Alas, all we find is an old roll of film.

But if we’re lucky, that roll of film is Panatomic X, because unlike old, expired color film, Panatomic X is often usable (and able to make excellent photos) even fifty years after its date of expiry!

Kodak Panatomic X was first created in 1933 as an ASA (ISO) 25 sheet film for making photos in which a high level of detail was required (aerial photography, professional editorial, scientific applications, etc.). It was designed to be a fine-grained, extremely sharp panchromatic black-and-white film for making extremely large prints.

Later, its sensitivity would be increased slightly to ASA 32. Even at this higher sensitivity, Panatomic X remained the slowest of the Kodak X series of black-and-white films, slower than the faster Plus X, Super XX, and Tri X.

The film was discontinued at some point in the 1940s, only for Kodak to bring it back in the late 1950s. After that, Panatomic X would remain in production for decades, until in the late 1980s or early ’90s, it was definitively discontinued.

Making the Photos

It was in just such a dusty camera bag that I found one old roll of Kodak Panatomic X. The box was stamped with an expiration date of 1970, which placed my roll’s age somewhere around 55 years. I held the film for a moment and wondered.

In late 2019, I’d stumbled upon a similarly aged roll of Kodak Plus X Pan in much the same way. That roll of film was forty-or-so years old, and yet it had made pretty good pictures. My experience with that roll of film even resulted in a well-loved article, an article as interested in film photography as it was in pets, kids, life, and living it.

Would this slower, older film make decent pictures, too?

The camera bag in which I’d found my new old roll of film contained a number of other things. Notably, a Canon EOS Elan II, one of the best, most advanced 35mm film cameras that Canon ever developed. Which is not what I would have expected.

How, I wondered, did this roll of film end up with a Canon EOS camera made sometime between 1995 and 2000? Even then, this roll of film was almost 30 years old.

Weird. But then, the whole world is weird.

It can be easy to fall into the trap of perceiving that old things are precious. I might have looked at this fifty-year-old roll of film and said, “No. Not today. Today is not special. I must await a special moment.”

Perhaps that’s how this roll of film survived to the 2020s. Who knows.

But things are meant to be enjoyed, or at least experienced, and on the very day that I unpacked my new old Canon EOS Elan II and discovered the barnacle of film clinging to its underside, I knew its days as an unexposed emulsion were over. Later that morning, my kids and wife and I went for a walk. The Canon went with me, loaded with a fifty-year-old roll of film.

The waterfront at Plymouth, Massachusetts is a funny place. Superficial wisdom would have us think that it’s where the United States was born, where the Mayflower sidled up to the coast, and where The Pilgrims first set foot on American land in 1620.

Plymouth Rock, the rock upon which the Pilgrims placed their wiggly toes upon first disembarkation, is cradled within a majestic granite monument, which probably cost millions of dollars to make. There’s a towering statue of a Native American (which, I add without comment, was erected by a white’s only, men only club known as the Improved Order of Red Men), and an exact replica of the Mayflower which can be toured for $18 a person.

There’s a Hawaiian-themed smoothie bar. There’s a guy who endlessly plays a flute, but the only song he knows is Under the Sea from Disney’s The Little Mermaid. There’s a cupcake shop sitting within the perpetual stinking miasma of the active commercial fish pier. On the day that I most recently visited, there was a sword-fighting instructor conducting classes upon one of the many small park spaces. He had a two-handed broadsword and what appeared to be hockey pads, and he was being repeatedly and noncommittally slashed by his apprentices, one of which was wearing a Naruto t-shirt and cargo shorts.

See? Funny place.

I’m just here to take pictures.

Kodak Panatomic X is slow. At ISO 32, it’s going to need a lot of light, and since my roll of film is fifty years old with an expiration date of—

Uh oh! Hold on. Am I about to mention the expired film rule? The decades? The exposure compensation? Am I, really?

Yes. I am. But only to once again lambast it as being nearly as absurd as brandishing a broadsword in a public park on a sunny Sunday morning. The “over-expose by one stop for every decade past expiration” rule needs to die.

Think about it. I need to set my exposure compensation on an ASA 32 roll of film to plus 5. That’s what the rule says. Plus 5? Do the people who spout this nonsense know what an image made at +5 looks like? Because I’ve included one in this review. And here it is.

For results like this, remember to definitely adjust your exposure +1 for every decade that your expired film has aged.

The truth about shooting expired film is this. It’s very simple. To shoot expired film, any expired film, over-expose the film by one stop. Just one. A single stop, regardless of when the film expired. Set the exposure compensation dial to +1, or do it manually. After that, just meter normally, shoot normally, develop normally, and expect the worst.

I mounted a 28mm Canon EF lens to the EOS Elan II. It’s a fast prime lens with a wide focal length that I enjoy shooting. It’s modern, with excellent optical coatings, all-encompassing depth of field, and a fast aperture for use in low light. Great lens, great camera, old film – a nice combination.

I spent the day walking about with my kids and wife. We went into some shops. Touched some plants. Ate and drank some sensible yet delicious refreshments. I even found a Nikon film camera for sale in an antique shop for just $25.

Wow. What a day. The only thing that could ruin it is if I botched developing the film.

Developing the Film

Much as I’m repulsed by the expired film over-exposure rule, so too do I reject over-thinking film development.

