Medium Format Photography
This video gives a brief insight in to John Cowans Fashion Photography work during the 1960s. You will learn about his style and then move on to looking at a shoot I did in Bath, England in the summer. Each shot is carefully analysed to give the viewer an understanding of how to create well posed and lit portraits in the street in summer weather conditions.
Read MoreThis video explains how well decades old expired film performs on a medium format camera - Fuji GSWiii. The images in broad daylight render very well considering the age of the film and the poor conditions that it had been kept in. The film performs well in extremely low light conditions too when the camera is set to a very wide aperture and slower shutter speed.
Read MorePosing is an active affair, it is much more than just getting your subject to stand or sit somewhere. As a photographer, building a rapport with your subject or client is just the start. You must be highly observant, see how they move, watch the light and shadows, the head at various angles and critically be confident in telling your subject to ‘hold it’ when the look is perfect!
Getting the recommended settings input before you start shooting will give you the best chance of getting the desired outcomes you want. Automatic light metering systems on vintage cameras often work on the ‘average’ principle. That is certainly the case with cameras such as the Pentax ME Super. This means that the scene you are shooting will be made of equal proportions of light and shadow. It will have taken into account the extreme highlights and shadows calculating an average reading. For most cases this is a win, because there is no such thing as perfect exposure.
Using a dedicated light meter such as the Sekonic L858D allows you to take an average light meter reading or even a spot one. For shooting portraits, spot metering is ideal because it allows you to decide exactly which area of the subject should be exposed for.
The ultra close up portraits are a great example of how to get rid of negative space and really push yourself to create something new in each shot. Every shot was carefully choreographed to give a different look and feel and I think this selection really shows this well.
Two things are important. First, detail is valuable only if it helps add the impression you are trying to get across. If it doesn’t it will just send mixed messages and become lost. For example, shooting in a studio with a plain backdrop will in most cases lead to a great shot however when you have spent time setting up a whole set your image may not come out as well.
Secondly, you must have mastery over the camera you are using. In particular, you know how to manually control settings in your camera and the film you are using is capable of capturing what you are looking for.
The characteristics of films make them react somewhat differently in low light conditions, as opposed to bright light. The most important thing to focus on is the shutter speed, lens aperture and type of film being used. Knowing these will determine what you will be able to produce or not. Here’s a little project for you. Shoot a subject at every single exposure combination your camera’s lens and shutter will allow. Through this process you will learn so much more than worrying about busting the bank to pay for another lens that will give you a negligible increase in performance.
Very rarely will you find one exposure perfectly right for every corner of your picture area, but quite often you will find the most extraordinary exposure right for a certain part of your subject. Take the final photo for example, I know this is not in focus but I think it's a great shot with the taxi in the backdrop, the wet reflective floor and the lines with Rebecca moving.
Have you shot with the Bronica Zenza ETRS or similar Medium Format cameras such as the Mamiya? Which one was your favourite picture from this video? What do you recommend shooting with or how to use this film for projects! Let me know in the comments below, thank you!
Check out my last video on CineStill 800T here, see you there!
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I shot CineStill 50D on a 6x6 Yashica Mat 124G. I love the results because of the amount of real estate that you get on the square negative, in particular.
I know that this is not a common practice, particularly among people who are shooting fashion on film. I'm curious how many of you have shot it on 6x6. Or in your opinion, do you think it would be better to shoot it on 6x4.5 or 6x7 or even 6x9?
Let me know what your thoughts are in the comments below. And the other question that I've got is, obviously in this shoot, I've been using Cinestill 50D, but would you, if you are going into Lightroom afterwards, would you convert the negative from colour into black and white or would you go and do some post-processing with film?
I'm curious how many people are purists and just stick to the negative as it comes out, or how many of us actually go away and change the images completely. So, let me know what your thoughts are. I'd love to hear from you and I look forward to seeing you in the next video.
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Whether you're shooting with a film camera such as the Bronica Zenza ETRS, a digital camera or even a phone camera, you're going to find this video really helpful to get you started.
I wanted to go out and check out what I could get with a Bronica Zenza. I don't think I actually went out to shoot with it in the street, and I want to see how it handles, what it felt like? How would I frame my images? This was a practice run for me to see if it's a practical camera to use for street-based photography.
One of the major blocks when it comes to street photography is actually getting out there.
