Film Fun Folio #18 - Balda Pontina and Provia 100F

Periodically, I'll be posting scans of some complete rolls of film on here, showing both the good and the bad, and giving some basic information as well a little write up of the shoot as well as the reasons why I selected each camera and film.  Enjoy the trip! 

Feature #18:

Camera: ca. 1951 Unbadged Franka Solida with Schneider 75mm f/2.9 lens.

Film: Fuji Velvia 100F

Locale: Central Maryland.

There have been times when I thought that this camera and my Zeiss Ikonta 521 were the only 6x9 folders that I would ever need, but some light leaks in recent rolls cast some concerns about my beloved Balda Pontina's ability to be completely trusted to deliver a competent image free of defects.  The summer was spent with the Balda sitting with a roll of Provia loaded, but unused.  Finally, with Fall upon me, and some time to explore, the loaded Balda got the call for 8 more images to see what I could muster from it.  I did a nice range of images, including some landscapes in bright light and some time exposures taken in the wee hours of the morning.  

1 - Thurmont, MD - f/5.6, 1/50 - Nice pictoral representation of colors, but a light leak is again evident in this shot.

Classic Kodachrome Monday #72

Every Monday, I'll be spotlighting a different classic Kodachrome slide that I've picked up, and trying where I can to detail the who, what, when, where, why, and how (much) of the image:

This Week:

What: Hustle and Bustle

Fun with Film: Film X by Washi in E6 Chemistry

From the Lomography Site:

If you believe that life is best captured in color, then give Washi Film X a try. This panchromatic negative mask-less color film delivers high saturation, crystal clarity and an overall warm tone. Originally designed for road traffic surveillance, this emulsion yields a distinct texture to give your photographs beaming with character. What’s more, you can also process it as a slide film for even more vibrant hues!

Imagine a 400 speed color film that you could elect to process either as a color negative for printing, or in E6 chemistry as a vibrant transparency with amazing color.  This is pretty much what is claimed of Washi-X, a new film offered by Lomography.

The name derives from a hand made Japanese paper, and indeed the purveyors of Washi-X are actually trying to summon the spirit of hand making paper in another of their products, Film Washi, an ISO 25 medium made in small batches for the analog market.  This French made product is certainly unique in its nature and made with a great degree of pride.

But what of their Washi-X product?  Is this some miracle product made from scratch that might forever change the dynamic of analogue photography?  Is it even possible to make color film from scratch with any degree of consistency?  Is it possible to make a version with a Kodachrome palette? Can I get "less filling" and "tastes great?"

Packaging of Film X is admittedly pretty slick, with a sleeve bundled by a label rather than the typical plastic film can. 

Classic Kodachrome Monday #71

Every Monday, I'll be spotlighting a different classic Kodachrome slide that I've picked up, and trying where I can to detail the who, what, when, where, why, and how (much) of the image:

This Week:

What: Commercial Crossroads

Film Fun Folio #17 - Zeiss Ikonta 521 and Provia 100F

Periodically, I'll be posting scans of some complete rolls of film on here, showing both the good and the bad, and giving some basic information as well a little write up of the shoot as well as the reasons why I selected each camera and film.  Enjoy the trip! 

Feature #17:

Camera: ca. 1946 Unbadged Franka Solida with Schneider 75mm f/2.9 lens.

Film: Fuji Provia 100F

Locale: Frederick County, Maryland.

Very few of my 6x9 folders lack some sort of issue.  Some are just less than stellar performers, while others have an issue or two that make completely care free operation an impossibility.  The Zeiss 521 along with the Agfa Billy Record are in fact the only two 6x9s that I have which function just as they should, and of these, the Zeiss is the far more capable of the two.  Given this, you would think that the 521 would constantly have an active roll of film going through it, but in fact, it had been sitting idle and empty since March for little good reason.  

Finally, with Fall in bloom, I rekindled my affection for this reliable and venerable folder by feeding it a roll of Provia, to see what would result in my rambles through Frederick County, Maryland.  Enjoy!                                                       

1 - Lewistown, MD - f/11, 1/100 - I made the error of not really checking out the shutter a few times before loading film into the Ikonta, and when I shot this image, I heard a bit of drag.  I thought I had overexposed it, but it wasn't so bad.  Since I shot the image again, I didn't bother cleaning up the dust after the scan.

Digital Diminishment: A Year (and Decades) In Review

B.B. King once sang "The Thrill is Gone."  Though this song was penned long before commercial digital photography was a reality, the tag line from this song resonates a bit with me as 2015 draws to a close. It wasn't always this way.

Like so many, I made the switch from film to digital around the turn of the millennium.  At the time, it was such an easy choice to make.  A seeming one-time budget outlay meant the end of a constantly recurring stream of film developing expenses while providing instant gratification and the ability to review or retake one's photos on the fly.  By the end of 2002, my Canon Elan IIe was relegated to sitting idly while my Casio QV3000EX enabled me to take photos of my favorite subjects as well as to take photos of countless other subjects that I'd overlooked before due to the expenses of film developing.  It seemed there was no coming back.

2002, rendered by the Casio QV-3000

Classic Kodachrome Monday #70

Every Monday, I'll be spotlighting a different classic Kodachrome slide that I've picked up, and trying where I can to detail the who, what, when, where, why, and how (much) of the image:

This Week:

What: At the Foot of the Mountain.