" #leica #film cameras are for rich and snob people".

Meet my Leica M6 "1989 Classic model". This motherfucker has seen A LOT of things with me, from Streetphoto & documentary to urban exploration...so, not an " snob camera".

Also, got it cheap years ago, sold it and RECOVERED it 2 years after. Lucky me.

#shootfilm #FilmMastodon #filmcamera #believeinfilm #ishootfilm #leicam6 #kodak #kodakfilm #eastmandoublex #BlackAndWhite #bwfilm #streetphotography #streetphoto #mastodonart

Your Mission Should You...wait wrong franchise. Do you expect me in Colour? No, Mr. Bond, I expect you in Black & White! My latest review of an old classic, Eastman Double-X!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoFQQJDpB3o

#cinestill #eastmandoublex #filmphotography #believeinfilm #shootfilmbenice

Film Retrospective | 100 Reviews Special

This is only the second time I've reached a significant milestone in my ongoing reviews, the magic number of one hundred. And to be clear, I've done one hundred film reviews, not reviewed one hundred separate film stocks. And that's because I've reviewed some rebadged films; sometimes, I knew it was a rebadge and then made a point not to go after that film stock again, notability ORWO films. I reviewed the four motion picture-specific films from ORWO as their Lomography rebadge. But in the case of Fomapan 100, I reviewed that first as KosmoFoto Mono 100 and then again as Fomapan 100. Agfa AviFoto 80 has been reviewed many times under Rollei Retro 80s, Rollei RPX 25, Adox HR-50 and Adox Scala 50. So today, I will look back at the last 100 reviews and make a top list of some of my favourites, similar to what I did at the 100 camera review mark but slightly different.

Top Five Favourite Films
It's always hard to choose just one! But in these cases these are films that are still produced and readily available. They are also ones that I will always grab when I need to get the shot! Both for my personal and professional work. And yes, these days it is mostly Ilford on the list, which is interesting because when I started reviewing film stocks, it would have been dominated by Kodak.

Ilford FP4+
When it comes to a go-to mid-speed film, Ilford FP4+ is that film. It offers up everything I look for in this speed range, with excellent tonality, great latitude, classic grain and excellent edge sharpness. I was first introduced to FP4+ when Kodak discontinued Plus-X and I wanted something similar, and FP4+ was that film, even has the classic ASA-125 box speed. It's my goto for outdoor events, portrait work, and general photography. Plus I can use it in all my cameras from 35mm up to 4×5 and larger. And it handles any situation I throw at it when it comes to lighting, natural, artificial, high-contrast, low contrast. And you can over and under expose it and push/pull in development when the situation requires such a process. And it responds to ever developer I throw its way.

Minolta Maxxum 9 - Konica-Minolta Zoom AF 24-105mm 1:3.5-4.5 D - Ilford FP4+ @ ASA-125 - Tetenal Neofin Blau (1+9) 9:00 @ 20C (Constant Rotation)Rolleiflex 2.8F - Carl Zeiss Planar 80mm 1:2.8 - Ilford FP4+ @ ASA-125 - 510-Pyro (1+100) 10:30 @ 20CMamiya m645 - Mamiya-Sekor C 45mm 1:2.8 N - Ilford FP4+ @ ASA-125 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 6:00 @ 20CPacemaker Crown Graphic - Fuji Fujinon-W 1:5.6/125 - Ilford FP4+ @ ASA-64 - Pyrocat-HD (1+1+100) 8:00 @ 20C

Ilford Delta 100
While of a speed similar to FP4+, Delta 100 is the one film I take when I need something that looks sharp and modern. Thanks to the contemporary emulsion, I can achieve excellent results across all the formats. I started to enjoy Delta 100 with my original review set in 2015 when I began exploring the Ilford line of films and developers. And I'm glad I did; this spot would have been filled with Tmax 100, but I needed to find something similar with the cost increases. Also, Delta 100 works well with all the developers I use. It has become the go to film stock for my lens tests along with Delta 400. Now to see if I can over-expose it to ASA-32.

Nikon F5 - AF Nikkor 35mm 1:2D (Yellow-12) - Ilford Delta 100 @ ASA-100 - Fotospeed FD10 (1+9) 7:00 @ 20CModified Anniversary Speed Graphic - Schneider-Kreuznack Angulon 1:6,8 90mm - Ilford Delta 100 @ ASA-50 - Agfa Rodinal (1+25) 7:00 @ 20CRolleiflex 2.8F - Carl Zeiss Planar 80mm 1:2.8 - Ilford Delta 100 @ ASA-100 - Kodak HC-110 Dil. E 7:30 @ 20CBronica GS-1 - Zenzanon-PG 1:3.5 f=100mm - Ilford Delta 100 @ ASA-80 - SPUR HRX (1+20) 9:00 @ 20C

Ilford HP5+
You guessed it, another Kodak replacement. While I struggled for a while to come to love Ilford HP5+ in 35mm, I always enjoyed working with it in medium and large format. Probably my favourite combination across the board is shooting it at ASA-200 and developing it in Pyrocat-HD. But it works well in almost any developer, except Rodinal. Perfect when you need a fast shutter speed, offers up excellent latitude. Good tonality, edge sharpness, and a bit more visible grain but nothing too serious.

Minolta XE-7 - Minolta MD Rokkor-X 45mm 1:2 - Ilford HP5+ @ ASA-400 - Kodak D-76 (1+1) 13:00 @ 20CHolga 120N - Optical Lens f=60mm 1:8 - Ilford HP5+ @ ASA-400 - Ilford ID-11 (1+1) 11:00 @ 20C (Constant Rotation)Rolleiflex 2.8F - Carl Zeiss Planar 80mm 1:2.8 - Ilford HP5+ @ ASA-1600 - Bellini EcoFilm (Stock) 11:00 @ 20C (Constant Rotation)Graflex Crown Graphic - Fuji Fujinon-W 1:5.6/125 - Ilford HP5+ @ ASA-200 - Pyrocat-HD (1+1+100) 9:00 @ 20C

Eastman-Kodak Double-X 5222
Wait, there's a 200-speed film that I actually enjoy working with? Well yes, because there is something incredibly special about Double-X. First there is the connection to motion pictures, Casino Royale and more recently Oppenheimer. But Double-X always delivers the goods, while not fine-grained, it has a wonderful grain structure, and a tonality that goes on for days. I use this film for street photography, general-purpose and travel. It can be developed in a lot of different developers, but it does look amazing in Kodak's dedicated motion picture developer D-96. No matter the situation, this film will give you excellent image quality. Plus if you go through CineStill you can get Double-X in both 35mm and 120 formats.

Hasselblad 500c - Carl Zeiss Planar 80mm 1:2.8 - Cinestill BwXX @ ASA-200 - FPP D96 (Stock) 6:00 @ 20CNikon F5 - AF Nikkor 85mm 1:1.8D - CineStill BwXX @ ASA-250 - Ilford Ilfotec HC (1+63) 10:45 @ 20C (Constant Rotation)Mamiya m645 - Mamiya-Sekor C 35mm 1:3.5 N - CineStill BwXX @ ASA-250 - Fotospeed FD10 (1+9) 10:00 @ 20CNikon F5 - Tamron AF 100-300mm 1:5-6.3 - Cinestill BwXX @ ASA-200 - Cinestill D96 (Stock) 6:30 @ 20C

Ilford Pan F+
It's always good to have a slow film in your toolkit. And while there are plenty of options, my go-to when things matter is Ilford Pan F+. You get a slow film with lots of contrast and latitude. Excellent edge sharpness and fine grain. Plus, you can throw it in almost any developer and get excellent results. Perfect for landscapes, portraits, and bright days. It replaces Panatomic-X a little more than TMax 100 does in my books, despite having much more contrast. And it looks good in high-contrast developers like D-19, much better than I thought it would.

Rolleiflex 2.8F - Carl Zeiss Planar 80mm 1:2.8 - Ilford Pan F+ @ ASA-50 - Tetenal Neofin Blau (1+9) 12:15 @ 20C (Constant Rotation)Nikon F5 - AF Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 - Ilford Pan F+ @ ASA-50 - Kodak D-19 (1+1) 5:30 @ 20C (Constant Rotation)Canon EOS 3000 - Canon Lens EF 28mm 1:2.8 - Ilford Pan F+ @ ASA-50 - 510-Pyro (1+100) 6:15 @ 21CHasselblad 500c - Carl Zeiss Planar 80mm 1:2.8 - Ilford Pan F+ @ ASA-50 - Ilford Microphen (1+1) 6:00 @ 20C

Top Five Discontinued Film Stocks
While we are lucky to have as many films out there as we do today, there are many that have been discontinued. Some recently, others before I was born. Yet I still am drawn towards a bunch of these and will purchase them when I come across them at a camera fair, store, or online.

Kodak Panatomic-X - Discontinued: 1987
By this point, you're probably sick of me extolling the virtues of Panatomic-X. But I cannot stop; it's such a great film and, oddly enough, one I found because I thought the name was cool. I mean, Panatomic-X, it's so cold war! Now this film is only for some, it doesn't have a lot of contrast natively, but that can be fixed in either post-processing or by using a strong mix of a high-contrast developer. While personally, I love the film in D-76, HC-110 (Dil. H), and Xtol. It might do well in D-19 (to boost that contrast) or drop the contrast even more with D-23. And while Panatomic-X is long gone, a few options exist to get a near experience. You can always shoot TMax 100 at ASA-32 and pull the film in development, or get your hands on CatLABS X Film 80 or Mk. II.

Mamiya m645 - Mamiya-Sekor C 45mm 1:2.8 N - Kodak Panatomic-X @ ASA-32 - Kodak D-76 (Stock) 5:00 @ 20CNikon FA - AI-S Nikkor 50mm 1:1.4 - Kodak Panatomic-X @ ASA-32 - Blazinal (1+50) 10:00 @ 20CNikon F4 - AF Nikkor 35mm 1:2D - Kodak Panatomic-X @ ASA-32 - Kodak Xtol (1+1) 7:30 @ 20CMinolta XE-7 - Minolta MD Rokkor-X 45mm 1:2 - Kodak Panatomic-X @ ASA-32 - Kodak HC-110 Dil. H 9:00 @ 20C

Kodak Kodachrome - Discontinued: 2002-2009
It would only be a list of discontinued films with Kodachrome. I first heard about Kodachrome through the Film Photography Project right when Kodak announced the discontinuation of the legendary film stock. I got my hands on a couple of rolls, but sadly those were poorly stored, and they showed. But I got more from Sean Galbraith, and these were in top condition, and I started to see why people love this film so much! It has rich, authentic colour reproduction. But I also had the chance to shoot Kodachrome 25 and Kodachrome 40 (Tungsten) balanced and get them out to Dwayne's Photo before they stopped processing the film.

Nikon F3 - AI-S Nikkor 50mm 1:1.4 - Kodak Kodachrome 64 - Processing By: Dwyanes PhotoNikon F3 - AI-S Nikkor 50mm 1:1.4 - Kodak Kodachrome 64 - Processing By: Dwyanes PhotoNikon F4s - AF Nikkor 35mm 1:2D - Kodak Kodachrome 25 - Processing By: Dwyanes PhotoNikon F4s - AF Nikkor 35mm 1:2D - Kodak Kodachrome 40 Type A - Processing By: Dwyanes Photo

Fujifilm Astia 100F - Discontinued: 2011
Fuji often gets a bad rap for it's constant discontinuation of films, and most of these films are slide films. Although they are noted for some colour negative and B&W stocks that people still yearn after. But of all the films that Fuji has discontinued, my favourite, oddly is a slide film. Fujifilm Astia 100F is the second slide film that I ever shot, the first is the Sensia line. But it was Astia that made me love slide film. It had the perfect balance of contrast, sharpness, and colour replication. In fact, I feel it had the most realistic colour replication of all the Fuji slide films.

Nikon F3 - AI-S Nikkor 50mm 1:1.4 - Fuji Astia 100F @ ASA-100 - Processing By: Silvano'sRollieflex 2.8F - Carl Zeiss Planar 80mm 1:2.8 - Fuji Astia 100F @ ASA-100 - Processing By: Silvano'sArsenal Kiev 88 - Biometar 80mm 1:2.8 - Fuji Astia 100F @ ASA-100 - Processing By: Silvano'sIntrepid 4×5 Mk. I - Schneider-Kreuznach Symmar-S 1:5.6/210 - Fuji Astia 100F @ ASA-100 - Processing By: The Darkroom

Agfa APX 25 - Discontinued: 1989-2000
I'll admit, I had a roll of APX 25 in 120 long before I knew what the film was and used it to practice loading film onto Patterson reels in daylight. I admit that mistake, but since then, I have used this film several times, including a 120-roll. I enjoy working with slow films, and APX 25 offers excellent edge sharpness, fine grain, and fantastic tonality. While you get terrific results from Rodinal, I enjoyed using Adox FX-39 II. But I also have gotten superb results from Fotospeed FD10. I am looking forward to trying the film with Diafine and Compard R09 Spezial (Studional). I do regret not being able to develop a roll in Tetenal Neofin Blau, but you cannot make the old stock solution with the new bottles.

