AREA
THREE's YEAR
Area
3`s members are one of the lucky groups who receive a Local Newsletter,
along with numerous special offers from their Co-ordinator Roy Salmons
who also runs a photographic business in Llandudno.
During
1996 Roy stated using colour in these newsletters. This computerised
system, using a Handscanner, is giving examples of what we may be able
to do for the National Newsletter, in time, but at present is
financially restrictive. Likewise Roy can`t afford the equipment to scan
transparencies, but has to use/make a print copy and scan that. It does
have its limitations in final printing quality, but still manages to
come up with pleasing results.
Roy`s
members have also responded to this presentation and Noel Dean shed some
light on the problem of `contrast` when scanning from Cibachrome prints.
" I haven`t conducted experiments yet, but it is suggested that the
scanners reluctance to produce acceptable results on one point might be
due to the very high reflectivity of Ciba `paper`. Acting like a mirror
it sees its own lamp reflected, not the underlying colour photo".
If anyone had similar problems, please write. Especially if you have
cured them!
Area Three
brought up two requests regarding our sale of Colour Reversal film...
One is the possibility our getting Konica to sell us bulk rolls of 35mm
film, without the `perforations` to make it more economical to strip
down for 9.5mm or 8mm cine use. The other is for the possibility of the
club selling 120 sized colour reversal film.
This was
put to CRC Film Salesman, Ron Croad who explained - "It is not
straight forward because our standing with Konica depends on how much we
purchase off them. At the moment this is very little, since November we
have sold 5 cassettes, 1 - 10 metre and 1 - 30 metre tins of film. We
have a list of all the Materials that Konica sell and 120 Roll film is
available in Print Film only. Anyone ordering would have to buy a
minimum pack of 10 films. They would cost between £3.50 and £5.00
according to speed. As there is a complicated pricing system in which
discount varies with the quantity one buys plus VAT I could not tell how
much any order would cost until it took place.
Unperforated
35mm film is another difficult thing as this is not listed. They do sell
1000ft rolls of film and it is possible a special order to Japan might
secure one of those but the price would be in the region of £234.00. On
our size of orders there is no chance.
I once
enquired about Chrome 100 in other speeds. In Japan they produce three
different speeds, but Konica will only send 100 iso to Britain. I am
afraid we need to push up our sales much more. The Chrome 100 is among
the best films available. Its processing qualities are very stable and
whenever it has been tested in the press the results have shown it to be
as good as any other. It is half the price of competitors to our
members. We have a hard core of regular buyers, but we also have 80% who
never even give it a try".
CTX-5000
AIRPORT SCANNERS
On a more
serious note Roy`s local newsletter comments on the use of CTX-5000
Airport scanners which are strong enough to fog film. While we accept
the need for good security when flying to our favourite holiday
destinations, it seems the use of these machines are not publicised, nor
the danger of `fogged` films. As we have said in previous newsletters,
keep your films seperate from your main luggage and present them
personally when reaching the check point. If you have a film in the
camera be prepared to loose a few frames as you will most certainly be
asked to fire the shutter to prove the camera has nothing more than film
inside.
On a
happier note, Roy has come up with an interesting competition for his
members, in which there are three categories, Seasons, People, and
Buildings. Members can send one print/slide for each category. Another
great point is that there is NO limit on when the picture was taken.
Good one Roy. To save Roy time on producing prints from your slides, you
could send your own print copy.
And, the
prize!! The winner receives a cassette of Velvia film. Again, the prints
will be published, in colour, in the next Area 3 local newsletter.