Kodak T Max 400

Kodak TMax film is the newest black and white film in Kodak's range, which is odd to say as it was first released on sale to the public back in 1986. Kodak's T Grain emulsion was designed to give fine grain and increased sharpness at a time when film camera and lens manufacturers were upping their game to help us mere mortals make beautiful images. In the 1980's film was king and still rising. Film companies were striving to make the best that the technology allowed and the new T Grain emulsion brought a level of sharpness into film photography that was showcased by professional photographers around the world. This probably didn't affect the large and medium format community as much as it did the happy snappers like yours truly. Those formats had always enjoyed superb quality images and would revel in the new T Grain films. It was the ordinary person who enjoyed using a compact point and shoot that would benefit the most from using this 'new' film.

My memories of photography from this time was full of grain. Holiday snaps taken on a Kodak Instamatic in the 70's and then on a 110 format camera in the 1980's were always grainy. Some would say it was down to cheap film, but film was expensive back then. Professional level film was just out of reach for us mere mortals, but Kodak T Max would address that with 100, 400 and 3200 speed film that everyone could enjoy. The perception from folk like myself was that if the film had professional in it's name, it would be much better than the cheap film you got from your local Chemist/Drug Store. We weren't wrong about that.
 
Kodak continued to refine T Max film in the face of the digital revolution and in 2007 gave us their highest resolution 400 speed film that was on a par with it's 100 speed offering. My Nikon D700 was being tested before going on sale at this time and the writing was definitely on the wall for film as digital camera's began taking over the world by storm. In 2012 Kodak discontinued T Max 3200 based on falling sales and the cost of manufacturing small production runs made it uneconomical. Thankfully, film photography has a loyal and dedicated band of followers that enjoy their chosen format. The film photography community fought back and in 2018 Kodak once again began production of T Max 3200. It's good to see a manufacturer listen to it's customers.

Here are a few images I shot recently in Wigan with my Nikon F801 and 24-120mm lens. Kodak T Max 400 is no longer the pro grade film stock just out of reach, it's the great affordable all rounder we can all enjoy. I bought mine from Analogue Wonderland here in the UK, but it's available in all good camera stores worldwide. Kodak make a dedicated T Max developer, but I developed mine in Kodak HC-110 and I'm happy with them.

I am not paid to promote any company in my blog, I do it because I use them and am happy with their service. You can visit Analogue Wonderland via the link below.
Analogue Wonderland

Kodak Pro Image 100

I am a Kodak ColorPlus 200 fan and always have a few rolls in my stash, but to mix up my films a bit I decided to give Kodak Pro Image 100 a try. I'm glad I did. Kodak Pro Image 100 was designed for hot and humid climates where film takes a real beating from the weather conditions. Think of the Amazon rain forest, think of Central America or even the jungles of South East Asia. These are the kind of envronments in which Kodak Pro Image 100 thrives.

Admittedly we don't get much hot weather here in the UK, but when we do not even a global pandemic of biblical proportions can stop Brits heading for the coast and topping up their tan. This also means I can happily shoot around town without any distractions. Analogue Wonderland had an offer on Pro Image 100, a pack of 5 for not much more than it would have cost for my favourite ColorPlus, so I hit the button and bought a pack.

When I try a film for the first time I always shoot a couple of rolls before making any kind of judgement or form an opinion on it. It gives me a chance to make sure I get my act together and have a good selection of images to compare. It also allows me to rectify any mistake I may have made and, you guessed it, I made a boo boo.... I shot one roll at 400 iso instead of 100. Oops! 

I was a tad worried about how to get that roll processed and asked for some advice from the folks on the Negative Positives Podcast group on facebook. The consensus told me not to worry about it and develop it as normal. As I haven't learned to develop colour film yet, I gave my friends at Max Spielmann in Wigan the three rolls I shot and they developed and scanned it for me. Should that shop ever close I will be in a right pickle! Lockdown was bad, but I learned to develop B&W film to keep me going until they opened again and had a couple of rolls of ColorPlus to drop in when they did. Support your local businesses folks, they need us now more than ever.

