Seen Better Days

The train car looks like it has become the favourite canvas for the spray paint of teenagers and drunken sods. There are layers and layers of paint that must be covering layers of rust.

When I saw the Lens-Artists Challenge #168 – Seen Better Days, I immediately thought of a set of photographs I captured several years ago for Frank Jansen's Tuesday Photo Challenge – Abandoned. Bhavna and I hiked through Herrontown Woods Arboretum, stopping to photograph the abandoned and dilapidated former home of mathematician Oswald Veblen and his wife.

That outing allowed me to use my relatively new Tokina AT-X 116 PRO DX-II 11-16mm F2.8 with my Nikon D5100. Near the house, on another part of the property, is an abandoned barn and a red shack. But where I had the most fun was photographing the inside of the dilapidated red shed.

For the Lens-Artists Challenge #168 – Seen Better Days, I did not want to rely on what I already had in the Lightroom Catalogues. I wanted to create some new photographs. I turned to Google and Google Maps, scouting out various abandoned properties around Mercer, Hunterdon and Somerset County.

I considered exploring an abandoned Trenton hospital called Mercer Hospital , but the YouTube videos of the surrounding neighbourhood made me uncomfortable about exploring the building alone. On the Abandoned website, I read about State Street Presbyterian Church, which I could not locate on Google Maps. But then I found a link to a website describing an abandoned rail car in Lambertville. The photographs on the website caught my interest, and the location was easy to find on Google.

I am unsure if ruinenlust is the appropriate word for my feelings, but Steve Newcomb describes it this way.

There is a group of people that find abandoned buildings fascinating. The Germans call it ruinenlust, and the people that document it are referred to as urban explorers. I have discovered that I am a proud part of that group. Whether left unaltered or filters are used to enhance the abandoned look and feel of the picture, the internet is full of these images.

I'm a weekend amateur photographer. With my work schedule, I don't often get time to use my camera until the weekend. With the change of the seasons and the change in the timing of dawn and dusk, the opportunities for daytime photography are even fewer. The sunrise is just before starting work, and it's almost dark when I push away from the keyword. The sole time I had to complete the project was Sunday, after the brewer's hour at Flounder Brewing.

abandoned freight car, lamberville, new jersey
Look · Sunday 10 October, 2021 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 37.6 mm · 115 sec at f/8.0 · ISO 160

I parked near the [Holcombe-Jimison Farmstead Museum]. Based on what I saw as I drove along River Road, this is another property that I would like to explore with my camera. Like the day before at the Central Jersey Beer Fest, the sky was overcast, a giant software. I felt a fine mist of rain falling, and I hoped I would have time to get some photos before the weather worsened.

The air had a musty smell to it. I noticed that some of the trees had tinges of yellow, but the wood lining the D&R Canal were still mostly green. As I walked along the trail that followed the overgrown train tracks, my mind drifted to thinking about trains.

abandoned freight car, lamberville, new jersey
bines on · Sunday 10 October, 2021 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 16 mm · 110 sec at f/8.0 · ISO 160

When Shaan and Kiran were toddlers, Bhavna and I often took rides on the New Hope Railroad. Shaan especially loved riding the train on the short trip from New Hope to Lahaska and back. A few years ago, Bhavna, Shaan, my friend Ed, and I took an autumn leaf excursion to Jim Thorpe on the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway on a steam train from Port Clinton, Pennsylvania.

Wooden railroads, called wagonways, were built in what would later become the United States starting in the 1720s. I am not a railroad historian, but from what I have read, railroads played an essential role in the development of the United States, from the industrial revolution in the northeast in the early 1800s to the settlement of the West in the late 1800s.

