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Landmark Baltimore Camera Repair Shop Closes After 29 Years

In November of 2021, with work picking up again from the COVID lockdowns, I decided to pay a visit to my local camera repair shop and get a few things things back in order.

I took my Nikon 35mm 1.4 AIS and 105mm 1.8 AIS in for service and was inspired to write an article for Petapixel on the history of my experiences at Baltimore Photo-Electronic Service. My article chronicled my coming of age in photography and the importance of Lev Gutman's cluttered little shop that has been supporting my efforts for the last twenty years.

In the article, I wrote "And yet, Baltimore Photo-Electronic Service survived the digital revolution that ended the local labs. It survived the rise of online shopping that ended the local camera stores. And now it appears to have survived COVID-19 that ended numerous small businesses."

Sadly, today I'm here to report that Mr. Gutman has retired and BP-ES is permanently closed.

A few months after my article was published and there was some renewed interest in BP-ES, another member of the Film in Baltimore group posted that Lev told her that he was retiring and closing his shop. When I phoned that familiar old number to get the details, I found that the line had already been disconnected.

Last I visited, Lev gave no indication of these plans. The Russian, as we used to call him, looked as healthy and fit as ever. The shop looked no different than it had for decades. I have no means of contacting Lev to find anything more about this mysterious end of an era, and found no trace of further information online. Likely, it was just time for him to retire. And that is not a bad way to end things after nearly thirty years of greatness.

As a bit of a send-off, I wanted to share a few personal photos that I've taken with the 35mm 1.4 Nikkor that my wife gifted me for Christmas years ago and Lev revived just a couple months before withdrawing his profound talent, knowledge and kindness from the community that he served for so long.

I took these photos using Kodak TMAX 100 in an FM2n that Lev also serviced. They depict some peaceful moments during a sunset sailboat charter that I recently enjoyed with my family in downtown Annapolis, Maryland. They feel a bit fitting to celebrate Lev's retirement and the closure of the best camera repair shop in Baltimore.

I say it all the time and this story is an important reminder. GET YOUR VINTAGE CAMERA GEAR PROFESSIONALLY SERVICED. If it's worth shooting, even if it's worth keeping on a shelf, it's worth paying an experienced professional to bring it back to 100%. With the loss of every skilled repair tech like Mr. Gutman, we creep ever so much closer to the end of film photography as we know it. Sure, new techs will step in and sure we can do some DIY work ourselves. But for the continuation of film photography on any kind of reasonably serious level, we need to keep our local repair shops busy. A standard Clean, Lube and Adjust is so much cheaper than a missed photo op due to neglect of classic equipment.

Let's keep film alive, folks. Support your local repair techs and they will support us.

Thanks for reading, happy shooting!

_Follow, Favorite, Like, Add, Insult, ContactJohnny Martyr _

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A Little Baltimore Camera Repair Shop That Survived the Digital Revolution

If you live outside of Maryland, you've probably never heard of Baltimore Photo-Electronic Services.

The little brick-and-mortar shop is tucked away in a run-down strip mall in the bustling Baltimore suburb of Pikesville, MD. If you drive past it on traffic-laden Reisterstown Road, BP-ES gets lost in the visual clutter of corporate signage that has come to surround it in the last 25 years.

BP-ES has no social media presence and their Web 1.0-style site seems to have finally evaporated from the internet. The only way to find BP-ES electronically is via customer comments on review sites. And the only way to be certain if they'll be open when you stop by is to call ahead. Fortunately, the phone number has never changed.

There was a time that BP-ES sought the attention of the outside world though. Artifacts exist in the form of faded old signs covering windows, proudly advertising a complement of technical services represented by peeling graphics of obsolete technology; a floppy disk CRT computer, a fax machine, a reel to reel player, and, of most interest to me, 35mm cameras.

BP-ES is not far from the old Bradley Images studio where I got my first photography job. Photo labs like Cooper's Camera Mart that printed my early exhibition images and The Shutterbug where I bought my first twin-lens reflex long ago disbanded, their properties swallowed up by larger businesses.