Here are a selection of images from all three rolls of Pro Image 100 that I shot with my Nikon F801 and my Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 D and Nikkor 24 - 120mm f/3.5 - 5.6 D lenses. I deliberately used the same camera and lenses to keep a solid frame of reference for all three rolls of film. I will let you guys choose which images were shot at 100 iso and which were shot at 400. Pro Image 100 gives great colour rendition with fine grain and sits neatly between ColorPlus and Ektar in both price and quality. This also gives you an alternative to Gold 200 for your holidays in the sun photo's. Whatever you ask of it, Pro Image 100 will handle it with aplomb.

Max Spielmann Photo Store 
Analogue Wonderland
Negative Positives Film Photography Podcast

Olympus 35RC - A Small Camera With Big Performance

I really enjoy mixing my photography walks with film and digital images and of late I have been almost exclusively using my Nikon kit. I decided to change that this week and take out my little pocket powerhouse, the Olympus 35RC. Using my Nikon F801 and my Nikon DSLR is convenient and gives me plenty of options, but sometimes I just like to keep things simple and use either one camera and one lens or, on this occasion, one compact camera. The Olympus 35RC is the perfect walkabout camera for a lot of valid reasons. In a previous post I spoke of going back to basics and enjoying a session with my Pentax SP500 and Helios 44m-4, the camera I returned to photography with in 2017. This week I was wondering how basic I could go and, as I hadn't used it for a while, my Olympus 35RC was loaded with a roll of Bergger 400.

The Olympus 35RC is a very small camera, weighing in at 410 grams and small enough to fit into your coat pocket, it fits in the palm of my hand. It's also a rangefinder. This system is where the camera utilises two viewfinders on the font of the camera set a couple centimeters apart. The image from the two are combined with the use of mirrors in the main veiwfinder. You then match the 2 on your chosen composition to give you your focus point. It sounds simple but takes a little getting used to. There is a more in depth explanation on wikipedia at Rangefinder Camera  

I chose to use my 35RC in it's automatic mode. You choose the shutter speed and the camera will automatically select the correct aperture for your composition. If the aperture cannot match your shutter speed, the camera will not release the shutter. This is controlled by a simple light meter that runs off a battery. That doesn't mean the camera needs a battery to operate, you can use it manually by selecting aperture and shutter speed yourself.
 
 It's an elegant and simple camera to use but the piéce de résistance is it has a great lens on it. Olympus are noted for their excellent optics and they did not hold back when they designed the E.Zuiko 42mm f/2.8 for this camera. It may be a small lens, but it's design of 5 optical elements in 4 groups ensures you will enjoy the sharp images you create with this camera. I call it a powerhouse for that one reason alone, you wont get much more bang for your buck in any other camera and certainly not in this category.

If you want to see for yourself what a great compact camera the Olympus 35RC is, you can usually buy a fully working item ebay for a reasonable price. Even one with a couple of faults can be bought and repaired for not a lot of cash. It's more versatile than its sibling the Olympus Trip and is only beaten by the 35SP that has a better lens and a bigger price tag. For a camera that was first released for sale in 1970, the Olympus 35RC is probably more relevant than ever before with the resurgence of Film Photography. Olympus knew how to make small, light and convenient camera's that still hold up against their competition to this day.

The only bad point was the 1.35 volt mecury battery the camera originally used. However that ecological nightmare has been disposed of and you can buy the correct size and voltage zinc air battery. You can also buy an adaptor that reduces the voltage on easily available 1.5 volt button cell batteries to 1.35 volts, thus giving you many more years of fun with this camera.

I certainly learned a lot about how to use a rangefinder and the quality of the Olympus 35RC. It's a camera that punches way above it's weight and is small enough to carry all day, every day. My Olympus 35RC is a little rough around the edges. I'm not the first owner, it has probably had several over the years and it wears its scars with honour  Here are some images I have shot with my Olympus 35RC, I hope you enjoy them.