Minolta Maxxum 9 - Minolta Maxxum AF 24mm 1:2.8 - Agfa APX 25 @ ASA-25 - Ilford ID-11 (Stock) 8:30 @ 20CMinolta Maxxum 9 - Minolta Maxxum AF 24mm 1:2.8 - Agfa APX 25 @ ASA-25 - Ilford Ilfotec HC (1+63) 11:30 @ 20CRolleiflex 2.8F - Carl Zeiss Planar 80mm 1:2.8 - Agfa APX 25 @ ASA-25 - Adox Rodinal (1+50) 9:30 @ 20CMinolta Maxxum 9 - Minolta Maxxum AF 24mm 1:2.8 - Agfa APX 25 @ ASA-25 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 5:15 @ 20C

Efke Films - Discontinued: 2012
Okay, so I'm going a little weird for this last one because I'm including all Efke films in this section. While I have only done an official review (twice) for KB100 (the fastest film of the group), I have had the chance to shoot all three versions. Efke's line of films includes ASA-25, ASA-50, and ASA-100 versions and are based on the original Adox B&W films released in the mid-20th Century. Efke got their hands on the formulas and equipment after Dupont sold it in 1972. Eventually, Fotoimpex would begin rebadging the film under the Adox name until discontinuation in 2012, when Efke could no longer maintain the equipment. After learning about Freestyle Photographic through the Film Photography Project, I first got my hands on films. I started to explore the weird world of B&W films. The films are silver rich and provide a classic look that most modern films don't offer. However, you did need to use a water stop bath and hardening fixer to preserve these film stocks.

Zeiss Ikon Contax IIIa - Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 1:3,5 f=5cm T - Efke KB100 @ ASA-100 - Kodak D-23 (Stock) 7:45 @ 20CRolleiflex 2.8F - Carl Zeiss Planar 80mm 1:2.8 - Adox CHS 100 - Blazinal (1+25) 6:00 @ 20CNikon F5 - AF Nikkor 35mm 1:2D (Yellow-15) - Efke KB50 @ ASA-50 - Kodak Xtol (Stock) 8:00 @ 20CRolleiflex 2.8F - Carl Zeiss Planar 80mm 1:2.8 - Adox CHS 50 - Processing By: Silvano'sPacemaker Crown Graphic - Fuji Fujinon W 1:5.6/125 - Efke PL25 @ ASA-25 - PMK Pyro (1+2+100) 7:30 @ 21CModified Anniversary Speed Graphic - Fuji Fujinon-W 1:5.6/125 - Efke PL25 @ ASA-25 - PMK Pyro (1+2+100) 7:30 @ 21C

Top Five Favourite B &W Films
While these aren't always the one I'll reach for when results matter, they are among my favourites that I've shot and used. And I continue to use them when I'm feeling in a creative rut or want to get out and have some film fun and work in the black & white sphere!

Kentmere 100
Kentmere 100 is a wonderful budget film from Harman Technologies/Ilford Photo. But don't let the budget label scare you, because Kentmere 100 is a film that hits high above its price point. Yes, it doesn't have the finest grain out there but it has a lovely traditional grain structure. But that grain helps enhance the edge sharpness which combined with the wonderful tonal range of the film creates a delightful film that will deliver excellent results. Plus with the recent release of the film in 120 format makes it a great film that can fill out your film cataloge.

Nikon F5 - AF-S Nikkor 14-24mm 1:2.8G - Kentmere 100 @ ASA-100 - Kodak HC-110 Dil. B 5:45 @ 20CMamiya m645 - Mamiya-Sekor C 1:2.8 f=80mm - Kentmere 100 @ ASA-80 - SPUR HRX (1+20) 9:30 @ 20COlympus OM-10 - Olympus G.Zuiko Auto-W 1:3,5 f=28mm (Yellow-12) - Ketmere 100 @ ASA-100 - Flic Film Black/White & Green (1+49) 12:00 @ 20C (Constant Rotation)Rolleiflex 2.8F - Carl Zeiss Planar 80mm 1:2.8 - Kentmere 100 - Compard R09 Spezial (1+30) 9:00 @ 20C

Rollei RPX 25
Based on Agfa Avifoto 80, and probably is my favourite of all the films based on this surveillance film stock. While it also works well as Adox HR-50 and makes unique transparencies as Adox Scala 50. When you get to Retro 80s, it gets far too punchy. RPX 25 is a film rated at ASA-25, has excellent near-IR sensitivity and responds well to many different light. But what makes RPX 25 a cut above the other versions? You can get this in 35mm, 120, and 4×5 sheets! While not a film you take out all the time with a slow ASA-25 speed, it is a film for sunny days.

Pacemaker Crown Graphic - Fuji Fujinon-W 1:5.6/125 - Rollei RPX 25 @ ASA-25 - Pyrocat-HD (1+1+100) 12:00 @ 20CContax G2 - Carl Zeiss Biogon 28/2,8 T* - Rollei RPX 25 @ ASA-25 - Kodak D-76 (1+1) 8:00 @ 20CPentax 67II - SMC Pentax 67 1:2.4 105mm - Rollei RPX 25 @ ASA-25 - Ilford Ilfotec HC (1+63) 11:00 @ 20CMinolta Maxxum 9 - Minolta Maxxum AF 24mm 1:2.8 - Rollei RPX 25 @ ASA-25 - Adox Scala Developer (1+1) 10:45 @ 20C

Adox CHS 100 II
The return of the classic! CHS 100 II is a reformulated and reintroduced version of Efke KB100, which is based on an original Adox film stock. CHS 100 II is similar to the original one but has a more robust emulsion and has a bit more latitude. It offers up an old school look with a bit more grain than modern 100-speed films. The one thing I did notice with this film is that it doesn't do well in high-contrast conditions, you'll loose a lot of shadow detail. So you can probably shoot it at ASA-80 or ASA-64 to help open up those shadows when you develop, don't pull in development. You can get this in 35mm and 4×5, although I would love to see Adox bring it back in the 120 format. While you can use this with any developer, for the best results I recommend Adox FX-39 II.

Canon AE-1 - Canon Lens FD 28mm 1:2.8 - Adox CHS 100 II @ ASA-80 - Adox Atomal 49 (1+1) 9:00 @ 20C (Constant Rotation)Graflex Crown Graphic - Fuji Fujinon-W 1:5.6/125 - Adox CHS 100 II @ ASA-100 - Adox Atomal 49 (Stock) 5:45 @ 20CKonica-Minolta Maxxum 70 - Minolta Maxxum AF 35-70mm 1:4 - Adox CHS 100 II @ ASA-100 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 7:00 @ 20CCrown Graphic - Schneider-Kreuznack Xenar 1:4,7/135 - Adox CHS 100 II @ ASA-100 - Kodak Xtol (1+1) 7:15 @ 20C

ORWO UN54+ (Lomography Potsdam)
ORWO is a strange company these days. While tracing itself to the original Agfa company and then reformed on the eastern side of the iron curtain. The company's current iteration has been in hot water of late, especially the owner. All that aside, UN54+ is a beautiful film with tonnes of tonality, fine grain and excellent sharpness. Plus, if you get it from Lomography, you can order it in 35mm and 120. It loves D96 and handles other developers well. But honestly, for best results, a Pyro developer or D96, and you'll be happy.

Mamiya m645 - Mamiya-Sekor C 1:2.8 f=80mm - Lomography Potsdam 100 @ ASA-100 - Kodak HC-110 Dil. E 6:00 @ 20CRolleiflex 2.8F - Carl Zeiss Planar 80mm 1:2.8 - Lomography Potsdam 100 @ ASA-100 - Blazinal (1+50) 9:30 @ 20CRolleiflex 2.8F - Carl Zeiss Planar 80mm 1:2.8 - Lomography Potsdam 100 @ ASA-100 - Pyrocat-HD (1+1+100) 10:00 @ 20CMamiya m645 - Mamiya-Sekor C 1:2.8 f=80mm - Lomography Potsdam 100 @ ASA-100 - Cinestill D96 (Stock) 6:00 @ 20C

Fomapan 100
Along the same lines as Kentmere 100, Fomapan 100 is an excellent budget film. But it has a look that's different from Kentmere 100, its a classic film with a classic look. It has an excellent edge sharpness, but is a little more fine-grain than Kentmere 100 but it also depends on how you develop the film. It has a good tonality, but can get pretty crunchy under high-contrast situations. Plus you can get this film under multiple boutique and budget brands. So even if you cannot get the Foma branded stuff, there are plenty of other ways to get your hands on the stock. Fomapan 100 is also avaliable in 35mm, 120, and sheet films.

Leitz Leica M4-P - 7Artisans DJ-Optical 35/2 - Fomapan 100 @ ASA-100 - Foma Retro Special (Stock) 4:00 @ 20CMamiya C220f - Mamiya-Sekor 1:2.8 f=80mm - Fomapan 100 @ ASA-100 - 510-Pyro (1+100) 8:30 @ 20CNikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 105mm 1:2.5 - Fomapan 100 @ ASA-100 - Ilford Microphen (1+1) 9:00 @ 20CHasselblad 500c - Carl Zeiss Planar 80mm 1:2.8 - Fomapan 100 @ ASA-100 - Kodak D-23 (Stock) 10:00 @ 20C

Top Five Favourite Colour Films (C-41 & E-6)
I don't shoot a lot of colour film, I find it difficult to scan and getting it processed is a bit of a drag. I can and have processed colour at home, but because the kits last for several rolls I usually will wait until I have a huge backlog then spend the next couple of evenings running everything through. If I take it to the lab I'm looking at at least a week turn around if I can take the time to drop the rolls off. And colour slide is still a mail out process. Plus, colour film is not the cheapest way to shoot film these days. But these are some of my favourite colour films I've reviewed.

Kodak Ektachrome E100
Regarding slide film, I have always been more of a Fujifilm shooter. But with Fujifilm cutting or reducing the production of many of their E-6 films, the reintroduction of Ektachrome E100 made me sit up and look. I have shot plenty of Ektachrome, including E100G and E100VS. So when Kodak said that the new E100 would take the best of both those film stocks, I was excited. I don't see myself using this again due to increased prices and the struggle to shoot enough to make it worthwhile for an E-6 kit or to send it out to a lab and have a good month's turnaround. I will recommend this to someone wanting to start shooting slide films. It's forgiving for a slide with decent latitude and has a beautiful rich colour replication and excellent edge-sharpness. Plus it looks fun when cross-processed using the ECN-2 process.

Nikon F5 - AF Nikkor 35mm 1:2D - Kodak Ektachrome E100 @ ASA-100 - Processing By: Boréalis PhotolabMinolta Maxxum 9 - Minolta Maxxum AF 28mm 1:2.8 - Kodak Ektachrome E100 @ ASA-100 - Processing By: Boréalis PhotolabMamiya m645 - Mamiya-Sekor C 35mm 1:3.5 N - Kodak Ektachrome E100 @ ASA-100 - Unicolor Rapid E-6 KitMinolta Maxxum 9 - Minolta Maxxum AF 28mm 1:2.8 - Kodak Ektachrome E100 @ ASA-100 - Unicolor Rapid E-6 Kit

Kodak Portra 400
Okay, I don't shoot a lot of Portra anymore; the biggest reason it is hard to find is that everyone wants to shoot Portra 400. The second is that it costs so much money when you find it; I tend to leave it for those who live and breathe nothing but Portra 400. Yet, this is probably the most accessible professional film for the average photographer, especially for those who are moving to film from digital. Portra 400 is a film you can abuse and shoot almost like your digital camera, adjusting the sensitivity between shots and then processing it normally. While it doesn't have as wide a range as digital, you can shoot Portra 400 between 100 and 1600 without pushing and pulling during processing. The colours will change depending on the EI and processing, but generally, they are pleasing. More pastel and soft with over-exposure and punching with under-exposure, and relatively accurate when shot at the box speed. It's a good film, one I would use for jobs where the client insisted on colour film but not for everyday shooting; for that, I would go with Ultramax 400.

Rolleiflex 2.8F - Carl Zeiss Planar 80mm 1:2.8 - Kodak Portra 400 @ ASA-400 - Processing By: Burlington CameraMinolta Maxxum 9 - Minolta Maxxum AF 50mm 1:1.7 - Kodak Portra 400 @ ASA-800 - Processing By: Burlington CameraHasselblad 500c - Carl Zeiss Planar 80mm 1:2.8 - Kodak Portra 400 @ ASA-400 - Processing By: Burlington CameraRolleiflex 2.8F - Carl Zeiss Planar 80mm 1:2.8 - Kodak Portra 400 @ 1600 - Processing By: Silvano's

Eastman-Kodak Vision3 250D
Regarding colour film, other than Areocolor IV, the most affordable way to shoot colour is to go to the Kodak Vision3 series of films; of the four stocks available, my hands-down favourite is 250D. This lovely mid-speed film has a lot of latitude and does a beautiful job replicating colours. It isn't weird like 200T or 500T that requires extensive colour grading and filtering to work in daylight, you get excellent results right from the scanner, and you can shoot it over or under a stop without any loss when processing normally. The downside is that it comes with a remjet layer, so only specific labs can handle that and the ECN-2 process. But you can get it with this layer removed or never put it in place during manufacturing.

