Shooting it at box speed works fine, but the shadows do drop off really quickly there. For a high-contrast look I'd go for box speed; for more tonality you could overexpose it a bit.
Well because I'm impulsive and cost was minimal, I ordered the Holga 120GCFN (from WalMart because B&H is on backorder) and a 5 pack of Kodak Portra 120 - total cost about $120. I figured why not shoot color and then I can convert to b/w in post or leave it color if I get something I like.
And if I get mugged, no worries, I'll just tell the mugger "sure take the camera, just hold on a sec while I remove the film"
Seriously, I've been wanting to play with film for a long time, and this is a dirt cheap entry that has the potential to produce some really artistic images. I've seen where some people intentionally double expose and create images that totally appeal to me.
Went out with the Pentax Espio 628 and a couple of rolls of FP4. After this, I'll load it with either HP-5 or Fujicolor 400. I took a number of comparison pictures with and without flash and reached no real consensus. Many, the flash added extra contrast and evened the lighting across the scene. In others, it was too much flash. Later P&S had more flash adjustments but there is a lot to like about the 628. After the last few days of use, it's almost like it's awakening from a long slumber. I went to my regular test areas and I have posted images of the same scenes several times from different camera and lens combinations. Here are the latest.
Pentax Espio 628, FP4+, Rodinal 50:1
Planter, Multnomah Village
Bicycle without flash
Bicycle with flash
Bicycle detail
Sign with flash
Sign with shadows
Railroad Tracks
Barricade without flash
Barricade with flash
Pet treat dispenser
Peggy Sunday's with flash
Bargain Books with flash
Stickers!
I hadn't used Rodinal in quite a while and bought a bottle when I was ordering some XT-3. It's handy to have around and maybe I'm finally learning how to use it.
bjhurley wrote:
The big lesson I drew from using the Mamiya is that I need to get a focusing screen with gridlines. A lot of my photos had skewed horizons despite me spending a lot of time eyeballing it and making adjustments. With medium format it's easy enough to adjust and crop while still retaining good resolution, but I'd rather get it right in-camera.
One thing I learned using a Mamiya C330 is that I accidentally tilt the camera every time I use the shutter release on the side. I originally blamed the lack of grid/frame lines, but even when I would compose well that would still slip me up.
skylight1b wrote:
One thing I learned using a Mamiya C330 is that I accidentally tilt the camera every time I use the shutter release on the side. I originally blamed the lack of grid/frame lines, but even when I would compose well that would still slip me up.
Ah, but in my case even when I had the thing on a tripod and used a cable release, I still got skewed horizons. Maybe I just view the world from a skewed perspective.
bjhurley wrote:
Ah, but in my case even when I had the thing on a tripod and used a cable release, I still got skewed horizons. Maybe I just view the world from a skewed perspective.
Ah yes, well I do also get "drunken horizons" from most waist level finders. Working on it though!
brick33308 wrote:
Huss, I'm WILD about these pics. I'm going with some photogs to Alaska beginning of February and will be using my Sony gear. But I'll be in Seattle for a couple of days before and struggled whether to bring my M11M to do some street shooting there - concerned about getting mugged walking around alone.
I've been thinking about film for a while, decided it's not something I want to put serious dollars into, and then I saw your pics and thought WOW, this would be great for shooting street in black/white with a high contrast imperfect look, especially since the camera seems dirt cheap.
Wondering what you think about that and if you have any suggestions, whether pro, con, or other cams and/or film.
Also - was reading up on Arista EDU 200. Did you shoot it at 200? I read a review where someone thought it should be shot at 100, another concluded 160. ...Show more →
I saw you already ordered a Holga but I will still reply to this!
Take into account the 1/100 sec shutter speed w the f8 and f11 apertures. That is all the exposure control you have - the rest is done with film speed.
I just shot the Arista and developed it regularly as this was a test roll and I had no idea how it would come out anyway - light leaks etc. i did notice it scratched my film but I will use the same fix as I did with my Leica R8 (surprise surprise a Leica scratching film!). With the Leica the material on the film guide roller wears quickly leading to a rough surface. How I fixed it was by putting a piece of scotch tape (sellotape to any Brits out there) on the roller which covered any rough spots. And it worked like a charm!
I will do the same on the Holga’s frame mask. The edges where the film passes over seem a bit rough, so I will put a piece of tape on each side. You should so the same with yours, as well as shoot a test roll to see if it has any light leaks.