Being here in Pikesville again reminded me of an entire photographic ecosystem -- picking up equipment, driving to synagogues and hotels for shoots, dropping off the film, and picking it up once I got the call that processing was done. Reviewing negatives on light tables and sharing prints face to face with clients. Taking handwritten checks, driving to the bank for deposits. Stopping for food at Lenny's Deli or Fields diner. I've parked every car that I've ever owned in these spots -- with another photographer, a curious girlfriend, then wife, and then kids.

I had returned to my old stomping grounds because two of my manual focus, 1980's Nikon lenses had developed tight aperture rings during the last several shoots. As I pulled the door open and heard that familiar electronic chime, I wondered how my 20-year-old self would react to my 40-year-old self coming in here wearing a surgical mask to protect from a pandemic.

I learned about BP-ES when, as the new guy at the studio, I was tasked with dropping off 1960's Hasselblads that got thrashed within inches of their lives documenting local weddings and mitzvahs each weekend. My coworkers referred to the proprietor only as "The Russian."

Seldom have I entered the shop when it wasn't abuzz with discussions, negotiations. But today, BP-ES was quiet and empty when the stocky gentleman emerged from the repair room. He put on his mask and greeted me warmly in his thick accent. I plopped my Nikon 105mm 1.8 and 35mm 1.4 on the front counter for his inspection. As we talked, I looked around the shop to see what cool cameras were for sale. There is this glass display case where the best stuff is always kept.

Back in college, I told my friend Joe about BP-ES when he was looking to buy his first rangefinder. The Russian offered Joe a Canonet for $60 and Joe tried to haggle for $40.

The Russian promptly took the Canonet from Joe's hands and put it back inside that glass display cabinet. But that's when we then noticed a Leica M3.

There was no way that he would allow some broke college kids to handle the Leica, leaving us to stare at the coveted rangefinder in awe from the other side of the glass. We gawked, poised to receive whatever enlightenment that being in the presence of such an instrument might offer. The Russian leaned in over our shoulders like Robin Williams in Dead Poets Society. Concisely he stated, "This is camera for life."

Joe ended up buying a new Voigtlander Bessa R2 and at some point, I learned that "The Russian" actually goes by Lev.

It would be another 15 years until I could actually afford to buy a Leica from BP-ES. And I now use it daily. I remember Lev gave my daughter a lollipop and told her, "Your dad is the only one who still uses these old cameras." I don't think that's entirely true but she laughed, probably because she often thinks the same thing.

The issue with my Nikkor 105mm 1.8 and 35mm 1.4 seemed somewhat subjective, I feared Lev wouldn't see what I was talking about. My concerns quickly evaporated as he winced in acknowledgment of the problem.

"Oh yes, that's no good."

I mention this because when he doesn't see an issue, Lev will be honest and tell you there's nothing to repair.

Recently, Tim, a buddy of mine, brought Lev a Leica R4 whose shutter he suspected was not accurate. Lev showed Tim that the camera was within spec according to a shutter tester and didn't even charge him for inspecting it.

Lev works on modern cameras too. My wife's Nikon D600 had an expected life of 150k shutter cycles but Lev kept it going through 275k, long after the paint had worn down to the magnesium alloy and it moved from her primary to her backup body.

It's hard to add up all the shows, publications, and jobs I've done using cameras and lenses that Lev has repaired for me. I bought a Nikon FM here that I later photographed Sonia Shah and Bill Clinton with. There was the FM2n that I used to photograph Matt and Kim and countless photos of my kids, the Retina IIIc that covered Bob Giraldi production stills, several Pentax K1000s, numerous lenses, and my wife's Nikon DSLRs from the D90 to the D600 -- all serviced here. Sometimes I give Lev copies of magazines that our photos are in. I don't know what he does with the magazines or if he even likes the photos; he doesn't show much sentimentality. But I like him to see that he has an impact.

Lev updated my contact information and typed the lens serial numbers into his ancient yellowing Commadore computer while I eyed up a black Nikkormat FTn in that same glass cabinet that the Leica was inside years ago. I picked through a pile of little hoods, filters, and caps on a shelf while the old dot matrix printer creaked and buzzed in the background. I signed the print-out and Lev ripped off the carbon copy for my records.

