Frugal Film Project 2021 - July on Kodak ColorPlus 200

The second half of the Frugal Film Project 2021 is upon us and everyone begins 6 months of shooting their second chosen film, in my case that film is Kodak ColorPlus 200. I began my 6 months of colour film by going to my favourite classroom, Mesnes Park here in Wigan. Summer in Mesnes Park is always bright and colourful, the Council Parks and Gardens staff make sure the flower beds are filled with a variety of plants that really do lift your spirits. Seeing nature in full bloom whilst enjoying the fresh air and bright sunshine is a joy to behold.

I have stuck with my Olympus 35RC for my colour film as I have really enjoyed using it and begun to truly understand why this camera is sometimes called a "Poor man's Leica". The lens is an absolute gem. This should be no surprise as Olympus made their name from the manufacture of precision laboratory and medical microscopes, but it continues to surprise me with every roll I shoot with it.

I have probably photographed Mesnes Park more than any other location in town, but I never tire of it. The Pavilion, the Coalbrookdale Fountain and the Lodge at the entrance are very photogenic so it's just a case of figuring out angles and light. It was mid afternoon when I took my photographs so the light was harsh, but not unusable. There is always a shadow to play with and the trees at the entrance gates helped with my photo's of the Lodge as did the Trees that cover Pagefield Mill.

I had intended to shoot half a roll on the day I went out, but it was such a beautiful day that I kind of got lost in what I was doing and before I knew it I had used the entire roll.  Not a bad thing really considering the fun I was having. I was also trying out my FED 2 that I spoke of last week and using my Nikon D90 to hunt down compositions or stand alone digital shots. It sure did keep me busy. I am not currently developing colour film at home, I popped my film into my local Max Spielmann Photo Store and let them take care of developing it for me and they scanned my film with their excellent Fuji Frontier SP3000. 

Here are a few of my photos from this roll of Kodak ColorPlus 200 and I have placed them and more in an album on Flickr which you can visit using the link below. I hope you enjoy them.

Frugal Film Project Colour Album

FED 2 - I finally got a Soviet rangefinder to play with

 Since deciding to come back to film I have had a desire to discover the joys of Soviet rangefinder cameras. I spoke with my friend Owen about the history of the FED and Zorki brands and I almost went with one before I chose my Pentax SP500. This was a decision based upon reliability and price and I haven't regretted it. Recently I began to think about getting one again after discovering the #CrappyCommieCameraParty on Twitter. I did pledge that one day I would have one so I had a look on the bay of evil and I managed to find a FED 2 on the British Heart Foundation ebay store for not a lot of cash.

The FED 2 looked pretty decent in the photographs on the listing so I took a chance and bid on it. A few days later I received the email telling me my bid was successful. I have bought some camera equipment from the British Heart Foundation in the past and found their descriptions are accurate and when the FED arrived I was happy to see a camera that I reckoned was good to go. I found a manual online and did some reading on how to use the camera without breaking it before I had a chance to use it properly. I did a few simple checks, does the shutter fire at all speeds, are the curtains in good shape, is the lens clean etc. It wasn't long before I was happy to put a roll of Fomapan 200 in it to give it a try.  

My first roll was around the local farm roads and I concentrated on the power lines that cross one of the fields near my home. They are also spread far enough apart to make using the diopter adjustment on the FED 2 a simple process. I set my lens to infinity and brought the furthest one into focus with the diopter. Easy peasy lemon squeezy! I also learned to advance the film before changing the shutter speed, a simple yet important part of using this camera. It didn't take me long to finish that roll and I developed it later that evening.

A few days later I shot a roll of Fomapan 100 around Mesnes Park and Wigan town centre during a glorious weekend in mid July when the sun was bright and the skies clear and blue. I took a light reading using the Light Meter Free app on my phone that I found on Google Play, it's a decent app and easy to use, and I got down to some serious photography. I was also shooting my first roll of Kodak ColorPlus 200 for the Frugal Film Project with my Olympus 35RC and some digital shots with my Nikon D90, the readings I was getting on those corroborated the readings I was getting from the app for my FED 2 and helped me get my eye in.

I have to say I am delighted with how my FED 2 performed. Yes it's a chunk of steel crafted in a factory in Kharkov Ukraine, but don't let that put you off. It is a well built camera that has no electronics nor exotic materials. Everything can be repaired, adjusted and fine tuned to give you a reliable rangefinder. Then there is the optics, All copied from Leica and Carl Zeiss designs taken in reparations after WW2. In fact the early Fed and Zorki rangefinders are direct Barnack Leica clones. The lenses are also the same design, but perhaps not quite as polished. Mine came with an Industar 26m, a 50mm f/2.8 which is a decent lens. I now need a wide angle lens for it. A Jupiter 12 35mm f2.8 is on my radar and maybe a Jupiter 8 50mm f/2 and... and... GAS!

Here's a few images from my first couple of rolls of Fomapan film shot using my FED 2 and I have also put them on Filckr. There's also a link to the history of FED from it's beginnings as an Orphange to the end of the Soviet Union courtesy of Fedka.com. It's a fascinating tale of how the luxury Leica became the Fed and Zorki cameras we see today.

