My Last Rolls

For years, my "real", workhorse camera has been my beloved Nikon N80.



I shot mostly B&W and I processed my own film and made my own prints in my own darkroom. There is something magical about seeing that ghostly image manifest itself for the first time in the developer tray. I've been in love with that process since the 7th grade.

Don't get me wrong, I've embraced digital photography too. I've had various digital cameras of varying mega pixels over the years. But I always treated them like convenient, portable, reconnaissance cameras. I'd scope a shot out with the digital, but the "serious" photography was always done with the Nikon.

Well, that's about to change.

My darkroom equipment has been in storage for several years and I can't imagine ever devoting that much space, time, effort or money to the chemical processing of analog photos again. Which is a little bit tragic.

But continuing to cling to chemical/analog technology when digital photography has become so good is like continuing to eat with a pair of sticks...


...after you've seen the fork.


It just doesn't make any sense.

So within the next 6 months or so, I plan on kissing my beloved N80 goodbye and upgrading to the Nikon D3100.


Sure, they look alike. Almost indistinguishable.

But whereas the N80 can capture and store about the same information as a clay tablet and a stick...,


...the D3100 is the equivalent of a Google server farm.



But I have some unfinished business with my N80 before I say goodbye.

EXPOSED FILM INVENTORY

Exposed but undeveloped roll of color Kodak MAX 400 ISO (24 exp)

I have no idea what is on this roll. Getting it developed and printed will be a complete crap shoot.

UNEXPOSED FILM INVENTORY

A partially exposed roll of color Kodak Max 400 ISO (24 exp) in camera

1 Roll of color Kodak Max 400 ISO (24 exp)
2 Rolls of color Kodak Portra 160NC, 135 ISO (36 exp each = 72 professional quality portrait exp)
5 Rolls of color Fujifilm Superia X-Tra 400 ISO all purpose film (24 exp x 5 = 120 exp)
1 Roll of B&W Ilford 100 ISO Professional film (24 exp)
2 Rolls of B&W Kodak Tmax 100 ISO Professional film (24 exp x 2 = 48 exp)
2 Rolls of B&W Kodak 125PX Professional Film (24 exp x 2 = 48 exp)
2 rolls of B&W Ilford Delta 400 ISO all purpose film (24 exp x 2 = 48 exp)
1 roll of B&W Ilford Delta 3200 ISO film (36 exp).

That comes to about 450 exposures left before the N80 goes to it's maker. I'd like to make the most of them. I want to use them all up and post them here before completely converting to digital.

I won't be processing these myself. I will probably send them through Crick (unless someone has a better idea).

I'm soliciting advice/suggestions from you experienced photogs. Pic a roll of film and suggest a location/event that would maximize the film's potential. I want to send my venerable N80 out in style.