A week later I returned to BP-ES to find my old Nikon lenses working beautifully. Clicking through the smooth aperture settings reminded me why I love the haptics of the old manual lenses. It looks like he cleaned the interior glass also. The 35 in particular is now perfectly spotless. As Lev was running my credit card, I remembered an old chrome 32mm Voigtländer lens hood that I noticed on the shelf last week. Nothing has prices on it so I readied myself for a possible negotiation and placed the hood on the counter. Lev eyed it up for a moment and said, "For you, this is gift." Maybe he was sentimental after all? Or maybe he'd already run my card and didn't feel like paying another service fee. Either way, I am grateful.

Along with mechanical cameras themselves, little repair shops like BP-ES are disappearing all the time. A number of similar shops I've dealt with previously just aren't around anymore. The owners, with their forgotten knowledge, experience, and skills retire when they can no longer continue or the work simply becomes unprofitable.

And yet, Baltimore Photo-Electronic Service survived the digital revolution that ended the local labs. It survived the rise of online shopping that ended the local camera stores. And now it appears to have survived COVID-19 that ended numerous small businesses.

Some people might not care much about what's happening at 1726 Reisterstown Rd. Most folks seem to use modern cameras for a few years and then replace them, more or less for vanity. There's no need for, or pride in, maintaining them because they are built and treated as disposable, transient objects.

For me, and probably for many of Lev's customers, being able to keep using equipment that we've been using for decades, that has our own little victory images psychically imprinted in them is not just an exercise in stubbornness and nostalgia (though that is surely part of it!) These cameras are important components of our personal history and our art. Perhaps even our belief systems.

I mean look, what is a camera if not a memory machine? A camera doesn't just take images of memories but also by being in hand, carried through one's life and experiences, being ready whenever it is called upon, the camera itself is a key part of a continuing story. An old camera is a recurring character in the story of our lives, past, present and even, future.

I took the photos for this article with a Nikon FM2n that Lev quickly repaired for me when it failed just days before a close friend's wedding and a 50mm 1.8 that Lev sold me in 2003.

About the author : Johnny Martyr is an East Coast film photographer. The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. After an adventurous 20 year photographic journey, he now shoots exclusively on B&W 35mm film that he painstakingly hand-processes and digitizes. Choosing to work with only a select few clients per annum, Martyr’s uncommonly personalized process ensures unsurpassed quality as well as stylish, natural & timeless imagery that will endure for decades. You can find more of his work on his website, Flickr, Facebook, and Instagram.

#culture #baltimore #camerarepair #johnnymartyr #profile #repairshop

Teen Finds Entire Leica M Camera Kit at Church Sale for $15

According to his Facebook profile, 16-year-old Tyler B. of Detroit, Michigan is into BMX, snowboarding and tennis. Soon, he may be into photography also. And who wouldn't be, after scoring a complete Leica M outfit, that is considered a dream camera rig, for just $15?

Last Friday, Tyler sauntered around the local church garage sale for about an hour with his friend, casually searching for old watches and cameras.

"I have always wanted to get into photography but never had the right camera and I figured I would try to find one at a garage sale" Tyler says in a conversation on Facebook Messenger.

At one table, Tyler came across "a lot of vintage stuff like old plates and just a bunch of random things that an old person would have."

Among the unremarkable ephemera, he eyed up a Kodak 35. It was just $3 and Tyler had heard of Kodak before so he bought it. Beside the Kodak was another camera he'd never seen or heard of though. It "looked fancy" but he had to leave for vacation in a few minutes so he passed on it.

Tyler caught up with his friend briefly to show him the Kodak and he mentioned the other camera.

"I would have never had gone back to get the Leica if I hadn’t stopped and talked to my friend who said that it was a very good camera," Tyler says.

All out of one dollar bills, not really knowing the value of what he was negotiating for, and trying to pick it up before he had to leave, "[Tyler] went back and asked if she would do $15 for the two lenses and the camera with the case and another lens and lens hood."

The deal was made.

"And funny enough, I get home and my mom ends up getting mad that I bought [two] cameras," Tyler says. "She still doesn’t believe that it’s worth that much."

The Leica camera kit Tyler purchased for $15.

Tyler put the Leica kit aside and went on vacation as planned, still not really knowing what he had purchased.

After the vacation, Tyler joined a popular Leica camera group on Facebook and made his first humble post with a photo of his acquisition.