I don’t imply that those careful, meticulous photographers who can recognize the difference between a negative developed at 78 degrees versus one developed at 74 degrees are wrong to be so meticulous and careful. I’m only admitting that I’m not among them.

My development process with this film was identical to my development process with any film (black and white). I look at Kodak’s data sheet (archived here by the ever-generous Mike Eckman), I look at Massive Dev Chart’s site, I take their recommendations for time (if available – if not, as was the case here, I default to my randomly-selected and largely uneducated guess time of 9 minutes), add about a minute when developing expired film, use whatever developer I find under my bathroom sink, and I develop the film.

In this case, I developed with Ilford Ilfosol 3, mixed 9:1 with water that felt as warm as the air in my bathroom. I developed for about ten minutes with agitation for the first thirty seconds of the first minute, and then further agitation for just fifteen seconds every minute afterward. I rinsed and fixed at 9:1, for five minutes.

After that, I use Lightroom to edit (read: ruin) every picture I make.

Those meticulous and careful photographers that I mentioned earlier might look at my images and fret that the highlights are blown out, or that the shadow detail is lacking. But for me, the resulting images are better than I could expect from a fifty-year-old film.

Not bad, Kodak. Not bad.

panatomic x film for sale | eBay

Get the best deals for panatomic x film at eBay.com. We have a great online selection at the lowest prices with Fast & Free shipping on many items!

Find your own expired Kodak Panatomic X on eBay

Buy stuff from our own F Stop Cameras

Follow Casual Photophile on Youtube, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram

[Some of the links in this article will direct users to our affiliates at B&H Photo, Amazon, and eBay. By purchasing anything using these links, Casual Photophile may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you. This helps Casual Photophile produce the content we produce. Many thanks for your support.]

The post Shooting a 50 Year Old Roll of Kodak Panatomic X 35mm Film appeared first on Casual Photophile.

That’s the good stuff covered. Here’s the bad.

It’s built to a price, which means that it feels (and is) cheaply made. The entire camera body is ABS plastic, and the lens is acrylic. As a result, using the camera never feels great and the images it makes are similar in quality to those made by a disposable one-time-use camera. This will inevitably disappoint photographers seeking to make traditionally beautiful, high fidelity pictures.

Specifications of the Kodak Ektar H35

• Camera Type: 35mm film, half-frame camera
• Lens: 22mm f/9.5 fixed-focus wide-angle optical grade acrylic lens; 2 elements
• Shutter: Mechanical single speed shutter (1/100s shutter speed)
• Viewfinder: Optical viewfinder
• Flash: Built-in flash, user-selectable modes (On and Off)
• Power Source: 1x AAA battery
• Film Frame Counter: Yes
• Self-timer: No
• Film Rewind: Manual
• Build Material: ABS plastic
• Dimensions and Weight: 4.3 x 2.4 x 1.5 inches (110 x 62 x 39mm); 3.5 oz (100g)

KODAK EKTAR H35 Half Frame Film Camera, 35mm, Reusable, Focus-Free, Lightweight, Easy-to-Use (Black) (Film & AAA Battery are not Included)

Amazon.com : KODAK EKTAR H35 Half Frame Film Camera, 35mm, Reusable, Focus-Free, Lightweight, Easy-to-Use (Black) (Film & AAA Battery are not Included) : Electronics

What is the Kodak Ektar H35

The Kodak Ektar H35 isn’t a Kodak camera. It’s a Kodak branded camera made by Hong Kong-based company RETO Project.

RETO has made a name for themselves in the analogue photography world by offering good quality products at low prices. They resurrected the 3D film camera and the cult classic Vivitar Ultra Wide and Slim point and shoot camera, and then made this new Kodak-branded thing. True to form, the H35 a simple, lightweight, compact, and cheap camera.

It comes in a vintage-looking Kodak package and comes with a nice wrist strap and a soft-touch carrying pouch, both Kodak-branded.

The Ektar H35’s key features are these: it’s a half frame 35mm film camera; it has a wide angle lens (22mm); it has a built-in flash; it has one shutter speed, so we do nothing but point and then shoot with this point-and-shoot camera.

Using the Kodak Ektar H35

To use the Kodak Ektar H35 is simple. We load the film as we would any standard 35mm film camera, advance the film manually with the little thumb wheel, look at our subject through the optical viewfinder, and press the shutter button. If we’re indoors or in low-light conditions, we can rotate the control ring surrounding the lens to activate the flash. Once it has drawn sufficient charge from the AAA battery, a flash-ready light illuminates and we are ready to fire.

When we examine the Ektar H35 on a more granular level, we see where its usability succeeds and fails. Let’s begin with the failures.

Everything feels crunchy and cheap. Advancing the film creates a hollow ratcheting sound, pressing the shutter release button feels spongy and weak, the flash selector ring is plastic on plastic, and feels that way, too. The camera is flimsy and fragile, with a finicky film door latch and a floppy film door. There’s no pressure plate to ensure the film stays flat at the film gate.

The film rewind lever is truly awful – tiny, weak, and destined to break. On my test unit, the screw that holds the rewind lever in place backed itself out and fell on the floor. I’ve spent ten years repairing scientific instruments in a previous job, so fixing the fault was a zero-point-three on the one-to-ten difficulty scale. Had this happened to someone with no mechanical aptitude, however, a fault like this could be enough to end their photography career (or at least end their time with the H35).