Nikon FE2 - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 - Kodak Vision3 5207 250D @ ASA-250 - FPP Super Color Negative ECN-2 KitNikon FE2 - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 - Kodak Vision3 5207 250D @ ASA-250 - FPP Super Color Negative ECN-2 KitNikon FE2 - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 - Kodak Vision3 5207 250D @ ASA-250 - FPP Super Color Negative ECN-2 KitNikon FE2 - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 - Kodak Vision3 5207 250D @ ASA-250 - FPP Super Color Negative ECN-2 Kit

Kodak Ultramax 400
It was hard to figure out which film to fill this spot, it was a close match between Gold 200 and Ultramax 400, but in the end, it was how Ultramax 400 looked at ASA-200 and normally developed that sold it for me. But don't just shoot it one stopover; it performed beautifully at box speed and one stop under. It's the perfect well-rounded consumer film I recommend to new shooters over Portra 400. The problem is that supply is hard to come by, and the cost is rising. But if you do find it, you are in for a treat. I consider this film superior to Portra 400; the colours look better.

Nikon FA - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 - Kodak Ultramax 400 @ ASA-200 - Processing By: Burlington CameraNikon FA - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 - Kodak Ultramax 400 @ ASA-200 - Processing By: Burlington CameraPentax Espio 115m - Pentax Zoom Lens 38-115mm 1:3.9-10.5 - Kodak Ultramax 400 @ ASA-400 - Processing By: Burlington CameraMinolta Maxxum 9 - Minolta Maxxum AF 28-135mm 1:4-4.5 - Kodak Ultramax 400 @ ASA-800 - Processing By: Burlington Camera

SantaColor 100 (Kodak Areocolor IV)
The "New" kid on the block, while it isn't really new but rather newly available. Kodak Areocolor IV is designed as an aerial surveillance film that can be processed in either C-41 (Colour Negative) or E-6 (Colour Slide) because it lacks the orange mask that is a type of negative film. Plus, it is a fresh film and continues to be produced. The problem in the past has been that it can only be purchased in large bulk rolls, making it difficult for even home bulk loaders to split it down. Enter several companies who started rerolling this under various house brands. You have SantaColor 100, FlicFilm Electra 100, FilmWashi X, and Luminar 100. Plus, who knows how many others! This is a fun colour film that I can get behind as it produces a beautiful warm colour with plenty of latitude. It works best between ASA-125 and ASA-200, rather than the 'box' speed of ASA-100, which blows out the images.

Minolta Maxxum 9 - Minolta Maxxum AF 28-135mm 1:4-4.5 - KameraStore SantaColor 100 @ ASA-50 - Processing By: Burlington CameraMinolta Maxxum 9 - Minolta Maxxum AF 28-135mm 1:4-4.5 - KameraStore SantaColor 100 @ ASA-100 - Processing By: Burlington CameraMinolta Maxxum 9 - Minolta Maxxum AF 28-135mm 1:4-4.5 - KameraStore SantaColor 100 @ ASA-200 - Processing By: Burlington CameraMinolta Maxxum 9 - Minolta Maxxum AF 28-135mm 1:4-4.5 - KameraStore SantaColor 100 @ ASA-400 - Processing By: Burlington Camera

Five Most Difficult Films
Sometimes there are films that are difficult to nail down. And while these aren't bad films, I've just had trouble getting them to a point that I'm happy with the results. And while I have managed to figure some films out (see the next section), others continue to elude my efforts. Now I haven't given up on these films and in some cases I do keep on trying to get results that I like out of them, but others I have given up on.

FilmWashi Type D
Washi D surprised me in a couple of ways, the first being that despite having a box speed of ASA-500, the images are fine-grained and sharp. Probably because this is a surveillance film stock that is designed to give exacting details for intelligence agents. The second is how crazy the images got when you added a yellow filter. With a deep yellow filter you get dramatically dark skies and even a pale yellow there is significant darkening. That said, this film drove me crazy with the paper thin emulsion that I ruined one roll and nearly ruined a second. It also does not handle overcast conditions, strange for a 500-Speed film and dislikes HC-110/Ilfotec HC. Although in the case of Ilfotec HC, I think I could have extended the development at least a minute and a half to help bring out the shadow details. That said, Type D is no longer available as it is sourced from Russia and since the illegal invasion and ongoing war in Ukraine is not sold by Washi.

[](https://www.flickr.com/photos/axle81401/50162308641/in/dateposted-public/ "FRB No. 64 - Film Washi "D" - Roll No. 1 (Kodak D-76)")Nikon F5 - AF Nikkor 35mm 1:2D (Yellow-15) - FilmWashi Type D @ ASA-500 - Kodak D-76 (1+1) 8:30 @ 20CMinolta Maxxum 9 - Minolta Maxxum AF 28mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Film Washi D @ ASA-500 - Ilford Ilfotec HC (1+63) 8:00 @ 20C[](https://www.flickr.com/photos/axle81401/50165890966/in/dateposted-public/ "FRB No. 64 - Film Washi "D" - Roll No. 2 (Rodinal)")Olympus OM-2n - Olympus G.Zuiko Auto-W 1:3.5 f=28mm (Yellow-12) - FilmWashi D @ ASA-500 - Blazinal (1+50) 11:00 @ 20C

Agfa Copex Rapid
Of all the films I have faced difficulties with, Copex Rapid is the one that I certainly will want to try again. The problem is that the film itself can be difficult to source, but the real trouble is the dedicated developer cannot be found in North America and costs a lot of money and will take a long time to ship from Europe. And the type of photography Copex Rapid is aimed at I don't practice. But it does perform well with regular developers under bright conditions. This is a fair weather film, it loves bright sunlight, and needs exacting exposure.

Mamiya m645 - Mamiya-Sekor C 45mm 1:2.8 N - Agfa Copex Rapid @ ASA-25 - Ilford ID-11 (Stock) 5:00 @ 20CNikon FE2 - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 - Agfa Copex Rapid @ ASA-50 - Adox Rodinal (1+100) 18:00 @ 20CMamiya m645 - Mamiya-Sekor C 45mm 1:2.8 N - Agfa Copex Rapid @ ASA-64 - 510-Pyro (1+300) 20:00 @ 21CNikon FE2 - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 - Agfa Copex Rapid @ ASA-50 - Adox FX-39 II (1+19) 9:00 @ 20C

Adox CMS 20 II
I caught a lot of flack for this film stock, CMS 20 II is a closed imaging system, which is to say it works with only one developer, Adotech IV. Now I'm not one for a closed system, especally with a B&W film, so I wanted to try and use other developers. Also it was near impossible to get bottles of Adotech IV when I completed this review. Now I did get workable results from most of the developers I used, D-76, Rodinal, and Pyrocat-HD. The best results I got are from TMax Developer. I did go back and revisit this film twice, once with Adotech IV and again with the Adox Scala Reversal Kit. In both cases, I don't know what happened but I could not get results good enough for publishing. Unlike some of the other films on this list, I won't be trying CMS 20 II again.

Pentax 645 - SMC Pentax A 645 35mm 1:3.5 - Adox CMS 20 II @ ASA-20 - Kodak TMax Developer (1+4) 5:30 @ 20CNikon F90 - AF-S Nikkor 14-24mm 1:2.8G - Adox CMS 20 II @ ASA-20 - Kodak D-76 (1+3) 10:30 @ 20CNikon F5 - AF Nikkor 35mm 1:2D - Adox CMS 20 II @ ASA-20 - Blazinal (1+100) 18:00 @ 20CNikon F5 - AF Nikkor 50mm 1:1.4D (CPOL) - Adox CMS 20 II @ ASA-12 - Pyrocat-HD (1+1+100) 9:00 @ 20C

Svema Foto 200
There are a lot of people who feel this film is special, and they aren't wrong. It's a wonderful film that provides amazing tonality and excellent sharpness. But it comes at a cost, there is way more grain with this film than I would expect from a 200-Speed film! Surprisingly it works best in Rodinal, and has less-visible grain than the other developers I tried it in, it also responds well to Kodak Xtol. But the real problem I have with Svema 200, is getting it loaded onto the reels. The paper thin negatives buckle at the slightest resistance and when working in a change bag, it heats up quickly and you get the film sweats. I don't have a need for Svema 200 in my current photography so I won't be returning to this film.

Nikon FA - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 (CPOL) - Svema Photo 200 @ ASA-200 - Kodak D-76 (Stock) 8:30 @ 20CNikon F5 - AF DC-Nikkor 105mm 1:2D - Svema Foto 200 @ ASA-200 - Blazinal (1+50) 14:00 @ 20CNikon F4 - AF Nikkor 35mm 1:2D - Svema Foto 200 @ ASA-200 - Kodak Xtol (1+1) 12:00 @ 20CMinolta Maxxum 9 - Minolta Maxxum AF 28mm 1:2.8 - Svema Foto 200 @ ASA-200 - Pyrocat-HD (1+1+100) 15:30 @ 20C

Foma Retropan 320
I really wanted to like Retropan, I think this film has a lot of potential to fill in a gap that is just enough different from Fomapan 400, but I can't get around the fact that the contrast is far to low in most developers! To get the best results, you do want to add some filtration and use the dedicated Retro Special developer. But once you start straying, you start to see a lot of muddy grain, displeasing low contrast, and an overall softness. It even didn't play well with Pyrocat-HD, and looks ugly in D-76 stock. I think it would do well in a high-contrast developer like LQR or D-19, but again, I don't see it a worthwhile effort when I have better results from Fomapan 400.

Mamyia m645 - Mamiya-Sekor C 35mm 1:3.5 N (Yellow-12) - Foma Retropan 320 Soft @ ASA-320 - Foma Retro Special Developer (Stock) 5:00 @ 20CMamyia m645 - Mamiya-Sekor C 35mm 1:3.5 N (Yellow-12) - Foma Retropan 320 Soft @ ASA-200 - Foma Fomadon LQN (1+10) 8:30 @ 20C (Constant Rotation)Mamiya m645 - Mamiya-Sekor C 45mm 1:2.8 N - Foma Retropan 320 @ ASA-320 - Kodak D-76 (Stock) 9:30 @ 20CRolleiflex 2.8F - Carl Zeiss Planar 80mm 1:2.8 - Foma Retropan 320 @ ASA-320 - Pyrocat-HD (1+1+100) 11:30 @ 20C

Redeemed Films
I honestly have a drive to find the right way to shoot and develop a film. It might take a bit of time to discover the right combination to get results that I like, but it can be worth it and you discover a film that will work in odd situations or to give a look of yesteryear that isn't possible with modern film stocks.

Fomapan 400
Foma 400 is an interesting film. When I first heard about it, the film was not given the best reputation. Gritty, Grainy, Mushy. But when I reviewed the stock I saw that it had some potential. It took a lot of work to figure out how to get the best results from Fomapan 400. Some will say that it is not a true 400-Speed Film, but I do disagree with that statement now. Fomapan 400 is a beautiful film when shot at either 400, 800, or 200 and every point in-between. It's all about shooting the stock at the right speed and developing it right in the situation at hand. Fomapan 400 is a true classic film, it looks like the Tri-X of the 60s and 70s. Works well with high-contrast developers, compensating developers, and yellow filters. You can pick this stuff up in 120, 35mm, and sheet films. Along with various boutique and budget rebadges.

Mamiya C220f - Mamiya-Sekor D 1:3.5 f=105mm - Fomapan 400 @ ASA-200 - Ilford Ilfotec HC (1+31) 6:00 @ 20CNikon F5 - AF Nikkor 14mm 1:2.8D - Fomapan 400 - Foma Retro Special Developer (Stock) 6:00 @ 20CRolleiflex 2.8F - Carl Zeiss Planar 80mm 1:2.8 - Fomapan 400 @ ASA-200 - Kodak D-76 (1+1) 9:00 @ 20CNikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 - Fomapan 400 @ ASA-200 - Flic Film Black/White & Green (1+49) 12:00 @W film. P30 was a film that baffled me for a long time, a tough nut to crack. But I had to figure out the best conditions and development for the film. Then there was also the slight difference between the original Alpha release and the full production film stock. A delightful film that certainly gives a unique perspective. It loves light and medium contrast conditions, works best in run of the mill developers like D-96 and Xtol clones. While I haven't used the film in 120, I do plan on using it in that medium. Although if I had to choose between P30 and the newly released ORTO, I would pick ORTO.

Minolta Maxxum 9 - Minolta Maxxum AF 100mm 1:2.8 MACRO - FilmFerrania P30 @ ASA-80 - Cinestill D96 (Stock) 8:00 @ 20CNikon F5 - AF-S Nikkor 14-24mm 1:2.8G - FilmFerrania P30 @ ASA-80 - Adox XT-3 (Stock) 9:00 @ 20CNikon F5 - AF Nikkor 35mm 1:2D (Yellow-15) - Film Ferrania P30 @ ASA-50 - Kodak D-76 (Stock) 8:00 @ 20CNikon FE - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 - Ferrania P30 @ ASA-80 - Kodak HC-110 Dil. H 12:00 @ 20C

Kentmere 400
When I first reviewed Kentmere 400 I disliked it more than Fomapan 400. This was an ugly film, gritty, grainy, and mushy. But after Ilford released the film in 120 I started to get into the film a lot more. A budget friendly fast film that isn't Fomapan 400, and Kentmere 400 has a different look and feel. Like Foma 400, Kentmere 400 is a film that you need to develop and shoot right to get the best results. Compensating developers are a must, Tmax Developer, Atomal 49, and Studional (R09 Spezial/Hydrofin). And also, don't try over-exposing the film, it just goes grey and not in a good way. But you can push it a couple of stops and see some excellent results.