However, railroads declined with the advent of trucks and cars and the expansion of the US highway system. Many railways operated, taking tourists from New York City and Philadelphia to New Jersey's shore towns, including Asbury Park, Sea Side Heights, and Atlantic City. With the decline of the railways, many of these towns declined.

abandoned freight car, lamberville, new jersey
Look · Sunday 10 October, 2021 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 16 mm · 125 sec at f/8.0 · ISO 160

The rail lines connected workers in the smaller towns in the more westward counties of Morris, Mercer, Hunterdon and Somerset to more metropolitan cities such as Jersey City, Hoboken, Philadelphia and New York City. Some of these rail lines still operate as part of the New Jersey Transit System, which connects to Amtrak lines the go north to New York City and Boston and south into Philadelphia, Baltimore, and the District of Columbia.

The abandoned train car lies on the decaying tracks of the BR&W Railway, which was three miles of track in the Lambertville area that was part of the Belvidere Division before Conrail took over. BR&W was a freight and heritage railroad operating between Flemington, Lambertville and Ringoes in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. The railroad operated vintage steam and diesel-powered locomotives. Freight service to Lambertville ended in 1995, with tourist operations ceasing by 1998 when the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) prohibited operations due to poor track conditions.

The train car has become the favourite canvas for the spray paint of teenagers and drunken sods. Layers and layers of paint must cover layers of rust. The words Look and Bines, probably the tags of the spay painters, are found in several places on the car.

abandoned freight car, lamberville, new jersey
Lifers · Sunday 10 October, 2021 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 24.2 mm · 115 sec at f/8.0 · ISO 160

I wanted to look inside the side, so I climbed up on the makeshift steps. There was more "artwork" on the inside. I thought to bring the camera inside, but I noticed that the makeshift metal stairs were rusting away. Afraid it would collapse from my weight, I climbed down and explored outside the train car.

The fine mist of rain grew to a heavy drizzle which I could hear pattering on the leaves. It was time to go home.

[Holcombe-Jimison Farmstead Museum] http://www.holcombe-jimison.org/

Flounder Brewing hosted a brewer's hour with Head Brewer Doug Duschl Jr and Flounder Brewing’s President Jeremy "Flounder" Lees this morning. It was an intimate affair with about a few dozen people. Doug answered questions about his brewing process, and we sampled two beers on their tap list, Last Train To Munich and a special nitro beer, Post Digger Porter.

Head Brewer Doug Duschl Jr · Sunday 10 October, 2021 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 42.7 mm · 1125 sec at f/4.0 · ISO 5000
President Jeremy Lees · Sunday 10 October, 2021 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 55 mm · 1105 sec at f/4.0 · ISO 6400
Sunday 10 October, 2021 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 16 mm · 125 sec at f/9.0 · ISO 6400
Post Digger Porter - NITRO · Sunday 10 October, 2021 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 51.6 mm · 1125 sec at f/4.0 · ISO 3200
Last Train To Munich | Sunday 10 October, 2021 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 55 mm · 1125 sec at f/2.8 · ISO 2000

Saturday 9 October 2021

As we exited the Central Jersey Beer Fest in October 2019, Bhavna and I bought VIP tickets for the following year. Then COVID postponed the event to 2021. Bhavna decided to arrange a trip to Cape May with her sisters. Yeah, right!

I had two tickets, so my friend Ed and I went together. The air was cool and damp, but the event was dry except for a short five-minute drizzle. Well, not really. It's a beer fest. Ed and I had fun sampling the ales from all over New Jersey and eating way too many BBQ meats. Ed brought some chairs with built-in tables and found a spot under some pine trees to sit and eat.

Saturday 9 October, 2021 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF27mmF2.8 · 1125 sec at f/11 · ISO 400
Saturday 9 October, 2021 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF27mmF2.8 · 1300 sec at f/8.0 · ISO 320
Saturday 9 October, 2021 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF27mmF2.8 · 1240 sec at f/8.0 · ISO 320
Saturday 9 October, 2021 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF27mmF2.8 · 1125 sec at f/8.0 · ISO 640
Saturday 9 October, 2021 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF27mmF2.8 · 1500 sec at f/7.1 · ISO 320
Saturday 9 October, 2021 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF27mmF2.8 · 1170 sec at f/8.0 · ISO 320
Saturday 9 October, 2021 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF27mmF2.8 · 1125 sec at f/8.0 · ISO 400

Thursday, 7 October 2021

Some reading from early in the week.