A lot of people want to do photography, but they get worried about what other people might think or how people in the street might feel. The absolute simplest thing you can start is grabbing your camera and go out! This could be in your local area because you're going to be more familiar with it and naturally more comfortable.
Failing that, you can go further into a field, maybe somewhere people don't know you. It could be your high street, maybe your shopping mall, or a completely different town or city itself. The key thing is to get going and start shooting. As soon as you can get going, that's really going to help you.
It doesn't matter what camera you've got, whether that's your phone, DSLR or SLR camera. Shooting film, then take lots of film with you on your walk! Shooting digital? I would shoot nonstop, everything and anything that I can see within my walking frame.
When shooting with a medium-format camera, such as a Bronica Zenza, you're going to get 15 shots on a roll, that's six by four point five If you're shooting by six by six on a Yashica Mat 124 G for example, or a Hasselblad. You're probably going to get 12 images only. If shooting with a 35 millimetre camera, you can get, I would say up to 37 images, maybe even 38, if you are very good at putting on your roll and being very economical with it.
One of the challenges of shooting with the Bronica Zenza ETRS is that it's actually quite a bulky and heavy camera. That side, when you're shooting outside, it will force you to think about what you're shooting and how you're going to shoot it. Now in the street environment, there are some challenges, challenges being that the atmosphere, the scenery is constantly changing. People are moving in, people moving out, there's cars moving in, cars moving out, something could happen, it's quite spontaneous, And I don't think using a medium format camera such as this one is going to get you the full opportunity to be able to take those shots quickly and efficiently.
An alternative method of overcoming that challenge is going to be shooting with something a lot lighter, like a compact camera, such as the Nikon L135AF. It's a compact camera. You can put it away into your pocket. And if you want to, you can take it out very quickly or you can carry it around in your hand without having any problems shooting with it. Compact cameras offer discretion so you can quickly take a shot without really disturbing the environment or catching anyone off guard. There are plenty of digital cameras that are similar to this, which will allow you to take a lot more shots than what a Bronica Zenza ETRS can offer.
I was out with some friends having dinner. It was just a few hours after the shoot. And I remember showing my photos that I'd been taking like Polaroid SX-70. This is one of the images that we were actually looking at at the time. And the waiter oversaw the images and was actually really intrigued by the Polaroid SX-70 itself.
He started asking me questions about it. How to use it, and why was he using it? Which led him to the ultimate question about what camera he should get for his 15 year old son. He was really interested in photography. He wanted to know what would be the best camera to start shooting with. A lot of people ask me this question. If you're a young photographer and you don't have a budget personally, I had no budget even to have a camera at the age of 15.
My first camera was when I, when I started working, I think it was 23 or 24 when I first got my Nikon. To get started with photography, the key thing though, is that we have so many cameras that are available to us. Every single person has a camera phone. If you really enjoy and love photography, that is such an easy and simple way to access this medium of art. I advised him to start shooting with his camera on his phone as often as possible. If something is coming off it, then that's the time to start thinking about, well, going into an entry level camera, rather than diving straight into a top level DSLR camera with all these kit lenses and so forth. Better start some projects first before investing fully into it. So shooting with the Bronica Zenza ETRS, and you'd have to take the magazine holder at the back off first.
Kosmo Foto is a 100 ISO panchromatic black and white film. Perfect for all medium format cameras. One of the exciting things to note about this film is that it is freshly made and stopped in the wilds of Europe. For those of you looking to reduce your carbon footprint and love shooting film, then this could be a more environmentally friendly option.
The packaging of this film is pretty cool too, with the cosmonaut at the front, and this film can be used on sunny days, overcast conditions, as you can see in my images here, but also for indoors with studio lighting, flush or even natural light, it'll be really interesting to see how it compares with Acros 100 or even Ilford Delta 100, to see the comparisons between them.
The film is a traditional black and white chemistry so that it can be developed with formulations such as perceptol or tetenal or rodinal as well. If you've tried with any other C 41 chemicals then shoot them in the comments below It can be pushed and pulled to ISO 50 or push processed up to ISO 400.
Is that your teddy in the video?
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If I were only to give you one piece of advice it would be…
Imagine the autumn sunlight, the rich colours of the leaves and the movement of time as it moves through to the winter. A time to start reflecting on the year and letting go of what has been so you can grow in newer ways.