"Can anyone give me more info on a Leica M4? Sorry if this is the wrong group I just picked one up for $10 at a garage sale and I’m curious as to if it’s good? I’m sorry that the photo is taken with an iPhone"

Responders could hardly believe the post. Tyler further astonished them by adding that he got two additional lenses for it for $5. Despite apparent jealousy and incredulousness, people were quick to offer friendly advice.

"That’s insane. Snap some photos and check shutter speeds and any light leaks, make sure the rangefinder patch works," one commenter replied.

"Take it to a Leica specialist and have it cleaned, lubricated, and adjusted (CLA)," another one stated. "The lenses, too. That will cost you some serious money, but the camera will outlast you (and the rest of us)."

The 50mm f/2 Summicron included in the kit.

A few folks said he should return and give the seller more money.

To this Tyler replied: "I do honestly want to do that as I really had no clue what it was. I just wanted to get into film photography and my friend said this was a good brand."

As it turns out, Tyler is now the proud owner of a chrome 1968/69 Leica M4, complete with 35mm f/2 Summicron, 50mm f/2 Summicron and 9cm f/4 Elmar lenses, as well as an original Leica ITDOO lens hood, Leica meter, and leather lens and camera cases. The M4 body itself currently sells for as much as about $3,000 on eBay, the 35mm Summicron for $2,500, the 50mm Summicron for $1,500, and about $100 each for the 9cm Elmar and ITDOO hood.

Total value: $7,200+.

The lenses and accessories included in the kit.

And what is Tyler's next move, now that he knows what he has?

"I may get it CLA'd as people have suggested and the [discussion] for Leica's has been a huge help," he says. "They went on video chat with me to help me make sure it’s in working order."

And don't think this beautiful Leica outfit is going to an undeserving home.

"I do think I am going to give the church or whoever’s it was some more money as that is the ethical thing to do," Tyler says.

P.S. Back in 2017, a college student photographer found a Leica M2 and 50mm f/2.8 lens at a thrift store for just $5.

About the author : Johnny Martyr is an East Coast film photographer. The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. After an adventurous 20 year photographic journey, he now shoots exclusively on B&W 35mm film that he painstakingly hand-processes and digitizes. Choosing to work with only a select few clients per annum, Martyr’s uncommonly personalized process ensures unsurpassed quality as well as stylish, natural & timeless imagery that will endure for decades. You can find more of his work on his website, Flickr, Facebook, and Instagram.

#culture #news #cheap #churchsale #deal #found #garagesale #johnnymartyr #leica #leicam #rummagesale #steal

One Year with the Voigtlander 40mm 1.4 Nokton MC

Since buying, shooting and writing about the Voigtlander 40mm 1.4 Nokton MC, I feel like I see this lens everywhere! I didn't realise how popular it is. The blog I wrote about it is my third most viewed of all time, I see it mounted to many of the cameras that I read reviews of and a shooter at the Leica Store was even using it to photograph Dave Burnett at his gallery opening last October, one of the last big events I attended before COVID struck.

Leica M6 TTL .85 | Voigtländer 40mm 1.4 Nokton MC | Kodak TMAX P3200 @ 6400 | Kodak HC110b |© 2019 Johnny Martyr

I re-read my original comments about the lens and while they're still valid a year later, I found that in practice, I really like the lens despite my initial disappointment. I probably was expecting or hoping for too much. In fact, I used it exactly as I'd first intended for a few shoots before COVID wiped out much of my wedding work and bar-hopping and it excelled beautifully. I figured I'd share some of those photos, which turned out to be some of my favorites of 2019 and early 2020, and take a deeper dive into the characteristics and uses of, what is for many, their go-to M-mount lens.

By the way, these images were taken on my Leica M6 TTL .85.

Here we go…

Leica M6 TTL .85 | Voigtländer 40mm 1.4 Nokton MC | Kodak TMAX 100 | Kodak HC110b |
© 2019 Johnny Martyr

I took this photo of a forgotten Ford truck on my way to a wedding shoot in Thurmont, Maryland in the fall of 2019. It was probably close to high noon, hence the straight down shadows. For portraits, this light would have been terrible. But between the low grain Kodak TMAX 100 and the super sharp Voigtlander 40/1.4, the harsh light was perfect for rendering an image that out-resolves my meager Epson flatbed scanner. Who needs gimmicky classic car HDR filters when you're packing these ingredients? The 40mm focal length was great for a standard establishing shot at a low quarter angle. The scene was so ideal that I didn't even bother taking any significantly different versions of it, just a couple aperture brackets because I had time for it. I think this was f8 by the way.