Monomania Is Illiberal and Stupefying by Jonathan Haidt.

Individual monomania is rarely a social problem. One person who is obsessed with butterflies or with a particular celebrity, or who sees everything in sexual, economic, or religious terms, is just an eccentric, although sometimes a tiresome one. The monomaniac may suffer a constricted range of emotions and experiences, but she usually imposes no costs on others (although there are cases of celebrity stalkers and lone-wolf terrorists). It is collective or group monomanias that are more worrisome for liberal societies because they create many negative externalities: They cause large numbers of people to behave in ways that are harmful and unjust to others.

Thursday 7 October, 2021 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 55 mm · 160 sec at f/4.0 · ISO 160

Rollei RPX 25

Last December, on a cold (2ºC), overcast and damp day, I ventured into Princeton on a personal photo walk to complete a roll of Rollei RPX 25 that had sat in my Minolta X-700 for several months.

Monday, August 9 2021


I was not too fond of the results from the last (first) roll of Vision3 250D that I had developed and scanned last month. I figured either the scans were off, the roll was bad, or the light meter in the camera was off.. Amateur photographer Aron wrote a blog post about his experience with Vision3 250D. His results were better than mine. I left a comment about my experience. Anson suggested that I scan the negatives myself and compare the results.

Below are some of the scans from Old School Photo Lab to compare with the ones I scanned with my Epson Perfection V600 scanner. The scans I did with the Epson Perfection V600 scanner all have a black border. I overscanned on purpose to capture the entire negative frame. The images scanned by Old School Photo Lab do not have a black wall.

To my eyes, the images from Old School Photo Lab have a reddish cast. They look like images captured on a point-n-shoot from the early 2000s. The scans I did on the Epson Perfection V600 have a calm bluish tone. They may not be accurate to reality, but I find them more appealing, especially on skin tones. The skin on my dark-skinned sister-in-law looks horrendous in the scans from Old School Photo Lab.

Baby Ronith and Dad Jeremy | May 2021 | Minolta XD-11 | MD ROKKOR-X 45mm F2 | Kodak Vision3 250D
May 2021 | Minolta XD-11 | MD ROKKOR-X 45mm F2 | Kodak Vision3 250D
Source Farmhouse Brewing | May 2021 | Minolta XD-11 | MD ROKKOR-X 45mm F2 | Kodak Vision3 250D
May 2021 | Minolta XD-11 | MD ROKKOR-X 45mm F2 | Kodak Vision3 250D
May 2021 | Minolta XD-11 | MD ROKKOR-X 45mm F2 | Kodak Vision3 250D
May 2021 | Minolta XD-11 | MD ROKKOR-X 45mm F2 | Kodak Vision3 250D
Ronith and Nilima | May 2021 | Minolta XD-11 | MD ROKKOR-X 45mm F2 | Kodak Vision3 250D
May 2021 | Minolta XD-11 | MD ROKKOR-X 45mm F2 | Kodak Vision3 250D

This image was captured with my Fuji X-T2 for comparison.

Sunday 16 May, 2021 | FujiFilm X-T2 | XF27mmF2.8 | 1640 sec at f/5.6 | ISO 800
Red Doors | May 2021 | Minolta XD-11 | MD ROKKOR-X 45mm F2 | Kodak Vision3 250D
May 2021 | Minolta XD-11 | MD ROKKOR-X 45mm F2 | Kodak Vision3 250D

Wednesday, August 11, 2021

Tripped going out the door this afternoon. The Fuji went flying from my hand. My hands did that thing where it looked like I was juggling. Then the Fuji hit the top step and bounced onto the third step before hitting the bottom. The attached Minolta MD Rokkor-X 50mm f/1.7 is fine. The hinges around the rear LCD were bent. The body is scratched. The shutter still fires. The viewfinder does not display any images. When I adjust the shutter speeds dial, it moves, but the shutter speed is stuck at 1250 s.

