Last weekend I tried my first roll of Rollei RPX 25, a slow, fine grained film. I shot the roll on my Rolleiflex 3.5E3 and I developed the film using Rodinal 1+50 for 14 minutes @ 20 C. High contrast is often a challenge with these slow films, and although the negatives looked contrasty to the eye, I was able to coax good highlight and shadow detail out of them. I will be using this film again!!
Another image from my Olympus F 35mm half frame and my trip to Harbourfront in Toronto this past weekend. I’ve always found these bike locks interesting, especially if one is a bit bent, like me 🙂
Olympus Pen F, 38mm/1.8 Olympus Zeiko lens
Rollei Retro 80s film developed in Rodinal 1+1 14 minutes @ 20 C
I love the Art Gallery of Ontario 🙂 Not only am I regularly inspired by the art it contains, I just love the architecture of the place!
Rolleiflex 3.5E3, 75mm/3.5 Xenotar lens.
Ilford FP4+ developed in Rodinal 1+50 for 14 minutes @ 20 C
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!
If I ever need to do a Steampunk group shot, I think this would be the location! (The old train station, now a liquor store near Yonge/Summerhill in Toronto.
Voigtlander Bessa R 35mm rangefinder camera,
35mm/2.5 Voigtlander Color Skopar lens
Svema Foto 200 film, developed in Rodinal 1+25,
5 minutes @ 20 C
As much as I love the natural splender of Banff, from an architectural point of view, the Banff Springs hotel is quite something. This glass-walled room in particular is incredible!
Voigltander Bessa R, 35mm/2.5 Color Skopar Lens
Tri-X @ EI 3200semi-stand developed in Rodinal,
1+100 for 2 hours @ 20 C (gentle agitation every 30 minutes)
One of image from Taylor Creek, on the roll of Tri-X pushed to EI 3200. Again I am suprised at how little grain is apparent, although the subject matter probably helps!
Voigtlander Bessa R, 50mm/2 Jupiter 8 lens.
Tri-X developed on Rodinal 1+100 @ 20 for two hours,
semi-stand (gentle agitation every 30 minutes, initial one minute agitation)
After having recently had success with shooting medium format Tri-X at EI 3200 and stand developing in Rodinal for two hours, I was anxious to see how well it would work with the smaller 35mm negative and the answer is, not bad at all! Not nearly as grainy as expected, and shooting at 3200 (considered pretty extreme for Tri-X) will allow me to handhold in pretty dim light. Rodinal is indeed a magic potion, not bad for a developer first released in the 1890’s!
Voigtlander Bessa R 35mm rangefinder, Russian Jupiter 8 50mm/2 lens
Tri-X @ EI 3200, semi-stand developed for two hours @ 20 C
(Gentle agitation every 30 minutes)
Today’s image was created in Niagara On the Lake recently. I used my baby Speed Graphic, with a 120 roll film holder that creates 6cm by 9cm negatives. The combination of the large negative, the classic Kodak Ektar lens, the Kodak Tmax film and Rodinal developer is hard to beat.  There was no post processing of the negative scan at all: no sharpening or anything else, and I love the look!
Another image from early Saturday morning at the Toronto Beaches. Peaceful, quiet, but filled with the expectant anticipation of throngs of people expected to descend later in the day
Nikon N90s 35mm SLR, 28mm/2.8 Nikkor lens
Rollei Retro 80s film, developed in Rodinal 1+50,
14 minutes @ 20 C
My Third Eye 