citizenlouie
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Now comes the color round.
Color films don't have very pronounced film grains, unless you go to high ISO territory, but I haven't gotten around to shoot Superia X-Tra 1600 yet. I believe Fuji discontinued it, so I don't know.... Fortunately Kodak makes one heck of a good high ISO color film. If I ever shoot high ISO Kodak Portra 800 is my top choice, but it's also very expensive so I don't shoot it that much. It is a very warm film if you don't shoot it as rated. I think I shot this one as least two stops overexposed because I forgot to turn that ISO rating dial in my camera when I started shooting. As you see it's an extremely warm film when it's overexposed and lighting is very diffused as it usually is in downtown San Francisco. Very fine grain considering this is a high ISO film.
View attachment 5942357
San Francisco Cable Car Waiting at Powell Street Turn Around (Kodak Portra 800)
Now here is one of the finest 35mm films Kodak has ever made. The new emulation of Portra 400 is very luxurious looking. It makes ruins in Sutro Baths looks so flesh-like. In fact, if I were a portrait photographer, I'd say this is THE FILM. But my Leica wielding friend suggests it is also very excellent for landscape. I cannot say he's wrong, but this one was shot with Olympus 35 SP. As the story goes, that camera made Leica so nervous, Leica made M5 to combat it, only to meet Olympus M-1 in Photokina 1971. Leica M5 was thus, dead before it was available on the market. Leica sued Olympus for using M-1 as model number, because Leica claimed it's their trademark, so Olympus M-1 had to change its name to OM-1, and the rest is history.
Red Bricks by Sutro Baths #1 (Kodak Portra 400)
For those who are curious about Olympus 35 SP, it is a fully mechanical camera (if you thought Olympus OM-1 was a fully mechanical camera, read on). It only uses (now illegal) mercury battery to meter, but shutter and apertures are all controlled by springs and gears. It makes a very funky spring-y noise when you click that shutter, which gave me unwanted attention one time when I was shooting with it in a quiet museum. It looks more like m4/3 version of Olympus PEN-F than PEN-F's name sake. However, Olympus 35 SP is a fixed lens camera, akin to Fuji 100 series. It uses a 42mm f/1.7 lens which IMO is a much more useful focal length than the 35mm (equivalent) lens which Fuji uses. The lens is very sharp but you cannot change lenses. Since it's full of springs and gears, it's a heavy brick-like camera (and shapes like one).
It has both aperture and shutter dial on the lens next to one another, so you could twist both of them together to give equivalent exposure. It has a cutout window shows exposure rating. Unsurprisingly, "16" means Sunny 16. If the exposure meter in rangefinder (yes, it's a real rangefinder, not a "rangefinder style camera") says 15, then you turn the aperture and shutter speed in a combination that will show 15 in the cutout window. 15 by the way, means the subject you're shooting is one exposure darker than Sunny 16, which in our modern camera system, you'd turn +1 in exposure compensation, so it's properly exposed (15+1=16). It's a very clumsy metering system, but if you master it, you can calculate Sunny 16 rules in your head. Most people don't want to do slide rule (huh? "what's a slide rule ?") when shooting photos, which is why now we have exposure compensation dial to do +1 or -2, etc. So no, it's not a beginner's camera. OTOH, if your meter died or out of battery, and it's sunny outside, all you do is turn the aperture and shutter in such combination so the cutout windows says 16, and you would get a well-exposed photo. Cloudy day would be 14, by the way, if I remember it correctly (and that's +2 in our modern system).
So why a clumsy camera beat Leica M4 (which made Leica starting to do R&D for M5 only to meet its death match, Olympus OM-1?)? Well for starter, it's a cheap camera that can do both spot metering and center average metering. It may come across as very strange to modern photographers, but having spot meter, center average meter, PLUS matrix meter weren't always the norm in every camera. The fact the expensive Leica M4 couldn't do it tells you a lot how far the camera automation has come. BTW, yes, Olympus 35 SP can fire a flash, and it's controlled by a spring winder.
Now the next photo was shot with (*drum rolls*) Fuji Superia Reala. Superia Reala was 35mm version of Reala. It is not a portrait film, unlike Kodak Portra. It's less Caucasian/Asian flesh friendly and more teal/cool color. It's medium contrast and punchy color if pushed. This was shot with diffused light so it's more pastel like Kodak Portra 160 (though Portra 160 is distinctively warmer and sharp).
