Photography

Learning About Roll Film

Even in the digital age, roll film remains a popular product for seasoned professionals and amateur photography buffs. While most professional and almost all amateur photographers have made the switch to digital photography, fans of traditional imaging techniques still have many types of film available for their creative needs. Browse a broad selection of film products that can help you achieve quality results, whether you own a modern film camera or a vintage model.

How Roll Film Works

Photographic film is made from strips or plastic film coated with a gelatin emulsion containing light-sensitive silver halide crystals. When exposed to light through the camera’s lens, the emulsion undergoes a slight chemical change, capturing latent images on the film’s surface that can be chemically developed into printed images. The required exposure time and image quality can vary, depending on the type of equipment and film you’re using, as well as lighting conditions and whether you’re using automatic or manual camera settings.

How to Develop Rolls of Film

Although it’s harder to find places that process roll film these days, you may find drug stores, local camera shops, and mail-order outfits that offer film developing services, especially for the more common types, such as 35mm film. The turnaround time can vary from same-day service to a week or longer if the film is being shipped out for processing. If you’re feeling adventurous, consider purchasing a film developing kit that comes with all the tools and chemicals you’ll need to develop pictures right at home. Not only will you have more control over the final product, but you’ll also learn the darkroom tricks that make photography magic happen.

Digital vs. Traditional Photography

You might wonder how digital photography and traditional film compare in terms of quality. Everyday users may find that the on-demand convenience of digital photography suits their needs just fine; no film to process, instant results, and numerous computer programs and phone apps you can use to make quick edits. Since no film is used, you can take pictures when the moment strikes, without a bunch of accessories, filters, and expensive lenses, plus no concerns about the film’s shelf life.

On the other hand, film-based photography can pick up details digital cameras may miss without the proper equipment, training, and lighting setup, especially when it comes to long-range photography and black-and-white images. Though it can take longer to get the settings just right with film photography, besides the time and cost involved with developing images, the result may be closer to your creative vision. In addition, you may end up with unique film anomalies that make stunning photo prints.

You’ll find B&H Photo and Video carries everything you need for film photography and developing, including movie film rolls.

NYC SuperStore Directions

B&H Photo SuperStore is located at 420 9th Avenue, between 33rd and 34th Street, New York NY 10001

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By Train

To 34th St. Penn Station
To 34th St. Hudson Yards
To 33th St. Herald Square
To 34th St. Penn Station

By Car
From North (Upstate, CT or MA)
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95 South (Cross-Bronx Expressway) to the George Washington Bridge.Bear right to the lower level. Take Parkway South 9A (Henry Hudson Pkwy/West Side Highway). Follow Parkway South to 34th Street. Turn left. Go 3 blocks to 9th Avenue and turn right, to B&H.Saw Mill River Pkwy to Route 9A (Henry Hudson Pkwy).Follow 9A South to 34th Street and turn Left. Go 3 blocks to 9th Avenue and turn right to B&H.New York State Thruway to Major Deegan Expressway to Route 87.Take Major Deegan Expressway to George Washington Bridge exit. Stay in the right lane, heading towards lower level. Take Pkwy South 9A. Follow Pkwy South (Henry Hudson Pkwy/West Side Highway) to 34th Street and turn left. Go 3 blocks to 9th Avenue and turn right to B&H.

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From South (NJ, Delaware or PA)
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95 North to the New Jersey Turnpike, to the Lincoln Tunnel exit.When exiting the tunnel, go to 9th Avenue. Turn right and go to 34th Street to B&H.George Washington Bridge to Pkwy South 9A (Henry Hudson Pkwy).Turn left at 34th Street. Go 3 blocks to 9th Avenue and turn right to B&H.

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From Staten Island
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Take the Verrazano-Narrows Bridgeeastbound to the Gowanus Expressway and to the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel. Exit at the West Side Highway/12th Avenue. Turn right at 34th Street. Go 3 blocks to 9th Avenue and turn right to B&H.

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From East (Long Island and Queens)
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From the Queens-Midtown Tunneltake Downtown or Southbound exit to 34th Street and turn right. Go to 9th Avenue, turn left to B&H.From Queensboro/59th Street Bridgeexit at 60/61st Street. Take 5th Avenue alongside Central Park to 34th Street. Turn right onto 34th Street. At 9th Avenue turn left to B&H.

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By Ferry

The NY Waterway operates a ferry from Weehawken, NJ. The ferry takes you across the Hudson River to 39th Street and 12th Avenue in just 4 minutes. Take the Shuttle bus to 9th Avenue.

For information and schedule click here or call1-800-53-FERRY.

By MTA Bus

Runs East/West along 34th St. Get off at 34th St. & 9th Ave.

Runs North along 10th Ave. and South along 9th Ave. Get off at 34th St.

Runs North along 10th Ave. and South along 9th Ave. Get off at 34th St.