The shutter is limited to one speed, a relatively slow 1/100th of a second. In addition, there’s no way to adjust the lens aperture. Therefore it is imperative that we load an appropriate speed film for whatever the conditions may be in which we expect to be shooting. If it’s a bright, sunny day and we’re shooting outside, we should choose a slow film (low ISO). If we’re shooting indoors or at night, a fast film (high ISO).

The stark limitations on the exposure triangle means that no matter how diligent we may be in selecting the right film for the job, it’s inevitable that some shots on our roll will be under-exposed and some will be over-exposed. This camera simply doesn’t allow us any latitude or creative control. It’s just not there.

But there are some nice things as well, and some of the camera’s weaknesses can even be seen as strengths, depending on the user’s perspective.

It’s made of plastic, which I’ve complained about enough already. However, it’s also MADE OF PLASTIC! Which is great, because it keeps the camera light and mobile. We can pop the H35 in a pocket or bag and never notice it until the moment we want to make a photo.

The flash charges quickly and gives enough light to illuminate subjects at ten feet or closer.

There’s one button, which simplifies things.

The lens is interesting, in that it provides a fairly wide angle of view (which makes me think of the time I examined the shifting “standard” focal length, and how it may be widening as a result of the proliferation of smart phone photography). In fairness, images made with the right ISO film and in the right conditions (for example, bright sunshine, well-lit places, etc.) can look traditionally nice, well-exposed, and pretty. For the other times, the lo-fi images that it makes will certainly appeal to an entire generation of photo nerds who are accustomed to perfect digital photography.

It shoots 72 images on a standard roll of film, which cuts down on how many rolls we need to buy and develop. This can be a benefit and a fault – getting 72 shots on a roll is great for the wallet, but it can take a long time to find 72 things worthy of making into a film photo.

But truthfully, beyond the conversations around spec sheet, user experience, and image quality, the most interesting thing about the Kodak Ektar H35 is its price. We can buy the camera and a roll of film and get started on our analogue photography journey for under $60. That’s great! And at $45, I’m not too worried about breaking or misplacing the camera. It becomes a perfect launching place. I can easily imagine someone using and loving the Ektar H35 for six months before graduating to a more serious camera.

Image Quality

Images from the Kodak Ektar H35 are lo-fi (or low quality, depending on your perspective), with heavy vignetting, softness across the frame, extreme softness at the edges of the frame, flares, ghosts, and severely diminished contrast when shooting into sunlight. Essentially, the lens on this camera commits every crime that optical engineers have sought to eradicate from photography for over a hundred years.

For many new or casual users, these optical aberrations and flaws will be irrelevant and may even be desirable. Lomography has made an entire business out of selling lo-fi camera gear. There’s space for this sort of imperfection in this hobby, and the H35 adds to that space.

Interestingly, RETO has just released a new, improved(?) version of this camera called the H35N. This new model adds a built-in user-selectable Star Filter, a socket for using a shutter release cable and Bulb mode (for long exposure shooting), and most importantly, a glass lens. They say that the glass lens has improved image quality. I’ll test this, of course, but given that it has a single element, I can’t imagine that it’s much improved over the acrylic lens in this camera.

Additionally notable, the new camera costs $22 more. So the H35 (original) remains a better choice for those buying their first film camera or for those seeking to try a new film camera at the lowest possible cost.

[Color film sample images in the gallery below were provided by Rebekah Gregg and are published here with permission. More of Rebekah’s photography can be seen on their website and Instagram page.]

This shot by Rebekah aptly demonstrates the limitations of the H35’s lens. The lens’ optical simplicity and generally low resolving power create an image that’s softer and dreamier than would be achieved with a more advanced film or digital camera.

This shot by Rebekah illustrates another form suited to the half-frame camera – Diptychs, two images presented as a single piece of work, often to tell a story or present some observation which could not be easily achieved in one shot.

Kodak Ektar H35 Half Frame Film Camera (Sage)

Buy Kodak Ektar H35 Half Frame Film Camera (Sage) featuring 35mm Half Frame Film Camera, For Color and Black and White Films, Fixed-Focus Wide-Angle Lens, Built-In Flash, Optical Viewfinder, Accepts 1 x AAA Battery. Review Kodak Ektar H35

This shot by Alex McKenna (published here with permission) demonstrates the flaring that’s common with the H35’s plastic lens.

[The interesting “panoramic” image below was made by J. David Tabor, and is published here with permission. Tabor has used four half-frame shots to create a panorama of a foundry. More of their photography can be seen on Instagram.]

Additional Samples Gallery Below by the Author

Final Thoughts

The question one inevitably asks, if one is experienced in the art of freaking out over camera gear, is this: Why should I buy an Ektar H35 for $40 – 45 when I can buy a far better camera for the same amount of money? After all, a Canon Sure Shot from 1999 will come with dozens of modes and features and a much better lens. But then, we’re missing the point. There is a very reasonable answer to the question.

The Kodak Ektar H35 is easy. It has one button. It looks nice. It costs nothing. Importantly, I can walk into a Target and buy one. This ease of adoption is valuable and should not be overlooked. People like things that are easy, and the Ektar H35 is just about the easiest way to get into film photography today.

And for most people, the cheap build quality won’t offend. The lo-fi image quality will be welcomed as a charming quirk of shooting film. The retro aesthetic will be interesting and unique. For people like these, the H35 is a great camera and an important stepping stone within their photographic journey.