Some Pink Flowers (Superia Reala)
This one is shot with Kodak Ektar 100 (the post-2008 scan-friendly Ektar). I am not sure this is the best example of Ektar. Ektar isn't the easiest film to shoot, but if done right, can fool many people as if it were shot with a digital camera. However it is very easy to scan. I gave up on scanning my photos now, but when I was still doing that, even an amateur scanner can produce good result. If underexposed, Ektar can show a very distinct cyan color cast, which you may or may not like that "Instagram" cross-process like color. Ironically, if you like the color white, Ektar can produce some of the most crisp and beautiful white I've ever captured on film. Ektar is well-known to be the finest grained negative film ever. If you like grain this is not it. Most of the time you can't even see it.
My note says this was shot with Olympus 35 ECR. It's a P&S camera in the Olympus 35 series (flagship cameras being 35 SP and 35 RD). This particular copy was rescued from a flea market and I soldiered the acid-corroded wired back to the battery compartment and I even shot a roll of Fuji Velvia 100 with it (though don't try this at home, as this is an auto everything camera, you have to use ISO dial in place of exposure compensation to control your lighting). This funny little camera actually got me started shooting film again, before I became bloated with GAS.... I rarely shoot with it now, but this camera is literally a point and shoot (but you have to manual focus) and you can get reasonable good result with most negative films. It does require some work to get it going as this unlike 35 SP, cannot work AT ALL without batteries. There was a website telling you how to get it to work with LR44 batteries and some aluminum foil, but I can't find it anymore.
Wharf Hydrant #5 (Kodak Ektar)
If you like grains, higher speed Superia X-Tras are good. A matter of opinion of course. Very punchy film. Perfect for travel because you can even get them at Walgreens or Target as a value pack of 3 rolls or more. Doesn't this photo shout "Family Trip 1992?" Very easy film to shoot. Just use them as inexpensive way to get a feel of your new camera.
Marin Ferry (Fuji Superia Xtra 400)
Last is another low-maintenance film, Kodak Gold 200. Slightly slower film means smoother color and grains. Kodak Gold is a consumer film well known for its warm to the point of looking like orange color (hence the name Gold). It has a nostalgic look to it. I personally prefer ISO 200 over ISO 400, but I am a slower film shooter. It's up to you. It's a great film if you like wandering around the street and shoot random finds. Not a lot of grains.
Citizen Chain (Kodak Gold 200)
Color films don't have very pronounced film grains, unless you go to high ISO territory, but I haven't gotten around to shoot Superia X-Tra 1600 yet. I believe Fuji discontinued it, so I don't know.... Fortunately Kodak makes one heck of a good high ISO color film. If I ever shoot high ISO Kodak Portra 800 is my top choice, but it's also very expensive so I don't shoot it that much. It is a very warm film if you don't shoot it as rated. I think I shot this one as least two stops overexposed because I forgot to turn that ISO rating dial in my camera when I started shooting. As you see it's an extremely warm film when it's overexposed and lighting is very diffused as it usually is in downtown San Francisco. Very fine grain considering this is a high ISO film.
View attachment 5942357
San Francisco Cable Car Waiting at Powell Street Turn Around (Kodak Portra 800)
Now here is one of the finest 35mm films Kodak has ever made. The new emulation of Portra 400 is very luxurious looking. It makes ruins in Sutro Baths looks so flesh-like. In fact, if I were a portrait photographer, I'd say this is THE FILM. But my Leica wielding friend suggests it is also very excellent for landscape. I cannot say he's wrong, but this one was shot with Olympus 35 SP. As the story goes, that camera made Leica so nervous, Leica made M5 to combat it, only to meet Olympus M-1 in Photokina 1971. Leica M5 was thus, dead before it was available on the market. Leica sued Olympus for using M-1 as model number, because Leica claimed it's their trademark, so Olympus M-1 had to change its name to OM-1, and the rest is history.
Red Bricks by Sutro Baths #1 (Kodak Portra 400)
For those who are curious about Olympus 35 SP, it is a fully mechanical camera (if you thought Olympus OM-1 was a fully mechanical camera, read on). It only uses (now illegal) mercury battery to meter, but shutter and apertures are all controlled by springs and gears. It makes a very funky spring-y noise when you click that shutter, which gave me unwanted attention one time when I was shooting with it in a quiet museum. It looks more like m4/3 version of Olympus PEN-F than PEN-F's name sake. However, Olympus 35 SP is a fixed lens camera, akin to Fuji 100 series. It uses a 42mm f/1.7 lens which IMO is a much more useful focal length than the 35mm (equivalent) lens which Fuji uses. The lens is very sharp but you cannot change lenses. Since it's full of springs and gears, it's a heavy brick-like camera (and shapes like one).