Shooting with film is in essence a slowing of time and appreciating that which is around you. Autumn is a perfect time to shoot and of course choosing the perfect film to go with it too. None is better than Kodak Ektar 100 whose vibrant colours capture the best of this time of year. The emulsion captures the colours in their full glory from the blues of the skies to the yellows on the leaves. Be in no doubt that you will capture some wonderfully crisp images.
Combined with the square format on the Yashica Mat 124G I had a play with this exploring a little garden in Hampstead, England. On reflection this was an appropriate choice to shoot with this film and now I can see why film photographers talk about shooting this film in landscapes. It clearly captures the colours and tones with razor sharpness. The images come out super saturated and you may be left wondering how when its not even slide film!
Just a side step word of caution here. If it is your first time shooting with any film camera be prepared for things to go wrong. When shooting for the first time with this Yashica I accidentally pressed the shutter too early or hadn’t quite adjusted the frame correctly. You may want to spend a little more time than I did and get to know your camera. This is especially more important when you may have bought this online and it may have had many owners before who perhaps didn't quite look after it in the same way you may do.
Being an ISO 100 film, I would advise using a light meter when you go to shoot with this film. Regardless of whether you are shooting with 35mm or 120mm you will want to make sure that you have the best of each frame. The tonality of the images will blow you away and you may regret shooting without a solid light meter such as the Sekonic L35.
Perhaps one of the downside to this stock is that it has a narrow exposure latitude which means that you will need lots of light to be able to capture the images to its best on this film. I am yet to try using this film in a studio however you may find this a fun experiment if you have a good grasp of lighting your subject evenly. On some of the images I have taken here you can see that it does struggle with shadows on occasions. That said, one shoot is not a tangible metric to judge any film stock by!
If I were only to give you one piece of advice it would be: shoot it in lots of light. You may want to experiment with this film in different conditions before you settle working on a project with it. Remember that if you are struggling for ideas, pick a roll whether it is Ektar or any other film stock and get out and shoot without thought to see what you gravitate towards and capture. Then double down and keep at it, the rest will figure itself out.
Have you seen the pictures on a Hasselblad Xpan? The landscape format is ridiculous. It's amazing. Have you seen the price? It's nuts! It’ll cost you more than £4k online and no, I haven’t got that kind of money. So I thought to myself, how am I gonna get that sort of look on a budget?
I came across 35mm to 120mm adapters which you pop into any medium format camera. You can grab some from Analogue Wonderland. I decided to go out with my Ikon Zeiss Nettar with some Kodak Gold and had a play. Check out the results in the video here.
Not sure how the large orange halation came about in the centre of the negative. I think it's to do with the lens and maybe perhaps there's too much exposure in the centre, than on the sides of the film. I'm not sure how to reduce that effect.
I think it looks cool, but it'd be interesting to see how it looks without it. I've tried in post to reduce it down and so forth, but not much luck. If you know how to get rid of that effect, let me know in the comments below. I'd love to hear from you because I think if I can solve this, then there will be some absolutely amazing pictures that you can take on 35mm
As you can see from some of the images that I've taken with this the first time, there's been occasional areas where there's been a double exposure or the reel's not been moved along fully. I was moving this dial about one and a half turns, stroke two turns each time, to see what I could get. Clearly a very subjective way of trying to figure out how far the film had moved along the back. Next time, I'm going to do a little bit more experimentation, figure out this dial. Once I've got that nailed, I think there's some real potential, some wonderful shots with this.
Some of the images have been cut off from below, and I think that's to do with the fact that I was looking through the visor here, and forgetting that it's got a medium format backing.
Next time, by lowering my perspective a little bit from where I am so as to not shoot from eye length and a bit more from the hip will probably be about the right sweet spot. Perhaps to get around it, would be to get a film strip and stick it on the back of your camera here. This allows for some visualisation . Again, it is shooting by trial and error, but once you've done it a few times, I think, again, the potential is looking good.
Thank you to Analogue Wonderland for actually making and producing these things. Definitely, if you've got a medium format camera, throw in some 35 millimetre in, and you'll see what kind of images you can get.
I think, if you love photography, you're always exploring new ways of shooting and trying to figure out how you can create something different and unique. These 35mm to 120 adapters will help you to do that, and you can tuck them into any medium format camera that you've got at home.