Of course today I already had the Holga loaded when I remembered that fix! Then went out and shot two more rolls, but now I will fix it before loading more film!
Another camera you really should get is the Reto Ultra Wide N Slim. Very small 35mm plastic film camera with a great 21mm lens. Check the thread we have going on it.
skylight1b wrote:
Ah yes, well I do also get "drunken horizons" from most waist level finders. Working on it though!
My Rolleiflex has a grid screen, as does my Nikon F3P. And also why I love the Nikon N80 film slr - there is a custom setting in the menu that projects grid lines! I leave that on all the time.
Desmolicious wrote:
I saw you already ordered a Holga but I will still reply to this!
Take into account the 1/100 sec shutter speed w the f8 and f11 apertures. That is all the exposure control you have - the rest is done with film speed.
I just shot the Arista and developed it regularly as this was a test roll and I had no idea how it would come out anyway - light leaks etc. i did notice it scratched my film but I will use the same fix as I did with my Leica R8 (surprise surprise a Leica scratching film!). With the Leica the material on the film guide roller wears quickly leading to a rough surface. How I fixed it was by putting a piece of scotch tape (sellotape to any Brits out there) on the roller which covered any rough spots. And it worked like a charm!
I will do the same on the Holga’s frame mask. The edges where the film passes over seem a bit rough, so I will put a piece of tape on each side. You should so the same with yours, as well as shoot a test roll to see if it has any light leaks.
Of course today I already had the Holga loaded when I remembered that fix! Then went out and shot two more rolls, but now I will fix it before loading more film!
Another camera you really should get is the Reto Ultra Wide N Slim. Very small 35mm plastic film camera with a great 21mm lens. Check the thread we have going on it. ...Show more →
I feel like Alice falling down the hole to Wonderland. First I'll play with the Holga and the Kodak Portra 400, see what I see. Down the road if I take to film I'll probably ask you about having a lab just develop/sleeve my film and then do my own scans.
What I like about the Holga images is that they're unlike anything I've ever seen. I'm so into the imperfections. What doesn't really lift my skirt are the expensive film cameras - Leica and others - that are just too perfect. I can shoot like that with my M11P/M11M. But with those M cameras I can't begin to create what the little toy Holga does.
brick33308 wrote:
I feel like Alice falling down the hole to Wonderland. First I'll play with the Holga and the Kodak Portra 400, see what I see. Down the road if I take to film I'll probably ask you about having a lab just develop/sleeve my film and then do my own scans.
What I like about the Holga images is that they're unlike anything I've ever seen. I'm so into the imperfections. What doesn't really lift my skirt are the expensive film cameras - Leica and others - that are just too perfect. I can shoot like that with my M11P/M11M. But with those M cameras I can't begin to create what the little toy Holga does. ...Show more →
It’s all about the funky lens. But you can also get funky lenses for Leicas - you don’t have to use perfect ones.
I took this with my MdA and Wtulens 17mm f16:
The Wtulens is two lenses taken from recycled Fuji QuickSnap disposable cameras, made into one lens.
Desmolicious wrote:
It’s all about the funky lens. But you can also get funky lenses for Leicas - you don’t have to use perfect ones.
I took this with my MdA and Wtulens 17mm f16:
Most of the MS Optics M-mount lenses could be described as "funky" too, certainly full of character, but also often plagued by focus shift which limits their usefulness when shooting film on a rangefinder camera.
I recently saw a few amazing photos taken with a lens cannibalized from the Olympus AF10 SUPER 35mm f/3.5 (aka the Picasso Mini Super) point and shoot camera and converted to LTM. I don't know who did that conversion but it seems like a cool idea -- like the Wtulens although the Wtulens is more elaborate as it combines two lenses. There's an outfit in the UK that converts lenses from other mounts to LTM and M but they're out-of-this-world expensive.
Regarding this lens - forgot to mention there is a huge variability in build quality.
The first one I had was severely decentered - and you didn’t have to pixel peep a brick wall to see it. The whole left side was blurry in any image.
The one I have now is centered and I love it’s funky rendering, but it does not stop down past f8! The aperture lever keeps on moving but the aperture does not change! Because of that I do not trust the actual markings and so only shoot it on my M7 which has TTL AE so you don’t have to worry if the marked settings are not accurate.
But as I am happy w the optics, I did not return it because who knows what the next one would be like!
