sfb_dot_com
Well-known
Having just bought a Nikon D90 and a couple of wonderful lenses for it, I've decided to...
Get my 75 year old Leica III with matching Summar out and start a new project
Of course there is some method in my madness (just not much) and the rationale is as follows:
Modern cameras, or even old cameras equipped with modern lenses give sharp accurate results with neutral colours, minimal distortion, and flare. As a result, unless you go for the 'I shoot all my pictures pre-dawn' approach, results can appear cool, even a little detached. Now I'm a little lazy to be up at dawn, and anyway I'd just have to jostle shoulders with Charlie Waite and Joe Cornish. So, I'm taking a slightly different approach in my antidote to the vast amount of chocolate box (fudge box generally here) images of the local landscape.
What prompted this train of thought initially was looking through some old photographs belonging to an elderly relative of my partner who recently had sadly to go into a home. In there, were some very early colour snaps dating to 1960. I was knocked out by the rendition of colours both skin tones and clothing. They somehow reminded me of the 1950's and early technicolor films. That got me to thinking, and I then reviewed some shots I took with the III and my Summar, and thought that despite evident flare, they really had something. Most of the images were quite poor though, so I decided to test out this theory by heading off to my local church on a sunny afternoon. I've just uploaded a few of the results into my gallery and to cut a long story short was really impressed. The main attractions for me are the way out of focus highlights become an attractive misty swirl, yet do not burn out. Also that colours are smooth, but not oversaturated, and there is plenty of detail visible at higher magnifications.
My plan therefore is this:
To take as many pictures over the coming year as I can with a view to putting them in a little local exhibition I plan on putting on, and maybe to create a calendar from them. Subjects will be local, and I'm not lacking in them. Film will either be colour print, or Mono.
What I'm asking from you forum guys is suggestions on print stock to use, and also B&W film/developer combinations that will work well. I reckon I'll need a lens hood to control that flare, but I don't want to spend a fortune, so suggestions for that too would be helpful. And any other wisdom will be gratefully received. Oh, I'll be scanning myself using an Epson V750, which I'm pretty confident in using. Prints up to 8x10 will also be done by myself. Anything larger will be handled probably by a pro lab.
Thanks in advance for reading this lengthy missive and I look forward to having helpful & constructive replies (hint posters please read the last sentence 1st!)
Andy
Gorran Churchyard
Get my 75 year old Leica III with matching Summar out and start a new project
Of course there is some method in my madness (just not much) and the rationale is as follows:
Modern cameras, or even old cameras equipped with modern lenses give sharp accurate results with neutral colours, minimal distortion, and flare. As a result, unless you go for the 'I shoot all my pictures pre-dawn' approach, results can appear cool, even a little detached. Now I'm a little lazy to be up at dawn, and anyway I'd just have to jostle shoulders with Charlie Waite and Joe Cornish. So, I'm taking a slightly different approach in my antidote to the vast amount of chocolate box (fudge box generally here) images of the local landscape.
What prompted this train of thought initially was looking through some old photographs belonging to an elderly relative of my partner who recently had sadly to go into a home. In there, were some very early colour snaps dating to 1960. I was knocked out by the rendition of colours both skin tones and clothing. They somehow reminded me of the 1950's and early technicolor films. That got me to thinking, and I then reviewed some shots I took with the III and my Summar, and thought that despite evident flare, they really had something. Most of the images were quite poor though, so I decided to test out this theory by heading off to my local church on a sunny afternoon. I've just uploaded a few of the results into my gallery and to cut a long story short was really impressed. The main attractions for me are the way out of focus highlights become an attractive misty swirl, yet do not burn out. Also that colours are smooth, but not oversaturated, and there is plenty of detail visible at higher magnifications.
My plan therefore is this:
To take as many pictures over the coming year as I can with a view to putting them in a little local exhibition I plan on putting on, and maybe to create a calendar from them. Subjects will be local, and I'm not lacking in them. Film will either be colour print, or Mono.
What I'm asking from you forum guys is suggestions on print stock to use, and also B&W film/developer combinations that will work well. I reckon I'll need a lens hood to control that flare, but I don't want to spend a fortune, so suggestions for that too would be helpful. And any other wisdom will be gratefully received. Oh, I'll be scanning myself using an Epson V750, which I'm pretty confident in using. Prints up to 8x10 will also be done by myself. Anything larger will be handled probably by a pro lab.
Thanks in advance for reading this lengthy missive and I look forward to having helpful & constructive replies (hint posters please read the last sentence 1st!)
Andy
Gorran Churchyard
Last edited:
John Shriver
Well-known
If you want a natural look like old Kodacolor film, try Kodak Portra 160NC or 400NC. Since then, consumer C-41 films have gone for crazy contrast and saturation, where the old C-22 Kodacolor was much more toned down. Kodak used to aim at "natural", Fuji started a "saturation" war, and Kodak had to follow to survive.
Actually, much of that look you saw is the old color paper. The new papers are much better, and have more color. A modern scan of a C-22 negative can yield a surprisingly modern looking print.
If you scan Portra film (which scans beautifully), you can easily tone down saturation to get that look. You might want to also put a little yellow in the highlights, to simulate that failing of the old paper.
For B&W, Tri-X and Plus-X have the vintage look, as do their near twins Ilford HP5+ and FP4+.
Patience will find the Summar hood at a reasonable price.
Another wonderful lens with a vintage look is the Summitar, great with B&W.
Actually, much of that look you saw is the old color paper. The new papers are much better, and have more color. A modern scan of a C-22 negative can yield a surprisingly modern looking print.
If you scan Portra film (which scans beautifully), you can easily tone down saturation to get that look. You might want to also put a little yellow in the highlights, to simulate that failing of the old paper.
For B&W, Tri-X and Plus-X have the vintage look, as do their near twins Ilford HP5+ and FP4+.
Patience will find the Summar hood at a reasonable price.
Another wonderful lens with a vintage look is the Summitar, great with B&W.
sfb_dot_com
Well-known
I'll certainly try the Portra and I know both FP4 & HP5 well, so those are definitely 'in' so to speak. I'd love a Summitar (it's on my Ebay search list.) but strictly when 'funds allow' which sadly is not now.
Thanks for some helpful suggestions. Any more out there?? I quite fancy a yellow filter with B&W.
regards
Andy
Thanks for some helpful suggestions. Any more out there?? I quite fancy a yellow filter with B&W.
regards
Andy
sfb_dot_com
Well-known
Just to bump this up to the top again, I've now uploaded a selection of images to Flickr more for evaluation than anything else. I find that looking at my images from a distance helps give me some perspective as it were. Some people might even give me some useful feedback (or maybe not.) I'll also put up a smaller selection on my RFF galleries in due course. I've now located some Portra film, so will be giving that a go along with some HP5 as it will match the ID11 I have in stock. Still no sign of a good cheap Summitar though. Plus, I've developed a strange hankering for an 85mm lens.
So it begins...
Andy
So it begins...
Andy