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

Frugal Film Project 2021 - June

My final roll of Fomapan 200 for this years Frugal Film project is a little different to the rest. I finally got the confidence to use my Agfa Isolette 1 and shoot Fomapan 200 in 120 medium format. It's not easy learning a new skill, it takes a fair bit of persistence and it made my brain hurt, but I think I managed to do it justice.

I'm still not perfect with the Agfa Isolette 1, it's a basic viewfinder folding camera with  zone focus and you would think it would be a doddle, but my memory isn't great. I keep forgetting the method I have tried to learn and the odd double exposure sneaks in. It's not all bad, I have got some rather nice images from an almost 70 year old camera and have managed to put my toe into the world of medium format photography.

I had always thought about giving medium format a try, but never had the cash for a camera until the Photography Gods smiled upon me. I have been making the most of the generosity of my dear friends who gave me the camera and hopefully bringing a smile to their faces with my efforts. I'm currently ten rolls of 120 into it and the old saying about your first ten rolls of film seeing your quickest progress has certainly rung true for me.

Here are just a few of my images from my roll of Fomapan 200 and I have also placed my images into my Frugal Film Project album on Flickr so you can view them in all their glory. The only problem I have with this film is the banding on some of the images. I have no idea what caused it, the camera is light tight and I have taken care to cover the little red window with  piece of tape as well as slide the little door closed. Any tips on what caused it are gratefully received.

I have really enjoyed taking part in the Frugal Film Project 2021, six months with one film stock has taught me a lot and improved my skills as a photographer. July sees me begin my colour film and I have chosen a favourite of mine, Kodak ColorPlus 200. I will also be opening a new album for my colour films as I felt it was good to keep them separate. My B&W shots can certainly stand up for themselves and I learned a heck of a lot about Fomapan 200 along the way. It was a challenge to get anything in the winter, but it really came alive during the spring. I hope you enjoy them and you can visit my Flickr album via the link below.

Frugal Film Project 2021 B&W Album

 

 

Ferrania P30

This week I tried another film I have wanted to shoot to see what the fuss was about, Ferrania P30 from Italy. This film is a tale of a once big player in the film business that fell on hard times and became a casualty of the digital revolution as it tore a huge swathe across the film industry. Ferrania was an Italian film company that supplied film to photographers and cinematographers not just in Europe, but around the world. They also undertook contract coating for other film suppliers and made highly regarded B&W and Colour film for stills and motion pictures. Such was the high regard for Ferrania that 3M bought the company in 1964 and rebranded Ferrania film as Scotch Chrome and Solaris. When the digital revolution happened the collapse of the film market saw the closure of the Ferrania factory in 2010.

That's where the Ferrania story should have ended but for the efforts of some passionate Italian film photographers who thought Ferrania could be brought back from the dead and set about buying the things they needed to rebuild the brand. They also set up a Kickstarter campaign with the aim of bringing one of Ferrania's legendary slide films back to the market.

Sadly that kickstarter has thus far come to nothing as several hurdles caused many setbacks and delays. Give the guys their due, they are building a new film production facility from scratch and have not had an easy time of it. Most folk would have given up and refunded their kickstarter backers, but they wouldn't accept defeat. Each challenge presented was faced with a determination to succeed.

To give their kickstarter backers something rather than nothing, plan B was brought into play. Although there was no colour film, the machinery and raw materials to make a black and white cinema film from Ferrania's past was painstakingly put together in the former Ferrania Research Lab on the vast Ferrania campus. That film is Ferrania P30.

P30 is a B&W film available in 35mm format and is derived from a legendary Ferrania cinema film stock of the same name from Ferrania's golden age. Italian film directors remaind loyal to Ferrania due to this film and the chance to ressurect a legend was too good to pass by. The story of Ferrania is a lot longer than my recap and you can read about the history of Ferrania by visiting the Ferrania website using the link below. It is a great story and worth a read.

So, what is this legend like to shoot? I loaded a roll into my Nikon F801s popped my 50mm f/1.8 D lens on it and headed out. I shot this film at the same time as last weeks roll of Cinestill bwXX, countryside first and town second. P30 is a nominal 80 iso rated film designed for the cinema, but, as I discovered, also excels in 35mm stills cameras.

Ferrania P30 is a high contrast B&W film that, like Cinestill bwXX, excels in an urban landscape. My countryside shots really could have done with a suitable filter to tame the shadows and contrast. Next time I shoot it I will definitely pick a better day and see what filters I have so I can really get into what made this film a favourite of Italian film makers. I have a lot of reading to do....

Here's a few of my photographs from this roll of Ferrania P30 and as always I have placed them and more in an album on my Flickr account that you can access by using the link below.  I hope you enjoy them.

Flickr Ferrania P30
Ferrania.com

Cinestill BWXX 120 black and white film

 There is a B&W film stock from the folks at Kodak that has earned legendary status amongst the film photography community, Eastman Kodak 5222 XX. Fondly named "Double X" by those who champion it, it is a 35mm cinema film that for many decades has been the black and white film of choice for a long list of Hollywood's finest film makers. You only need to see Schindlers List and Raging Bull to appreciate the cinematic quality of Double X and see why Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorcese insisted upon using it in their multi Oscar winning blockbusters. However, many within the film comunity, in particular those who have only just begun their own journey with film photography, may not have heard of it never mind used it.

Thanks to some truly dedicated Cinematographers, Eastman Kodak 5222 XX has been available in 35mm format for many years and gained a lot of fans who love to use it in their 35mm film camera's, but it wasn't available in medium format, until now. The folks at Cinestill have managed to achieve what many folk thought would never happen, they have released Cinestill BWXX 120 medium format film. I had to get a roll before it all sold out so I could see what the fuss is all about. I have only a little experience of shooting medium format film in my Agfa Isolette 1, but my skills with the camera and the format are steadily growing. I decided it was too good an opportunity to pass by and ordered a roll from the good folks at Analogue Wonderland.

Cinestill are a company based in Los Angeles in the USA and, as the name suggests, have made their business selling rebadged Eastman Kodak Vision 3 colour cinema film. If you have seen a colour film photo of an American gas station at night, chances are it was taken on Cinestill 800T colour film. Their colour film has always been available in 35mm and 120 medium format, but Double X was only available in 35mm. Cinestill managed to get hold of Double X in 120 medium format and the film community has been very supportive of this move.

Double X is a film stock that is capable of being shot at a wide range of speeds from 200-1600 or more and developed in Kodak D96, Cinestill D96 and in all of the popular developers such as Kodak HC-110, which I used after reading the spec sheets from Cinestill. I decided to shoot mine at 250 iso and take advantage of the lovely sunshine we have been enjoying here in the UK. I shot my film in 2 halves, one half around my local countryside and the other around town to take advantage of the mock tudor and modern glass fronted buildings.

My Agfa isolette 1 is as manual a camera as you can get and I metered using Light Meter Free that I found in Google Play. Thankfully it's a decent app I was able to accurately meter my shots and get some good images. I developed it in Kodak HC-110 dilution B (1+31) for 6 minutes at 20 celcius.

After scanning and editing I have to say I like the street shots better than the ones I took in the local countryside, it thrives with the mock tudor architecture just that bit better than landscapes. I can see why this film is so beloved by its fans and I will be using it again at some point as I really like the look of it. I think I will get a couple of rolls in 35mm so I can compare the two, but that's for a future blog. Here's a few of my photo's for you to enjoy and as always I have posted them on my Flicker account so you can see them in full resolution.

Cinestill
Flickr Album