Nikon FE2 - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 - Kentmere 400 @ ASA-400 - Compard R09 Spezial (1+30) 8:00 @ 20CMamiya m645 - Mamiya-Sekor C 1:2.8 f=80mm - Kentmere 400 @ ASA-400 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 10:00 @ 20C (Constant Rotation)Leitz Leica M4-P - DJ-Optical 7Artisans 35/2 - Kentmere 400 @ ASA-400 - Adox Atomal 49 (1+1) 13:30 @ 20C (Constant Rotation)Rolleiflex 2.8F - Carl Zeiss Planar 80mm 1:2.8 - Kentmere 400 @ ASA-400 - Adox Atomal 49 (1+1) 13:30 @ 20C (Constant Rotation)

Fomapan 200
While I warmed up to Fomapan 400 it took me a lot longer to get used to Fomapan 200. I still don't think I'm 100% there with Foma 200. But I've always disliked most 200-speed films. But I'm certainly on the right path with Fomapan 200. The trouble is that it likes exotic developers, Pyro-Based, HR-DEV, Atomal 49, and others. My opinion of Fomapan 200 has certainly improved and it is a capable film I just haven't figured out the right spot for where I like the stock. I guess I still have a way to go with this film, but maybe using it on a Frugal Film Project cycle will help out?

Rolleiflex 2.8F - Carl Zeiss Planar 80mm 1:2.8 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Compard R09 Spezial (1+30) 10:45 @ 20C (Constant Rotation)Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-100 - Pyrocat-HD (1+1+100) 7:30 @ 20CRolleiflex 2.8F - Carl Zeiss Planar 80mm 1:2.8 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-125 - Adox HR-DEV (1+35) 12:00 @ 20CNikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Kodak D-23 (Stock) 7:00 @ 20C

Rollei Superpan 200
Here's another 200-speed film, Superpan 200 is an interesting film stock that has a lot to offer. It has a unique look and feel that extends into the near-IR range. While I haven't tried it with a dedicated IR filter, but it looks amazing under a red filter and a high-contrast developer. Like Fomapan 200, it took me a while to get to know Superpan 200. It all started with a stand development in Rodinal. Now I'm not big on stand-development, but it gave me a starting point for what I want Superpan to look like. Then it was a matter of building from there, will it be a regular choice, no, but I at least know how to get it to the right spot.

Mamiya m645 - Mamyia-Sekor C 35mm 1:3.5 N (Red-25) - Rollei Superpan 200 @ ASA-200 - Kodak D-19 (1+1) 8:30 @ 20CMinolta XE-7 - Minolta MD Rokkor-X 45mm 1:2 - Rollei Superpan 200 @ ASA-200 - Kodak D-76 (1+1) 14:00 @ 20CNew Mamiya 6 - Mamiya G 1:3.5 f=75mm L - Rollei Superpan 200 @ ASA-200 - Adox FX-39 II (1+14) 15:15 @ 20C (Constant Rotation)Nikon Nikkormat EL - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 - Rollei Superpan 200 @ ASA-200 - Adox Atomal 49 (Stock) 10:30 @ 20C

Well that wraps up the first 100 reviews! Here's to another 100 reviews, but it may never reach that number. Sadly unlike cameras and lenses there is a finite number of film stocks out there, but hopefully I can at least get up to 150? And I do want to get my hands on more discontinued and expired film stocks to fill out some more reviews. Plus I have some ideas to add secondary reviews for film stocks already tested. Until then you can find a complete list of my reviews over on the dedicated page.

#filmreviewblogs #510pyro #adoxatomal49 #adoxchs100art #adoxchs100ii #adoxcms20ii #adoxfx39ii #adoxhrdev #adoxrodinal #adoxscaladeveloper #adoxxt3 #agfaapx25 #agfacopexrapid #agfarodinal #arsenalkiev88 #belliniecofilm #blazinal #canonae1 #canoneos3000 #cinestilld96 #compardr09spezial #eastmandoublex #eastmanvision3250d #efkekb100 #film #filmreview #filmferraniap30 #filmwashid #flicfilmblackwhitegreen #fomafomadonlqn #fomaretrospecialdeveloper #fomaretropan320 #fomapan100 #fomapan200 #fomapan400 #fotospeedfd10 #fppsupercolornegativeecn2kit #fujifilmastia100f #graflexcrowngraphic #graflexspeedgraphic #hasselblad500c #holga120n #ilforddelta100 #ilfordfp4 #ilfordhp5 #ilfordid11 #ilfordilfotechc #ilfordmicrophen #ilfordpanf #intrepid4x5mk1 #kamerastoresantacolor100 #kentmere100 #kentmere400 #kodakd19 #kodakd23 #kodakd76 #kodakektachromee100 #kodakhc110 #kodakkodachrome25 #kodakkodachrome40typea #kodakkodachrome64 #kodakpanatomicx #kodakportra400 #kodaktmaxdeveloper #kodakultramax400 #kodakxtol #konicaminoltamaxxum70 #kyoceracontaxg2 #leitzleicam4p #mamyiac220f #mamyiam645 #minoltamaxxum9 #minoltaxe7 #newmamyia6 #nikonf3 #nikonf4 #nikonf5 #nikonf90 #nikonfa #nikonfe #nikonfe2 #nikonfm #nikonnikkormatel #olympusom10 #olympusom2n #orwoun54 #pentax645 #pentax67ii #pentaxespio115m #pmkpyro #pyrocathd #review #rolleirpx25 #rolleisuperpan200 #rolleiflex28f #special #spurhrx #svemafoto200 #tetenalneofinblau #unicolorrapide6kit #zeissikoncontaxiiia #zenzabronicags1

Developer Review Blog No. 28 – Flic Film Classic MQ

You can never have too many D-76/ID-11 clones. And while there are tonnes already on the market, plus the capacity to mix one up yourself at home. I want to introduce the latest clone on the market, Flic Film Classic MQ. Flic Film is a new Canadian film lab based in Alberta, Canada. While they focus on re-rolling motion picture film stock, they have a healthy film chemistry group. In addition to their brilliant Black/White & Green, among their offerings is a D-76 clone, Classic MQ (Metol/Hydroquinone). But it is available in the smaller 1L volume rather than mixing up a whole gallon of stock solution.

Technical Details
Manufacture: Flic Film
Name: Classic MQ
Primary Developer: Metol & Hydroquinone
Type: Reusable/One-Shot
Mix From: Powder

Mamyia m645 - Mamiya-Sekor C 45mm 1:2.8 N - Ilford HP5+ @ ASA-400 - Flic Film Classic MQ (1+1) 13:00 @ 20CMamyia m645 - Mamiya-Sekor C 45mm 1:2.8 N - Ilford HP5+ @ ASA-400 - Flic Film Classic MQ (1+1) 13:00 @ 20CMamyia m645 - Mamiya-Sekor C 45mm 1:2.8 N - Ilford HP5+ @ ASA-400 - Flic Film Classic MQ (1+1) 13:00 @ 20CMamyia m645 - Mamiya-Sekor C 45mm 1:2.8 N - Ilford HP5+ @ ASA-400 - Flic Film Classic MQ (1+1) 13:00 @ 20C

Handling
If you can mix any developer from a single pouch of powder, Classic MQ is not beyond your reach. The developer comes in a single pouch of pre-mixed powder combined with water to make a litre of stock solution. The temperature is pretty hot to mix the stuff up, and I recommend going with the upper range of temperatures. The reason is that the power will mix better; if you're doing the mixing by hand, it will take about 6-8 minutes to thoroughly mix, shorter if you have access to a magnetic stirrer. Once mixed, the stock solution has a shelf life of six months in a full 1L bottle. The stock solution can develop ten rolls of film or equivariant. You can reuse the solution in stock form for development, but it is a one-shot developer once diluted down to either 1+1 or 1+2. Flic Film has published no official times with Classic MQ; instead, use the published times for Kodak D-76 or Ilford ID-11 for times and dilutions. If these developers can do what they say, so can Classic MQ. I did all the rolls in the 1+1 dilution for this review to work through the bottle quickly.

Minolta Maxxum 9 - Minolta Maxxum AF 28-135mm 1:4-4.5 - Eastman Double-X 5222 @ ASA-250 - Flic Film Classic MQ (1+1) 10:00 @ 20CMinolta Maxxum 9 - Minolta Maxxum AF 28-135mm 1:4-4.5 - Eastman Double-X 5222 @ ASA-250 - Flic Film Classic MQ (1+1) 10:00 @ 20CMinolta Maxxum 9 - Minolta Maxxum AF 28-135mm 1:4-4.5 - Eastman Double-X 5222 @ ASA-250 - Flic Film Classic MQ (1+1) 10:00 @ 20CMinolta Maxxum 9 - Minolta Maxxum AF 28-135mm 1:4-4.5 - Eastman Double-X 5222 @ ASA-250 - Flic Film Classic MQ (1+1) 10:00 @ 20C

Applications
Like any D-76 clone, Classic MQ offers an alternative to Kodak chemistry, especially if you're Canadian support for a Canadian company. Classic MQ offers up that baseline developer that works well with all the black & white films on the market, working well on both standard cubic grained film and modern T and Delta grained films. And because it comes in only 1-litre volumes, it is ideal for those who develop at home but have limited space available to them. And for those working on a septic system, Classic MQ, designed for rural developers, has lower toxicity and is safe for septic systems. And like D-76 and ID-11, in a pinch, Classic MQ can be used as a paper developer both for darkroom printing and paper negatives. A film like Washi A would be a good idea to use Classic MQ to develop.

Nikon FE - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 - Kodak Tri-X 400 @ ASA-400 - Flic Film Classic MQ (1+1) 9:30 @ 20CNikon FE - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 - Kodak Tri-X 400 @ ASA-400 - Flic Film Classic MQ (1+1) 9:30 @ 20CNikon FE - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 - Kodak Tri-X 400 @ ASA-400 - Flic Film Classic MQ (1+1) 9:30 @ 20CNikon FE - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 - Kodak Tri-X 400 @ ASA-400 - Flic Film Classic MQ (1+1) 9:30 @ 20C

Qualities
Being the same stuff as D-76 and ID-11, Classic MQ offers up that same baseline developer. Classic MQ lets the film shine, adding or subtracting anything from itself. You get that full speed out of your emulsion without any trouble. D-76 offers excellent detail at stock dilution, both in the highlights and especially the shadows. Surprisingly the developer does an excellent job taming grain at stock dilution. There's little in the way of adding or reducing contrast, for normal behaviour develop in a stock dilution. If you want to increase the sharpness, with a slight uptick in grain visibility, dilute down to 1+1 as I did, and it certainly helped get a bit more sharpness out of my HP5+ and Double-X without and decrease in contrast.

Nikon F5 - AF-S Nikkor 28-70mm 1:2.8D (Yellow-12) - Ilford FP4+ @ ASA-125 - Flic Film Classic MQ (1+1) 11:00 @ 20CNikon F5 - AF-S Nikkor 28-70mm 1:2.8D (Yellow-12) - Ilford FP4+ @ ASA-125 - Flic Film Classic MQ (1+1) 11:00 @ 20CNikon F5 - AF-S Nikkor 28-70mm 1:2.8D (Yellow-12) - Ilford FP4+ @ ASA-125 - Flic Film Classic MQ (1+1) 11:00 @ 20CNikon F5 - AF-S Nikkor 28-70mm 1:2.8D (Yellow-12) - Ilford FP4+ @ ASA-125 - Flic Film Classic MQ (1+1) 11:00 @ 20C

Lowdown
Like any other clone developer, Classic MQ offers up another chance to get your hands on a solid developer if you're starting your journey in home development. And these days, with supply lines long and a bit of quality issue coming out of Sino Chemicals right now, Classic MQ offers up a classic D-76/ID-11 experience without any trouble. The developer's cost is right in line with what you would pay for D-76 or ID-11. While you cannot purchase the stock directly from Flic Film, they have many retail partners here in Canada and the United States and is a powder it is much easier to ship without any significant restrictions. And yes, it is easy to mix up your D-76 or similar developer yourself; sometimes, it's nice to support a Canadian business and simplify your life.

Recommended Reading
Don't just take my word on Classic MQ. Check out these other blogs on the subject!
No Other Reviews Found

#developerreviewblogs #blackwhite #canada #chemistry #classicmq #developer #developerreview #eastmandoublex #filmdeveloper #filmphotography #flicfilm #flicfilmclassicmq #guelph #hamilton #ilfordfp4 #ilfordhp5 #kodaktrix400 #mamiyam645 #minoltamaxxum9 #nikonf5 #nikonfe #ontario #review #rockton #westfieldheritagevillage

Optical Review Blog No. 28 – Nikon AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4

When it comes to fixed telephoto lenses, something is satisfying about these lenses, while they may not always be the ideal lens in a situation. When I first picked up that kit, the lenses that I got were a Soligor 200mm f/4, and it was the first lens I used when shooting my first roll of film. And for many years, I was happy with having only the 135mm f/2.8 in my manual focus Nikon kit. Then a chance at a 200mm f/4 brought me back to my first SLR, the Minolta SR-T 102. , That lens puts the Nikkor 200mm f/4 to shame in weight and size, but the Nikkor unit is small, sleek, surprisingly light, and delivers outstanding optical quality.