I am sending it off for repair.

Sigh.

Wednesday 11 August, 2021 | FujiFilm X-T2 | XF27mmF2.8 | 1200 sec at f/2.8 | ISO 500

Dan James

A major lure of photography for me is that it allows me to wander through fields, woodlands and ancient churchyards, whilst barely seeing another soul.
...
The experience of hunting for compositions I find beautiful is a very personal, solitary, and perhaps near spiritual experience.
...
I don’t want anyone to disrupt that precious, almost meditative flow.
...
How about you? Do you prefer to photograph alone, with no-one else around? Are other people a central aspect of your enjoyment of making photographs? Or do you not mind either way?

Making friends and being with people with similar interests is good for mental health. Sharing an interest gives me something to talk about. When I used to find conversation difficult, doing an activity together makes hanging out easier. And because of our affinity for those activities, I found close friends with whom I can have a conversation just about life.

Sometimes I grab a camera and go out in the early morning to find “something”. Sometimes people will see me, and we have a brief conversation about what I’m doing. Sometimes, I learn about a previously unknown location that might be exciting to visit because of these chance encounters.

And sometimes, I want community, the company of my tribe. I want to be around other photographers en mass doing “whatever” for a few hours before heading back to an agreed-upon location to break bread together and share a pint. That’s why I love photowalks. I think that's why Beers & Cameras was created.

But some photo walks are too [large].

I am an introvert. I enjoy social activities in smaller doses than extroverts. So I choose my company carefully. I love conversations about passions (photograph, computers, hiking, beer). I treasure my relationships and prefer a close circle of friends. Most of my friends are on an intersecting Venn diagram of photography, beer, hiking and computer geekery. Photowalks with a tribe of photographers (by a tribe, I mean a dozen or so people) all walking around pointing cameras at things and then meeting up afterwards to break bread, drink a pint and squint at the back of an LCD screen or talk shop about a camera.

As for street photography, my interest in the genre was born of necessity. I had severe medical issues in 2018 and then 2019, and I travelled to Philadelphia every day for treatment. I spent a lot of time waiting outside medical centres for the valet to bring the car for my wife (I was not in a condition to drive). Why not photograph people while I wait? After a week of medical treatments, I knew that I wouldn't have the energy to go out with the camera. Why not make the best of it? I didn’t have a dislike of people (but sociopaths do). I was just afraid. Now I am no longer afraid.

Friday August 13, 2021

Photographer Mathieu Lamontagne-Cumiford writes in Casual Photophile about his love for his Minolta AF-C point-n-shoot film camera.

Now back to the reason I decided I needed to write all this up. The other day, while bicycling far from home, I swerved to dodge an oncoming family and my dear AF-C, hanging loyally from my belt, was savagely smacked by a bollard. Gripped with panic, I immediately pulled over to inspect the damage, fully expecting this to be the end of the camera. I would like to reassure the reader that my Minolta survived its mistreatment without issue, and continues to function with its usual excellence. What I realized in that instant, however, was that I really, truly love that little camera. I love to shoot with it and to carry it around. Having it with me and knowing that at anytime I can snap a shot I would be happy with means a great deal. I’ve learned to trust its circuits, and to allow them to do the mundane work of focusing and exposure.