Fed 2 Fomapan 100 and 200
FED Camera History

Foma 100

Foma 100

Foma 100

Foma 100

Foma 200

Foma 200

Foma 200

Foma 200

Back To My Comfort Zone

 After shooting a few different films over the last three months or so I decided to get back to my comfort zone and shoot some Ilford HP5 in my Pentax SP500 and my Agfa Isolette 1. I enjoy shooting different films, it keeps me focused (pun intended) and helps me improve as a photographer. I also know that the warm confines of my snuggle blanket is never too far away. Ilford HP5 is my favourite b&w film and there's always a roll or two in my fridge to load into my trusty Pentax SP500.

My lens of choice for my SP500 is my equally comfy Helios 44m-4 58mm f/2, a lens with a history of German technical excellence being appropriated by Soviet war reparations at the end of WW2. The double gauss Biotar design of the Helios 44 series was made in the millions by KMZ, Belomo et al. and gradually improved upon by Soviet designers as new coatings and production techniques became available to them.

I took my time shooting both rolls of film and spread it out over a few days, mostly shooting in my usual haunts and trying a couple of different compositions as I continue my study of the town I call my home. Sadly there wasn't too many sunny days and I made the best of it with some cloud definition and contrast occasionally helped by a yellow filter.

One thing Pentax has been known for throughout it's history is reliability, which is why I bought my SP500 back in 2017. It still works great and the light meter is still accurate despite the camera being close to 50 years old. I can also happily say that my Agfa Isolette 1 has been a reliable camera too as I have learned to use it and got to know it's quirks. Yes it is getting on for 70 years old, but it is a simple camera uncluttered with anything more than the basics you need to take a decent photograph. Great lens, decent aperture range and a shutter that is still reasonably within it's design tolerance.

This week was very enjoyable as I was shooting for nobody else but me. The enjoyment of taking a photo without having to worry about deadlines, content or a fair appraisal of a new film is always a pleasure. We are often reminded by photography teachers and mentors to get out of our comfort zone, but just remember that comfort zone is still there, waiting for you to come back and snuggle up for the love of our chosen art and the joy it brings.

Next week I am getting back into Colour Film as my Frugal Film Project contribution switches from Fomapan 200 to Kodak ColorPlus 200. I'm heading out to get some practice in with my OM-2 before letting loose with my Olympus 35RC. Until then here are a few of my photo's from my comfort zone films and as always I have placed them on Flickr for you to enjoy in full resolution. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did taking them.

P.S A reminder that the Agent Shadow 400 Kickstarter ends on July 20th 2021. Join me in supporting it using the link below.

Comfort Zone 1 Pentax SP500
Comfort Zone 2 Agfa Isolette 1
Kosmo Foto Agent Shadow Kickstarter

Agent Shadow 400 - A Kickstarter campaign from Kosmofoto.com

 Cast your minds back to the beginning of May 2021 and you might remember a blog post telling you all that I got published on the Casual Photophile website, the brainchild of James Tocchio an avid film photographer and writer based in the USA. Well, it has happened again and this time I got to do something I never thought I would ever get a chance to do. Try out a pre release sample roll of a brand new film.

Agent Shadow 400 is currently a kickstarter campaign from Kosmo Foto, the website that brought us Kosmo Foto Mono 100 film in 35mm and 120 medium format. Website owner Stephen Dowling has been planning to release a 400 speed b&w film to compliment  Kosmo Foto Mono 100 and, as he has done with that film, put his own little spin on the packaging and presentation of the new film sourced from one of the most respected film manufacturing companies currently thriving in the midst of the digital revolution.

If you think buying a re-branded film isn't for you, think back to the golden years of Film Photography. All the film manufacturing companies supplied every last high street Photo Store from multinational conglomerates to small "Mom and Pop" stores that once thrived in every town and city around the world. Kosmo Foto has been playing a part in rebuilding that once thriving business model and I whole heartedly support it.

Agent Shadow 400 is a nod to Film Noir in both styling and exposure latitude. It evokes images of spy thrillers of the cold war and is as at home in low light at iso 6400 on dark back streets lit by a lone street lamp as it is at iso 400 on an average cloudy afternoon in the north west of England. Stephen has always loved the Film Noir aesthetic and for the kickstarter the film is accompanied by a Graphic Novel titled "The 36 Frames" that tells the story of Agent Shadow being pursued through the night time streets of an unnamed city by mysterious assailants.

Those who back the kickstarter at Agent Shadow Briefcase Box level will receive 5 rolls of Agent Shadow 400 and the Graphic Novel in a special presentation box that looks like a briefcase. One that you may expect to find secret documents in. I have personally backed it at this level and really want this kickstarter to be a success. Not because I want my posh presentation box of goodies, but because I genuinely like and share Stephen's passion for film and his desire to share it with the Film Photography Community. He has put a lot of thought into this and has done a great job of it.

Here's a few of my favourite photos from my roll of Agent Shadow 400 and I have placed all my photos in an album on my Flickr account. You can read more about my experience of shooting Agent Shadow 400 and the technical gubbins of this film by visiting Casual Photophile. Also please read the product release article on Kosmo Foto and get involved in the Kickstarter which runs through to July 20th 2021 using the links below. Backing this film is supporting two film photography businesses that care passionately about our chosen art. That, in my humbe opinion, can only be a good thing and long may it continue.

Flickr Agent Shadow 400
casualphotophile.com/Kosmo Foto Agent Shadow Review
Agent Shadow 400 Kickstarter campaign
kosmofoto.com