Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/04/21
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Don't forget the ill effects that Prozac excreted in urine and flushed into the rivers is supposedly causing in fish in England. California could only be worse. Allen >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 > > > >_______________________________________________ >Leica Users Group. >See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information