I recently started shooting MF film on a Yashica-Mat TLR, using the macro lens method of "scanning." It's been a struggle, but I'm finally getting somewhere with the workflow. I don't have a copy stand, so I've been using my low-endish tripod. My first attempt used two flashes behind 1/4" of acrylic, but I struggled with uneven illumination. More recently, I've been using my laptop as the light source with the acrylic laid on top to diffuse.
The color work has been a mess. After spending entirely too much time trying to figure out a set of actions that would give me a positive image close enough that I'd be able to work with it in Lightroom, I gave up and started looking for another solution. A lot of folks recommended ColorPerfect for processing scanned negatives. Run the raw through their MakeTiff utility, which will spit out a huge linear TIFF that you open up in PS, run through the ColorPerfect plug-in, save, and bring into LR for the final edit.
ColorPerfect's UI is reminiscent of the worst of the Windows 3.1 era, but with I managed to figure out the settings to get the kind of output I wanted. CP requires Photoshop, which I didn't have. Fortunately, you can get CS2 for "free," which works great.
I've found the whole macro lens scanning thing is kind of tedious and fiddly, I'll probably cave and get a cheap used Epson V600 soon.
Two from my first roll ever through a recently purchased Pentax 6x7.
I'm not sure the shallow DoF worked in the beach scene, that is I'm not sure I got any of it in crisp focus! The shot of the 'pigface' native succulent was interesting; when I examined the scan there appeared to be a distinct line or edge in the purple flower. I'm attributing that to a scanning artefact.
Fuji Reala 100 colour negative film. 105 f2.4 lens (the last SMC version). Commercially developed and home-scanned using Epson V700 Photo.
My first post in this thread and I thought I'd share a few photos from the local fall pumpkin festival this past weekend. It's been a very long time since I shot film. I found my father's old Canon AE-1 that was hid away in the family closet a month ago. I started playing around with the AE-1 a bit, which eventually inspired me to shoot some old Leitz Wetzlar R lenses on a newly acquired Nikon FM3a (via Leitax mount conversion). I'm loving the feel of film again.
Nikon FM3a w/ 35mm Elmarit-R (Leitax F mount) & Fuji PRO 400H
Thank you guys! I definitly look forward to sharing more photos and soaking up a little bit of everyone's photographic vision. I don't have a lot of free time, so I get to live "outside the box" whenever you share your photos!
Alpha_Geist wrote:
Thank you guys! I definitly look forward to sharing more photos and soaking up a little bit of everyone's photographic vision. I don't have a lot of free time, so I get to live "outside the box" whenever you share your photos!
Welcome to the thread! I just noticed that you live near me.
I came across a few images I must have made over thirty years ago with my Dad's old Rolleicord 3.5 Tessar. That lens does't begin to compare with the Mamiya lenses, either 7 or Z, but it's small very lightweight camera where everything is backwards in the viewfinder. These were probably shot on Verichrome Pan, which was a favorite of mine back in the day. Used to get twenty roll bricks at the local drug store in Monterey. Wish they still made that emulsion. None of these are masterpieces, but it's fun for me to look back and see how I was seeing then compared to now. I was probably just concentrating on composing within the square frame.
I came across a few images I must have made over thirty years ago with my Dad's old Rolleicord 3.5 Tessar. That lens does't begin to compare with the Mamiya lenses, either 7 or Z, but it's small very lightweight camera where everything is backwards in the viewfinder. These were probably shot on Verichrome Pan, which was a favorite of mine back in the day. Used to get twenty roll bricks at the local drug store in Monterey. Wish they still made that emulsion. None of these are masterpieces, but it's fun for me to look back and see how I was seeing then compared to now. I was probably just concentrating on composing within the square frame. These were all taken at Pt. Lobos State Reserve in Carmel.
Peter, thank you for sharing and very nice work! It is nice to see one's early work, to see where one came from and to also see the talent that was to grow.
Peter, Pt. Lobos must have been a lot less busy with people back then and even more of a pleasure to photograph there. Following in the footsteps of the masters Weston and Adams! Thanks for sharing!
Wayne - I grew up in Monterey so we went there as a family from a very early age. Probably started in the very early 1960's. When I go there to visit my Dad, I almost never go in anymore. The lines are just too long, especially on weekends, although I have friends living in Monterey who do go during the week and say it's not too bad. Here's a PKM Kodachrome image from Pt. Lobos that has the vibe that makes me want to go and spend the day there. Maybe on the next trip.
Out and about around the town of Cumberland Gap, TN. Oly XA, kentmere 400, hc110 dil h, agi every 2min at 14min total time. Pakon scanned, lr5
my wife wanted to walk through the tunnel. I had to bring her to her senses as this is an active tunnel with a recent train passing by. Diesel smoke still lingering in there.