Does it match up to Hasselblad Xpan? I think it's a work in progress. If I can nail the centre part of the frame, get rid of that halation that exists there, then I think, yes. It's a really cheap landscape alternative, but at the same time, I think having that halation, there actually creates a very different dynamic to it, which is a lot of fun.
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I will be using my Fuji GSW690iii 6x9 medium format camera in this video.
This camera is also known Texas Leica. It is big camera, you will see as I walk along this beautiful riverside on this overcast this afternoon.
On occasions there is a break in the cloud as the blue sky seeps through. I wonder if this would have an affect on the Fuji Pro400H.
This colour film stock which has sadly been discontinued will give l about eight shots on a 6x9 frame.
The first few shots were take of these lovely swans down, and then I swung around, and took another shot looking in the opposite direction.
I ran out of shot pretty quickly so I rolled up another roll of Fuji Pro 400H into this camera, looking forward to seeing what else I would capture next.
Fuji medium format film comes with a little sticker, so you just lift this part up, and then just swing it around the other side you’ll be able to quickly seal your film once exposed. I think they use a little bit less glue than the other film-producing companies and works a treat without you have to lick it seal the film.
With the film safe keeping for later, I loaded up the second roll. You’ll see the direction in which film needs to be rolled on the Fuji GSW690iii. Release the pins on either side and then load up your film. Carefully drag the film across until the arrow and close the film back. Always take your rubbish home with you wherever you are.
I hope you have enjoyed watching the video and seeing the images you can create even in less than perfect situations.
The more you shoot, the better you'll get over time. I encourage you to get yourself a film camera if you don't already have one.
If you're still on the ropes about getting one of these Fuji GSW3s, I strongly recommend it. The negative size, it's absolutely enormous. And you'll get a lot, a lot of fun out of it as well.
These cameras both use the 6x6 picture format on Medium Format film. The Zeiss Ikon Nettar being the older more rustic version in comparison with the Yashica Mat 124G.
You can have a look at some of my previous videos on the Zeiss Ikon Nettar here.
It was time to test out both cameras under the same conditions using the same film (Ilford Delta 400) and settings throughout. This way I could see how they would perform and what differences potentially could pop up.
Taking a leaf from the Thoreau and his wandering walks in the wild I decided to take a walk of my own in the urban jungle. The walk started on a bright sunny but cold and windy Spring day. I saw these newly painted houses and thought that would be a good place to start.
Surprisingly switching between both cameras was quite seamless. Having the Yashica Mat 124G around my neck and the Zeiss Ikon Nettar tucked away in my jacket pocket. I found taking the folding camera out easy to quick take out of my pocket and snap the shot in frame.
Each time I tried to align it as closely to where the lens from the Yashica was pointing and snap it from that perspective. You can see from the first shot the tones have come out darker in the Yashica on the car and trees. This was to become a consistent theme throughout all the images.
I carried on along and found a side entrance to some apartments which I wandered down to see if there was a route to the other side through. After a short walk through some pastel pink coloured buildings (which I was very much tempted to snap but then thought I don’t have Portra 800 loaded!) I came to a dead-end. I turned back and looked up to see this staircase winding down the side of the building with just the right amount of light on it. While I did my best to shorten the interchange time between cameras, the light had changed slightly after snapping first on the Yashica Mat 124G. The tones have come out a bit darker on the Zeiss Ikon Nettar probably due to the reduction of light on the frame. On a side note, I did find framing and shooting the shot upwards a little tricky and fiddly.
I double-backed on myself and got back to the street where I started from and carried on, turning left and find this row of Victorian Houses. I do like a chequered entrance and with a bike in frame it was a winning combination. The images are almost identical here in tonality, although I slightly prefer the framing on the Zeiss Ikon Nettar.
Coming to the end of the road, I had a decision to make, whether to carryon walking straight or turn left. The decision was made by the graffiti on the wall on the left hand side. Be Happy! The clouds were starting to draw over and the light was intermittent and variable. The framing on the Yashica 124G has come out better probably because of the viewfinder which allows for a more intuitive framing experience. The Zeiss Ikon Nettar has a little square viewfinder which is not entirely accurate in giving you a realistic view of what the image will turn out to be.
