Poor Man's Thread (Post your money-saving tips here)

[cramej]

How do I do this? I have a 104 Land that is done for. I have no more peel apart film.

Yes - need more information on this! Methinks some 4x5 direct positive paper would be good in something like this.

 

[Cholentpot]

Yes - need more information on this! Methinks some 4x5 direct positive paper would be good in something like this.

Yeah! You just can't like, post a photo and then not give info.

 

[awty]

How do I do this? I have a 104 Land that is done for. I have no more peel apart film.

I fitted a holga 6x12 pinhole camera to the back to take roll film. It will also do 6x9.
There was a bit of cutting and grinding with a Dremel to get it to fit and a bit of experimentation to get infinity and everything in the right place. If you look at my Flickr account you will see the results. You could make a 4x5 but it wont quite cover.
I will make another for 120mm lens.

 

[Cholentpot]

I fitted a holga 6x12 pinhole camera to the back to take roll film. It will also do 6x9.
There was a bit of cutting and grinding with a Dremel to get it to fit and a bit of experimentation to get infinity and everything in the right place. If you look at my Flickr account you will see the results. You could make a 4x5 but it wont quite cover.
I will make another for 120mm lens.
View attachment 229930

So you dremeled open the pinhole and just jammed the whole unit into the back of the Land Cam? Looking at the other photo it looks like the camera is set to infinity permanently? So you can't focus the thing...

 

[awty]

So you dremeled open the pinhole and just jammed the whole unit into the back of the Land Cam? Looking at the other photo it looks like the camera is set to infinity permanently? So you can't focus the thing...

I unscrewed the pinhole front and cut out the mask on the Holga, so not to impede the image. I used a focus screen from one of my medium format cameras to work out infinity, I fixed a piece of aluminium to the front standard and installed some springs to hold the front standard at infinity, Its no fixed, I can slide Polaroid focus to push the front standard forwards. It moves it about 1cm which on that lens will go from infinity to about 1.2mtrs, I can move it further out for close focus. If I wanted to I could make a rule and mark out the distance to zone focus, but at f22 or further stop down focus isnt critical, specially for tripod work. The range finder on the camera wont be accurate. If you were to use the original Polaroid lens or something with similar focal length then you might be able to use the cameras range finder. Its a very cheap way to make a 6x12 camera that is quite light and usable. If I make another I can take some photos of the process, but its not very difficult. There are other ways and other cameras you can convert, this is just what I came up with. The Polaroid cost me $20 Australian, the Holga cost $110 AU and lens was $200 AU cheap for a 612 camera with a non plastic lens.

 

[Cholentpot]

I unscrewed the pinhole front and cut out the mask on the Holga, so not to impede the image. I used a focus screen from one of my medium format cameras to work out infinity, I fixed a piece of aluminium to the front standard and installed some springs to hold the front standard at infinity, Its no fixed, I can slide Polaroid focus to push the front standard forwards. It moves it about 1cm which on that lens will go from infinity to about 1.2mtrs, I can move it further out for close focus. If I wanted to I could make a rule and mark out the distance to zone focus, but at f22 or further stop down focus isnt critical, specially for tripod work. The range finder on the camera wont be accurate. If you were to use the original Polaroid lens or something with similar focal length then you might be able to use the cameras range finder. Its a very cheap way to make a 6x12 camera that is quite light and usable. If I make another I can take some photos of the process, but its not very difficult. There are other ways and other cameras you can convert, this is just what I came up with. The Polaroid cost me $20 Australian, the Holga cost $110 AU and lens was $200 AU cheap for a 612 camera with a non plastic lens.

Cool. Thanks for the info.

 

[StepheKoontz]

I think they are very silly if they are practising tax evasion (non-collection of Vat). It is illegal and they leave themselves open to a full tax audit and penalties.

I have been in business long enough to know that any tax evasion will come back to haunt you and not worth it in the end. (In my country the Revenu have very extensive powers)

Tax avoidance is a different matter and is to be encouraged.

I agree, this tax stuff isn't worth the risk but, many small shops will give a cash discount for not having to pay credit card companies, even if they can't say this is why. I've also found when negotiating: I try to group up several items you are interested in and offer cash. Many times they will just throw in some used filters, lens hoods etc if I am purchasing a more expensive item. I even make it clear by having these smaller items in a separate "pile", and after settling on a price for the camera/lens that is the main item, I add "ok how much the this stuff? and they usually just wave their hand to throw it in. Stock up on this stuff when you are making a more major purchase! Otherwise, if you just go there and ask how much only this smaller stuff is worth, they will put a price on it. They aren't likely to just let you walk out of the store with stuff at no cost.

 

[Cholentpot]

I agree, this tax stuff isn't worth the risk but, many small shops will give a cash discount for not having to pay credit card companies, even if they can't say this is why. I've also found when negotiating: I try to group up several items you are interested in and offer cash. Many times they will just throw in some used filters, lens hoods etc if I am purchasing a more expensive item. I even make it clear by having these smaller items in a separate "pile", and after settling on a price for the camera/lens that is the main item, I add "ok how much the this stuff? and they usually just wave their hand to throw it in. Stock up on this stuff when you are making a more major purchase! Otherwise, if you just go there and ask how much only this smaller stuff is worth, they will put a price on it. They aren't likely to just let you walk out of the store with stuff at no cost.

Americans don't haggle very well. It's not part of the culture. I know I'm painting with a broad brush.