Lens Specifications
Make: Nikon
Model: AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4
Focal Length: 200mm
Focal Range: ∞ - 2m
Aperture: f/4 - f/32, 9 Blades
Structure: 5 Elements in 5 Groups

As you can see, no distortion, I'd have some serious questions if there were.
Nikon D750 - AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4

Build Quality
Nikon has been producing this type of lens since 1961, and it has gone through only a few changes throughout production. The most significant difference is the lens's optical construction, the original Auto Nikkor-Q being a 4 Elements in 4 Groups design; by the 1976 AI version, it's at the 5×5 method. The lens is surprisingly lightweight for the size and focal length; While not the lens I would want to carry around for an extended length of time, it certainly will take a while to wear you down, especially with a good camera strap. It does make the camera a bit front heavy on smaller body SLR like the FM or FE. But add a motor drive, and you're in business. It even works well on a digital SLR like the D750. An all-metal design from front to back, the lens can take a bit of a beating in the field with only minor damage being done, and having a long integrated hood similar to what you get with the 135/2.8 and 105/2.5 the same era certainly helps with any lens flare.

Here at f/4 the image remains sharp, except for camera shake, sorry about that one. There is a touch of fall off at the corners, but nothing serious.
Nikon D750 - AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4Next stop is f/8, no surprise there's only a little improvement in depth of field.
Nikon D750 - AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4Even at f/11 there is only a slight improvement in the depth of field, but certainly getting some excellent sharpness.
Nikon D750 - AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4Starting to get more depth of field at f/22.
Nikon D750 - AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4There's a reason long lenses have that f/32 setting, so you can get a near full point-to-point depth of field.
Nikon D750 - AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4

Image Quality
There's no faulting the image quality on this lens. When it comes to performance, you get sharp images at any aperture, starting at f/4 right through to f/32. Now there is a bit of fall-off at the corners when you're at f/4, but it's gone by the time you hit f/5.6. Although I will say the sweet spot for the lens starts at f/8, where you get an excellent depth-of-field combined with overall sharpness. The lens tends to flare with contrasty lighting conditions, but the built-in hood does an excellent job of preventing this flare. You do have to watch out for camera shake; even when trying to compose the image, I could see even the smallest amount of instability. Thankfully if you shoot the camera at 1/250″ at the minimum, if you have a steady hand, you can probably get away with a 1/125″ shutter speed, but anything lower, get a tripod. Once you get that, you'll be treated to sharp images across the board; even at f/4, the areas in focus are tack sharp. The out-of-focus elements are smoothly rendered, but I haven't noticed anything overly special about that rendering.

Nikon FE - AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4 - Eastman Double-X @ ASA-250 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 8:00 @ 20CNikon FE - AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4 - Eastman Double-X @ ASA-250 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 8:00 @ 20CNikon FE - AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4 - Eastman Double-X @ ASA-250 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 8:00 @ 20CNikon FE - AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4 - Eastman Double-X @ ASA-250 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 8:00 @ 20CNikon FE - AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4 - Eastman Double-X @ ASA-250 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 8:00 @ 20C

Applications
A 200mm f/4 prime is the definition of a niche application lens. However, if you're doing a lot of sporting, nature, or even people photography, the lens will make for an excellent addition to your kit. The long reach will help get you close to the action; the easy focusing will undoubtedly help ensure that your subject is in focus, or you could zone focus and stop down and be patient for the issue to get into the focus zone. In a controlled environment, the lens is excellent for portraiture because you still get a solid depth of field at f/8 and excellent subject separation. Sadly with the length and the f/4 maximum aperture, the lens is not a good fit for indoors unless you want to crank up that ISO, which doesn't always work on a film camera, but the lens works great, seamlessly almost on most Nikon digital bodies. I've shot the lens with my D750, and it does not look out of place on that camera body, and with the proper adapters will work well with a mirrorless camera, either the Nikon Z-Mount and Sony E-Mount.

Nikon FE - AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4 - Eastman Double-X @ ASA-250 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 8:00 @ 20CNikon FE - AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4 - Eastman Double-X @ ASA-250 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 8:00 @ 20CNikon FE - AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4 - Eastman Double-X @ ASA-250 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 8:00 @ 20CNikon FE - AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4 - Eastman Double-X @ ASA-250 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 8:00 @ 20CNikon FE - AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4 - Eastman Double-X @ ASA-250 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 8:00 @ 20C

The Low Down
While not a lens for the average photographer, I was hesitant to accept the lens into my kit. I don't do a lot of nature or sports photography, but I decided it was worth the effort to make room, especially with contracting my camera systems and needing to fill in some gaps. While the 200/4 is not a lens I will use often, it does give me that long lens option to bring out when I don't want to lug around the Nikkor 70-200/2.8G because the 200/4, despite losing several stops it certainly works well in outdoor settings when size and weight are an issue. Plus, these lenses are inexpensive on the used market, with even the AI-S version going for under 100$, along with the older AI and Pre-AI versions within the same price range. If you are a manual focus Nikon shooter, go for it, you may find a new use for it sooner rather than later.

Further Reading
Don't just take my view on the Nikkor 200/4, check out these other reviews.
Ken Rockwell - Nikon 200mm f/4 Ai-S Review
Darin McQuoid Photography - Nikkor 200mm f/4 AI-S Review

#opticalreviewblog #adoxfx39ii #aisnikkor200mm14 #camera #canada #eastmandoublex #gear #lens #lensreview #nikon #nikonfe #oakville #ontario #review #sheridancollege

Optical Review Blog No. 28 – Nikon AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4

When it comes to fixed telephoto lenses, something is satisfying about these lenses, while they may not always be the ideal lens in a situation. When I first picked up that kit, the lenses that I got were a Soligor 200mm f/4, and it was the first lens I used when shooting my first roll of film. And for many years, I was happy with having only the 135mm f/2.8 in my manual focus Nikon kit. Then a chance at a 200mm f/4 brought me back to my first SLR, the Minolta SR-T 102. , That lens puts the Nikkor 200mm f/4 to shame in weight and size, but the Nikkor unit is small, sleek, surprisingly light, and delivers outstanding optical quality.

Lens Specifications
Make: Nikon
Model: AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4
Focal Length: 200mm
Focal Range: ∞ - 2m
Aperture: f/4 - f/32, 9 Blades
Structure: 5 Elements in 5 Groups

As you can see, no distortion, I'd have some serious questions if there were.
Nikon D750 - AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4

Build Quality
Nikon has been producing this type of lens since 1961, and it has gone through only a few changes throughout production. The most significant difference is the lens's optical construction, the original Auto Nikkor-Q being a 4 Elements in 4 Groups design; by the 1976 AI version, it's at the 5×5 method. The lens is surprisingly lightweight for the size and focal length; While not the lens I would want to carry around for an extended length of time, it certainly will take a while to wear you down, especially with a good camera strap. It does make the camera a bit front heavy on smaller body SLR like the FM or FE. But add a motor drive, and you're in business. It even works well on a digital SLR like the D750. An all-metal design from front to back, the lens can take a bit of a beating in the field with only minor damage being done, and having a long integrated hood similar to what you get with the 135/2.8 and 105/2.5 the same era certainly helps with any lens flare.

Here at f/4 the image remains sharp, except for camera shake, sorry about that one. There is a touch of fall off at the corners, but nothing serious.
Nikon D750 - AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4Next stop is f/8, no surprise there's only a little improvement in depth of field.
Nikon D750 - AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4Even at f/11 there is only a slight improvement in the depth of field, but certainly getting some excellent sharpness.
Nikon D750 - AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4Starting to get more depth of field at f/22.
Nikon D750 - AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4There's a reason long lenses have that f/32 setting, so you can get a near full point-to-point depth of field.
Nikon D750 - AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4

Image Quality
There's no faulting the image quality on this lens. When it comes to performance, you get sharp images at any aperture, starting at f/4 right through to f/32. Now there is a bit of fall-off at the corners when you're at f/4, but it's gone by the time you hit f/5.6. Although I will say the sweet spot for the lens starts at f/8, where you get an excellent depth-of-field combined with overall sharpness. The lens tends to flare with contrasty lighting conditions, but the built-in hood does an excellent job of preventing this flare. You do have to watch out for camera shake; even when trying to compose the image, I could see even the smallest amount of instability. Thankfully if you shoot the camera at 1/250″ at the minimum, if you have a steady hand, you can probably get away with a 1/125″ shutter speed, but anything lower, get a tripod. Once you get that, you'll be treated to sharp images across the board; even at f/4, the areas in focus are tack sharp. The out-of-focus elements are smoothly rendered, but I haven't noticed anything overly special about that rendering.

Nikon FE - AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4 - Eastman Double-X @ ASA-250 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 8:00 @ 20CNikon FE - AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4 - Eastman Double-X @ ASA-250 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 8:00 @ 20CNikon FE - AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4 - Eastman Double-X @ ASA-250 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 8:00 @ 20CNikon FE - AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4 - Eastman Double-X @ ASA-250 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 8:00 @ 20CNikon FE - AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4 - Eastman Double-X @ ASA-250 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 8:00 @ 20C

Applications
A 200mm f/4 prime is the definition of a niche application lens. However, if you're doing a lot of sporting, nature, or even people photography, the lens will make for an excellent addition to your kit. The long reach will help get you close to the action; the easy focusing will undoubtedly help ensure that your subject is in focus, or you could zone focus and stop down and be patient for the issue to get into the focus zone. In a controlled environment, the lens is excellent for portraiture because you still get a solid depth of field at f/8 and excellent subject separation. Sadly with the length and the f/4 maximum aperture, the lens is not a good fit for indoors unless you want to crank up that ISO, which doesn't always work on a film camera, but the lens works great, seamlessly almost on most Nikon digital bodies. I've shot the lens with my D750, and it does not look out of place on that camera body, and with the proper adapters will work well with a mirrorless camera, either the Nikon Z-Mount and Sony E-Mount.

Nikon FE - AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4 - Eastman Double-X @ ASA-250 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 8:00 @ 20CNikon FE - AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4 - Eastman Double-X @ ASA-250 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 8:00 @ 20CNikon FE - AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4 - Eastman Double-X @ ASA-250 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 8:00 @ 20CNikon FE - AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4 - Eastman Double-X @ ASA-250 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 8:00 @ 20CNikon FE - AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4 - Eastman Double-X @ ASA-250 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 8:00 @ 20C

The Low Down
While not a lens for the average photographer, I was hesitant to accept the lens into my kit. I don't do a lot of nature or sports photography, but I decided it was worth the effort to make room, especially with contracting my camera systems and needing to fill in some gaps. While the 200/4 is not a lens I will use often, it does give me that long lens option to bring out when I don't want to lug around the Nikkor 70-200/2.8G because the 200/4, despite losing several stops it certainly works well in outdoor settings when size and weight are an issue. Plus, these lenses are inexpensive on the used market, with even the AI-S version going for under 100$, along with the older AI and Pre-AI versions within the same price range. If you are a manual focus Nikon shooter, go for it, you may find a new use for it sooner rather than later.

Further Reading
Don't just take my view on the Nikkor 200/4, check out these other reviews.
Ken Rockwell - Nikon 200mm f/4 Ai-S Review
Darin McQuoid Photography - Nikkor 200mm f/4 AI-S Review

#opticalreviewblog #adoxfx39ii #aisnikkor200mm14 #camera #canada #eastmandoublex #gear #lens #lensreview #nikon #nikonfe #oakville #ontario #review #sheridancollege

Developer Review Blog No. 27 – Flic Film Black/White & Green

It's not often that something new hits the market, especially something that comes out of Canada. If you haven't heard of Flic Film, that's okay; I only recently discovered this Canadian film lab out of Alberta late in 2021. They mainly focus on selling rebranded motion picture films, the Eastman Vision3 series and Eastman Double-X; they have a chemistry production side. But there's a twist with their chemistry; they're working on making it more environmentally safe. And that should come as no surprise given they are based out of Alberta with many rural properties and reliance on septic systems. And that is where Black/White & Green (B/W & Green) comes into play; despite the long name, the developer is one of the best mashups for developers; they certainly picked two iconic developers to blend. I'm of course talking about Kodak Xtol and old school Kodak HC-110.