The low-ish walled bridge was just about reachable to place my camera on top and capture a few snaps of the railway lines. Initially, I had thought about taking the images of the train tracks but then saw these trains coming along and decided to shoot those in frame. Next time, I’ll stick with the railway lines!
London ‘Mews’ streets are just the best to shoot. More recently, I have seen a trend in these little side streets being blocked off to the public which is quite sad. Capturing the vanishing point of this street on the square 6x6 format was a bit tricky. It would be interesting to see how a 6x9 format would fare here.
The architecture was starting to change as I crossed the main road. Moving away from terraced Victorian homes to more detached villa style homes. Notable persons of historical interest even resided in these homes from almost over a century ago.
As you can see from the image comparison, both cameras came out with near identical shots. The only real difference between the two being with the Zeiss Ikon Nettar shots coming out lighter and less constrasty on the blacks.
Word has it that Nietzsche used to walk up to 8 hours a day with a paper and pen. Where do you think all the notebooks went? We can sort of hazard a guess to what he may have been ruminating about…When’s the last time you got up for a spontaneous walk in the park?
When word had got to me about the Fuji Pro 400H being discontinued I was quite upset however alas Analogue Wonderland came to the rescue with a new batch of Fuji NS 160. With little hesitation I order my first few rolls and waited for the right time to explore this new film!
My first thoughts were; a) how different this film stock would be compared to the Fuji Pro 400H? and b) how it would compare to Kodak Portra 160? But that aside I decided to go for a first walk with this as is see what it could do!
The sun was so strong and bright as I walked in to the park with my Yashica Mat 124G and my roll of 120film. I sat down opposite the cafe area and started loading up the roll with the sun warming my back. I didn’t have to work too hard for the first shot as this man came and sat down opposite me. I popped opened the viewfinder and framed up the first snap.
The great thing about my Yashica is it’s onboard lightmeter. Simply dial in your ISO and the light meter correctly adjusts for the conditions. Now, this may not always be the case for old film photography equipment but with good care, or perhaps a service you can recondition these wonderful cameras and get going on your analog photography journey!
The thing about Fuji Pro 400H is its ability to really make colours come out strong in every frame. Choosing a good location therefore is super important so that you can maximise the real estate on each picture you take. Of course, I didn’t know how the Fuji NS 160 would compare but I hazard a guess that the colour rendition would be up there.
Bearing in mind the film stock I would strongly recommend shooting with it where you have strong colours available. Perhaps you may be using this film for shooting portraits, in which case it will be perform exceptionally well with people of different tonalities. (I have yet to try it with Fuji NS 160 but looking forward to an opportunity as and when it may arise!)
The blue, green and brown settled well for the second image with the dog walker in the middle of the frame. The line of trees disappears in to the distance drawing you in to the image. Late mornings are great time to explore, there are not too many people about but just enough to create some interesting compositions! It would be interesting to see how the film would fare in late summer afternoon settings too!
I waited for the morning walkers to cut across the deep green grass and large blue sky before taking the third image. This was more a ‘scientific’ shot, getting an image with large swathes of two colours and how they would perform.
As I was walking along, so many opportunities to take candid street style shots appeared. I initially framed this image to take of the person sitting on the bench as they walked in front on me with their yellow jacket. However the the shadow created by the light hitting the tree felt like the tributaries of a river on the floor and I just couldn’t resist but take that image.
Crossing over back in to the other side of the park over the railway line I saw the light falling down and thought this could make a rustic image. I think someone framed within it would look even better but probably would need a reflector or secondary light for the subject.
Loved this disused train station, got me working thinking about how train stations were used when they first came in to existence. No platforms, I wonder how safe it was just to board straight from the rail itself?
Overall, really pleased with how these images came out. I definitely I am looking forward to exploring this film stock more in different conditions. Certainly would be good to see how it fares under different light conditions, landscapes and portraits too!
Common photographic thinking tells us that we should use the right camera for the right job. So what do you do when you are bored out your mind and are in the middle of a pandemic?
It is a question that many of us have thought about in the wake of being limited by geography. The pandemic has hit us all in very different ways, generally for photographers specialising in the landscape or portrait photography beyond their immediate realm or home.
In a moment of absolute genius or sheer desperation, I thought why not experiment using the Texas Leica, officially known as the Fuji GSWiii to shoot some flowers indoors. For the measure, throw in some recently discontinued Fuji Pro400H. What could possibly go wrong?