 

[4season]

I've found that it helps to simply crave less stuff, and one way I do this is to recognize when I'm shopping because I'm bored or seeking a pick-me-up, because those sorts of purchases tend to be quickly forgotten. I've gotten into the habit of using eBay's "Watch this item" or Amazon's "Save for later" feature, and often I'll revisit weeks or months later, and wonder what all the fuss was about.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Americans don't haggle very well. It's not part of the culture. I know I'm painting with a broad brush.

Yes, the do not know about negotiating. Post a price and they will pay it. I learned that from John Karrass in his negotiating class.

 

[foc]

Yes, the do not know about negotiating. Post a price and they will pay it. I learned that from John Karrass in his negotiating class.

Certain countries have a tradition of haggling and it can be entertaining ( both for the vendor and vendee) to engage in it. There is a knack to it and a thin line between bluff and acceptance.

In the past, I regularly had customers haggle when purchasing big price items (slr etc) but it since the Celtic Tiger years (ended 2007) it has almost disappeared. The knack for the seller is to know what your price cut off point is and not go below this and give up on the sale. Some people might call it horse-trading.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Yes, John Karrass said that there is enjoyment in getting the story behind the item under negotiation.

 

[mshchem]

Ask your community hazardous waste people to watch for usable photo chemistry. Our county puts usable products of all kinds out for free.

 

[Cholentpot]

Yes, the do not know about negotiating. Post a price and they will pay it. I learned that from John Karrass in his negotiating class.

I grew up in a culture that haggling is alive and well. However living in the mid-east for a few years really drive it home. It's not about money, it's about time. If you got the time to argue, schmooze, tell a story or walk away and back again you might just get a better deal.

There's an inherent trust and optimism in the American Spirit (tm) that holds a disdain for the practice. Our Commoder in Chief has no such reservations, very confusing for a lot of people. Dude is haggling hard these days.

 

[Ariston]

There's an inherent trust and optimism in the American Spirit (tm) that holds a disdain for the practice.

Did you just trademark the American Spirit? Great. Now I have to pay royalties on mine.

 

[Cholentpot]

Did you just trademark the American Spirit? Great. Now I have to pay royalties on mine.

I got loads of it, have some on me.

 

[blockend]

The big savings are in the d*g*t*l domain. Some poor blighter watches a YouTube review and believes this new camera will transform his pictures. Not that he ever prints any, but nonetheless.. Eighteen months down the line the manufacturer is discounting the camera for half the original retail, with used models selling for proportionately less. Compared to digi, film gear values are the gold standard, and I'm not talking Kodak 200.

Regarding tax the issue is not the principle, but the application. Wage slaves pay most - it disappears from your salary before you get a sniff of it - while large corporations juggle it into non-existence. Even the self employed can offset new equipment against taxation. The toughest threshold is the poor-but-hardworking constituency, whose endeavours keep them out of state aid but are hit from every side if they aspire to more than breathing.

It won't suit the fine print advocates, but the cheapest way of getting a picture from film to paper is digital printing. With a good scan and judicious tweaking in post, you can take advantage of the volume, technology and competitive nature of digital photo finishers, and emerge with a fair imitation of a film photograph. I compile themes for books and prints awaiting my lab's special offers that come round twice a year of 50% discount. Who would have thought back in the 1990s that you could have a large, hard bound, nicely printed book of 80 images for £20 - 30?

 

[Cholentpot]

The big savings are in the d*g*t*l domain. Some poor blighter watches a YouTube review and believes this new camera will transform his pictures. Not that he ever prints any, but nonetheless.. Eighteen months down the line the manufacturer is discounting the camera for half the original retail, with used models selling for proportionately less. Compared to digi, film gear values are the gold standard, and I'm not talking Kodak 200.

Regarding tax the issue is not the principle, but the application. Wage slaves pay most - it disappears from your salary before you get a sniff of it - while large corporations juggle it into non-existence. Even the self employed can offset new equipment against taxation. The toughest threshold is the poor-but-hardworking constituency, whose endeavours keep them out of state aid but are hit from every side if they aspire to more than breathing.

It won't suit the fine print advocates, but the cheapest way of getting a picture from film to paper is digital printing. With a good scan and judicious tweaking in post, you can take advantage of the volume, technology and competitive nature of digital photo finishers, and emerge with a fair imitation of a film photograph. I compile themes for books and prints awaiting my lab's special offers that come round twice a year of 50% discount. Who would have thought back in the 1990s that you could have a large, hard bound, nicely printed book of 80 images for £20 - 30?

I use an ancient (by digital standards) camera to make a living. When I bought it it was not half of what it cost new and I bought it used. It was substantially cheaper but not that much cheaper. Professional cameras maintain their value.

I do drag along some older pro body film cameras on gigs. They've saved me a few times, client had no clue if the results were 35mm film or digital. And a few rolls of film were still cheaper than running out during a shoot and buying a new SD card.

 

[blockend]

Professional cameras maintain their value.

Not sure if you'd describe the Canon 5D as professional, I recently bought a fully functioning, cosmetically very good example for £150. They were originally around £3000.

 

[Patrick Robert James]

Not sure if you'd describe the Canon 5D as professional, I recently bought a fully functioning, cosmetically very good example for £150. They were originally around £3000.

The original 5D had dropped all the way down to about $100 when youtoo'ers started blabbing about them and the price actually went up.

 

[Cholentpot]

Not sure if you'd describe the Canon 5D as professional, I recently bought a fully functioning, cosmetically very good example for £150. They were originally around £3000.

I'm using a 6D for work, prices remained steady until the MKII came out. I use an F3 or EOS A2 as backup.