Get your own Kodak Ektar H35 from B&H Photo here

Shop for the Kodak Ektar H35 on Amazon

Buy a film camera from our own shop at F Stop Cameras

Kodak Ektar H35 Half Frame Film Camera (Sage)

Buy Kodak Ektar H35 Half Frame Film Camera (Sage) featuring 35mm Half Frame Film Camera, For Color and Black and White Films, Fixed-Focus Wide-Angle Lens, Built-In Flash, Optical Viewfinder, Accepts 1 x AAA Battery. Review Kodak Ektar H35

Follow Casual Photophile on Youtube, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram

[Some of the links in this article will direct users to our affiliates at B&H Photo, Amazon, and eBay. By purchasing anything using these links, Casual Photophile may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you. This helps Casual Photophile produce the content we produce. Many thanks for your support.]

The post Kodak Ektar H35 Half Frame Film Camera Review appeared first on Casual Photophile.

Now, I think it’s important to lay out a bit of background of the camera as well as my relationship with it. This article by The New York Times announcing the lineup is a fun read. When that article was published, however, I was not yet born.

My grandmother purchased her (and later, my) Kodak VR35 K12 with her own hard earned money, and she truly used this camera for a few decades. As she put it when she gave it to me, the VR35, “Makes beautiful pictures.” I was skeptical of that claim, owing to the reputation that Kodak had created and held for my entire lifetime, a reputation for rather weak cameras. But I was honored that she had passed it on to me.

I would go on to use the VR35 so much that it eventually began to malfunction. Both the on/off lifting of the flash worked only intermittently, and the shutter button was similarly hit or miss. Like I said, my grandma USED this camera. So though it wasn’t beaten up it did have plenty of mileage.

Intermittent usability aside, the camera consistently out-performed the other point and shoots that I owned. So, I made an effort to find a replacement, which I did for a very reasonable $8.

I then retired my grandma’s camera to my shelf, proudly on display next to the alarm clock given to me by my grandfather.

Technical Details

My grandma’s camera, the Kodak VR35 K12, is a simple point and shoot film camera. Beyond a self-timer and its automatic fill-flash, the camera offers almost no additional features.

It has a fixed, all-glass, 4-element 35mm f/2.8 lens, auto exposure, auto focus (a half press brings up picture indicators for varying focus scenes inside the viewfinder, blinking means subject is too close), and an automatic flash. Film advance and rewind are motor driven, and it reads DX code film canisters of 100, 200, 400, and 1000 ISO. There’s a built in lens cover which, when lifted or closed, turns the camera and flash on and off, and it runs on a single, common 9V battery.

Good working examples can be found today for $20 or less.

Background and My Experience

The mere fact that I sought out a replacement for this camera after my first one began to retire itself should indicate much about my experience with it. I love it. And not just because it’s an heirloom.

The lens is sharp, and the auto focus works surprisingly well and is more consistent than newer point and shoots that I’ve used. The automatic flash helps ensure my exposures work out, even if I am usually reluctant to use flash.

The ergonomics are wonderful. The camera’s substantial grip makes it comfortable in the hand and easy to hold. The quick flip of the flash to get ready to shoot, and the simplicity of the camera removes any friction around capturing moments in time. The viewfinder is large enough and clear, with legible focus indicator and nice frame lines. It uses a convenient, common, and inexpensive battery.

All of this combines to create a feeling that there is no downside to this wonderful 1980s sleeper of a camera.

But it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. The simplicity of the camera is both its strength and weakness. Unable to manually adjust ISO to compensate and a general lack of creative control will ruin the VR35 for some shooters. The motor functions could be a concern for anyone that is worried about the longevity of the camera, and it’s imaginable that the loud noises that it makes when loading, advancing, and rewinding the film could be a concern. The noise and the inability to override flash may ward off the stealthy street photographer. Plus, it’s a chunky camera. Though it does fit in a bag or hang around the neck with a strap, it won’t fit in a pocket (the natural home of many point and shoot film cameras).

Final Thoughts

There is beauty (and nostalgia) in simplicity, and the Kodak VR35 K12 is a great example of that. It is a simple, charming, fantastic camera that can be purchased and powered affordably, as it flies under the radar of many other over-priced and over-hyped film cameras.

The design itself is a talking piece. Of the many film cameras I have, none of them attract conversation as naturally as this humble Kodak. And if there’s any single talking-point that I’d like to stress, it’s that I love the VR35s lens and the sharp images it produces.

If we step back and consider what a point and shoot really is, a camera to quickly and effortlessly capture fleeting moments forever, a camera that removes the friction of a more complex camera, a camera that should be accessible in price, and one geared to the average consumer, the Kodak VR35 is that camera. It’s a camera made to point and to shoot. What more do we need?

While Kodak had their name on some amazing cameras in the early 1900s (the VPK and the Brownies) and the mid-century period (the Retina series), it’s rare to find a Kodak model from the plastic-era spoken of in reverent tones. Heck, I had reservations when my own grandmother pulled her Kodak camera out of a drawer. I even tried other point and shoot cameras before committing to the VR35. I suppose I did so under the impression that more features, zoom lenses, and smaller, lighter bodies were going to create a better experience, a better image, and ultimately smoke this old 1980s automatic everything chunk of a camera.

But time and time again I come back to it. I should’ve known. Grandma knows best. And the Kodak VR35 does, as she said, “make beautiful images.”