Leica M6 TTL .85 | Voigtländer 40mm 1.4 Nokton MC | Kodak Tri-X 400 | Kodak HC110b |
© 2019 Johnny Martyr

This photo shows quite the other end of the spectrum. I arrived at the ceremony location early, in order to acquaint myself with the people and place that I'd be working with. While doing some establishing shots, I took this image of the couples' sand ceremony set-up. I was on Tri-X and topped my shutter out so as to open the Voigt Nokton as wide as possible. I also focused it to near full minimum distance. The Nokton actually focuses closer than my M6 TTL can so one can play with that a little to bottom out the depth of field. As you can see, the lens has a strong vignette and displays a bit of swirlios that I don't see discussed in reviews very often. So the 40 Nokton can also be used as an effects lens if desired.

Leica M6 TTL .85 | Voigtländer 40mm 1.4 Nokton MC | Kodak Tri-X 400 | Kodak HC110b |
© 2019 Johnny Martyr

And here are the couple whose wedding I was shooting. You may already know the groom by his writing. This is fellow film blogger, Mark from The GAS Haus. Mark hired me to shoot candids of his woodsy wedding but, you know, everyone wants a few posed shots. I used my 90mm Leitz Summicron for most of the ceremony but took some of the posed shots with the 40mm so as to include some context of their beautiful outdoor ceremony. On a faster film, with a wider aperture and overcast lighting (from the tree covering), the 40mm Nokton softens up as one wants for portraits. And the lack of barrel distortion allows this wider lens to meet the challenge of accurate rendering of faces.

Leica M6 TTL .85 | Voigtländer 40mm 1.4 Nokton MC | Kodak TMAX 100 | Kodak HC110b |
© 2019 Johnny Martyr

Switching back to TMAX 100, I thought this dramatically lit door provided a good scope on the range of performance of the 40mm Nokton in one image. You've got super crisp, in-focus areas revealing gobs of detail with a fast fall-off into smooth bokeh, featuring playful out-of-focus points of leaf light. Notice the slight fringing on the bokeh balls. For color shooters the Nokton's OoF areas may be distracting but in b&w, there's not enough CA to really bother me. I knew this shot would be a keeper and probably took ten versions of it before the light shifted and the moment was gone.

For another 2019 wedding, I was using my 1930 Leica with 1936 Summar as my main normal lens but I also squeezed off some shots with the 40mm Nokton.

Leica M6 TTL .85 | Voigtländer 40mm 1.4 Nokton MC | Kodak Tri-X 400 | Kodak HC110b |
© 2019 Johnny Martyr Leica M6 TTL .85 | Voigtländer 40mm 1.4 Nokton MC | Kodak Tri-X 400 | Kodak HC110b |
© 2019 Johnny Martyr

I was on Tri-X rated at 400 for both of these but I was beginning to lose light during cocktail hour so I opened up considerably. You can see that the second image, of the blonde smiling, was at full aperture because the OoF points of light are perfectly circular and we see some of that swirling from earlier. While the 40 Nokton loses a lot of resolution as you open it up, the 10 blade aperture diaphragm and classic optical formula make for some really painterly bokeh that I enjoy, particularly when rendered on contrasty Tri-X in HC110b (and a little bump in black levels!)

The two photos above are only a couple apertures apart and give you an idea how fast the Nokton sharpens up/softens as you move to and from full aperture.

Leica M6 TTL .85 | Voigtländer 40mm 1.4 Nokton MC | Kodak Tri-X 400 @ 1600| Kodak HC110b |© 2019 Johnny Martyr Leica M6 TTL .85 | Voigtländer 40mm 1.4 Nokton MC | Kodak Tri-X 400 @ 1600| Kodak HC110b |© 2019 Johnny Martyr Leica M6 TTL .85 | Voigtländer 40mm 1.4 Nokton MC | Kodak Tri-X 400 @ 1600| Kodak HC110b |© 2019 Johnny Martyr

These three shots above were taken on different days of the wedding, but all were with Tri-X at 1600 ISO and demonstrate how highlights from the Nokton glow gently, a la it's "Classic" namesake.

