Tag: Film Photography

Isolation Photo Project, Day 80: Pentax ES II and a damaged roll of Kodak Color Plus 200

NOTE: I'll begin this experience report with a brief disclaimer. It's been less than two years 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.

I shot a 36 exposure roll of Kodak Color Plus 200 at the end of May which was developed and scanned by The Darkroom on 2 June 2020. The scanned images have defects which are my fault. Why?

After shooting the film roll, I stuffed it into my pants pocket and forgot about it. That was until my wife came upstairs. She had heard something banging around in the dryer. It was the film canister from my pants pocket.

With the exception of the damage due to “washing”, I like the look of these scanned images. I deleted most of the images. The ones shown here are the "keepers". I am abusing the meaning of that word.

Once my Asahi Optical Co. Pentax ES II returns from being cleaned, lubricated and adjusted by Eric Hendrickson, I will try another roll of Kodak Color Plus 200. But next time, I'll skip the washing machine and dryer.

This roll was exposed during a hike on the Aunt Molly trail in Hopewell Township.

Kodak Color Plus 200 | Tuesday 2 June, 2020 | Day 72 | Asahi Pentax ES II | Asahi Optical Co. Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 28mm f/3.5
Kodak Color Plus 200 | Tuesday 2 June, 2020 | Day 72 | Asahi Pentax ES II | Asahi Optical Co. Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 28mm f/3.5
Kodak Color Plus 200 | Tuesday 2 June, 2020 | Day 72 | Asahi Pentax ES II | Asahi Optical Co. Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 28mm f/3.5
Kodak Color Plus 200 | Tuesday 2 June, 2020 | Day 72 | Asahi Pentax ES II | Asahi Optical Co. Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 28mm f/3.5
Kodak Color Plus 200 | Tuesday 2 June, 2020 | Day 72 | Asahi Pentax ES II | Asahi Optical Co. Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 28mm f/3.5
Kodak Color Plus 200 | Tuesday 2 June, 2020 | Day 72 | Asahi Pentax ES II | Asahi Optical Co. Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 28mm f/3.5
Kodak Color Plus 200 | Tuesday 2 June, 2020 | Day 72 | Asahi Pentax ES II | Asahi Optical Co. Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 28mm f/3.5
Kodak Color Plus 200 | Tuesday 2 June, 2020 | Day 72 | Asahi Pentax ES II | Asahi Optical Co. Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 28mm f/3.5
Submitted as part of the 100DaysToOffload project.

Isolation Photo Project, Day 66

A few weeks ago, I exposed a roll of RetroChrome 400 35mm film with my Pentax Spotmatic II at the Delaware & Raritan Canal State Park.

NOTE: I'll begin this experience report with a brief disclaimer. It's been less than two years since I returned to shooting 35mm film after switching to digital photography over 20 years ago. I've inundated myself with as much 35mm film education as possible 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 relatively novice point of view.

A few weeks back, I went on a photography adventure with my Asahi Optical Co. Pentax Spotmatic II and the SMC Takumar 55mm f/2 lens, armed with a roll of Film Photography Project RetroChrome 400 35mm Colour Reversal Film. I couldn't contain my excitement, snapping away all 35 frames in a few hours. Finding the right shutter speed and aperture settings to centre the metering needle was challenging, and it forced me to explore the Pentax ES II setting. Most of my frames were born along the Delaware & Raritan Canal State Park, near the iconic Kingston Mill House—my frequent muse. Out of the lot, I cherry-picked the top ten images to share.

My canvas was the scenic Delaware & Raritan Canal State Park Trail, near the Kingston Lock and the picturesque Kingston Grist Mill. It felt like the perfect stage to test my 35mm film skills.

Kingston Locktender's House
Kingston Locktender's House · Friday 8 May 2020 · Asahi Pentax Spotmatic SPII · SMC Takumar 55mm f/2
Kingston Locktender's House
Kingston Locktender's House · Friday 8 May 2020 · Asahi Pentax Spotmatic SPII · SMC Takumar 55mm f/2
Kingston Lock
Kingston Lock · Friday 8 May 2020 · Asahi Pentax Spotmatic SPII · SMC Takumar 55mm f/2

According to the Darkroom website's description, RetroChrome is a special 35m film originally designed for industrial and governmental purposes. Kodak sold it as a colour reversal camera film tailored for daylight photography, with applications ranging from news and sports to industrial shots. This expired 35mm film has been in cold storage since 2004, and despite its age, it was expected to perform well at its intended box speed of 400 ISO.