Plaque on Saddle bridge Wigan
Bergger 400

Power Lines _ Bergger 400

The Bane of my life, that bloody stile!
Bergger 400

Wigan - ColorPlus 200

Wigan Cenotaph
ColorPlus 200

Wigan Parish Church
ColorPlus 200

Wigan Parish Church Bell Tower
ColorPlus 200

Local Childrens Play Park strangely quiet
Ilford FP4

Farm Road
Ilford FP4

Farm Road
Ilford FP4

Slowly Degrading Log Fencing
Ilford FP4

Olympus 35RC
A pocket sized powerhouse

Unexpected Gifts

I have often gone out with my camera to take photographs of a certain location, view or vista, but that doesn't always go according to plan. Over the last week I have been getting to know and use a camera that was given to me by my excellent chum Helene.  She was given an Ilford Sportsman by her Grandfather and Helene had taken her very first photo with the camera whe she was 7 years old. The photography bug never left her. When she gave the camera to me and told me of it's history, I felt honoured to be the one to bring the camera back into use. I had planned on telling you of my experience in this blog, but I seriously underestimated the challenge ahead of me. It is in good working order, but I have to learn a whole new way of film photography to do the camera the justice it deserves.

All was not lost for this weeks blog as I always carry my Nikon D700. The images I captured this week with my D700 surprised me and gave me a gift I will also cherish. Photography often throws a swerve at us and that step away from our intended activity can catch us off guard. I was enjoying using the Ilford Sportsman and hoped I would have some images to share with you, but nature had other ideas in store for me. I was given a gift of Butterflies.

On one of the local nature trails there is a big patch of thistles and the bright purple flowers attract all kinds of insects to feast upon the nectar and pollenate the next generation of thistles. I was surprised by a beautiful butterfly that landed on a thistle a few feet away from me. I thought it was a common Red Admiral and, as it looked like it was sticking around for a bit, I lifted my D700 and started taking photographs.

My hours of practicing and getting to know my D700 were tested as I didn't have a macro lens on my camera. I was using my faithful AF Nikkor 24-120mm f/3.5-5.6 D that I use as my walkabout lens. Its versatility covers wide angles for landscape whilst giving me some reach should I need it. As I began taking photo's of the Butterfly in front of me I began to move closer to try to get more detail. I wasn't too sure how the lens would cope with being asked to be a macro lens as well as a general purpose zoom lens. i would soon find out as the butterfly moved on to a neighbouring thistle.

Digital camera's have given us the ability to see our photo's as soon as we have taken them. You can often see photographers taking a quick peek at the image they have just taken before lifting their camera back to their eye and trying an alternative composition. I didn't know how long the butterfly would be posing for me as it enjoyed its meal, so i didn't peek, I kept shooting. I had to think quickly and instinctively dialled in my settings as i took each photograph. I had a peek after the butterfly had left and I was glad to see I had some images I could use, I just had to wait until I got home to view them on my computer.

When I bought my Nikon D700 I did so after a lot of thought and comparing camera specifications to what I wanted the camera to do. I'm not the greatest photographer and rarely will I make a video, so I wanted a camera that would take my skills up a level from the Nikon D90 I had been using. All I can say is the decision to buy the D700 was vindicated in a few quickly taken photographs.

We often take things for granted and do stuff without thinking, but to do it with a camera takes a lot of practice. My hours of learning since I bought my D700 paid off handsomely. Quck thinking and instinct are acquired skills, they don't come naturally to the majority of us. I am often reminded about the effort you put into something will equal the results you achieve. My photography teacher Mike Browne chants this mantra often and he's right. All those hours learning to use my camera and practicing the skills needed to put an image together, more often than not accompanied by Mike's voice in my mind, came together in less than one minute to take a photograph I'm rather proud of.