It has both aperture and shutter dial on the lens next to one another, so you could twist both of them together to give equivalent exposure. It has a cutout window shows exposure rating. Unsurprisingly, "16" means Sunny 16. If the exposure meter in rangefinder (yes, it's a real rangefinder, not a "rangefinder style camera") says 15, then you turn the aperture and shutter speed in a combination that will show 15 in the cutout window. 15 by the way, means the subject you're shooting is one exposure darker than Sunny 16, which in our modern camera system, you'd turn +1 in exposure compensation, so it's properly exposed (15+1=16). It's a very clumsy metering system, but if you master it, you can calculate Sunny 16 rules in your head. Most people don't want to do slide rule (huh? "what's a slide rule ?") when shooting photos, which is why now we have exposure compensation dial to do +1 or -2, etc. So no, it's not a beginner's camera. OTOH, if your meter died or out of battery, and it's sunny outside, all you do is turn the aperture and shutter in such combination so the cutout windows says 16, and you would get a well-exposed photo. Cloudy day would be 14, by the way, if I remember it correctly (and that's +2 in our modern system).
So why a clumsy camera beat Leica M4 (which made Leica starting to do R&D for M5 only to meet its death match, Olympus OM-1?)? Well for starter, it's a cheap camera that can do both spot metering and center average metering. It may come across as very strange to modern photographers, but having spot meter, center average meter, PLUS matrix meter weren't always the norm in every camera. The fact the expensive Leica M4 couldn't do it tells you a lot how far the camera automation has come. BTW, yes, Olympus 35 SP can fire a flash, and it's controlled by a spring winder.
Now the next photo was shot with (*drum rolls*) Fuji Superia Reala. Superia Reala was 35mm version of Reala. It is not a portrait film, unlike Kodak Portra. It's less Caucasian/Asian flesh friendly and more teal/cool color. It's medium contrast and punchy color if pushed. This was shot with diffused light so it's more pastel like Kodak Portra 160 (though Portra 160 is distinctively warmer and sharp).
Some Pink Flowers (Superia Reala)
This one is shot with Kodak Ektar 100 (the post-2008 scan-friendly Ektar). I am not sure this is the best example of Ektar. Ektar isn't the easiest film to shoot, but if done right, can fool many people as if it were shot with a digital camera. However it is very easy to scan. I gave up on scanning my photos now, but when I was still doing that, even an amateur scanner can produce good result. If underexposed, Ektar can show a very distinct cyan color cast, which you may or may not like that "Instagram" cross-process like color. Ironically, if you like the color white, Ektar can produce some of the most crisp and beautiful white I've ever captured on film. Ektar is well-known to be the finest grained negative film ever. If you like grain this is not it. Most of the time you can't even see it.
My note says this was shot with Olympus 35 ECR. It's a P&S camera in the Olympus 35 series (flagship cameras being 35 SP and 35 RD). This particular copy was rescued from a flea market and I soldiered the acid-corroded wired back to the battery compartment and I even shot a roll of Fuji Velvia 100 with it (though don't try this at home, as this is an auto everything camera, you have to use ISO dial in place of exposure compensation to control your lighting). This funny little camera actually got me started shooting film again, before I became bloated with GAS.... I rarely shoot with it now, but this camera is literally a point and shoot (but you have to manual focus) and you can get reasonable good result with most negative films. It does require some work to get it going as this unlike 35 SP, cannot work AT ALL without batteries. There was a website telling you how to get it to work with LR44 batteries and some aluminum foil, but I can't find it anymore.
Wharf Hydrant #5 (Kodak Ektar)
If you like grains, higher speed Superia X-Tras are good. A matter of opinion of course. Very punchy film. Perfect for travel because you can even get them at Walgreens or Target as a value pack of 3 rolls or more. Doesn't this photo shout "Family Trip 1992?" Very easy film to shoot. Just use them as inexpensive way to get a feel of your new camera.
Marin Ferry (Fuji Superia Xtra 400)
Last is another low-maintenance film, Kodak Gold 200. Slightly slower film means smoother color and grains. Kodak Gold is a consumer film well known for its warm to the point of looking like orange color (hence the name Gold). It has a nostalgic look to it. I personally prefer ISO 200 over ISO 400, but I am a slower film shooter. It's up to you. It's a great film if you like wandering around the street and shoot random finds. Not a lot of grains.
Citizen Chain (Kodak Gold 200)
