Film Is Not Dead

Film... A concept that has been around for over 100 years, and has just gotten better and better over the years.  Sure, there have been trials with it.  Disc film.. 110.. Even APS film was tried and failed.  Strangely enough, 110 film made a comeback in 2013!
Many people shot 110, including myself when I was much younger, and really enjoyed it.
Some even considered it a serious enough format to use it at weddings.  Considering the Pentax Auto110 system, it was used at weddings, but I don't think it was a very common practice for all photographers.
Most 110 cameras were just simple snapshot cameras, like the Brownies of yesteryear.

I don't shoot 110 today, but 135 (also known as 35mm) 120, and 4x5.

Recently I made a contribution to a company known as "Ferrania Film" which is an Italian film manufacturer.  They made 110, 126, 135, 120 and even 4x5 films until they shut down half a decade ago.
Strangely they saved their mothballed machines from destruction and launched a Kickstarter campaign to bring their production back online.
A new E6 film in both 135 and 120 formats!
Unlike Kodak, who completely left so many photographers gasping as they completely axed their entire E6 lineup and gave the market to Fuji, who is also axing many of their films, Ferrania is re-entering the market with a Colour slide film right from the get go!

Then there's The Impossible Project.  A company in The Netherlands who purchased the last remaining Polaroid factory, and saved it from demolition.  After purchase, they had to literally start from scratch!  Their own formula, their own dyes, chemicals, process and packaging.  They had to reinvent... Polaroid Instant photography!
Yet they are another resounding success story!
From the venerable SX-70 series of cameras, to the P600s and even Spectras.  They survive, and sell well.  They are also manufacturing and selling 8x10 instant film!
How about that?  In a digital world, Instant Film is still being made, and sold in sizes that the average person doesn't even print at!

Then there's the Film Photography Project.  They have become a source of film knowledge, and a source of even film itself!  With rare types of film, like E6 Infrared, to Svema, and even Cinefilm types, like Eastman Double-XX, or Eastman 5363 High Contrast film.  Amazing stocks, and readily available in 35mm rolls (or 100' bulk rolls) from the Film Photography Project store!

Have you ever walked into a antique store and found an old Brownie camera that took 620 film, but didn't know where to get that film for it because, well, 620 film is no longer manufactured?
Actually, it is.  620 film never stopped being manufactured, but the spools did.  620 film is just 120 film on a smaller thinner spool.  If you purchase that 620 camera you can get a spool inside that camera.  Purchase a roll of 120 film, and by pulling the spool out of it (in the dark of course) you can roll the film up tighter and fit it inside the camera without the spool in place.
Then feed the 120 film paper into the take up 620 spool..
Line it all up, and close the camera up.
Flick the lights on, advance to frame #1, and you're ready to go!

Or there's another option.  The Film Photography Project is producing NEW 620 spools through a plastic extruder and loading 120 film onto it for sale to you!

There are even other companies starting out.. CineSTILL is growing, and putting the Vision line of films in 120 format!

Can you imagine?  They are phenomenal films, and in 35 are gorgeous, but 120? Stellar!

So before you count film down and out, think again.  It's here to stay, and so long as there are people buying it, it'll stay here!

Now get out there and support film.


ILFORD, KODAK, FUJI, ADOX, FERRANIA, ROLLEI, AGFA, SHANGHAI

Start shooting, and enjoy it!  Film cameras have never been as low of price as they are now.

A Mechanical Film Camera will last you a lifetime, giving you the same results as you can expect every time!

Imperfect, organic and tangible beautiful images!


Film.... Is.... Not.... Dead!

Eastman 2366 Duplication Film

I was given a couple of rolls of Eastman 2366 B&W Panchromatic film, which is a high contrast film for titles, and not actually intended for use as a pictoral film.  That said, however, it works very nicely in a 35mm camera, and will give you some serious contrast!  Of course, it also can be tamed using the proper techniques.  I have not yet managed to fully tame it, as of yet.

I am still working on that.

So I gave it a whirl in Rodinal 1+50 at ASA 6..