And so I apologize. To not only my Minolta AF-C, but to all point-and-shoots. To all the daft little electronic cameras that will someday wear out and no longer function. To all the plastic bricks with their average lenses and sometimes mediocre construction. To all the battery sucking, borderline disposable light-tight boxes. To all the over-hyped and over valued compact film cameras of the world, I salute you. You have shown me the truth, that **the best camera in the world is the one I have with me**. That the greatest lens in the world is useless when tucked away safe in a backpack or at home on a shelf. That electronic wizardry can be good, and that letting go of control can help perfect one’s craft by removing the minute tasks that we already do well enough.

I agree. It's one of the main reasons why most people use a smartphone.


Rollei RPX 25

OTE: I'll begin this experience report with a brief disclaimer. It's been less than a year since I returned to shooting 35mm film after switching to digital photography over 20 years ago. I've inundated myself in as much 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.

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, giving me a "softbox" lumination. Given the lighting conditions, exposing the ISO 25 film was a challenge, 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. An old-school camera store developed and scanned the roll New Jersey Camera and One Hour Photo. I KNEW I HAD FOUND SOMETHING SPECIAL when I saw the display case full of 1970-1980s classic film cameras. 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

Lens-Artist Photo Challenge

This week's Lens-Artist Photo Challenge word is inspiration. I sat all week with this, trying to think about what images I would post. I'm unsure what inspires me to pull out the camera, frame a subject, adjust the camera setting, and push the shutter.

Since my camera is broken, I've been using my iPhone to capture images from the weekend. The best camera is the one you have with you, right? But none of those images are inspired. They're just snapshots. But then I have a bit of inspiration. Why not share some of my favourite iPhone images taken over the years?

Sometimes my inspiration comes when standing on a train platform watching the train rush by.

Whoosh! | Tuesday 22 October, 2019 | Apple iPhone | iPhone 11 Pro back camera 4.25mm f/1.8 | 0.5 sec at f/1.8 | ISO 32

Sometimes I am inspired when attending a model portrait class to put down the DSLR and try something different.

Model Portrait, Harlingen Studios, Belle Mead | Sunday 15 August, 2011 | Apple iPhone 4 | 3.85 mm | f/2.8 |

Sometimes, inspiration fills me when I am driving to work on an early fall morning.

Princeton Battlefield State Park in the Fog, Princeton | Wednesday 29 October, 2014 | Apple iPhone 6 | iPhone 6 back camera 4.15mm f/2.2 | 160 sec at f/2.2 | ISO 800

Or sometimes, I just want to be with nature.

The Rock Brook, Skillman, New Jersey
The Rock Brook, Skillman, New Jersey | Friday 19 June, 2015 | Apple iPhone 6 | iPhone 6 back camera 4.15mm f/2.2 | 15.0 sec at f/2.2 | ISO 40
Rodanthe Pier, Outer Banks | Thursday 3 September, 2015 | Apple iPhone 6 | iPhone 6 back camera 4.15mm f/2.2 | 60.0 sec at f/2.2 | ISO 32
Self Portrait, Carnegie Lake, Princeton | Thursday 5 November, 2015 | Apple iPhone 6 | iPhone 6 back camera 4.15mm f/2.2 | 60.0 sec at f/2.2 | ISO 32

Kodak Pro Image 100

This is my second time shooting Kodak Pro Image 100. I used Kodak Pro Image 100 last fall.

NOTE: I’ll begin this experience report with a brief disclaimer. It’s been less than three 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, since my prior experience with film is decades old, this review is from a rather novice point of view.

The photographs from the 36 exposure roll of Kodak Pro Image 100 that I exposed a few weeks ago during our visit to Brick Farm Tavern and East Broad Street have finally been developed and scanned. The Dark Room sent me a link earlier this week.

This is my second time shooting Kodak Pro Image 100. I used Kodak Pro Image 100 last fall, mostly while attending an outdoor beer garden hosted by Flounder Brewing Co. At that time, I was using the Minolta X-700. This roll was exposed using my Minolta XD-11 and Minolta MD Rokkor-X 45mm f/2 lens.