Technical Details
Manufacture: Flic Film
Name: Black/White & Green
Primary Developer: Ascorbic Acid & Phenidone
Type: One-Shot
Mix From: Liquid

Nikon FE - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 (Green-11) - Ilford Ortho+ @ ASA-80 - Flic Film Black/White & Green (1+49) 12:15 @ 20CNikon FE - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 (Green-11) - Ilford Ortho+ @ ASA-80 - Flic Film Black/White & Green (1+49) 12:15 @ 20CNikon FE - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 (Green-11) - Ilford Ortho+ @ ASA-80 - Flic Film Black/White & Green (1+49) 12:15 @ 20CNikon FE - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 (Green-11) - Ilford Ortho+ @ ASA-80 - Flic Film Black/White & Green (1+49) 12:15 @ 20C

Handling
If you've worked with the old-school formulation for Kodak HC-110, then you'll be well prepared for working with B/W & Green; it comes in a small bottle of a thick syrupy liquid that is a little hard to handle if you're not used to this type of developer. You will want to use either a syringe or a small cylinder to measure the concentrate and add it to your water for mixing to working strength. I work with a small graduated cylinder and find that after I pour (more like coax) out the majority of the concentrate, I will run a couple of full cylinders of water through it to catch the last dredges. Then top up my main graduated cylinder, and stir it. The stirring is essential as it does take a bit to fully incorporate the concentrate into the water to make up the working solution. And while most developers of this type have multiple dilutions, B/W & Green has only one, 1+49. That means there's no guesswork, mix up 10 mL of concentrate to 490 mL of water, and you're good! And while being a new developer, Flic Film did extensive testing and provides a long list of films and developing times, for Kodak, Ilford, Foma, Rollei and more. Most times, their testing is in line with Kodak D-76 1+2 times. The trouble is that those are long developing times. With most being 10+ minutes, with only a couple of options under 10 minutes. As for keeping, it seems that B/W & Green has the same staying power of old school HC-110. And the best is that it is safe for all sewage systems, both municipal and septic. But I do not recommend drinking the stuff; while it probably won't kill you, you will need to go to the hospital.

Minolta Maxxum 9 - Minolta Maxxum AF 28mm 1:2.8 - Eastman Double-X 5222 @ ASA-250 - Flic Film Black/White & Green (1+49) 11:45 @ 20CMinolta Maxxum 9 - Minolta Maxxum AF 28mm 1:2.8 - Eastman Double-X 5222 @ ASA-250 - Flic Film Black/White & Green (1+49) 11:45 @ 20CMinolta Maxxum 9 - Minolta Maxxum AF 28mm 1:2.8 - Eastman Double-X 5222 @ ASA-250 - Flic Film Black/White & Green (1+49) 11:45 @ 20CMinolta Maxxum 9 - Minolta Maxxum AF 28mm 1:2.8 - Eastman Double-X 5222 @ ASA-250 - Flic Film Black/White & Green (1+49) 11:45 @ 20C

Applications
The number one application for B/W & Green is for those who want to process at home but feel they cannot work due to their sewage system. If you're in a rural area and rely on a septic tank, B/W & Green is undoubtedly a strong option as it is safe for your septic and doesn't have a significant environmental impact. The one thing I did notice about B/W & Green is that it certainly lives up to the reputation of being liquid Xtol, so this is an excellent choice for films that need a bit more work on taming the grain while helping to maintain sharpness. While I can't say I've made a direct comparison between Kodak Xtol and Black/White & Green, I can certainly see the similarities in how it handles film stocks. Given this, I would say that this developer is a good choice for both push and pull development to help compensate for any over and under-exposure. I found that it handled pull development with Fomapan 400 and even does an excellent film stock when shooting at box speed. I can also see this developer working well with Fomapan 200. As for the films I shot for this review, B/W & Green worked well on each one, Tri-X, Ortho+, Double-X, and Delta 400.

Mamiya m645 - Mamiya-Sekor C 35mm 1:3.5 N - Kodak Tri-X 400 @ ASA-400 - Flic Film Black/White & Green (1+49) 13:00 @ 20CMamiya m645 - Mamiya-Sekor C 35mm 1:3.5 N - Kodak Tri-X 400 @ ASA-400 - Flic Film Black/White & Green (1+49) 13:00 @ 20CMamiya m645 - Mamiya-Sekor C 35mm 1:3.5 N - Kodak Tri-X 400 @ ASA-400 - Flic Film Black/White & Green (1+49) 13:00 @ 20CMamiya m645 - Mamiya-Sekor C 35mm 1:3.5 N - Kodak Tri-X 400 @ ASA-400 - Flic Film Black/White & Green (1+49) 13:00 @ 20C

Qualities
B/W & Green does live up to its name as liquid Xtol; the results from the developer match reasonably close to what I got from both Kodak Xtol and Adox XT-3 when working with the stock dilution. It is a neutral developer, doing little to adjust any inherent contrast in the film stock being developed; that said, with any push or pull development because of over and under-exposure, you will have an excellent middling effect on the contrast. While it won't add or reduce, it will certainly help smooth out that contrast. And that does help with the sharpness in the film as you will have excellent tonal separation and representation of greys. When it comes to grain, it certainly helps reduce any overly grainy film stock, not completely mind you, but neither did Xtol. I saw some grain reduction with Fomapan 400, especially when I pulled the development, it did even things out with Tri-X, and if you have a fine-grained film, you will see even more reduction in grain. But it does so without any real loss in edge sharpness.

Rolleiflex 2.8F - Carl Zeiss Planar 80mm 1:2.8 - Ilford Delta 400 @ ASA-400 - Flic Film Black/White & Green (1+49) 16:15 @ 20CRolleiflex 2.8F - Carl Zeiss Planar 80mm 1:2.8 - Ilford Delta 400 @ ASA-400 - Flic Film Black/White & Green (1+49) 16:15 @ 20CRolleiflex 2.8F - Carl Zeiss Planar 80mm 1:2.8 - Ilford Delta 400 @ ASA-400 - Flic Film Black/White & Green (1+49) 16:15 @ 20CRolleiflex 2.8F - Carl Zeiss Planar 80mm 1:2.8 - Ilford Delta 400 @ ASA-400 - Flic Film Black/White & Green (1+49) 16:15 @ 20C

Lowdown
Being a new arrival on the scene, the availability of B/W & Green remains limited, but you can get the stuff readily if you know where to look. There is no way for personal users to buy directly from the company. The most impressed me is how many camera shops across Canada carry their product, Downtown Camera in Toronto, Studio Argentique in Montreal, and shops in Alberta and British Columbia. The cost on average is about 21$ for a bottle of 250 mL, which is enough to process 25 rolls of 120 or 50 rolls of 35mm (with two rolls per tank), assuming a 500 mL solution. Will I use this stuff again? Probably, it has a long shelf life, it's fairly economical, plus I support a Canadian business! What's there not to love?

Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 400 @ ASA-400 - Flic Film Black/White & Green (1+49) 13:30 @ 20CNikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 400 @ ASA-400 - Flic Film Black/White & Green (1+49) 13:30 @ 20CNikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 - Fomapan 400 @ ASA-200 - Flic Film Black/White & Green (1+49) 12:00 @ 20CNikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 - Fomapan 400 @ ASA-200 - Flic Film Black/White & Green (1+49) 12:00 @ 20C

Recommended Reading
Don't just take my word on Black/White & Green. Check out these other blogs on the subject!
No Other Reviews Found

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Optical Review Blog No. 27 – Osawa MC 1:3.5-4.5 35-105mm MACRO

While I'm not always a fan of third-party lenses, every so often, one comes along that impresses me as an alternative to an OEM lens. And the Osawa is one of those lenses that I probably would have used more if I had known what a sleeper I was sitting on. Unlike Vivitar, Osawa is a lens manufacturer in their own right and produced lenses starting in the 1970s when many SLRs were beginning to gain popularity in the consumer market, and many were clamouring for inexpensive alternatives. While working with this lens in an OM-Mount, they also produced for other major camera makers like the Pentax, Canon, and Nikon.

Lens Specifications
Make: Osawa
Model: Osawa MC 1:3.5-4.5 35-105mm MACRO
Focal Length: 35-105mm
Focal Range: ∞ - 0.28m
Aperture: f/3.5 - f/22, 6 Blades
Structure: 13 Elements in 11 Groups

Don't let this test fool you, while you cannot see distortion here in the controlled environment, there is certainly some pinching in the field.
Olympus OM-1n - Osawa MC 1:3.5-4.5 35-105mm Macro - Eastman Double-X @ ASA-250 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 8:00 @ 20C

Build Quality
The sturdiness of the lens's construction should come as no surprise without being overly heavy or throwing off the centre of gravity for the camera. It works well on small form factor SLRs like the Olympus OM-System. The lens is all metal in construction, with good rubber coating on the focusing and zoom control. The zoom is controlled through the typical push/pull mechanism; thankfully, the 35mm point is closest to the body with 105mm at the farthest; it certainly helps keep the lens and camera body balance. The zoom function is smooth, as is the focusing. And it is surprisingly short between infinity and the close-focus point. Smooth, with enough resistance to allow for both gross and fine movements. The one problem I have is with the macro functions; while the lens has a standard close focus of about a meter, you can get down to the 28cm closest point by using a dedicated macro focusing helical. Not the most central system, but it certainly does work well.

Here wide open (f/3.5 and f/4.5) the lens is soft at the 35mm mark, but has some decent sharpness at the 105mm.
Olympus OM-1n - Osawa MC 1:3.5-4.5 35-105mm Macro - Eastman Double-X @ ASA-250 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 8:00 @ 20CDespite being stopped down to f/8 the image is still fairly soft at the 35mm mark, and some excellent depth of field at 105mm.
Olympus OM-1n - Osawa MC 1:3.5-4.5 35-105mm Macro - Eastman Double-X @ ASA-250 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 8:00 @ 20CAlright finally starting to pick up a bit of sharpness at f/11 at the 35mm mark, with good depth at 105mm.
Olympus OM-1n - Osawa MC 1:3.5-4.5 35-105mm Macro - Eastman Double-X @ ASA-250 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 8:00 @ 20CNot sure why it took all the way to f/22 to actually get good results, but sure.
Olympus OM-1n - Osawa MC 1:3.5-4.5 35-105mm Macro - Eastman Double-X @ ASA-250 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 8:00 @ 20C

Image Quality
Interestingly, this lens's image quality is not consistent, which threw me off a great deal. First off, this lens produces wildly different image quality between the 35mm mark and the 105mm mark. However, neither are perfect either, which has me on the fence about this lens' quality. From a technical perspective, in a controlled environment, at 35mm, the lens is pretty soft at close focus and wide open (f/3.5-5.6), although once you zoom into 105mm, you start to get some sharpness when wide open (f/4.5), which continues through the rest of the apertures. When you're in the field, you still get a bit of softness at 35mm and wide open (f/3.5), which goes away once you stop down past f/5.6, with the sweet spot being further stopped down at least past f/8. There is also no fall off at any aperture and any focal length. There is nothing at 35mm; if there were, I'd have some serious questions. Once you hit 105mm, there's some pinching, nothing too severe but present. The out-of-focus rendering is nothing overly special but smooth all the same.

Olympus OM-1n - Osawa MC 1:3.5-4.5 35-105mm Macro - Eastman Double-X @ ASA-250 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 8:00 @ 20COlympus OM-1n - Osawa MC 1:3.5-4.5 35-105mm Macro - Eastman Double-X @ ASA-250 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 8:00 @ 20COlympus OM-1n - Osawa MC 1:3.5-4.5 35-105mm Macro - Eastman Double-X @ ASA-250 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 8:00 @ 20COlympus OM-1n - Osawa MC 1:3.5-4.5 35-105mm Macro - Eastman Double-X @ ASA-250 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 8:00 @ 20COlympus OM-1n - Osawa MC 1:3.5-4.5 35-105mm Macro - Eastman Double-X @ ASA-250 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 8:00 @ 20C

Applications
The Osawa 35-105 is an excellent choice for a one-and-done lens for your Olympus kit, especially if you're on a budget. While it might not have the best optical performance as a travel lens or something, Photowalk gives you a decent range of focal lengths for average shooting. If space is an issue and you only have space for a single lens and body, this is an okay choice. While it would not work well for low-light and inside work, outside, it's a strong performer. In a pinch, it can work as a Macro lens, but you do want to have it zoomed into 105mm, where it will perform the best, in my opinion. You can also use it for portraits, but again outside and zoomed right into 105mm.

Olympus OM-1n - Osawa MC 1:3.5-4.5 35-105mm Macro - Eastman Double-X @ ASA-250 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 8:00 @ 20COlympus OM-1n - Osawa MC 1:3.5-4.5 35-105mm Macro - Eastman Double-X @ ASA-250 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 8:00 @ 20COlympus OM-1n - Osawa MC 1:3.5-4.5 35-105mm Macro - Eastman Double-X @ ASA-250 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 8:00 @ 20COlympus OM-1n - Osawa MC 1:3.5-4.5 35-105mm Macro - Eastman Double-X @ ASA-250 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 8:00 @ 20COlympus OM-1n - Osawa MC 1:3.5-4.5 35-105mm Macro - Eastman Double-X @ ASA-250 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 8:00 @ 20C

The Low Down
I have a strong feeling this lens is a copy of the actual Zuiko 35-105mm f/3.5-4.5 although it has a different optical construction. I'm honestly on the fence about this lens, part of me wanted to like it, and there are some likeable qualities about it, but then there are other things that turn me off the lens. On the used market, these lenses are incredibly cheap, with most running at a maximum of 45$ which honestly seems a bit steep; on average, they range from 25-30$, which is a fair price or they come mounted on that camera body you wanted to buy. Try and find the OEM lens, or stick to your prime lenses.

Further Reading
Don't just take my view on the Osawa 35-105mm; check out these other reviews.
No other reviews found

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The Waterloo Journal: Revisited

I had to go back into my archives to see if I ever posted anything directly related to my 2015 trip to Europe. And yes, the images did appear in several review posts, but I never made a great post about the trip. I don't understand why! But it probably got caught up in my poorly managed posting schedule, which I only in the past couple of years got onto the right track and had some semblance of order. But either way, I think for this Friday, I get things in order and revisit a special trip of mine with some insights into that trip from a written journal I kept with me and made a point to write every day. While I did take a digital camera, in the spirit of my blog and my photography, the images presented here will be entirely on film. If you want to see everything you can head over to my Flickr page and check out the Collection.

