Scanning Medium Format Film with a 35mm Flatbed Scanner

For a long time I put off digitising my medium format negatives as I didn't have a scanner capable of handling anything more than 35mm. I tried DSLR scanning, but had mixed results. My setup wasn't ideal and it was a pain to setup each time I wanted to scan. If I had a semi-permanent setup I think things would be been better, but that was a bridge too far.

I had been happy with the 35mm results from my Epson Perfection 2400 Photo scanner, a flatbed scanner with a 35mm film strip adaptor built inside the lid. They say necessity is the mother of invention, so out of necessity (an Epson v700/v750 was out of my price range) I started making some film holders to hold medium format film strips at about the same height as the Epson holder. Around the same time I read that some users had good results scanning film directly off the glass, with an Epson similar to mine.

Epson Perfection 2400 Photo

Another Minolta Autocord Portrait

A short post today, as we are currently holidaying by the beachside. I've brought along the Bronica SQ-A and two boxes of Ilford FP4+, so am hoping to get some nice sand dune images.

This is another recent Minolta Autocord portrait. Taken on the same expired roll of Ilford FP4+ as the last portrait, in late afternoon light.

Lucy
Minolta Autocord, Ilford FP4+

Photography Project: The Block

A long term photography project I have been working on is The Block. The Block is a black and white film photography project, limited to a single 50 acre block in Adelaide, South Australia. All photographs were taken within the block with analog film cameras, on Ilford black and white film. Other than location, and medium (black and white film) I didn't place any further restrictions on the photographs. I'm aiming for 20 to 30 images that will be put together and printed in a photo book.

Morning Rays, The Block
Olympus 35SP, Ilford HP5+

What's the saying, you never really finish a photo project, you just eventually lose interest. There have been many months where there has been no progress, but I've persevered and continued on. I think I'm getting near the end of the taking photos side. I've got about half a dozen rolls or more in the fridge waiting to be developed, so I'll see what comes of those first. Then I'll need to start the editing process, select the images that will be used, and finally sequence the photos and put together the book. So still a lot of work to go before I have a book in my hand.

Wrought Iron Fence

Another Minolta Autocord image, this time a close up of a stone and wrought iron fence at the University of South Australia. I was as close as I could get to the decorative fence support (about 3.3ft / 1m) and shot with as wide an aperture as the light would allow, in order to throw the background out of focus. I didn't record the details, but I was shooting expired Ilford FP4+ at ISO 64, so it was likely around f4 to f5.6.

The Autocord is impressively sharp at this aperture and with a close focus distance the background is blurred as I had hoped. This image was taken as part of my 'The Block' project, which I'll talk a bit more about in an upcoming post.

Wrought Iron Fence
Minolta Autocord, Ilford FP4+

How's Big's Your (Film) Stash?

I mentioned in a previous post that I have a bit of a film stash that I'm slowing working through, so I wanted to share some more details. I find it interesting to see what stock film photographers have on hand. I'm on the lower end of the scale I think, normally having around a dozen rolls of 35mm film in the fridge. However just as I was getting into medium format cameras, I purchased a bulk lot of medium format film when a local photography studio closed down. They had gone bust and an auction house was selling off pretty much everything.

Desks, books, computers, backdrops, projectors, cameras, scanners and much more. There were some nice Hasselblad 500c cameras up for grabs, but none went cheap. There were also a couple of Nikon Coolscan 9000's in the auction, which I was interested in, but seriously underestimated their value. Unfortunately they had bundled the two scanners together in one lot, and whilst I had hopes they might be sleepers, they went for about $1500 AUD (for the pair). Which looking back was probably a good deal with the prices they now fetch on eBay and the like.

All of the film stock was bundled together into one lot, and again I hoped it might fly under the radar. I ended up winning the lot, but it cost me a bit more that I originally hoped. Of most value were the boxes of Ilford FP4+, which made up most of the lot. All of the film had expired, but the Ilford was from 2004/5, so wasn't too bad. The rolls of C41 and E6 film were mostly from the 1980's and 90's, but a big unknown was how the film had been stored.