It is impossible to know how the images would eventually come out and that’s the beauty of medium format film photography in itself. There’s no cheeky look at the view screen, no immediate feedback, so you can carry on in your own merry way. Having said that, there are many ways to mitigate any disastrous consequences; using a light meter and carefully composing the shot are just to name a few.
Eight minutes and eight frames later the shoot was done. So fast, you exclaim! No, alas the development would take many more weeks before I finally got to see the beautiful 6x9 negatives in their full glory.
In my excitement to get going, I initially put the roll on the wrong spool before realising the errors of my ways. On a side note, the little spool release buttons are great. Makes the whole job of putting the 120 rolls in a breeze.
The first shot, out of focus and misaligned. I immediately realised my mistake and measured the distance between the subject and the camera, changed the settings on the lens, reframed and shot again.
A little better for the second shot although the flowers laying across the table have been cut off. The viewfinder in the Fuji GSWiii is helpful but in my short time of using it can be a bit off. Always frame your image and then take a step back just to make sure your getting everything you want inside the frame.
The tulips came out quite well, the colours in particular came out strong. I was pleased with the next few shots. Although the idea of shooting the flowers from below the table and mirror, is something I probably will not be doing again any time soon.
The very last image was taken on a larger table and is my favourite image out of this set. The colours are all well balanced and the framing is just right for me.
What did you think of the selfie?
We all love the cinema; the films, the emotion, the story. Trying to recreate that cinematic feel has been made easier by the crowd funded CineStill brand which removes the remjet layer from the original Kodak films for the film photography enthusiast to have fun with!
I am a big fan of futuristic type films such as Blade Runner but what drew me in more was the rendition of colours and light. I always wondered how the filmmakers were able to achieve such depth and unbeknownst to me it was this special cinematic film that was being used.
It was an absolutely delight when I heard that this film was available to shoot with and after making several calls to photography specialists around the UK, I landed my first few rolls that had literally just arrived at the wonderful Analogue Wonderland (www.analoguewonderland.co.uk) Their friendly service dispatched the films that very day and I was so excited start shooting with this film as soon as possible!
I decided to find an evening to shoot this roll in Central London, where I could find bright lights in to the late evening. For this walk, I took my Bronica Zenza ETRS medium format camera. Fifteen shots of high density cinematic film were about to be shot!
Wandering the streets, I took my time framing each shot, trying to capture scenes which afforded plenty of night light. This being a test roll, I wanted to see how these images would fair under relatively bright night conditions.
It wasn’t until many weeks later that I would find out from my developer that there was something seriously wrong with the images. Ricardo had seemed really worried when I initially spoke with him about the issue but he had taken the time to research the issue and postulated that the Remjet layer had not been fully removed properly. As such, when developed, it created this large orange haze across the whole image. Later, Magda emailed me some links to forums where this was being discussed in much detail. Turns out there was a whole batch of this film which CineStill was now recalling. I called up, Analogue Wonderland and as usual they took care of everything with ease.
Perhaps surprisingly, I am quite pleased with how the images have come out. The tungsten lighting has been amplified in deeper red/orange colours and in contrast with the black in the images, it gives a really apocalyptic feel to the set. Brighter white lights gave a bright yellow feel (the Waffle Cones image!) and it would have been interesting to see how other similar scenes may have come out too! My favourite image is right at the end of the selection, walking towards the West End theatres. The large lit billboards, street lamps and taxi headlights with the red sky and floor give a real feel the pandemic times we are all going through today.
What is the Remjet layer?
This is a black layer made from a coating of black particles that is found on motion picture Cine film.
What is its purpose?
The Remjet layer protects the film from static and halation of lights and is most commonly used on Kodak films.
What needs to be done in development?
The black layer must be carefully removed during the development process. If it is not properly removed it can lead to the images coming out with a dull orange complexion as you can see from the video.
How can I save time and money in development of motion picture film?
The easy answer is to use CineStill 800T. Their film removes the Remjet layer for you so you can process it with ease in C41 chemistry.
However, there are some downsides to pre-removal of the Remjet layer. It will lead to your images coming out with halation of any lights in low light conditions. If a subject and location is chosen appropriately the images have a great potential to the viewers delight!