When I received an email from Darkroom, I expected it would say that the cartridge was blank. However, the email brought a pleasant surprise—a notification from Darkroom that my FPP RetroChrome 400 Colour Slide Film was successful with the E-6 development process. The Darkroom's NORITSU KOKI EZ Controller had worked its magic. The email said that the negatives were now scanned and ready for download. I had opted for the high-resolution Super Scans producing JPEG images at 4492×6774 pixels.

Kingston Grist Mill
Kingston Grist Mill · Friday 8 May 2020 · Asahi Pentax Spotmatic SPII · SMC Takumar 55mm f/2
Kingston Grist Mill
Kingston Grist Mill · Friday 8 May 2020 · Asahi Pentax Spotmatic SPII · SMC Takumar 55mm f/2
Kingston Grist Mill
Kingston Grist Mill · Friday 8 May 2020 · Asahi Pentax Spotmatic SPII · SMC Takumar 55mm f/2
Kingston Grist Mill
Kingston Grist Mill · Friday 8 May 2020 · Asahi Pentax Spotmatic SPII · SMC Takumar 55mm f/2

I added EXIF data to my images using Exif Editor.

While I had a fair idea of how the scanned negatives would turn out, thanks to samples on the Film Photography Project website and Flickr, I knew mastering exposure with my Spotmatic II required finesse.

As for the film's signature grain and colour cast, it delivered as expected. Some frames did lean towards slight overexposure, but a little tweak in Adobe Lightroom added that missing pop. Still, the grain remains noticeable. While I like the shots of Kingston Mill House and Lochtender's house, I admit that the greenery didn't excite me.

Would I go on another RetroChrome 400 adventure? Absolutely, but next time, I'd enlist the aid of my Pentax ES II or Pentax P3 for automatic metering and aperture priority. Scenes featuring vintage diners and 1970s cars parked against downtown backdrops could make for captivating subjects.

Millstone River
Millstone River · Friday 8 May 2020 · Asahi Pentax Spotmatic SPII · SMC Takumar 55mm f/2
Millstone River
Millstone River · Friday 8 May 2020 · Asahi Pentax Spotmatic SPII · SMC Takumar 55mm f/2

How about you? Have you ventured into the world of PP RetroChrome 400 Colour Slide Film? What's your take on the enchanting grain and hues it brings to life?

Submitted as part of the 100DaysToOffload project.

Ilford HP5 Plus 400 | Pentax Spotmatic SPII | SMC Takumar 55mm F:2

This roll of film is the second roll of Ilford HP5 Plus 400 that I developed with The Darkroom. This roll was shot on my Asahi Optical Co. Pentax Spotmatic II and Asahi Optical Co. SMC Takumar 55mm f/2 lens.

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

UPDATE 13 April 2020: Hamish Gill of 35mmc suggested I may have a faulty shutter. In March, I had the camera CLA'd (Clean, Lube and Adjust) by Eric Hendrickson. Soon, I'll shoot another roll of film to see the difference.

This film is the second roll of Ilford HP5 Plus 400 that I developed and scanned at The Darkroom Lab. This Ilford HP5 Plus 400 roll was shot on my Asahi Optical Co. Pentax Spotmatic II and Asahi Optical Co. SMC Takumar 55mm f/2 lens.

Using the Asahi Optical Co. Pentax Spotmatic II camera was more challenging than using the Pentax P3. The Pentax P3 has a shutter priority mode, and my unit has a working light meter. When I shot using the Pentax P3 camera, I set the shutter speed to 1/250s, and the camera adjusted the aperture as needed. However, while the Asahi Optical Co. Pentax Spotmatic II has a working light meter, the plastic to move the lever broke, and the rest of the camera settings must be set manually. I used the Sunny 16 technique to estimate the shutter speed on the Spotmatic II to expose each Ilford HP5 Plus 400 frame properly. The Sunny 16 technique is something I only learned about relatively recently. I practised a little at home, but this was my first time using it in the field.

I took the Spotmatic II and a cartridge of Ilford HP5 Plus 400 to the client’s office building at Old Slip, about a block from Wall Street in Manhattan, and exposed some frames during my lunch hour. I walked around Front Street, Gouverneur Lane, and South Street. The rain was light which made for a challenging walk. I was concerned about the camera getting wet, so I walked across South Street and under FDR Drive along the East River Esplanade. It's an area I explored with my Fujifilm X-T2 last year using an Ilford HP5 Plus 400 film recipe.