Film, Glorious Film

Minolta Autocord Portrait

With a 75mm lens, the Minolta Autocord lens is not a portrait length lens, but its rendering is very pleasant. This particular image was taken in late afternoon light, in the middle of a paddock. The Autocord continues to impress me with its sharpness and image quality, be it portraits, landscapes or anything in between. I'd like to track down a lens hood for it, but I haven't experienced any issues with flare or anything. The genuine Autocord hoods are very hard to find, but cheap plastic ones are relatively abundant on eBay.

Lucy & Thomas
Minolta Autocord, Ilford FP4+

Getting out of the Photography Funk

I'm not sure what the photography version of writers block is called. Photographer's Block? Motivation in photography comes and goes. Periods of great productivity don't last forever, however hard we try. When motivation does fade it can lead to frustration, which in turn lowers motivation further, and it can be difficult to get back into the groove. Some feel they need to visit new locations, travel somewhere, or buy new gear.

Its something that I've encountered many times. The cameras sit idle in the cupboard gathering dust, while the excuses mount:

• There is nothing new to photograph around; I've photographed everything there is here.
• If only I lived in <insert random city/location here> everything would be better.
• I need to travel somewhere interesting.
• If only I had the latest <insert random brand here> camera. Then I'd be motivated.
• My camera is getting old. I need to upgrade.
• I never have any time.
• The weather is always terrible. Its too cold. Its too hot. Its raining.
• I don't know what to photograph.

There are many great sites that provide lists of ideas and photography assignments to break the drought. 365 (photo a day) projects are popular, but can be challenging to maintain throughout the year. I've tried ... and failed.

Where I have had success getting out of the photography funk, is to create photo sets. Photo sets are mini photography projects consisting of 3 to 5 photos on the a consistent theme. It can be over any time frame, but shorter I find works better. Whilst serious photography projects can span many months, even years, photo sets can be as short as a hour, or span multiple days. It's also a good idea to print out and display the photos.

Asphalt

Another camera in my stable is the under rated Minolta Autocord, although its popularity has increased in recent times due to more photographers promoting its virtues on the internet. It was such reviews, and sample photos, that lead me to acquiring one. TLR's are a unique photographic experience, and as a walk around camera, I like the fact that there is no mirror to cause vibrations. When using slow(ish) film (and with the Autocord's maximum aperture of f3.5), its a nice feature to have.

This particular photo was taken as part of a project I am currently working on. I like it because its not something I would normally photograph, and I find the lines, textures and tonal range interesting. I think medium format film helps here, and I'm not sure it would work as well using 35mm film.

It reminds me that it's important to be open and receptive to the unexpected when out photographing. Too often we have preconceived ideas of what we want capture that we miss other opportunities. Many a time I have headed out with a specific idea in mind, only to stumble on an unexpected composition that has turned out much better than the planned scene.

Asphalt
Minolta Autocord, Ilford FP4+ (expired)

Frame 22 ... where art thou?

I'd like to share with you a little film story. A story that defies belief. A story seemingly so far fetched, that it would test the imagination of Agatha Christie, or even J. K. Rowling.

'Frame Gate', as I prefer to call it, references the events of a particularly dark day in 2013 ... a day that shall live in infamy. Up there with the greatest mysteries of the world; the Bermuda Triangle, the assassination of JFK, Bigfoot, the Lock Ness monster, Stonehenge, the Lost City of Atlantis, UFO's, and dingo's eating babies.

Nessie

The day had started out like any other day. No one could have predicted what that cool spring day had in store. Arising early, I prepared for work, as I had done many times before. A sense of anticipation filled the air. The cat had a spring in her step, the garden flowers seems to bloom a touch brighter, and birds were frolicking in the cool breeze. For a roll of Fujifilm Superia 200 has been recently completed, and today was D (development) day.