Leica M6 TTL .85 | Voigtländer 40mm 1.4 Nokton MC | Kodak Tri-X 400 @ 1600| Kodak HC110b |© 2019 Johnny Martyr

Here's another glowy 1600 Tri-X shot of guests on a party boat for the rehearsal dinner. I think it really demonstrates how you can use the slightly wider perspective of the 40 to differentiate work from a boring 50mm. The lines of the ceiling tile, as well as window frames and the bar just emit from the subject and run out of the corners of the frame with a speed that wouldn't happen with a 50. And many 35's would have distorted the lines. More examples of those cool bokeh balls and playful, perhaps somewhat busy but fun bokeh.

The next wedding images were shot on TMAX P3200 rated and pushed to 6400 in HC110b. This is an important reason why I wanted a sharper, fast lens. For low, available light work with a grainy film, as a I noted in a blog a couple years back, you need a sharper-than-average lens because the grain gets overly mooshy with a softer one.

Leica M6 TTL .85 | Voigtländer 40mm 1.4 Nokton MC | Kodak TMAX P3200 @ 6400 | Kodak HC110b |© 2019 Johnny Martyr Leica M6 TTL .85 | Voigtländer 40mm 1.4 Nokton MC | Kodak TMAX P3200 @ 6400 | Kodak HC110b |© 2019 Johnny Martyr

Below are some photos from when I went out drinking for New Year's Eve. Little did I know that it would be the last time I'd be enjoying the downtown Frederick bar scene for the rest of 2020.

Leica M6 TTL .85 | Voigtländer 40mm 1.4 Nokton MC | Kodak TMAX P3200 @ 6400 | Kodak HC110b |© 2020 Johnny Martyr

This is my friend and muse, Denise warming up beside one of those outdoor heater things. Notice we've got some out-of-focus points of light and you can tell by the lack of perfect circles that I was stopped down slightly. Oddly, you'll note that even though the 40mm Nokton has 10 blades, OoF points of light render with seven sides. If anyone understands this, please, let me know in the comments! Images with leading out-of-focus elements show again how the 40mm focal length can pull the viewer in; a key reason that there is a small but dedicated crowd who prefer 40 to 35 or 50mm.

Leica M6 TTL .85 | Voigtländer 40mm 1.4 Nokton MC | Kodak TMAX P3200 @ 6400 | Kodak HC110b |© 2020 Johnny Martyr

Here's Denise huddled by the heater again. I like how isolated the focus is here and how smooth the fall-off is.

Leica M6 TTL .85 | Voigtländer 40mm 1.4 Nokton MC | Kodak TMAX P3200 @ 6400 | Kodak HC110b |© 2020 Johnny Martyr

I know you're supposed to start with the best and end with the best but I was dragging my shutter for this image of a crowd at Firestones in downtown Frederick, MD. It's not a good demonstration of the Voigtlander 40mm 1.4 Nokton MC at all because there's some shutter blur to it. But I really love this image because it feels, to me, like a final glance at a personal moment within a sea of people before they all disappeared from public life shortly after 2020 commenced.

I haven't shot much with the 40 Nokton in 2020. The few weddings I had were in the daytime and consisted only of ceremony and posed shots due to venue restrictions for COVID. And the only barhopping I've done has been from my kitchen to my living room to my porch then back to my kitchen. Reviewing these images has been a fun reminder of 2019 and the ambition of buying a new lens and having a number of exciting uses lined up for it.

Do you use the Voigtlander 40mm Nokton MC or SC? Any recommendations on other uses? I really need to do more automotive and architecture! What do you love and hate about this curiously cheap, high spec little hunk of glass and aluminum?

Thanks for reading and happy shooting!

_Follow, Favorite, Like, Add, Insult, ContactJohnny Martyr _

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On Fuji Pro 400H and Any Discontinued Stock

You've probably heard by now that Fuji have discontinued what was for many shooters, their go-to, general purpose color film, Pro 400H.