Get your own Kodak VR35 on eBay here

Find one at our shop, F Stop Cameras

Follow Casual Photophile on Youtube, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram

[Some of the links in this article will direct users to our affiliates at B&H Photo, Amazon, and eBay. By purchasing anything using these links, Casual Photophile may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you. This helps Casual Photophile produce the content we produce. Many thanks for your support.]

Ten Great Point and Shoot Film Cameras From $25 to $99

For every expensive, over-hyped point and shoot camera there are ten or twenty others that are damn near as good at one-tenth the price. Here's a list of a few that we've personally enjoyed.

Read More

casualphotophile.com

The post Kodak VR35 K12 Review – Grandma Knows Best appeared first on Casual Photophile.

At the time of writing, a 5-pack of 36 exposure rolls costs a cool $79.99 from our friends over at B&H. That’s $15.99 per roll! Remember when you could get a roll for $6.99? Ahh, 2015, what a time to be alive.

But don’t run off to sell your kidneys yet. There are still plenty of great color film alternatives to Portra 400 that are worth your time if you want to save a couple bucks.

While some of the alternatives listed here aren’t directly comparable to Portra in terms of grain structure or low light capability, they’re all close enough to be useful in nearly all of the situations in which one would typically be using Portra. It’s also true that using some of these less popular films may even help your photos to stand out from the crowd!

Fujicolor 200

Fujicolor 200 is a fantastic consumer-grade film that yields slightly subdued colors and leans toward cooler tones when compared to Portra. An upside to its consumer-grade status? It can sometimes be scored at big box stores at steep discounts when taking advantage of promotions and coupons. It’s a great film for street photography or in areas where there’s lots of leafy green foliage (think greens and tans). Despite leaning toward the cooler side of the spectrum, it still produces natural, pleasing skin tones, making Fujicolor 200 a great choice when you want to grab some candid shots of friends but don’t want to burn through all your expensive Portra 400.

In December of 2021, it was learned that Fujifilm had outsourced production of Fuji 200 to Kodak, and that the new Fuji 200 was nothing more than repackaged Kodak Gold 200. This news was never explicitly announced, but comparing Kodak Gold 200’s spectral sensitivity curves with the published specification sheet for Fuji’s new 200 film showed identical information. Fuji further confirmed that some of their product line had been outsourced to partners during that period of time, a period in which supply chains were disrupted and materials scarcity became a problem.

More recent reports have claimed that Fujicolor 200’s spec sheet has reverted back to the older spectral sensitivity of original Fuji 200. So, although this is again unconfirmed, it seems that Fuji has resumed production of Fujicolor 200 in Japan. We’ll update if and when we get further news or confirmation.

Current price: $29 for a 3-pack of 36 exp rolls or $9.66 a roll (B&H)

[Fujicolor 200 image samples provided by the author, Sarah Rizzo, and Casual Photophile writer Josh Solomon]

Lomo 100

Lomography’s color negative 100 is a sharp film delivering punchy colors and a retro vibe. At an ISO of 100, it’s a great film for the sun-soaked days of summer. Although the film is sharp, it doesn’t have a lot of fine detail and will show a touch more grain than Portra 400 despite being an ISO 100 film. For this reason, I wouldn’t recommend it for intricate, detailed landscape work. With that said, I think it’s a great option if you’re going to be in a bright and colorful location like a beach town or carnival and want to throw it into a reusable disposable, point-and-shoot, or Holga for some fun shots.

Current price: $29.90 for a 3-pack of 36 exp rolls or $9.96 a roll (B&H)

[Lomo 100 image samples provided by Casual Photophile writer Danielle Wrobleski]

Kodak Gold 200

Okay, you knew we weren’t going to make it through this list without at least one other Kodak stock making an appearance! Good ol’ Kodak Gold 200. It’s a film that was in the family camera of many film photographers who grew up in the U.S.  in the 90s and early aughts. Kodak Gold 200 is nostalgia. It provides warm tones, a forgiving exposure latitude, and medium contrast. There’s really no situation where I wouldn’t recommend bringing some Kodak Gold along. Take it camping, into the city, into a wheat field for luscious golden hour portraits, or out into the desert for Americana scenes – I could go on forever. If you want a higher-end look, load it into a nice SLR or rangefinder with a sharp lens. If you want the retro vibe, load it up in your favorite point-and-shoot with the flash on.

Current price: $29.99 for a 3-pack of 36 exp rolls or 11.99 per 36 exp roll (B&H)

[Kodak Gold image samples provided by the author, Sarah Rizzo]

Lomo Metropolis

Launched via Kickstarter by Lomography in 2019, Lomochrome Metropolis was the first new color film stock in years (The formula was reworked in 2021, so keep this in mind as you browse sample photos). This unique film is rated with an extended ISO of 100-400. It provides a very unique aesthetic, best characterized as gritty, and delivers beautiful chrome hues. It’s definitely more grain-forward than other options on this list, but that’s part of its charm. Metropolis is the perfect film for those gritty street scenes and fluorescent lighting. However, the skin tones aren’t particularly natural, so I wouldn’t recommend it for portraits unless you’re going for an experimental look. This film is roughly $2 per roll cheaper than Portra and I’d say it’s a perfect choice if you want to experiment with something unique.

