In addition to shooting the 1860’s lens last Sunday in the Beaches, I also shot a comparatively more modern lens on the Speed Graphic: my 127mm/4.7 Ektar. I need to spend more time with this lens!
Speed Graphic, 127mm/4.7 Ektar lens.
Ilford FP4+ film developed in HC110, Dil. BN for 7 minutes @ 20 C
On Sunday of this past weekend I met up with my friend and fellow film photographer Ori, who agreed to pose for a couple of portraits shot with my 1950’s era 4×5 Speed Graphic camera, with my mid 1860’s Brass Petzval lens. The film was expired EFKE, with a speed of 25, sadly no longer made. This stock is orthochromatic, meaning not sensitive to red light, which was pretty standard for the 19th century, and great for male portraits.
I am finally happy with the results from this lens, meaning that I now want to shoot as many people as possible with it! 🙂
I don’t recall if I have shot this combination before, but I really like the results of shooting Ilford Pan F film on my Rolleiflex, and using Rodinal as the developer (1+50 for 11 minutes @ 20 C). The sharpness is what I was expecting, but what I did not expect was the highlights to hold so well, and not block up, even in contrasty forest scenes. We may not see much sun in Scotland, but I be taking some of this film along!
So on Saturday I thought I had a roll of Kodak Tmax 100 loaded in my Rolleiflex. I was shooting it at EI 50 to try a technique I had heard about. When I finished the roll and unloaded the camera I found to my horror that it had been a roll of Tmax 400, thus I had overexposed by 3 stops. I did some research/guesswork, and tried developing it in Pyrocat HD developer for 10 minutes and I got very usable negatives. When I mixed up the Pyrocat HD solution it turned bright green, which I have not seen before, but it still worked!
Today’s image is from a week ago, when it was not quite as springlike as it has been this weekend. The trees in High Park were still bare, and there was more texture than colour. so perfect for black and white, especially a sharp contrasty film like Rollei Retro 80s.
Voigtlander L, 15mm/4.5 Super Heliar lens,
Rollei Retro 80s Film
developed in Rodinal 1+50 for 14 minutes @ 20c
This image is from about a week ago, at the Beaches. I shot this with my Voigtlander Bessa R body and Leica 90mm/4 Elmar lens, a short telephoto that I should really use more!
With my show now up on the wall, I actually have some time for new work! I finished off a roll yesterday on my Voigtlander Bessa L camera with the Voigtlander 15mm/4.5 lens. I love the dramatic perspective of this lens!
I love this bridge on Queen Street a bit west of Broadview Avenue in Toronto, and the 15mm lens suits it.
Voigtlander Bessa R 35mm Rangefinder, 15mm/4.5 Voigtlander Super Heliar lens
EDU 400 film, developed in TMax developer 1+9 for 12 minutes @ 20 C
I’ve been to the St. James Cemetery in Toronto a few times to shoot, and I went again this past Saturday. It was a dull day, but the combination of EDU 400 film (from The Film Photography Project) and TMax developer brought out some nice light.
Voigtlander Bessa R Rangefinder, 15mm/4.5 Voigtlander Super Heliar lens
EDU 400 film developed in Tmax Developer 1+9 for 12 minutes @ 20 C
Preparing for the show, so little time for new photos, finally got a roll developed today. A couple of weeks ago I was at Koerner Hall in Toronto to take in an amazing concert. It is a lovely hall, so I decided to take a chance with a photograph. No flash of course so I had to use a shutter speed of 1/8th of a second. Pleasantly surprised!
Voigtlander Bessa R, 15mm/4.5 Voiglander Heliar lens
FPP EDU 400 film, developed in Tmax 1+9 for 12 minutes @ 20 C
My Third Eye 