It’s the first post of 2023! So, how are you feeling about the new year?
I’m taking advantage of the off season european travel deals, shooting new film, starting new projects, and finding cool new Youtube channels to watch.
Tell me what you’re up to!
Let’s get into it.
RECENT HEADLINES
Big Updates for FilmLab’s Mobile and Desktop Scanning Apps: read more…
Luminar 100, Popho Camera Company releases 35mm Aerocolor Film: read more…
Analogue Documentary Project by Ed Worthington: read more…
Kosmo Foto posted about Kodak film prices increasing in March 2023 but did not provide any sources. So, I’m echoing what Nico L. said in his recent news video and would like to see this news confirmed or sourced before taking it without a little grain of salt!
FILM ACTIVITIES
Solo Travel to Portugal
I’ve been in Faro, Portugal for a few days this week! £30 round trip flights direct from Cardiff airport were not to be passed up! Neither the £35 per night hotel on the beach…
This is a solo trip. It’s been a while since I’ve traveled solo but something I would recommend to anyone. I love it and plan on doing as much as I am able to given travel is a little easier at the moment.
It allows space to reflect and experience things in a different way, but an important way. It builds confidence, resourcefulness, and independence. And you can take as many photos and videos for Youtube as you want without annoying your non-photography travel mates or family!
What camera did I bring?
The Leica/Minolta CL. I wouldn’t be doing much street photography here so I left the Canon L3 at home. It was pretty jealous, as it should be! Look at this light!!!
For film, I packed 10 rolls. Overkill for 3 days? Ever the variety pack lover, I included one roll each of Ektar 100, Pro Image 100, Santacolor 100, Fujifilm Sensia 100 expired, Adox CHS 100 II, Orwo UN54, Fomapan 200, Fomapan 100, but two rolls of Adox Color Mission.
My initial impressions: This place is SO underrated. The Praia de Faro (beach) is very chill, but then again, we are deep in the off season.
I’ve been filming and vlogging on my phone so I cannot wait to show you the results!
Out of all those films, which would you be most excited to see in a video? Reply to this email and let me know!
I booked this trip for myself during the coldest days of December 2022 when the frost didn’t even melt in the sun…and even though it is 65F here, it feels like 85F to me.
Testing Luminar 100
I’ve shot one roll of the new Luminar 100, which is Kodak Aerocolor surveillance film, and have sent the roll off to the Analogue Wonderlab for the Wonder-team to work their magic on it. Hopefully, I didn’t mess it up and will be bringing you a first impressions video before too long!
January ~ Frugal Film Project 2023
There was one fortuitous day in Cardiff just before I left for Faro where the sun came out! So of course, I grabbed my first roll for the Frugal Film Project of 2023 and dashed over to Bute Park to capture the gorgeous angled morning winter light.
In case you missed it, I did an intro video to this 2023 project series on the channel.
TOPIC OF THE WEEK - 3 Cameras for 2022
Alex L., one of my favourite photography bloggers, gave me the idea to write about three cameras I used in 2022. In my last Substack, I mentioned that there were several bloggers that wrote on this idea together at the end of 2022. You can check out the links to their posts there. All of them are awesome!
So, what are my three cameras of 2022? The first two, without a doubt, are the Canon L3 and the Leica CL. Third is hardest, but I’m giving it to the Fujica Half.
The Canon L3
You might be annoyed by how much I’ve talked about the Canon L3. It is a small rangefinder with no light meter, no battery. Completely mechanical.
The mount is LTM, which allows me to use the fabulous Jupiter lenses. There is a Canon series but these lenses are far more expensive than the Jupiters. The Jupiters are more compact too, which suits my style.
I have the Jupiter 12 and 8 which respectively equate to 35mm and 50mm. I’ve been on a wide kick for some time now so the 12 rarely comes off the L3.
Minimalism has a strong allure for me. Constant stimuli and dissonance drive me to simplification often.
A camera that can be used with no prep, no charging, no battery loading, nothing extra to think about, is ideal and this is why I love this camera so much. Along with the shutter sound and fully metal advance lever. Little things make a big difference!
The Leica / Minolta CL
This is a very compact rangefinder. It is a camera made by Minolta in Japan for Leitz and has an M mount. Mine has a Minolta Rokkor 40mm F2 lens attached and came recently calibrated from the personal collection of someone at WY Cameras.
It was a price deal I could not pass up, but make no mistake, this is not a gateway drug and in no way makes me a “Leica person” now. ( If anything, it makes me more a Minolta person but I’m not really an anything person!)
You can also find Minolta CLE cameras which are very similar as Minolta made their own version. In fact, I’m almost tempted to start calling this, the Minolta CL.
I didn’t buy it for the name brand and don’t put the company on a pedestal. I’m very wary and skeptical of the Leica superiority complex but agree they are seemingly quality cameras and lenses, though I was underwhelmed that one time I held an M6…
The CL is a well built camera and the perfect size for me but somehow I find myself not wanting to be associated with the stereotypical Leica owner perception.
Perceptions exist on everything. With Leica, the price tag of most of their cameras now would indicate someone has to be wealthy to buy them. However, the cameras could have been bought with debt or a year or five’s or ten’s worth of savings, or a mix of the two.
We can never assume anything until we know the facts, just like we can’t assume that person who gave you a dirty look or was rude didn’t just have a bad trauma themselves.
Regardless, there might be some black tape going on my camera over that dirty (jokes!) five letter word…
Anyyyyyyyyyways……there is a working exposure meter which measures the light through the lens. I love this kind of light meter because if I have the lens cap on, it won’t read.
It makes it hard to accidentally take a photo with the lens cap on, something I have done more than once before with other rangefinders…
The Fujica Half
A highlight of the year was finding this camera at West Yorkshire Cameras. The light meter is still working too!
My favourite feature is this camera can be shot in full auto mode or aperture priority mode. It’s also an incredibly handsome camera. Fujifilm design has always drawn my eye for the most part, and I was one of the first into the X100 series cult when those cameras first came out.
This is a half frame camera and saves a lot of money when the amount of images per roll can be doubled.
Lastly, while I have usually preferred horizontal framing, I’m more and more loving the vertical just as much.
RECENT FAVS & RECOMMENDATIONS
Focal Matter - don’t just watch this video…watch them ALL. Anthony is super nice and I love a video that can make me laugh.
Alex shares behind his video making process, if you are curious about starting your own channel or like to see behind the scenes of making videos, check this out!
What is in store for the next Substack? Along with the regular news updates, film activities, and favourites, I might share some thoughts on Artificial Intelligence, but first I want to hear what your thoughts are, what do you think about AI?
Subscribe here if you don’t want to miss a biweekly Substack all about film photography, being creative, and enjoying what life can offer while we have the time because we never know when our time will end! (My inner stoic creeping in there)
Hope you all are having a wonderful start to 2023.
Cheers,
M