Current price: $13.90 per 36 exp roll (B&H)

[Lomo Metropolis image samples supplied by Lomography]

Cinestill 400D

Another crowd-funded addition to the list, Cinestill 400D, was launched in March of 2022. According to Cinestill’s website, this film is not their usual re-packaged motion picture film, but a brand-new stock developed for stills photography. The film is daylight balanced and while it’s rated at ISO 400, it has an impressive exposure latitude. According to Cinestill’s website, 400D can be push-processed up to 3 stops, making this a great film if you’re loading up toward the end of the evening and may need to do some night shooting. At box speed, it delivers soft, yet rich colors that are suitable for everyday use. In extreme lighting situations, there is halation in the highlights. At about a dollar less per roll compared to Portra 400, the savings won’t make you a millionaire, but during a time when color film stocks are limited, it’s nice to have options.

Current price: $14.99 per 36 exp roll (B&H)

[Cinestill 400D image samples provided by Cinestill]

So, there you have it. Kodak may be the last man standing when it comes to professional-grade color negative film (RIP Fuji Pro 400H), but there are still some great consumer-grade options when you want to save some cash and set yourself apart from all the other Portra-toned fish in the sea.

Whatever film you shoot, enjoy it! Don’t stress. Just take your time, shoot your shot, and enjoy the process. Despite the rising cost, we’re lucky that this stuff is still around.

More film articles at Casual Photophile

Fujicolor Industrial 100 - Film Profile

The simplest, most cost-effective way to jazz up one’s film photography is to spring for a new film stock. Sure, you could seek a rare lens or a unique body, but nothing beats the ease of buying whatever film is trending. Such is the case with the so-called “Fujicolor Industrial 100,” an apparent darling of ... READ MORE

Kodak Ultramax 400 Film Profile - Confessions of a Film Snob

Kodak Ultramax 400 35mm film review with sample shots and specifications. A consumer grade film that punches above its weight.

Ilford Delta 3200 Film Profile - The Fastest Black and White Film Available Today

Paranoid about passing through six airports and their dreaded x-ray machines with a bag of unprocessed film, I read some advice; toss in a roll of high-speed film to better justify getting a hand inspection. So far as the advice claimed, if you have high-speed film that’s more likely to be negatively affected by... READ MORE

Cinestill 800T Film Profile - Shoot Like Abrams, Allen and Tarantino

Living in Los Angeles is a bit different than outsiders think. In the popular imagination, LA is a sprawling, steamy city teeming with lawyers, writers, and aspiring actors who live fast and chase dreams with ruthless, amoral fury. It’s a place filled with sunshine and broad streets, racing cars and celebrities, scorching beaches and winding... READ MORE

Shop for cameras and lenses at F Stop Cameras

Follow Casual Photophile on Youtube, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram

[Some of the links in this article will direct users to our affiliates at B&H Photo, Amazon, and eBay. By purchasing anything using these links, Casual Photophile may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you. This helps Casual Photophile produce the content we produce. Many thanks for your support.]

The post 5 Color Films That Cost Less Than Kodak Portra 400 appeared first on Casual Photophile.

More than a hundred years later, we recognize the Vest Pocket Kodak as one of the most important cameras ever made. And though this model today today has been virtually forgotten by the younger generation of the film photography community, the VPK is worth remembering.

A Brief History of the Vest Pocket Kodak

The first model in Kodak’s Vest Pocket camera range was introduced in April of 1912, and sold for $6, which, when adjusted for inflation, equates to $180 today. This was quite expensive for a camera that wasn’t technically ground-breaking.

The first model came with a single element meniscus lens mounted alongside an aperture mechanism (the maximum speed of which was f/11), and a simple ball bearing shutter capable of four speeds (1/50th, 1/25th of a second, plus Bulb and Time modes for long exposures). The lens element itself was sharp in the center and that’s about it. Which explains why many photographs from this time period are relatively sharp and mushy everywhere else. Lens optics from this period, compared to where they would be only a few decades later, can be described as primitive. Primitive optics however, didn’t hamper sales. The first Vest Pocket Kodak sold over 200,000 units.

Interestingly, a British variant of the camera received a proper f/6.8 lens from Koritska, an Italian optics designer.

In 1915, Kodak released the Autographic model. This model would not only go on to be the best selling of Kodak’s cameras to that time, but a very important milestone in the history of photography. It was offered with the meniscus lens, or what’s known as a U.S. speed 8 rapid rectilinear lens, which is a lens that reduces radial distortion, as well as four shutter speeds (same as the previous model).

The most notable feature of the Autographic model was the ability to write directly onto the film. That’s right, Kodak essentially laid the foundation for EXIF data. How was this possible? The Autographic featured a metal, hinged flap on the back of the camera. By opening this, the photographer could access the backing paper of the film within. Sandwiched between the film negative and the backing paper was a thin carbon tissue. By writing notes on the backing paper, this would transfer the writing directly onto the negative beneath. When the negative was developed or a print made from the negative, the writing could be seen.

Kodak was quite clever for this, since they were marketing this camera as the tool for family photography and daily archiving by way of the photograph. They also positioned the Vest Pocket Kodak as the camera for everyone, such as the everyday worker just wanting a basic camera, the high roller who desired a luxurious gadget, and last but certainly not least, the ambitious amateur with aspirations of professional status.

