Tag: The Darkroom

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.