Photography is the simultaneous recognition, in a fraction of a second, of the significance of an event as well as of a precise organisation of forms which give that event its proper expression.Henri Cartier-Bresson

I expected all my frames to be severely under or overexposed. The shutter speed of the Asahi Optical Co. Pentax Spotmatic II is limited to 1/1000s, but fortunately, it was a rainy, overcast (and cold) day in Manhattan. The images are slightly over or underexposed, but I'm pleased with the results. I feel proud I had the skills to use this old camera, but I want a small, handheld light meter to make metering easier. Given the shutter speed limitation, I have purchased a roll of ADOX Scala 100 for use in brighter conditions.

The images were developed and scanned by The Darkroom.

South Street, Manhattan, New York City
11 February, 2020 · Gouverneur Lane, Manhattan, New York City · Asahi Optical Co. Pentax Spotmatic II · Asahi Optical Co. SMC Takumar 55mm f/2
South Street, Manhattan, New York City
11 February, 2020 · South Street, Manhattan, New York City · Asahi Optical Co. Pentax Spotmatic II · Asahi Optical Co. SMC Takumar 55mm f/2
South Street, Manhattan, New York City
11 February 2020 · East River Esplanade, South Street, Manhattan, New York City · Asahi Optical Co. Pentax Spotmatic II · Asahi Optical Co. SMC Takumar 55mm f/2
South Street, Manhattan, New York City
11 February 2020 · East River Esplanade, South Street, Manhattan, New York City · Asahi Optical Co. Pentax Spotmatic II · Asahi Optical Co. SMC Takumar 55mm f/2
South Street, Manhattan, New York City
11 February 2020 · East River Esplanade, South Street, Manhattan, New York City · Asahi Optical Co. Pentax Spotmatic II · Asahi Optical Co. SMC Takumar 55mm f/2
South Street, Manhattan, New York City
11 February, 2020 · Wall Street Ferry and Pier 11. South Street, Manhattan, New York City · Asahi Optical Co. Pentax Spotmatic II · Asahi Optical Co. SMC Takumar 55mm f/2
South Street, Manhattan, New York City
11 February 2020 · CitiBike and Slip B at Pier 11, South Street, Manhattan, New York City · Asahi Optical Co. Pentax Spotmatic II · Asahi Optical Co. SMC Takumar 55mm f/2
South Street, Manhattan, New York City
11 February 2020 · Bumper, East River Esplanade, South Street, Manhattan, New York City · Asahi Optical Co. Pentax Spotmatic II · Asahi Optical Co. SMC Takumar 55mm f/2
South Street, Manhattan, New York City
11 February, 2020 · NY Waterway Ferry, East River, New York City · Asahi Optical Co. Pentax Spotmatic II · Asahi Optical Co. SMC Takumar 55mm f/2
South Street, Manhattan, New York City
11 February 2020 · East River Esplanade, South Street, Manhattan, New York City · Asahi Optical Co. Pentax Spotmatic II · Asahi Optical Co. SMC Takumar 55mm f/2
South Street, Manhattan, New York City
11 February, 2020 · Looking up at FDR Drive. East River Esplanade, South Street, Manhattan, New York City · Asahi Optical Co. Pentax Spotmatic II · Asahi Optical Co. SMC Takumar 55mm f/2
South Street, Manhattan, New York City
11 February, 2020 · Have a wet seat. East River Esplanade, South Street, Manhattan, New York City · Asahi Optical Co. Pentax Spotmatic II · Asahi Optical Co. SMC Takumar 55mm f/2
South Street, Manhattan, New York City
11 February, 2020 · Strutting pigeon. East River Esplanade, South Street, Manhattan, New York City · Asahi Optical Co. Pentax Spotmatic II · Asahi Optical Co. SMC Takumar 55mm f/2
South Street, Manhattan, New York City
11 February, 2020 · Pigeon in flight. East River Esplanade, South Street, Manhattan, New York City · Asahi Optical Co. Pentax Spotmatic II · Asahi Optical Co. SMC Takumar 55mm f/2
South Street, Manhattan, New York City
11 February 2020 · East River Esplanade, South Street, Manhattan, New York City · Asahi Optical Co. Pentax Spotmatic II · Asahi Optical Co. SMC Takumar 55mm f/2
South Street, Manhattan, New York City
11 February, 2020 · Seagulls but not the seashore. East River Esplanade, South Street, Manhattan, New York City · Asahi Optical Co. Pentax Spotmatic II · Asahi Optical Co. SMC Takumar 55mm f/2