During World War I, the vest pocket Kodak was advertised as the soldier’s camera. A way for soldiers on the front line to document their experiences of the war as well as keep in touch with loved ones back home. Military superiors did not approve of this. However, that didn’t stop soldiers from documenting the war or documenting in general.

The VPK Autographic sold an unprecedented 1.75 million units. Following this success, every subsequent model of Vest Pocket Kodak would feature the ability to write information onto the film. Daily photographic archiving was here to stay.

After the Autographic, Kodak released the Autographic Special, which came equipped with a variety of lenses from numerous makers, including Kodak themselves, Bausch & Lomb, Cooke, Ross, and even Zeiss. These various lenses were fitted with either f/6.9 or f/7.7 as maximum aperture.

Later versions of this model would be made with true focusing lenses as opposed to the fixed focusing lenses of all earlier models, with the most desirable version being fitted with the Zeiss Tessar f/4.9 with an eight speed Compur shutter.

The Autographic Special didn’t sell as well as the original Autographic, but still managed to shift approximately 300,000 units. In the mid-1920s, towards the end of production of the Autographic Special, Kodak changed the design of the camera to a drop bed style rather than the tong design of earlier models.

In 1926, the VPK Model B was introduced as a more bare bones folding bed design marketed as the Boy Scout and Girl Scout Kodak. This model also received a new front plate design from Walter Dorwin Teague, who not only designed cameras for Kodak but Polaroid as well.

The optics in the Model B are very similar to the prior models. The aperture however, was numbered 1-4 whereas on previous models, aperture was indicated by weather descriptions such as “brilliant,” “clear,” “gray,” and “dull.”

The major difference between the Model B and previous models was the way in which film was loaded. Previous models were loaded in a similar fashion as the Leica M3, with the film pulled apart into a take up spool and loaded into the top (instead of the bottom like the M3). In the case of the Model B, the entire bed and bellows unit had to be removed and film was loaded through the front of the camera.

Alongside the Model B, Kodak also produced the Series III. This model was styled and operated similar to the Model B and featured either a Kodex or Diomatic shutter. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to find much information on the shutter speeds or aperture of these lenses.

What About 127 Film?

I mentioned earlier that this camera introduced an entirely new type of film type that not very many people mention or even seem to really bother with these days – 127 film. This film is 120 film’s little brother, smaller than 120 but larger than 35mm film. In square format, it makes negatives measuring 4 x 4 centimeters, and in rectangular format 4 x 3cm and 4 x 6cm are the most common; of course this will depend on the type of camera being used.

127 film declined in popularity along with the Vest Pocket Kodak, which ended production in 1935. The 1950s saw a resurgence in popularity of the little big film that could. Although, photographers mostly preferred 127 for slide film since it was larger than 35mm but small enough to use in slide projectors once mounted. Kodak ultimately ceased production on 127 film in mid-1995.

Today, it can be found here and there on eBay and Film Photography Project, Lomography, and B&H Photo have stocked and sold various types of film in 127 format at various times. (Just now we can buy Kodak Portra in 127 from B&H Photo! What a treat!)

Nearly Dead and Almost Forgotten - 127 Film Today

A brief history of 127 film, an overview of the cameras that shoot it, and whether or not shooting them is worth the trouble today.

Read More

casualphotophile.com

What Makes the Vest Pocket Kodak Important Today

Why should we consider the Vest Pocket Kodak to be among the most important cameras ever made? Sure, it’s over a century old, it even probably witnessed the invention of sliced bread. And it sold a lot of units. And it photographed important people and events. But that’s not what makes it important. For me, the reasons are much deeper and more philosophical in nature.

This camera found its way into the pockets and homes of people from all walks of life. It showed everyone that a camera could be considered an essential appliance of everyday life, as important as any tool or gadget or invention that could be found on any kitchen countertop or in any tool box.

And not only was the VPK a tool to preserve that which would have otherwise remained just a memory, for some, the VPK was also a stepping stone to a higher career in photography. Julius Shulman, who went on to be one of the most prolific architectural photographers of all time, began his journey with a Vest Pocket Kodak. And if it was good enough for Shulman…

So, what happened to the Vest Pocket Kodak? What ushered the once ubiquitous camera into obsolescence? It was simply replaced.

By 1935, the end of production for the Kodak Vest Pocket, Leica and Contax had established themselves as the highest quality in 35mm cameras. In October of that same year, Canon, a small company from Japan, released its first rangefinder camera as a budget alternative to those made by Leica and Contax. By this point, it was clear that 35mm photography was the way of the future, leaving the once-loved Vest Pockets virtually obsolete.

But that doesn’t mean the Vest Pocket Kodak went away overnight. Families for generations would keep a Kodak Vest Pocket solely for documentation and special occasions. Through the Vest Pocket Kodak, photography was established as the dominant affordable medium for preserving memories, recording families, and documenting lives in a way that would last for generations. Photography was no longer a novel magic. It was now a way of life, a way of expression; a way of passing on history to those who did not yet exist.

That said, I must admit that the Vest Pocket Kodak is not the most practical camera to use in the 21st century. The film is expensive, hard to find, and not many labs develop it anymore. The cameras are ancient, often needing repair, and image quality from their primitive lenses leaves much to be desired.

However, that doesn’t mean that VPKs should be relegated to antique stores, tossed in the landfill, or left to wither away on a shelf next to a bunch of unopened Star Wars Pez dispensers. A better fate for these wonders of photographic history is that they be displayed; in museums, homes, schools, libraries, and any other place that would cherish having one upon their shelves.