Another advantage of using CineStill 800T is you can use develop this film from the comfort of your own home using C41 chemistry, or simply take it to your local developer!
No thank you, I want to use the original motion picture film! Where can I get that?
You can get Kodak Vision 3 200T and 500T Colour Negative Film from specialist film stockists. A simple search online will point you to a wide range of stockists closest to you.
The drive down was long but enjoyable one. The weather continued to improve and made the drive through little English roads just that more navigable. On occasions, a view presented itself which merited a quick stop, review and then continuing on the winding journey to the coast.
I was a little hesitant at first to dive into the world of 6x9 film cameras due to the over inflated pricing of the cameras! The Zeiss Ikon Nettar 6x9 camera which is little heard of but is a bargain film camera for the size of the negative it produces. The final versions of these cameras came out in the early 1950s so it is a testament to the quality and simplicity of the build of the camera which has seen them survive so long.
The light kept piercing through the clouds occasionally as the fresh sea breeze drifted through the car window. I was beginning to wonder if it would be easy to find a parking spot close enough to the beach. Driving along the coast eventually brought some luck, followed by the slightest of scrambles up the shingle ridge and I was ready to snap away!
One of the main reasons to shoot on this format is because it gives the same aspect ratio as a 35mm so it’s natural to step up to this medium format for the significantly larger negative it offers. For those looking for more detail on the image, this would be a worthy step up. I suspect that professional photographers probably did use this for their higher clientele work and went through many, many rolls. I’m not sure if that would be practical in today’s world!
I placed my camera bag down on the shingle beach and took a look around. Lucas had already skittled off on an adventure looking for the right angle and shot. I sat for a bit just observing the waves coming and washing ashore, it was just nice to soak in the crisp fresh air.
Rustling through my bag looking for the films which I had brought along, I pulled out a few rolls of 120 film. Always tricky making a decision, sometimes having less is more. I realised at some point I would have to try out the Zeiss Ikon Nettar and now was as good a time as ever. Black and White film can be more forgiving so I loaded up a roll of Kodak TMax 400 in the bitterly cold wind. With one foot on the film wrapper, I closed the back of the case and scrolled the film through. I looked up and then went for a walk.
One of the first times I shot with the Bronica Zenza ETRS was at a portrait photography workshop I was running in London.
I had a bunch of wonderful photographers who came out and got some amazing pictures on the day. After a little bit of hesitation whether to take my Bronica Zenza ETRS with me, I was so glad I took the chance!
The Bronica Zenza captures more medium format negatives, up to 15 images per roll, on 6 by 4.5. I was hesitant to shoot with the camera due to the pressures of leading a group and getting some quick shots in between.
The shots came out so good! I rolled up some Kodak TMax 400 and the grain and the quality that came out was absolutely stunning. I loved every shot I got on it!
A little background on the Kodak Tri X. It first appeared in the 1940s before being upgraded to TriX in 1954 available in 320ISO and 400 ISO. It was probably the go to film for photojournalists and could be pushed with ease to 800 ISO, pushing it any further would require a little more delicate work in the lab.
We walked to different locations, assessed the options work collaboratively to capture some fun shots in each location. The workshop started quite late in the summer afternoon and we started to lose the light. I was quite concerned about shooting with ISO 400 film knowing the variability in summer light we get in England. Top tip: In these circumstances, its best to find locations where you can maximise your light output!
Working the camera is quite a lot of fun, as well as, getting you to think more about the images you take. The waist level viewfinder encourages you to move and create new angles and shapes before you take the shot. Choosing Kodak TX was probably the best decision I made on the day. The images came out with so much character. The clarity of the images came out superb along with just the right amount of grain to go with it.
When I get a chance to get out and shoot a similar style shoot again there are some things, I will take into account more carefully. Here in the UK, we typically have to really make the most of the lighting conditions. The best thing to do is try and get an update on the weather and then base your decision on where to shoot thereafter.
If it is your first time shooting with an analogue camera, then be prepared to factor in a bit more time. The other thing to think carefully about is the type of film you will be using. Be mindful of the potential conditions you will be in as you want the film that will best perform under those conditions. Most importantly, think about what you want to communicate with your camera audience. That will probably be the most important factor in choosing your film, so choose wisely!
