Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Swiss James]

I bought one of those old film cameras that all the movie stars have the other day, but out of poor foolishness I decided to try using a black and white film with it.

Big. Mistake. They cost more to buy, the developing costs more, and although I handed it in on Monday, I'm being told that the prints won't be ready till next clucking Monday.

So- does anyone know somewhere that does fast, cheap, good processing in Seoul?
North of the river please.

[Wangja]

Ah the days of black and white, still the favourite for many serious photographers.

Bloody expensive now though - perhaps better to do your own.

Sorry, SJ, can't help with your question, I was just wandering down memory lane.

[Swiss James]

in future I'm just using colour film and then seeing if they benefit from converting to B&W with my magical computer box.

Seriously- a week to develop a film?!

[JungMin]

I lived in Seoul last year and stubbled across a ��photo district��. The name has left me at the moment - try a search on the net. Chungmuro rings a bell, but not positive. I did a quick search and couldnt find it. Maybe someone else here can remember the name.

Anywho, there are TONS of camera shops and developing stores all within one city block. You should be able to find WHATEVER you want camera related.

[itaewonguy]

how much have you been quoted?
is it a 36 roll?

[uberscheisse]

it's not north of the river, far from it. but the kodak place in COEX does really good B&W stuff. my girlfriend is a serious artiste when it comes to this, and her B&W has looked incredible.

and yeah, it's pricey as hell.

[thekingofdisco]

Obviously for best results... do it yourself!

The next question where are decent darkroom facilities about, which are cheapish to use!!!! If there are any that is.

I'm not a fan in getting them processed and developed by other people. For starters they stick all the prints at the same amount of exposure time, so they won't be doing your pictures justice if you want to take it seriously. Also there's nothing like doing your own stuff on paper, the amount of control, the finished result - priceless.

Also you're absolutely right, b&w is very expensive to get processed and developed from external sources - supply and demand. I doubt that you will be getting any good deals on price...

If you find a good place with darkroom facilities I would be very interested! I'm starting to miss those wasted days of blackness!

Good luck~

[Cedar]

There is a place diagonal across from Photoland. Go out exit 4 or 5? the one that points towards ���� on the right hand side of the street as you leave the subway at �湫�� go past the ���� and KTF and take the first alley you see to the right. You will see Photoland on the right after the parking lot. The BW place (very good) is above the restaurant that's diagonal across the street from Photoland. And photoland is good slide developing (not great, but about the best you can get in Seoul).

You should, if you like the BW look but don't want hassle, buy the Kodak TCN film, it's C41 process but prints in only one color (degrees of grey, purple, whtaever you choose-- I like sepia).

If this is not clear enough, pm me. Oh, and the BW, you should have gotten a ���� what is that in English...ah yes, contact sheet... then choose what to print from that and the negs.

[Cedar]

[Swiss James]

thanks for the responses-

well the way I understood the quote I thought it was going to be 17,000 for 36 prints and a CD with the scanned images. Turns out that they tried to charge even more than that (although the final price after arguing was 17,000).

Better options than the one I chose would have been
a) doing the contact sheet thing- most of the images weren't worth printing
b) just getting a CD and the negatives
c) working with colour film

To be honest my photos aren't good enough yet to get into the whole develop ing myself thing, and most of the time I just want to email stuff or put it on my site- I'm using film because I wanted a small camera with a wide aperture and found that old Yashica GSNs with a f1.7 lens are under 60,000 won.

[Wangja]

Yeah, the contact strip thingy is a good.

I used to have all the gear to do it myself, but time ran out for that as a hobby. But SJ, once you'vbe produced a few startling B&W photo's. colour will hold far less appeal.

[itaewonguy]

[thekingofdisco]

Just a quick one, although using a C41 film (as ceder mentioned) is a very easy way and painfree way to get into b&w - I am not a fan of the picture results. As it's basically the same as a colour film, I reckon you don't get the nice depth of black to white you do on the other b&w films.

[Swiss James]

I suppose any poster who is enough of a purist to use B&W film and suggest making my own prints would scoff at the thought of using photoshop to convert from colour to monochrome to have the best of both worlds?

[thekingofdisco]

I do that all the time with my digi slr.....

A very good way of doing it!

if you don't know how to do it well, (it takes a lot of practice I'd say) give
http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/ a look.... a very good piece of free info on photographs