The city museum of Dublin, TX has an entire section of photography history, and within the glass cases, alongside the Crown Graphic that the local newspaper once owned, sits a Vest Pocket Kodak. This warms my heart. The museum doesn’t point out the portable Kodak specifically, but people’s faces light up in remembrance when they see it. This alone makes a strong case for the VPK’s preservation.

Long before the Leica M3, before the Canon AE-1, the Pentax K1000, and before the Brownie Hawkeye became the cameras of history, the ones that would be passed down along the family line to dutifully document every day life, there was the Vest Pocket Kodak.

Get your Vest Pocket Kodak on eBay here

Shop for all things photographic in our store, F Stop Cameras

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube

[Some of the links in this article will direct users to our affiliates at B&H Photo, Amazon, and eBay. By purchasing anything using these links, Casual Photophile may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you. This helps Casual Photophile produce the content we produce. Many thanks for your support.]

The post A Vest Pocket Kodak Camera Retrospective appeared first on Casual Photophile.

This year, I decided to use my Mamiya 645 1000s to expose two extremely expired rolls of 120-format Kodak Kodacolor film that was generously gifted to me by a kind soul a few years ago. The roll of Kodacolor II expired in July of 1981, and the Kodacolor VR expired in July of 1986. I had no idea how these rolls had been stored, but I assumed that since they were shared by a fellow photography enthusiast, that they would at least have been kept in a temperature controlled environment.

I know there are a lot of opinions about how to properly expose expired color print film, and that not everyone agrees with the “rule” to add one stop per decade (of expiration), but that general guidance has always worked well for me.

However, since both rolls of Kodacolor were originally rated at ISO 100, using this exposure compensation method would have taken me to ISO 12, requiring me to shoot wide open with my manual focus Mamiya Sekor-C lenses. I might have had enough midday sun at the beach to handhold at these slower film speeds, had I not also insisted on shooting everything with a polarizing filter that cut an additional stop of light.

My workaround was to rate the film at ISO 25 and push it an additional stop in development. In retrospect, I should have gone with my gut and rated the film at ISO 12 while still pushing it an additional stop in post for an effective rating of ISO 6. Fortunately, I was able to salvage my slightly underexposed results by scanning the negatives in 48-bit mode and adjusting the levels in Adobe Lightroom.

I exposed both rolls under full sunlight in Nags Head, N.C., and was usually able to shoot at 1/125^th with my two faster lenses (the 45mm f/2.8 and the 80mm f/2.8). With my 105mm f/3.5, I had to shoot at 1/60^th and slower. In order to get sharp photos of beachside action, I primarily shot with the wider lenses stopped down as much as was feasible.

Kodacolor II was the first Kodak emulsion to use the C-41 process, and had only been available in 135 format for eight years by the time the roll I received expired. The shots on this older emulsion turned out rather nice, albeit with the quirks and degradations one would expect from a questionably stored four-decade-old roll of film. I actually liked the color shift toward cyan and magenta, which gave the beach scenes a dreamy, retro feel.

Even pushed, the film’s grain was pleasant and organic. The main drawback that I noticed was significantly reduced dynamic range. Highlights in particular tended to blow out when I metered for the midtones.

I was not as thrilled with the results from the Kodacolor VR, which was one of the early emulsions to utilize Kodak’s T-Grain technology. Mostly, I was disappointed with the look of the grain, which to my eye felt clinical (almost like digital noise) compared to the Kodacolor II.

The newer film also suffered contrast and color issues, but unlike the older film, the results felt more like a fault than a feature.

One fun quirk the Kodacolor VR demonstrated was burned-in ghost images from the film’s backing paper. This is a fairly common artifact found in other super-expired 120-format shots. Despite its understandable shortcomings, I was honestly impressed that the Kodacolor VR shots turned out at all.

Shooting expired film is always a gamble, especially when the film in question predates the photographer using it. That said, my experience with these two rolls of Kodacolor from the early 1980s was a winning bet. The fun, memorable scenes I was able to capture feel like snapshots from a bygone era, and rewarded my film experimentation with useful learning opportunities and enjoyable results.

Feel free to check out all the shots from my various OBX film sessions in my album on Lomography.

Buy your own expired film on eBay and get experimenting! 

Get a film camera from our shop at F Stop Cameras

Our guest posts are submitted by amazing photographers and writers all over the world.

Today’s Guest Post was submitted by…

Isaac D. Pacheco, a Washington D.C.-based journalist who travels the world and tells the stories of the people and cultures he encounters along the way. He invites you to connect and enjoy more of his work on his website or on Instagram.

Featured Photophile – we shine a spotlight on amateur photographers whose work we love.

Photographer Interviews – in-depth discussions with professional and established photogs doing great work.

Female Photographers to Follow – get inspired by a monthly series focused on the beautiful and unique perspectives of female photographers.

Five Favorite Photos – a hand-selected examination of the oeuvre of our favorite famous photographers.

Follow Casual Photophile on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram

[Some of the links in this article will direct users to our affiliates at B&H Photo, Amazon, and eBay. By purchasing anything using these links, Casual Photophile may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you. This helps Casual Photophile produce the content we produce. Many thanks for your support.]

The post Antique Beach – Creating Summer Memories with Expired Kodacolor Film appeared first on Casual Photophile.