Choosing Graphics Cards

Graphics cards are essential to today’s desktop computers. The cards vary in their abilities, so it’s best to match the graphics card to the tasks that matter to you. For example, if you intend to play games on your PC, you’ll want something like a PCI graphics card that handles intense requirements. Beyond graphics on screen, if you have multiple complicated calculations that need to be done simultaneously, you’ll be impressed with the speed of server GPU graphics cards.

How a Graphic Card Works

A graphics card is a processor that’s capable of completing multiple calculations at once. It takes the strain from the CPU, so it can perform other functions. In practical terms, the card is the component in your PC that renders the graphics on your monitor. If you notice that images on your screen take longer than expected to load, particularly while playing a game or editing a movie, that’s usually the result of an overwhelmed card. You can fix this by purchasing a new desktop or simply by upgrading your card.

How to Choose a Gaming Graphics Card

Generally, games are constantly pushing the capabilities of graphics cards. If you typically buy the latest games and expect top performance while also streaming your exploits, then you want to look at top-end cards such as Asus graphics cards. It’s also worth considering what kind of connection you’ll use on your monitor. If you play games on a Mac, look for cards that are compatible with Mac OS, such as Matrox graphics cards. On the other hand, if you’re playing on a laptop, an external graphics card is the easiest to integrate with your portable system.

What Graphics Card Is Compatible with My Motherboard?

Finding a graphics card that works with your PC requires some detective work. First, determine if the card will physically fit in the space. If you plug your monitor into a port that’s located right next to all the other ports, for instance, your current card plugs directly into the motherboard. Locate the expansion slots and check the size of the opening. Keep in mind that higher-end cards often have their own fan or cooling systems, which may take up two of your expansion slots. You can easily connect them via the PCI Express slots, assuming the card fits in the space, because the cards are backwards-compatible with older technology.

Whether you want to upgrade an existing machine or are getting ready to purchase a new PC, having the right card will maximize your gaming experience. Check out B&H Photo and Video’s selection of graphics cards to find everything you need to ensure smooth and uninterrupted images on your monitor.

Cameras

B&H Photo has been a staple in the photography and videography businesses since it was founded in 1973. Though we service more industries today, cameras remain the lifeblood of our business. We sell a wide variety of digital cameras from all the top brands like Canon, Nikon, Sony, Panasonic, Olympus, Fujifilm, Pentax, Leica, Samsung, and more. Digital camera types include Digital SLR cameras (DSLR), Mirrorless System cameras, Point-and-Shoot cameras, Medium Format cameras, and more. Read below to find out which camera type best suits your needs.

Types of Digital Cameras

DSLR (digital single-lens reflex) cameras largely replaced film-based SLRs during the 2000s. DSLRs are the most advanced and versatile cameras available to consumers today. They give you the most control over how your pictures are taken, and are thus meant for more serious amateur photographers and professionals. DSLRs allow you complete control over exposure settings, including aperture priority, shutter priority, and various program modes. Their fast autofocus produces great shots when shooting fast-moving subjects or scenes. They also utilize an interchangeable lens system, enabling photographers to use the most appropriate lens for whatever they are shooting. Finally, DSLRs have large sensors, which generally produce higher-quality images. Learn More About DSLRs.

Mirrorless system cameras are very similar to DSLR cameras in that they use interchangeable lenses, have large sensors, and allow the photographer to use the camera in full manual, automatic, or semi-automatic modes. The main difference is the size. Mirrorless cameras are closer to the size of compact point-and-shoot cameras because they do not have the optical viewfinder that DSLRs have. Optical viewfinders use a system of mirrors that accurately show the scene about to be photographed. Mirrorless cameras forgo those for electronic viewfinders or LCD screens, which preview the scene about to be photographed. This makes them quieter, smaller, and lighter, which is ideal for more serious photographers who value discretion and portability, from wedding and theater photographers to travel photographers. Learn More About Mirrorless Cameras.

Point-and-shoot cameras (sometimes called compact cameras) are most suited for entry-level hobbyists who value their smaller size and ease of use. The mode most often used on point-and-shoots is ‘automatic,’ which is great for beginners, and will generally produce a good photo. Those who want to take it a step further can use other scene modes such as landscape, portrait, or sports, depending on the shooting situation. Most point-and-shoots today feature at least a 3x zoom and 16.6 MP, making them better than most new smartphone cameras, and great for enlarging and printing photos. For amateur photographers who want something small that can fit into a purse or pocket, a point-and-shoot is probably the best option. .

Medium format cameras are reserved for serious professionals. Their large sensors allow for larger individual pixels, and for more light to enter the camera. They also allow for a much greater dynamic range, which means larger tonal value, and greater color accuracy. The end results are stunning “real world” photos which capture scenes close to how your eyes and brain process them. If your goal is to take a photograph and enlarge it considerably, then medium format cameras are your best option. Be aware, though, that they often come with a steep price. Learn More About Medium Format Cameras.