tri-X but the sharpness and grain is good >>> (grain is >>> finer than Tri-X). You can develop it as if it is Tri-X in D-76 >> but in >>> Xtol it >>> does not work very well (almost two stops off!) At $ 1,69/roll >> it is a >>> bargain >>> and as I buy film in quantity (600-1200 rolls at a time) a $2 >> saving >>> per roll >>> makes a big difference. The difference pays for a couple of >>> interesting lenses >>> or more camera bodies - or even more important - airline tickets >> to >>> places I >>> haven't been to yet! >>> There seems to be enough interest among camera users to ensure >> that >>> the old >>> mechanical cameras will survive and the black/white devotees >> among us >>> might >>> have to change some of our ways, but for the foreseeable future >> I >>> think we are >>> safe. Maybe if enough of us ask Epson or HP for a dedicated >>> black/white printer >>> they will make it. I would use it for proofing but for final >> prints - >>> nothing >>> beats fiber base in a darkroom - at least in my opinion. >>> Tom A >>> --------------------- >>> Tom Abrahamsson >>> Vancouver, BC >>> Canada >>> www.rapidwinder.com >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Leica Users Group. >>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >>> >>> >> Slobodan Dimitrov >> http://sdimitrovphoto.com >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >> > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > Slobodan Dimitrov http://sdimitrovphoto.com _______________________________________________ Leica Users Group. See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information