For some very smooth chromey silver type of look, it is excellent.  It has some of the finest grain I have seen, short of ADOX CMSII, and some incredibly rich tones.
Of course, this is not Polypan film, and seems about right with ADOX CMSII for gray tones at a similar ASA speed.
That said, however, it does have a bit higher contrast.
I shot the CMSII in my Bolsey B2 at the same speed, and found that the CMSII film's contrast was a bit more even, but barely.  It didn't quite clip to blacks or whites as quickly as this film does.  Then again, that could be a number of factors, such as light conditions, weather, and even just the time of year.
When I shot the CMSII at EI6 I shot it during the summer, while this film was shot in the winter, so you're going to get a little bit higher contrast, especially with snow on the ground!

Nevertheless, I will try this film again, perhaps a roll from my good friend John, who I managed to snag him into buying a bulk roll of this (sorry) after I gave him a roll to try out.
He absolutely loves the film.
Check out his blog post on it.

So far I am enjoying this film, and do have to try it behind some filters.  Perhaps yellow?

Until next time, keep those shutters firing!

All images taken using a Canon T90 35mm SLR using a 50mm ƒ/1.4 FD lens on Eastman Fine Grained 2366 film and developed in Rodinal 1+50 at 20°C with a 'slow' agitation regimen.

The Sharpest Film - PART II

So for an ongoing saga in this "SHARPEST FILM" I will continue to test films that claim to be "THE SHARPEST" films.
Kodak claims that TMAX400 is the sharpest 400 speed film, so I will put it up against TRI-X, HP5+, Delta400, Kentmere 400 and Rollei 400.  I will skip Foma 400, because I already know it'll lose badly. Beautiful tones, absolutely, but not exactly a sharp sharp film.

Anyway, this is about ADOX CMSII at ASA 3 instead of ASA6.  I have tested it at 6, and loved the results, so here's the film at ASA3.

But that's not the most interesting thing about this film.  The detail and entire lack of grain, even under such a huge crop, just shows how amazing this film is.
If it didn't cost so much in 4x5 I'd order a box.

Even under such magnification I can see no grain, and there is still very recognizable detail.
Absolutely a film that I will definitely be getting more of, and since I'm essentially all done testing it, shooting it without considering it to be "test" shots only.

Until next time fellow bloggers, keep those shutters firing!

All images were exposed at EI3 which is a 2 2/3 stop pull.  Film was developed in Rodinal 1+200 at 20°C  (68°F) for 10:30 using standard agitation.

The Sharpest Film

So 2013 isn't over yet, and I'm posting another blog post, this one about one of the best films I have ever shot, when it comes to Sharpness.
Being a Microfilm that is designed for extreme amounts of reduction it needs to be a very powerfully resolving film.  I mean, it's stupid sharp!  SHARP SHARP SHARP!
So I have shot this before with disappointing results.  It's a 20ASA film in Adotech developer, and is usable in that developer at 20, but developing it in, say, TMAX developer, or HC-110.. Forget it!
For that you need to pull it.  So lets say 6ASA, which is what I shot it at, and it's beautiful!

So I got a roll from John Meadows.  He and I have been trying to crack this film for a while now, and I am happy to say, I think I have managed to do so.
Without using something like the specialized ADOTECH developer, which is rather pricey, and getting usable results, I tried Rodinal.

Rodinal is a great developer.  Very high acutance, sharpness, and beautiful tonal range.  It is like the magic of film in a liquid package.  It's easily one of the very best developers... ever!  It's liquid magic...!

Anyway, enough praise of Rodinal....  It deserves it, but here's the ADOX CMSII 20ASA film rated for 6ASA in Rodinal 1+200 developed for 12:00..

Images were taken down in the Beach area of Toronto, at the Victoria Park and Queen Street Water Processing Plant.

All images taken on a Bolsey B2 35mm Rangefinder, with a Wollensak 44mm ƒ/3.2 lens and developed in Rodinal 1+200 for 12:00 using standard agitation.

Until next time fellow bloggers, keep those shutters firing!