For anyone who's been shooting film for more than a few years, we know this rodeo all to well.

Fuji or Kodak announce a discontinuation (notice that Ilford never does). The bloggers pick it up and spread the word. A near audible, sometimes literally audible gasp sounds across social media. Film adherents begin posting about their sudden and massive hauls from B&H, Adorama, Freestyle, Film Photography Project and then eBay and Amazon and wherever they can lay hands on the newly discontinued stock, before… the inevitable price spike.

Fuji Pro 400H was announced discontinued yesterday morning and within only a few hours eBay auctions for the film at astronomical prices appeared. I was disappointed to see a critical member of the film community posting about buying a stash simply to scalp it out at inflated prices later.

Fuji 400 Pro H - Nikon FM + Nikkor 50mm 1.8 AIS

Maybe I can stand back with a neutral eye on this news because after probably a decade of using Fuji Pro 400H religiously, it's been about another decade since I bought a roll. The loss doesn't bear a single direct effect on my workflow or creative chi. But when Kodak discontinued TMAX P3200 in 2012, and Fuji discontinued FP-3000b in 2013, my heart pumped out of my chest and my head burst like the top of a cartoon thermometer. I immediately got on the phone with retailers in each case (skipped the internet to ensure my order went through) and spent $400 or $500 on small stockpiles of each.

So I understand the emotional reaction.

I really do.

Fuji 400 Pro H - Nikon FE + Nikkor 85mm 1.8 AI'd

As film shooters, the worst threat to our hobby and profession is when our preferred film stock is abruptly marked for extinction. Whole workflows and methods and habits need to be recalibrated from preparing for shoots to editing, scanning and printing. The effect of a stock discontinuation to each of us can be personally devastating. Not to mention earthshattering to our emotional fortitude and spirit to keep film alive.

But I would strongly encourage that we try to look at the bigger picture here and avoid binge buying and panic purchasing Fuji Pro 400H, or any discontinued stock for that matter.

Fuji 400 Pro H - Nikon FM + Nikkor 85mm 1.8 AI'd

There are a few exceptions. If I hadn't binge bought Fuji FP-3000b, I would have never had one of the greatest experiences of my life as a photographer, photographing Veruca Salt with my Polaroid Land Camera and consequently talking to their guitarist Louise Post. And binge buying TMAX P3200 allowed me some time to transition to Delta 3200 for my wedding and documentary portrait work. If you also make a living off a recently discontinued stock or are just very passionate about it, sure, go ahead and binge buy.

But if you're attracted to a film simply because it's now on the exotic film list and you are considering dropping a big chunk of change on it out of curiosity etc, I urge you to think again.

Fuji 400 Pro H - Pentax ME Super + SMC 50mm 1.2

If you are a film fridge hoarder, I'm sure that there's nothing I can say to make you change your mind. And maybe that's just as well. Your hoard, er, collection, will grow increasingly unique and compelling as time goes by. Like reviving wooly mammoths!

If you are down on your finances thanks to COVID or are just an opportunistic sonovabitch, I also probably can't sway you.

But I really think it would be useful if we all took a step back, took a breath and considered spending whatever amount we would blow on a binge buy of discontinued stock on a film stock that is commonly available fresh, instead.

Why? Why is Johnny Martyr always telling me to buy new and expensive cameras and accessories and now he's telling me to jump ship on a rare film stock in favor of something that I can buy any time. What is this guy's problem?!

Fuji 400 Pro H - Olympus OM-1 + Zuiko 50mm 1.8

Look, let's say you blow $500 on Fuji Pro 400H today. Where does that money go? Maybe you'll turn it into $1000 next year by reselling the film when it's no longer available from retailers. Maybe you'll just shoot it and enjoy it. And while those are perfectly valid and logical courses of action, I submit that we stop spending crazy prices on film once a year or three when a film is discontinued, and start spending that money regularly throughout the year on stocks that are still readily available. Do you normally spend $500 a year on fresh film?

If we do that, maybe we can reduce discontinuations to begin with. Right? Today it's Fuji 400H, tomorrow, maybe it will be something else we'd never expect like Superia 400. Or Tri-X.

