Memories of Dad

I woke up this morning thinking about Dad. I miss all those moments we spent listening to records.

The inner sleeve is on the couch. I sit and read the jacket. Dad cleans the record surface and stylus while the pre-amp and tube amp warm up. The polished vinyl gently drops onto the platter. The turntable spins. The tonearm and phono cartridge gracefully move into place. No words were spoken. It was time to listen.

Kodachrome 64 Memories

Early in my photography journey, shooting in 35mm B&W film was easier. I thought 35mm colour film was too distracting and did not have the pretension “art” look I was into at the time. But a few years later, I found myself experimenting with 35mm colour film including a lot of crap films. But I also tried out now famous 35mm films such as Kodachrome. I don't know if I ever exposed Kodachrome 25 or Kodachrome 200 but I found a set of slides of Kodachrome 64 among my things in the basement.

According to the B&H website which list this as Kodak KR 135-36 Kodachrome 64 Color Slide Film (ISO-64):

Kodachrome 64 is an extremely fine grain film demonstrating very high sharpness. It is an excellent choices for a wide variety of applications. The history and reputation of Kodachrome films is legendary. They possess a "look" that is hard to reproduce in more contemporary films.

Kodachrome 64 is a member of the "Select Series" of Kodak films. The Select Series offers serious snapshooters and photo enthusiasts the widest selection of high-performance films. Choose from Kodachrome or Kodak Elite Chrome films for slides, or Royal Gold films for prints.

The date on the box containing the slides is 26 July 1989. I scanned the slides with my Epson Perfection V600. Some of the exposure appears to be test shots take in the camera store. Looking at the images of the stores accross the street taken from inside the camera store, I see an address that apepars to be 7008 Third Avenue. I would love to find out what was at 7008 Third Avenye in New York City circa 1989. I do not remember why I chose to expose this roll at my cousin's wedding.

Type: 35mm color slide film
Speed: ISO 64
Applications: General photographic outdoor use
Process: Process K-14
Color Saturation: Produces rich, vibrant colors with a strong pallette
Grain: Fine
Sharpness: Very high
Exposure Latitude: Narrow

Cousins Tony and Colin Cozier | 26 July, 1989 | Pentax P3 | SMC Pentax-A 50mm f/2
Beverly and Karen | 26 July, 1989 | Pentax P3 | SMC Pentax-A 50mm f/2
David Jackson | 26 July, 1989 | Pentax P3 | SMC Pentax-A 50mm f/2
Grand Dad Edmund Williams and Samantha Williams | 26 July, 1989 | Pentax P3 | SMC Pentax-A 50mm f/2
Beverly | 26 July, 1989 | Pentax P3 | SMC Pentax-A 50mm f/2
David Jackson and Roseanne Pompey | 26 July, 1989 | Pentax P3 | SMC Pentax-A 50mm f/2

Rollei RPX 25

While I love slower 35mm film for the fine grain, I was disappointed with the results from Rollei RPX 25. I blame myself, not the film stock. I should have waited for a sunnier day and used a balance on my tripod. I have to correct the horizontal perspective for all of the images. And on a very sunny day, I may not even need a tripod.

NOTE: I'll begin this experience report with a brief disclaimer. It's been less than a year since I've returned to shooting 35mm film after switching to digital photography over 20 years ago. I've inundated myself in as much film education as I could find between web articles and advice from experienced film shooters. But, with my former experience way in the past and limited recent experience, this review is coming from a relative novice point of view.

Last December, on a cold (2ºC), overcast and damp day, I ventured into Princeton on a personal photo walk. I wanted to complete a roll of Rollei RPX 25 that had sat in my Minolta X-700 for several months. I explored the homes and other buildings along Witherspoon Street and Leigh Avenue. The sky was filled with grey clouds give me a "softbox" lumination. Exposing the ISO 25 film was a challenge given the lighting conditions, but fortunately, I had a tripod. I alternated using my Fuji X-T2 with the XF27mmF2.8 lens (~ 41mm FOV) and the X-700 with the Minolta MD-Rokkor-X 45mm F2 lens.

The images sat around in my Adobe Lightroom catalogue, and I rediscovered them today. I shot the roll at box speed. The roll was developed and scanned by an old school camera store New Jersey Camera and One Hour Photo. When I saw the display case full of 1970-1980s classic film cameras, I knew I had found something special. The only camera store in the area filled with more nostalgia is New York Camera in Princeton.

While I love slower 35mm film for the fine grain, I was disappointed with the results from Rollei RPX 25. I blame myself, not the film stock. I should have waited for a sunnier day and used a balance on my tripod. I have to correct the horizontal perspective for all of the images. And on a very sunny day, I may not even need a tripod.

Product Highlights

  • Type: Panchromatic B&W Negative Film
  • Base: Polyester (PE)
  • Film Speed: ASA-25, with a Latitude between ASA-12 and ASA-50
  • Formats Available: 35mm/120/4×5
Princeton Fire Department
Princeton Fire Department | December 2020 | Minolta X-700 | MD ROKKOR-X 45mm F2 | Rollei RPX 25
Conte's Pizza
Conte's Pizza | December 2020 | Minolta X-700 | MD ROKKOR-X 45mm F2 | Rollei RPX 25
Molisana Deli
Molisana Deli | December 2020 | Minolta X-700 | MD ROKKOR-X 45mm F2 | Rollei RPX 25
Molisana Deli
Molisana Deli | December 2020 | Minolta X-700 | MD ROKKOR-X 45mm F2 | Rollei RPX 25
Maria's Hair Salon
Maria's Hair Salon | December 2020 | Minolta X-700 | MD ROKKOR-X 45mm F2 | Rollei RPX 25
Lupita Groceries
Lupita Groceries | December 2020 | Minolta X-700 | MD ROKKOR-X 45mm F2 | Rollei RPX 25
La Mexicana
La Mexicana | December 2020 | Minolta X-700 | MD ROKKOR-X 45mm F2 | Rollei RPX 25
Chapin Guatemalan and Mexican Cuisine
Chapin Guatemalan and Mexican Cuisine | December 2020 | Minolta X-700 | MD ROKKOR-X 45mm F2 | Rollei RPX 25
Lawrence Shopping Center
Lawrence Shopping Center | December 2020 | Minolta X-700 | MD ROKKOR-X 45mm F2 | Rollei RPX 25
Lawrence Shopping Center
Lawrence Shopping Center | December 2020 | Minolta X-700 | MD ROKKOR-X 45mm F2 | Rollei RPX 25
Lawrence Shopping Center
Lawrence Shopping Center | December 2020 | Minolta X-700 | MD ROKKOR-X 45mm F2 | Rollei RPX 25
New Jersey Camera and One Hour Photo
New Jersey Camera and One Hour Photo | December 2020 | Minolta X-700 | MD ROKKOR-X 45mm F2 | Rollei RPX 25