No Entry

One of the benefits of working in a city is the opportunity to wander the streets at lunch time. In Adelaide, there are lots of interesting spaces and places within a short walk of the CBD. Rather than spending half an hour trying to figure out what to have for lunch, I would pack a sandwich, eat it at my desk and then head out onto the streets.

On one such lunch time, I wandered down a small side street located between Grenfell Street and Rundle Mall. I was heading for the nearby Botanic Gardens, but noticed an interesting light being reflected onto the building walls, which piqued my interest. Up a little further was a bicycle chained to a No Entry sign, with the reflected light of the background wall.

I was sporting my Olympus 35SP, loaded with trusty HP5+, but with its 43mm lens I had difficulty getting back far enough to get everything in. I had to back up tightly against the opposite wall to get everything in. The 35SP viewfinder is not exactly 100%, so the resulting negative had space to spare. I no longer have the Olympus. It was a really nice camera to use, but my copy had a few issues, so I ended up departing ways with it. It was later replaced with a Canon Canonet QL17 GIII.

No Entry
Olympus 35SP, Ilford HP5+, Unrecorded

Elder Park Moonlight

For my first 'real' post on Exposing Shadows, I thought I'd share a recent image, taken with my fathers Mamiya 645E medium format camera.

The 645E is a simplified model introduced in 2000, having a fixed (metered) prism finder, and fixed film back (that accepts film inserts). It's a bit more plastically than the M645, but feels solid enough in use.

I purchased the camera on my fathers behalf, and put a test roll of Ilford HP5+ (one of my favourite films) through before passing it on. I planned to shoot part of the roll indoors, taking some portraits of the kids, so I pushed it one stop to ISO 800.

After taking most of the roll, I headed into work early one morning, camera in tow, so that I could finish off the last few frames. I planned to take a walk around North Terrace, but noticed the moon lighting up the clouds across Elder Park. The beautifully lit rotunda provided a nice foreground subject, with the river and city skyline in the background.

I setup my tripod, attached the cable release, switched to manual mode, and took two shots. The first was ruined as I bumped the camera trying to shield it from the wind, but the second turned out nicely.

Elder Park Moonlight
Mamiya 645E w 80mm f2.8, Many Seconds @ f11

Welcome to Exposing Shadows!

Welcome web travellers to my new blog, Exposing Shadows. Its a photography blog focusing on black and white film photography, and the equipment used to pursue film photography.

I am a photography enthusiast, with a love for classic film cameras, and film photography. I also shoot digital (with a Fuji XE-1), but my passion is film. I'm also a bit of a camera hoarder collector, with a collection of cameras in the cupboard. Currently my film cameras include:

• Pentax Spotmatic II
• Pentax ME x 2
• Pentax MX
• Pentax Program A
• Yashica GS
• Yashica Lynx 5000
• Canon Canonet QL17 GIII
• Minolta Autocord
• Bronica SQ-A
• Fotoman 617 with Fujinon 105mm f8

I started getting serious about photography with a Canon G2 compact digital camera, using it exclusively for 5 years, before purchasing a Pentax Spotmatic with 55mm f1.8 lens at a secondhand store. I shot a few rolls of black and white film each year, mainly around Christmas and birthdays, but still primarily shot digital. 4MP started to seem too few, so I retired the G2 and moved up to the Pentax K10D DSLR. It became my main camera, with film shot when I was in the mood.

The few film rolls slowly increased to a few more, and I then acquired a mint condition Pentax ME with 50mm f1.7 pretty cheaply. I also borrowed my Dad's Yashica Lynx 5000, to see what all the rangefinder hoo haa was about. I loved the viewfinder of the Pentax Spotmatic & ME, but the rangefinder experience was compelling. Soon I was spending way too much time googling rangefinders, reading reviews, and consuming the rangefinder forums.