The camera kit that came along on the trip. I made a point to bring more film than cameras and even still ended up having to pick up a roll to replace a couple that ended up getting lost. Thankfully I knew where the camera stores were.

Something is fascinating about leaving so close to midnight; after a long day, I finally got to Pearson International. Many of us had made a point to arrive early, but when you're travelling by plane with a wide assortment of weapons, you want to get there early. Sadly that also included plenty of hurry up and wait. Thankfully, after a bit of confusion, our weapons were checked along with our bags, boarding passes printed, and it was off to the lounge. A few beers later, it was onto the plane. Now I had flown before, but never in a plane this big; although size is relative to get any legroom, I had to angle myself out and put some legs out into the aisle, only when no one was walking past. KLM certainly knows how to treat their passengers on overnight trans-Atlantic flights. Once we were in the air, drinks, meal, after dinner, had drinks and then slept. I did my best, and I think I got a couple of hours of shut-eye before dawn. Thankfully the coffee flowed freely in the morning, along with breakfast. We made it, and after overwhelming the poor border agent with the sheer number of muskets, pikes, and swords, we were let out into the airport and hurried onto buses. Landing at noon allowed for a bit of time for lunch and exploration in the old city. Our hotel located south of the ancient city was also near a subway stop, so after the rest of the group arrived, we quickly hopped transit and headed back into the old city for dinner and a bit more exploring. My goal is to stay up until midnight local time to be good with the radical time change. We also ended up in the redlight district, which isn't as bad as people think, but certainly a bit of a shock.

The Hotel D'Europe, near where the buses dropped us off.
Contax G2 - Carl Zeiss Biogon 2.8/28 T* - Eastman Double-X (5222) - Kodak Xtol (stock) 6:30 @ 20CI got into my groove exploring some side streets through Amsterdam.
Contax G2 - Carl Zeiss Biogon 2.8/28 T* - Eastman Double-X (5222) - Kodak Xtol (stock) 6:30 @ 20CIt wouldn't be Amsterdam without some Canals.
Contax G2 - Carl Zeiss Biogon 2.8/28 T* - FPP Retrochrome 160 - Unicolor E-6 Rapid KitYou guessed it, more canals.
Contax G2 - Carl Zeiss Biogon 2.8/28 T* - FPP Retrochrome 160 - Unicolor E-6 Rapid Kit

The trick worked, and I woke up with an alarm; we were headed for Brussels today. We also got a real taste for what a proper 'continental breakfast' means for Europe. The breakfast bar at our hotel is vast with almost everything you could ever want, including some fantastic coffee, cheese, eggs, fruit, breads and even hagelslag! Thankfully all our big gear had been left in the bus, so it was a quick pack, and we were on the road. Our bus driver happily told us about all the sights we passed on the two-hour bus trip to Antwerp. The one thing that I noticed was poppies everywhere, especially when we passed into Belgium. The bus dropped us off outside the historical centre of Antwerp and gave us time to explore the old city. Colin, Laura and I wandered through the streets after enjoying lunch on a patio. The highlights included the massive Cathedral of Our Lady Antwerp, a huge Gothic Cathedral that featured the art of the Baroque painter Peter Paul Rubens and took nearly two centuries to build. The Antwerp City Hall dates to the mid-1500s, and Het Steen, my first real castle constructed between 1200 and 1225! Then it was off to Brussels.

The grand cathedral, it was much bigger the closer I got.
Contax G2 - Carl Zeiss Planar 2/45 T* - Ilford FP4+ @ ASA-125 - Ilford Ilfosol 3 (1+14) 7:30 @ 20CThe massive town hall at the centre of the old city.
Contax G2 - Carl Zeiss Planar 2/45 T* - Ilford FP4+ @ ASA-125 - Ilford Ilfosol 3 (1+14) 7:30 @ 20CParts of a castle that dates back to the 1200s!
Contax G2 - Carl Zeiss Planar 2/45 T* - Ilford FP4+ @ ASA-125 - Ilford Ilfosol 3 (1+14) 7:30 @ 20CEven in the old days, renovation and adaptive reuse happened.
Contax G2 - Carl Zeiss Planar 2/45 T* - Ilford FP4+ @ ASA-125 - Ilford Ilfosol 3 (1+14) 7:30 @ 20C

The trip into Brussels took a bit longer than expected; rush hour is rush hour no matter where you are in the world. It also didn't help that our hotel was located in a section of the city near Grand Place that did not allow any motorised vehicles (save service vehicles). And our bus had a couple of stops, and we were last. Thankfully it wasn't too far a walk from where the bus dropped us off to the hotel. Being close to dinner, we headed out and were disappointed by how similar and terrible the restaurants along a small side street were. But we quickly found a pub afterwards to get a decent meal. After a bit of search, the highlight was seeing the Monistarium, and it quickly became our spot. Decorated with items from old churches and chapels, the place had low ceilings and all the Trappist style beers on tap. Thankfully we were able to make it back to the hotel intact.

While this spot certainly looked awesome we found a better one to spend the evenings after the battles.
Contax G2 - Carl Zeiss Planar 2/45 T* - Kodak Plus-X 125 - Kodak Xtol (1+1) 7:30 @ 20CAn amazing pedestrian arcade that connected our hotel to our joint of choice.
Contax G2 - Carl Zeiss Planar 2/45 T* - Kodak Plus-X 125 - Kodak Xtol (1+1) 7:30 @ 20COur second dinner spot on our first night in Brussels.
Contax G2 - Carl Zeiss Planar 2/45 T* - Kodak Plus-X 125 - Kodak Xtol (1+1) 7:30 @ 20CSome of the excellent architecture in the old parts of the city.
Contax G2 - Carl Zeiss Planar 2/45 T* - Kodak Plus-X 125 - Kodak Xtol (1+1) 7:30 @ 20C

The next three days of the trip were taken up with the actual event, the Anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo. Despite being bleary-eyed and a touch hungover, we managed to get our kits together. Unlike other reenactment events, we had to take everything we needed. And I mean everything, cleaning gear, polish, food, cameras, the lot. At least we made an entrance marching into the camp with the band playing ahead of us. It certainly caught the crowd's attention and the units we would be fighting with. Although we were hit with tragedy when one of our own slipped and fell, causing a heart attack and sadly, he passed away. But truly, we mourned and carried on; the first day was spent drilling; it would be the first time working in such a large unit. The company I was in (Pinn's Panthers) had been working as a unit since January, but this was different. We were forming massive squares for use again cavalry and wheels. It was rough, but the Sargent-Major knew how to command and helped everyone along the way. The next day dawned again, the bleary-eyed stumbled into the bus, and we were off for more drill. But most importantly, we marched out to a field that was a part of the original battlefield. And even more awesome was that we got to see the original Hougoumont, a public museum, but most importantly, La Haye Sainte. Both structures played pivotal roles in the Battle of Waterloo. And being able to see them in person made all the marching and waiting worth it. On the field, things were tough; most reenactments in Canada had maybe 100 people on the field at the most, here there were thousands, troops of all sorts, artillery batteries, bands, and cavalry. We also had two hours ahead of us both nights. I'll admit, that first cavalry charge scared the living daylights out of me; I stood ready and shouted challenges by the second time. Back and forth we went, the field trampled underfoot. Tired, we all stumbled back to the bus where water and beer were waiting and sang. The same repeated the next day, with a little less drill and a lot more cleaning. Sadly, I could only post a single roll of film from the battle as I lost my second roll somewhere on that field. The second night on the field was almost a repeat, but with a lot more French soldiers on the field, we faced down the Imperial Guard and won the battle again. Late night drinks were had after that second night.

One of the more interesting aspects was going to and from the site in full kit. It attracted attention on the street.
Contax G2 - Carl Zeiss Planar 2/45 T* - Kodak Tri-X 400 - Kodak HC-110 Dil. B 4:30 @ 20CThe North American Corps Fife & Drum band, well received and provided the music for our division.
Contax G2 - Carl Zeiss Planar 2/45 T* - Kodak Tri-X 400 - Kodak HC-110 Dil. B 4:30 @ 20CWhile I was dressed in red at the event, elements of the 95th and 60th were present in other units.
Contax G2 - Carl Zeiss Planar 2/45 T* - Kodak Tri-X 400 - Kodak HC-110 Dil. B 4:30 @ 20CThe reconstructed gates at the original Hugomont Farm.
Contax G2 - Carl Zeiss Planar 2/45 T* - Kodak Tri-X 400 - Kodak HC-110 Dil. B 4:30 @ 20C

I had no desire to get back into that uniform or try to clean my musket and kit by Sunday. The hotel was already screaming at other reenactors for cleaning their gear in the bathrooms, and the idea of cleaning a musket in a back alley of Brussels had zero appeal. Instead, I paid a fee and hopped on the bus for Bruges. While I probably enjoyed staying in Brussels, heading for Bruge proved as much of an adventure. I like to wander, and that's exactly what I did, with no direction. And promptly got lost. But I did get to see a building that served as a barracks to a cavalry unit in World War One and one of the surviving city gates. After a quick stop at a small bar, I regained my direction and walked back to the main square. I also found out the joys of pay washrooms. Once back in Brussels, we went out as a whole unit, sadly the place we went to was again like the place we went on the first night in the city. And we ended up having to find another spot to get decent food. Then off for drinks at our usual place but in a different area to support the more significant number of people in our group.

Contax G2 - Carl Zeiss Planar 2/45 T* - FPP Retrochrome 320 - Unicolor Rapid E-6 KitContax G2 - Carl Zeiss Planar 2/45 T* - FPP Retrochrome 320 - Unicolor Rapid E-6 KitContax G2 - Carl Zeiss Planar 2/45 T* - Eastman Double-X 5222 - Kodak Xtol (Stock) 6:30 @ 20CContax G2 - Carl Zeiss Planar 2/45 T* - Eastman Double-X 5222 - Kodak Xtol (Stock) 6:30 @ 20C

It was a bittersweet day; the group were all going their separate ways off to their own adventures or simply back to the airport to head home. I'm one of the groups which are actually staying in Europe; after packing up my things, I was able to take in another breakfast at the hotel. It also finally started raining, at least it was today and the past week. I can handle a bit of rain. Lugging all my gear around, especially the musket, would make for some exciting times. However, given that the sun didn't set until about 10 pm, I adjusted my plans. After making sure of the check-out time, I went back up to my room and gave my musket a good once over so it wouldn't be too terrible when I got home. I secured it in the case, took a good long shower, watched some videos online and checked out the train schedules and how everything worked. Then grabbed another coffee and hauled my gear up to the central train station, which is thankfully right near the hotel. After catching a rail pass, I waited for the next train to leave; I was off to France. The first train took me to a central depot on the outskirts of Brussels, where I grabbed a high-speed rail; I splurged and got a first-class ticket. It was well worth it, as it included drinks and a meal as I headed across the border. Once I got into Lille, it was onto another commuter train to Arras. I also saw my first War cemetery along the way; I was on the western front. The train put me right at the edge of the historic core of Arras. I found my way to a hotel and booked myself in for two nights (or so I thought). The rain didn't stop, but that didn't stop me; I had topped up my film stock in Bruges (to replace the rolls lost at Waterloo) and loaded up some Tri-X and hit the streets. It was quiet for a Monday, but the rain probably didn't help. It rained off and on, and I actually enjoyed myself. Every so often, I had to duck under shelter. Then back to the hotel to dry off a bit. As the set, the rain stopped, and the weather looked good for the rest of the week. I headed out again to get some better shots of the historical city before finding a pub for dinner, then went to a grocery store for a bottle of wine and snacks before turning in.

Contax G2 - Carl Zeiss Biogon 2.8/28 T* - Kodak Tri-X 400 - Kodak HC-110 Dil. B 4:30 @ 20CContax G2 - Carl Zeiss Biogon 2.8/28 T* - Kodak Tri-X 400 - Kodak HC-110 Dil. B 4:30 @ 20CContax G2 - Carl Zeiss Biogon 2.8/28 T* - Kodak Tri-X 400 - Kodak HC-110 Dil. B 4:30 @ 20CContax G2 - Carl Zeiss Biogon 2.8/28 T* - Kodak Tri-X 400 - Kodak HC-110 Dil. B 4:30 @ 20C

Of course, the day had to start with drama; it turned out that the hotel clerk thought I had said 'to night', not 'two nights' lost in translation, I guess. After explaining that I intended to return that night and remain in Arras one more night, the clerk got the manager. Obviously, they could not get me a room at their hotel; it was booked solid. Seeing that the mistake was on them, they arranged for another hotel closer to the train station and that my kit would be there when I arrived. Sadly I missed the first train I wanted out to Vimy but quickly caught the next one in an hour. I originally wanted to use a bicycle to travel from Arras to Vimy, about a 45-minute walk through the countryside. The one place that actually rented bikes did not want them to leave the city; while I could have lied, I decided to be honest. Once in Vimy, I was on my own; it's a sleepy village with no transportation available. I guess I was on foot. Thankfully I included data on my phone for such an occasion; it was five kilometres from the village to the Canadian Memorial. I started walking. Being smart, I took my haversack from my reenactment kit stocked up on everything I needed for such a walk. Popped on an audiobook (borrowed from Milton Public Library) and hit the trails. The route was easy enough to follow; I took a break and had lunch recording an episode of Classic Camera Revival about halfway through my journey next to one of the many cemeteries that dot this part of France. When I passed through what looked like a logging road after crossing over a wildlife/pedestrian crossing over a highway, I only got concerned once. But it was all worth it as I came out of the woods, and there it was, the memorial towering up over the tall grass. Also, signs warning of unexploded ordinance. I broke down and wept at the foot of the memorial, leaving a poppy and Canadian flag at the base. I had gotten in just before the next big group arrived and had the memorial to myself. After composing myself and photographing it from almost every angle possible, I headed out to the visitors centre. Sadly they were out of the pilgrimage medals. Still, I left my information to get notified when they were available again. Thankfully they also told me of a more leisurely route back to the village, but another five kilometres. Knowing trains were pretty infrequent, I figured out the schedule, grabbed a quick beer at the only bar/cafe in town then returned to Arras. I also received a note that I would be staying the night at the local Holiday Inn Express, next door to the train station. Heading there, I checked into my room, and sure enough, all my kit was there and intact. I did sample escargot at a spot that night, the texture did not appeal to me, but I tried! I found a Domino's Pizza and got myself something a little more familiar. Watched countless reruns of the original Mission: Impossible as it was the only English language TV I could find other than BBC news.