I'm no butterfly expert, I was mesmerised by it's bright colours and not for the first time I had to look it up when I got home. I had never heard of a Comma Butterfly and until I decided to give photography my full attention I may never have seen one or noticed it amongst the colours that wild flowers and plants display during the summer months. I was also reminded of my Mother and Father in law. My dear wife's parents loved butterfies and since their passing we have been noticing butterflies more then ever. The old romantic in me quite likes the idea of them sending a butterfly every so often to remind us of them and keep their memory alive.

it's not the first time I have seen beautiful butterfly's whilst out and about, but it was the first time I didn't have my Tamron 70-300mm with it's 1:2 macro capability fitted to my camera. It's nice to be able to plan images of insects, but it's also given me confidence that I can react quickly to the gifts that nature lays before us. Here's a few images of the butterfly's I have seen on my walks with a fond nod of thanks to my dear departed inlaws for sharing their love of butterfly's with our extended family. I hope you enjoy them too.  For full resolution images please visit my Flickr account at Butterflies

    

Comma Butterfly taken with my walkabout zoom lens

It's a beautiful insect

Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly

taken with Tamron 70-300m Di LD macro 1:2

Red Admiral taken with Tamron 70-300mm

Peacock

 

Also taken with Tamron 70-300

 

Gatekeeper, also called a Hedge Brown

 

 

 

 

 

Back To Basics

After spending quite some time in 2020 using my Nikon F801 and my D700 during my walks in the local countryside, I felt I needed a change and I don't mean the scenery. I Like the convenience of using my Nikon gear, the shared lenses between my F801 from the late 1980's and my D700 from 2008 really shows Nikon's design ethos perfectly. However, you can get a little too comfortable with just one system and I decided to have a day out with my Pentax SP500 and Helios 44m-4 lens, the camera I learned the basics with. I loaded a roll of Ilford HP5 into my SP500 and toddled off out.

My choice of a budget Spotmatic has been documented here but It's worth saying again as I get so much enjoyment from using my Pentax SP500. It is a fully manual camera with a through the lens light meter that requires a battery for the light meter to work. Spotmatics are built like tanks and there are many out there that have a working light meter, but it's no big deal if it doesn't. If you want to play with the Sunny 16 method it doesn't matter if the light meter works or not, just dial in your shutter speed and aperture based upon what you see in the sky. Here is a handy little chart designed by Andy Lawn you can download at Andy's Handy Exposure calculator

I really enjoy getting fresh air in the local countryside. I have said that often too, but it's true. Given the extraordinary circumstances that has gripped the world in 2020, the folk in my area have been taking full advantage of a walk around the local footpaths and nature trails. There's plenty of space for everyone and it is good to say hello to folk as they pass by. I used to enjoy walking on the fells of the Lake District and the Mountains in Snowdonia and you get the same exerience, folk are happy to acknowledge each other and smile. In our towns and cities folk are too often caught up in their daily lives to say hello, me included. A walk in the countryside or even your local park soothes the soul and brightens the day.

I did have an odd encounter, I was stopped by a chap walking his dog who wanted some advice about his printer. He was struggling with it not printing the size he wanted, so I was happy to chat about it and he seemed happy enough with what I shared with him. Computers and printers are only as good as the information we put into them. He had a light bulb moment, said he would have a good look at it when he got home and went on hs way.
 
We wouldn't have had that conversation if I wasn't holding my camera, photography has a habit of bringing folk together and is one reason I enjoy it so much. Photography is often seen as a solitary exercise, but folk don't really see the other end of it, which is why I chose to begin writing this blog and documenting my journey as a photographer. The start of the process may be soiltary, but it definitley has a community spirit behind it as we show the fruits of our labours with family, friends and whoever wishes to take a moment or two out of their lives to enjoy our photographs. I have enjoyed myself so far and long may it continue.
 
Here's a few images from my back to basics day with my Pentax SP500, Helios 44m-4 58mm f/2 lens and a couple of rols of Ilford HP5+ 400 black and white film. I have placed all my images from this shoot in an album on Flickr titled Back To Basics  I hope you enjoy them.