Learn how to load film on a Zeiss Ikon Nettar Medium Format Camera
Read MoreA simple introduction to the Zeiss Ikon Nettar, Medium Format, 6x6 camera.
Read MoreWhatever you may have heard, shooting film is generally quite an expensive venture. So why not try and find a way to make it just a little more affordable than usual? With that in mind, I went off searching for expired film. I had for a while wanted to shoot on Velvia Fujichrome 50 but I hadn’t really set an intention of specifically looking for this film when I went about researching. After googling expired film online and then venturing through eBay, I looked through quite a lot of different rolls available online. At the time, I knew I wanted to shoot Medium Format so at least that narrowed the search down to 120 film roll.
eBay became the main source of expired film researching. In a way, it is pretty lazy but made logical sense with the ease of the search process. Anyway, I narrowed the search focus to £10 and this helped to filter the results. Lots of different rolls available from Black and White to Colour Reversal films. Film stocks which were recently expired were generally the most expensive. As a rule of thumb, as the age of film increases the cost of film decreases. However, the bidding process online I feel adds an inflated price to the film stock which is based more on desire than in actual practical value of what is being bid for.
Velvia Fujichrome 50 is a well-respected and well sought after film. If you’re serious about your photography at some point you have purchased this film for your own use. After much research about this film stock on online forums and discussions with fellow film photographers I was quite excited when I first came across this batch of expired roll from 1998/99. The images showed generally well looked after boxes of the film and whilst I didn’t know how well they had been stored (Refrigerated film is the most sought after!) it fit my price point for £10 so I threw it in the virtual basket and parted ways with some sterling electronically.
I wanted to explore something away from the city so chose a seascape location that I had never been to before. Eastbourne looked like a good shout and had some variety which would fit in nicely with some film photography. Every journey is made more enjoyable with some company, so Lucas joined along for the drive down. I packed up my cameras and asked Lucas to bring along his Yashica Mat 124G which he had been raving about for a while now. He had been given this camera from a friend of his he found it lying around and thought Lucas would probably make better use of it. I figured why not? Just see what happens with the Velvia?
Traffic was quite heavy on the way in and admittedly I had not really planned out a route to a specific point. A bit of fly-driving led us to some fortuitous free parking near the beach. The weather however was holding up and plenty of good light with some cloud. We headed out and dumped our gear on to the beach. After scoping out the options we metered up and then Lucas pulled out the Yashica Mat 124G. The wind was picking up so with his back to it, he briskly loaded up the film in the cold breeze.
The Yashica had been through a lot. It reminded me of when I took my Nikon for a service a few years back and the delight to which the shop keeper had for seeing such a worn camera. The camera’s scratches are just a testament to the quality of the product but also that it was used for a purpose. It wasn’t just a keepsake. I dialled in the ISO settings and adjusted the shutter speed in line with the on-board light meter - it was working just about right when matched with my handheld light meter.
The TLR format gives you a totally unique experience. Adjusting to the waist level finder is fun along with everything flipped the other way! At first you have to adjust and get used to the setup. It can be quite easy for you to walk around with the camera like a duck with its head stuck in the sand - but with a view! Be careful, if it’s your first time walking around with one, you can easily lose awareness of what is around you.
Seeing things from a new perspective got me moving and interacting with my surroundings in different ways. It almost feels like you are more connected to your frame and along with the limit of 12 shots on the roll you take much longer and think more carefully about the shot you are about to take. If you don’t own a TLR but would like to get an idea of partially what it’s like you could hold your phone or SLR at waist level and click away (mind you that would not be the same experience in many ways!).
Given the age of the Yashica, I wasn’t surprised to find there were some issues with shutter. A few times I was left thinking whether the shutter was still stuck inside and whether I had overexposed the shot or not? Other times it worked just fine. Seeing that I have some spare roll, I’ll need to give those a whirl to see if my hypothesis is correct! That’s for another time, however. I didn’t venture too far with the camera; time was limited as it was late afternoon. I focused on getting some street style snaps of people walking by and then took a few of the buildings along the walkway before turning back towards the ocean to finish off the roll.
All in all, it was a fun experience, I’m quite pleased with the outcome, even though it was just 3 shots. The shots themselves had lost their colour rendition but a little tweak in Adobe Lightroom into Black and White really made the images grainy and textured. The images communicated of a time gone by and I really loved what I got!