Contax G2 - Carl Zeiss Planar 2/45 T* - Kodak Panatomic-X @ ASA-32 - Kodak Xtol (1+1) 7:30 @ 20CContax G2 - Carl Zeiss Planar 2/45 T* - Kodak Panatomic-X @ ASA-32 - Kodak Xtol (1+1) 7:30 @ 20CContax G2 - Carl Zeiss Planar 2/45 T* - Kodak Panatomic-X @ ASA-32 - Kodak Xtol (1+1) 7:30 @ 20CContax G2 - Carl Zeiss Planar 2/45 T* - Kodak Panatomic-X @ ASA-32 - Kodak Xtol (1+1) 7:30 @ 20C

The joys of being at a Holiday Inn Express, Breakfast and this one had almost the same size breakfast options as the hotel in Amsterdam did, which was excellent. I could pack in a good breakfast before hitting the rails again. As an added bonus, I ran into a group of fellow reenactors on one of the tours offered, so it was nice to see some friendly and familiar faces. Knowing I had a ways to go, I caught an earlier train out of Arras, back to Lille. Once onto the high-speed rail, lunch and drinks were again offered (go first-class) as I sped back towards Belgium. Then transferred to a local train in Antwerp and got to see part of the historic rail station, but a quick stop as I had to run to catch the next train out to Ghent. After the hotel drama in France, I pre-booked my hotel from the train. Sadly the train station in Ghent is fairly distant from the historic centre, but not too far of a walk and besides the item I was looking for was right along the route between the two points. After securing my room, which was located in an odd little section of the hotel but had my own amazing coffee maker, I grabbed my cameras and headed out. The walk took me through some great city areas before entering the medieval core. After dealing with a potential mugger, the police in Belgium handle muggers and pickpockets quickly, I could explore a little more freely. Although the highlight was Gravensteen, a castle constructed in 1180 by Count Philip of Alsace modelling the fortress after the castles built by Crusaders during his time in the Second and Third Crusades. There was even a Guillotine, a real one, not a replica on display! After finishing my tour of the castle, I found a well-stocked beer store, grabbed some beverages, and took a tram back to my hotel, getting take-away on my way back. Ensuring I was ready to go, I enjoyed some local television; it's a lot easier to find the English language in Belgium than in France.

Like many of the towns I visited, Ghent is criss-crossed by canals.
Contax G2 - Carl Zeiss Biogon 2.8/28 - Agfa APX 25 - Kodak Tmax Developer (1+4) 6:30 @ 20CWhile I walked into the historic core, I took a tram heading back to the hotel.
Contax G2 - Carl Zeiss Biogon 2.8/28 - Agfa APX 25 - Kodak Tmax Developer (1+4) 6:30 @ 20CNo grids here, and plenty of 'flatiron' styled buildings.
Contax G2 - Carl Zeiss Biogon 2.8/28 - Agfa APX 25 - Kodak Tmax Developer (1+4) 6:30 @ 20CProbably my favourite part, visiting Gravensteen, a castle that dates to 1180.
Contax G2 - Carl Zeiss Biogon 2.8/28 - Agfa APX 25 - Kodak Tmax Developer (1+4) 6:30 @ 20C

It was back on the rails, grabbing breakfast at a little cafe in the train station, I was going back to the Netherlands today. The ride was again painless, at least until I got to a small station right inside the border, I missed an announcement and ended up going to the wrong platform and got the wrong train. Thankfully after I realised this and muttered a few words a little too loudly a friendly rail employee came up and asked if I was okay. After explaining what happened, they got on the radio and waited with me for the next station. There another employee escorted me to the correct train to go back the way I came. On the train, I was again met by an employee. Eventually getting back to where I needed to go all thanks to the lovely employees of the railway. I rolled into Tilburg and quickly realised that the place was a bit…boring. After checking into my hotel, I took a look on Google to see if there were any towns nearby that would prove a bit more interesting from a historical point of view. One name stood out, Arnhem, the bridge too far. Grabbing my gear I went and grabbed the next train out. Again I was put a little far from the bridge I wanted to see but I made a point to move quickly towards the bridge. Once there I was taken in by the memorial and saw the bridge itself (despite being the third bridge the second bridge from the battle had been destroyed by the USAAF during World War Two). Then took a longer wander back to the train station by a different route. Once back in Tilburg I grabbed dinner at a local pub, got some more beers, even saw some Goose Island (from Chicago) which struck me as odd.

Travelling by train was both amazing and confusing, but moved me between cities easily.
Contax G2 - Carl Zeiss Planar 2/45 T* - Adox CHS 100 @ ASA-64 - Kodak Xtol (1+2) 8:30 @ 20CSabelspoort was part of the original city walls and is since 1836 only one of four gates left.
Contax G2 - Carl Zeiss Planar 2/45 T* - Adox CHS 100 @ ASA-64 - Kodak Xtol (1+2) 8:30 @ 20CA piece of Artillery, unsure the model on display as part of the Battle of Arnham Memorial.
Contax G2 - Carl Zeiss Planar 2/45 T* - Adox CHS 100 @ ASA-64 - Kodak Xtol (1+2) 8:30 @ 20CThe Titular Bridge Too Far, the current John Frost Bridge is the third bridge to cross the Lower Rein River, the first two being destroyed during WW2.
Contax G2 - Carl Zeiss Planar 2/45 T* - Adox CHS 100 @ ASA-64 - Kodak Xtol (1+2) 8:30 @ 20C

I was done with city-hopping; with the second week coming close, I decided I needed a home base for a few days and settled on Rotterdam. Finding a good deal on a hotel near the train station, I hopped from Tilburg and rolled into Rotterdam. The hotel was next to the train station, making it easy to dump stuff. I chilled in the hotel for a bit before going out and exploring and noted that the city was far more modern than I expected. Sure there were some pockets of historic architecture, but the overall feel of the downtown was new. Of course, I soon found out why the entire city had been bombed by the Nazis during World War Two out of spite. I would spend the next few days in Rotterdam, including visiting some family. Still, I also managed to locate some of the historical sections of the city. I even found a friendly Irish pub across from my hotel.

The original Holland-American Line headquarters, today it's a boutique hotel.
Contax G2 - Carl Zeiss Biogon 2.8/28 T* - Kodak Plus-X 125 - Kodak Xtol (1+1) 7:30 @ 20CA sweet art-deco styled Garage sign.
Contax G2 - Carl Zeiss Biogon 2.8/28 T* - Kodak Plus-X 125 - Kodak Xtol (1+1) 7:30 @ 20CA cute little cafe that served an excellent light lunch and a beer.
Contax G2 - Carl Zeiss Biogon 2.8/28 T* - Kodak Plus-X 125 - Kodak Xtol (1+1) 7:30 @ 20CReminder of the old amongst the new.
Contax G2 - Carl Zeiss Biogon 2.8/28 T* - Kodak Plus-X 125 - Kodak Xtol (1+1) 7:30 @ 20C

I couldn't be in Rotterdam without visiting Den Haag, the political capital of the Netherlands and, more importantly, where my mom's family is originally from, but more on that later. The one thing that I noticed was that there were many more people in uniforms and wearing medals on the train platform. The reason became clear once I got into Den Haag and saw even more people in uniform. The train dropped me off at Central Station. Almost as soon as I got out, there was an entire military display, tanks, armoured vehicles and mobile artillery. Not to mention a tonne of people in uniforms of all sorts. I wandered around the exhibition a bit before heading out. I had a long walk ahead of me. I wandered without any real direction; I only knew I wanted to end up in Scheveningen. And I did eventually make it there, walking past the Royal Palace. Although the highlight of the wander was Grote of Sint-Jacobskerk or the Church of St. James. Having been completed in the 15th and 16th Centuries, the church is one of the two oldest buildings in the city. The church features stained glass windows commissioned by Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. The church is also the traditional place for baptisms of the Dutch Royal Family. Eventually, I did make it up to the North Sea, finding a small place for a quick lunch and a cold beer; I then waded into the North Sea. Swinging back towards the Central Station, I found the heart of Old Scheveningen before making my way back to the street. I walked in and caught a tram back to the Central Station and headed back to Rotterdam.

The seat of the Dutch Government, the palace, while not the official residence of the Dutch Crown is used when government is in session.
Contax G2 - Carl Zeiss Planar 2/45 T* - Kodak Tri-X 400 - Kodak HC-110 Dil. B 4:30 @ 20CYou bet there is going to be more canals!
Contax G2 - Carl Zeiss Planar 2/45 T* - Kodak Tri-X 400 - Kodak HC-110 Dil. B 4:30 @ 20C _I did my best to explore more of Scheveningen.
Contax G2 - Carl Zeiss Planar 2/45 T* - Kodak Panatomic-X @ ASA-32 - Kodak Xtol (1+1) 7:30 @ 20C

I returned to Amsterdam for the last two days of my trip. I took the train from Rotterdam to the station near the airport to make life easier. From there, I got a hotel shuttle to where I was staying. Being a little worn down, I wandered out to a grocery store to get some snacks and drinks before taking another look and stab at cleaning the musket, which had not handled the trip as well as hoped. Plus, I finally had a room that had a size closer to what I knew from North America. The next day was Canada Day; it was odd to spend it away from Canada. I went back into the Old City, catching a train out from the airport to the Central Station. My goal for the day is to check out the Rijksmuseum, or the Dutch National Museum originally founded in Den Haag in 1800 but moved by Napoleon in 1808 and the current building opened in 1885. The place was huge, and no way I could see it all in a single day. The sheer size of the collection, I only saw a fraction even outstripped what the Royal Ontario Museum and Art Gallery of Ontario have combined. I focused on arms, armour, military history in my wanderings. Then I went back to wandering the old city, checked out a few camera stores and ended up running into a bunch of fellow Canadians and enjoying drinks. The weather had started to heat up, so I decided to visit another two museums to help keep myself calm on my last full day. I got into Het Scheepvaartmuseum, or the Dutch Marine Museum highlighting the Golden Age of the Dutch Empire, including a replica of the VOC Amsterdam. Again a beautiful museum with lots to see, and the ship surprised me at how small everything onboard was, except the cargo hold. From there, I managed to find a tram to take me to The Heineken Experience at the original Heineken brewery. A mix of history and beer. Plus got to pour a perfect pint and enjoy a lot of Heineken. With the heat growing, I returned to my hotel as I was flying out the next day.

Missed this the first time, but made sure to get a shot when I got back to Amsterdam.
Contax G2 - Carl Zeiss Biogon 2.8/28 T* - Kodak Panatomic-X - Kodak Xtol (1+1) 7:30 @ 20CThe Stunning Central Station in Old Amsterdam.
Contax G2 - Carl Zeiss Biogon 2.8/28 T* - Kodak Panatomic-X - Kodak Xtol (1+1) 7:30 @ 20CHet Scheepvaartmuseum, the National Marine Museum where I learned about the Golden Age of the Dutch Empire.
Contax G2 - Carl Zeiss Planar 2/45 T* - Kodak Plus-X 125 - Kodak Xtol (1+1) 7:30 @ 20CThe Historical Heineken brewery now a museum and hands-on experience.
Contax G2 - Carl Zeiss Planar 2/45 T* - Kodak Plus-X 125 - Kodak Xtol (1+1) 7:30 @ 20C

I got to the airport far earlier than I needed to, but when you're flying solo with a musket, you take things a little more cautiously. I didn't realise that the tour company had taken steps to make sure everything went smoothly. As soon as I checked in, I was met by a security officer, baggage handler and a border guard. The musket and paperwork were checked, bag checked, and I was back to waiting. Thankfully I had more audiobooks to listen to, and wifi access allowed me to watch stuff on YouTube. As I was staying at a lovely pub I found in the airport, I heard that my departure gate had changed. And I had plenty of time to move a distance away to the new entrance. The flight home was far more comfortable as I was on a 747. This time again, KLM did not disappoint with food and drink, plus plenty of movies to enjoy on the long flight home.

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