An Encounter With Film – Once Again!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

It had been a VERY long time since I picked up my film camera… and to be honest, it happened because I don’t have a DSLR anymore and to top it off – my digital point-n-shoot got stolen from the car as well.

There was a model-photographer meetup that I wanted to attend, but not having a DSLR was disappointing esp. because I knew I wouldn’t be able to give away the “files” anytime soon. Nevertheless, I head out and bought  rolls of film – Kodak Ektar 100 and Ilford Delta 3200.

I wanted to see if I still “had it in me” … if I could still shoot film – and mind you, I NEVER have used a light-meter. I always have taken educated guess and metered it using my eye. Never has failed!!

I didn’t take lot of shots of Hayley at the meetup but these two were my favorites. Taken with the Ilford 3200 b/w. I did crop it in LR and did do a little bit of touch-up, but not to much.

The colored shots are from the Kodak. The Cat tails and the leaves with the sun peeking… both hand held and I must admit I am proud of myself that I pulled it off without any trouble.

In both the shots with Kodak I used the 50mm f/1.2 Ai-S lens. Whereas with Hayley, I used the 50mm and also 35~135mm f/3.5~4.5 Ai-S lens.

There was the added cost of developing and scanning of the 2 film rolls, it took a whole month before I sent them to the lab! This is something that really annoyed me. I don’t know if it was the cost issue or what… but film does hold you back!

One thing that definitely annoyed me was that I couldn’t change from color to b/w and vice-versa! I had to complete the roll or kill it if I really wanted to shoot in a different mode or film. So different an experience from using digital. But then again, it’s a whole other experience to begin with – Slow and Easy !!

 

PRIZED POSSESSIONS

Everyone has a prized collection that he for some reason cherishes like no other thing they possess. It can be a lifetime achievement trophy or a handful of sand from their homeland. At times it is just Faith that people have of what is utmost value to them and nothing of worldly possessions.

Fact of matter is, it’s actually never the price that determines the value of the object in the possession. Two things add value – it’s rarity and the sentiments attached to it. The rare and/or the more emotionally attached the person is, the more valuable it is. Rarity brings about a general value that his peers and fellow enthusiasts can appreciate. Sentiments is strictly personal for the owner.

I too have in my possession such an object, and it is both – rare and has personal emotions attached to it. It’s my Minolta Mirror magazine collection dating from 1976 ~ 1993 in mint condition. I have all the editions that Minolta printed except for the 1975. (If there’s anyone out there who has it, please let me know)

Looking at the photographs in these magazines that were all done on film, it gives a sense and a measure as to how much crappy shots are being taken with the advent of digital. I started with film back in ’88 and I still remember thinking twice, thrice… sometimes four times before pressing that shutter. When not shooting, I just held the camera to my eye and tried to see things through the viewfinder. It was like training my eye to see how the camera would see. To pre-visualize a scene and see how it might look if I actually shot it.

The richness of Kodachromes and Fujichromes among other films that photographers swear upon, can all be seen and appreciated through the beautifully printed photographs featured in the magazine. As someone said in a forum regarding the quality of print and paper of Minolta Mirror “It would cost a fortune to print such a magazine if someone were to attempt it now”. The only magazine that has “dared” to print with such quality has been LensWork. 

I for one, am very happy and grateful, that I’ve had the good fortune of owning such a collection. Ironically, it makes me really sad and breaks my heart when I am reminded that film is no longer a viable option in these fast-paced times. The discontinuation of a giant company like Kodak speaks volumes and is a sure tell-tale sign of the future of film.

It took a lot of work to scan the front and back covers of the 18 magazines and at same time being very careful not to “hurt” my precious!! The worst part is, when I was done scanning, I stumbled upon a website where all that had been done! Can’t say how frustrated I got, but it sure was a good exercise. 🙂

There are still a few MM’s floating around on Ebay… be sure to get your copy while it’s there. You’ll be happy you did!!

 

Experience With The Olympus Mju-II

So finally after buying the Olympus µ-II from Ebay and running two rolls of (unknown) B/W film through it… I finally got the developed film back, scanned on the CD.

I must say, I am a little disheartened by the results; but maybe I shouldn’t be, considering it took me quite an effort getting accustomed to the “parallax”, and then there’s this film I never used and it stood on the table for a while before I sent it out for developing.

Out of 2 rolls of film, I could salvage 4-6 “decent” pictures that I can show around… definitely feeling a really big blow on self-esteem!! 😦

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Let me know what ya’ll think ?!

.

 

Between FILM & DIGITAL Camera

It’s been a struggle between photographers and critics alike as to which is a better “medium” – film or digital. As digital camera technology grew and became more and more convincing, the photographers also lend it a hand and gave it a shot. Critics, however, took the safe side and voted for film. This “war” between the two has lasted for almost 8 years now, and I can very safely say that digital sensors have made their mark, if not making film obsolete – yet!

I too stood back and watched back in the days when either fate of film and digital was in question and decided. However, I did take the plunge and bought myself, first a digital point & shoot, and later in 2006 the Nikon D200. Was most happy and satisfied I might say… but the quench for the “ultimate” never left. Always greedy for newer gadgets, always keeping an eye for the newer body that would come out and dreaming about it even though not having the means to afford one. I found this surprisingly common among photographers – professionals and amateurs alike, to lust over newer bodies and always so very eager to find fault or reason to buy the next thing that hit the shelves. As I would like to believe, this was not the case in the old days of film. One bought a camera and stuck to it for at least a few years before he/she went on to something new. The purchase of newer lenses then was the thing back then, not camera bodies. It was buying a “system” and not just “features”… you went for Canon or Nikon or Minolta .. and built that “system” with it’s lenses and accessories. Now, it’s all about getting newer bodies and doing away with the “old” one.

I believe one of the biggest factors for this change of attitude is the amount of advertising and publicity the product receives, sometimes even before anyone has even seen the product eg. in the case of Nikon D4?! Its been just over a year the D3s came out and everyone want something new already.

I think it wouldn’t be wrong to say that the “joy of capturing a moment” has deteriorated to “recording a scene”. Shooters shoot just about anything, no limits, no fixed number of frames, no thought process involved – just pressing that shutter!

———————

 

Homage To A Master

This is one of those photographs that has made it’s home in my heart and mind, and I have never forgotten it.

Taken by Brian Brake in the 1960 in India, this photograph clearly exhibits the mastery of Brian Brake over the art and craft of photography.

A saying by B. Brake in the following article which has taught me immensely, “You’ve got eyes boy, use them!“

That saying of B. Brake has taught me and guided me to learn more about metering and not relying on the camera’s meter at all if I didn’t choose to. I think that people nowadays, have receded more and more from the “craft” of photography than ever before and have familiarized themselves with the technicalities and the jargon that surrounds it – esp. in the digital realm.

((scanned from Minolta Mirror 1986 on Canon Pixma MP 130. If someone would like to buy the magazine, please let me know))

 

Red Hot Summer

Camera : Nikon F3
Lens : 50mm f/1.2 @ f/4
Film :  Fuji RVP III 100