The Minolta XD-11 is a 35mm film SLR camera produced by Minolta in Japan from 1977 to 1984. The Minolta MD Rokkor-X 45mm f/2.8 was a popular lens among photographers who valued its excellent optical quality, compact size, and lightweight design. It was designed as a high-end camera, offering advanced features and excellent performance for serious photographers. The XD-11 has a solid, all-metal body that is durable and well-balanced. It features a bright viewfinder that shows the entire frame and provides a clear, accurate view of the scene. The viewfinder also displays the aperture, shutter speed settings, and a battery check indicator. The camera has a wide range of exposure control modes, including manual, aperture priority, shutter priority, and program modes. It also features a unique "aperture-preferred automatic" mode, allowing the photographer to set the aperture and let the camera automatically adjust the shutter speed for proper exposure.

The XD-11 has a fast and accurate through-the-lens (TTL) metering system that uses a silicon photodiode sensor to measure light. The metering system provides accurate exposure readings even in difficult lighting conditions, and it also features a centre-weighted averaging mode for more precise metering. Other features of the XD-11 include a self-timer, multiple exposure capability, and a depth-of-field preview button. It also has a metal focal plane shutter that can operate at speeds up to 1/1000th of a second. The Minolta XD-11’s compact size and rugged construction make it a popular choice for photographers who want a high-quality, easy-to-use and reliable SLR camera.

The Minolta MD Rokkor-X 45mm f/2.8 is a compact and lightweight lens produced by Minolta in the 1970s and 1980s. It is designed for Minolta manual focus SLR cameras such as the XD-11 and is known for its excellent optical quality and durability. The lens has a 45mm focal length, which provides a slightly wider field of view than a standard 50mm lens. It has a maximum aperture of f/2.8, considered fast enough for most lighting conditions, and a minimum aperture of f/22. The lens has a smooth and precise focusing ring, allowing easy and accurate focusing.

The lens's optical construction consists of five elements in four groups, which helps minimise distortion and produce sharp, contrasty images with good colour saturation. The lens also has multi-coated optics, which reduces lens flare and ghosting and improves overall image quality. The lens is compact and lightweight, making it easy to carry and use. The lens barrel is made of metal, which adds to its durability and longevity. The lens also has a built-in sliding lens hood, which helps to protect the lens from glare and damage.

I tried capturing the same images I exposed on my Fuji X-T2 that day. Swapping back and forth between the two cameras was challenging, so I enlisted Bhavna's help. I would hand her one camera, and she would return the other. This is one of the few times I have exposed an entire roll of 35mm film in one weekend. Out of a 36-exposure roll, I got back about 32 usable images. My only regret is that I didn't get better-quality scans or make some prints. I could send the negative back to The Dark Room to get prints or scan the negatives using my Epson Perfection V600 Photo Scanner.

Name Kodak Professional Pro Image 100
Type Colour (negative)
Native ISO 100
Format(s) 35mm
Lab The Darkroom
Process C-41
Saturday 3 July 2021 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2
Saturday 3 July 2021 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2
Hopewell Pharmacy · Saturday 3 July 2021 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2
Saturday 3 July 2021 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2
Saturday 3 July 2021 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2
Saturday 3 July 2021 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2
Saturday 3 July 2021 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2
Bhavna · Saturday 3 July 2021 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2
Saturday 3 July 2021 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2
Sourland Mountain Spirits · Saturday 3 July 2021 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2
Bhavna · Saturday 3 July 2021 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2
Dog Run Bar · Saturday 3 July 2021 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2
Saturday 3 July 2021 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2
Saturday 3 July 2021 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2
Saturday 3 July 2021 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2
Saturday 3 July 2021 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2
Sakrid Coffee Roasters · Saturday 3 July 2021 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2
Saturday 3 July 2021 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2
Saturday 3 July 2021 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2
Saturday 3 July 2021 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2
Saturday 3 July 2021 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2
Saturday 3 July 2021 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2