Don't keep investing in dead product lines. Invest in the survivors. Invest in living film stocks and the future of film. Let's put our money on the film that we can buy fresh today and give our money to Kodak, Fuji and Ilford instead of a film hoarding opportunist on eBay. Sudden spikes in sales to Fuji and Kodak probably only encourage discontinuations at times when the companies need a quick cash injection. Let's not encourage discontinuations. Let's encourage longevity.

After I'm long dead, I love to imagine a world where my daughter walks into a physical camera store buys a fresh roll of Tri-X and the clerk shows her how to put it in my 1930 Leica. Sounds nice, doesn't it?

Kodak Tri-X 400 - 1930 Leica I/III + Leitz 5cm f2 Summar

While I binge bought TMAX P3200 and FP-3000b when their discontinuations were announced, I vowed to myself not to buy anymore of those films once I ate through my stockpile. For the reasons above. If Kodak wasn't going to make P3200, I'd shift fully to support Ilford 3200 ASAP. And that is what I did. And look how that turned out. Kodak revived P3200 almost 6 years later.

And two years after Fuji discontinued Acros 100, they released Acros 100 II.

I'm not suggesting that a boycott on discontinued film binge buys and panic purchases will always revive those stocks, but I am willing to bet my disposable income that our money is better used to support films that are not marked for discontinuation. These are the films that are going to keep film photography alive and well. Investing in them is investing in our future.

Kodak Portra 400 - Leica M6 TTL .85 + Voigtlander 50mm 1.5 Nokton

In their press release, Fuji state that 400H was discontinued due to difficulty acquiring the unique materials required to manufacture this film. They didn't drop the film because it wasn't selling. This is why Kodak originally dropped P3200. No amount of supporting these products could change the availability and cost of those materials at those times. So don't. Shift and pivot.

It's not easy for any of us when a film is discontinued, but we're not going to make it any easier for ourselves by scalping one another and investing in consumable goods that are no longer made.

Good luck determining a new path after the current supply of Fuji 400H dries up.

Thanks for reading and happy shooting!

_Follow, Favorite, Like, Add, Insult, ContactJohnny Martyr _

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A Post About Louise Post and the Importance of Photography

A few years ago, I photographed a Veruca Salt concert at the 9:30 Club in Washington DC. I wasn't an official photographer, I was just having fun with the then still available Fuji FP-3000b peel apart instant film and my 1960's Polaroid Automatic Land camera. But it was a great night anyway and I'll always remember the experience.

Then there was a crazy chain of events that just goes to show that it pays to befriend other inspiring, driven creative artists. Fellow photographer Ben Eisendrath found my blog and revealed that he is Veruca Salt guitarist, Louise Post's cousin. Ben put me in touch with Ms. Post, who, apparently enjoyed my blog and images. - S W O O N -

For her birthday this past December, I had one of my peel apart photos of the concert matted and framed by The Artist Angle in downtown Frederick, MD. Then I typed up a letter to Ms. Post on my 1940's Underwood, explaining all the reasons that I think that she is awesome. And, because I enjoy collecting autographs and could not imagine a better person for it, I boxed up the pick guard from my first guitar; a 1994 Fender Stratocaster, for Ms. Post to autograph.

Despite the crazy COVID/election mail issues occurring, my package arrived at Ms. Post's address exactly on the day of her birthday. So, massive thank-you to the US Postal Office. I don't care what anyone says, you always come through for me!

Some weeks went by as I bit my fingernails down to my guitar-string-callused fingertips in anticipation.

Then, one fateful day, I opened my mailbox to find a tattered version of the bubble mailer that I'd sent off a few weeks ago.

Not only had Louise Post, autographed my pick guard, but she hand wrote a very kind and encouraging letter to me.

Can you imagine being a rock goddess and STILL taking time to respond to fans with handwritten notes?!

I think about being a teenager when Veruca Salt's Seether was first tearing up the analog air waves and how the song, the album and other amazing music of the 90's inspired and guided me through those confusing soul-searching years. The electric guitar was one of the first tools of artistic expression that I tried before my high school girlfriend introduced me to the darkroom and I picked up a Pentax K1000 for photography class. I didn't become the rock star that Veruca Salt inspired me to be but this whole photographer thing is working out okay.

Anyway, not only did I want to brag about getting Louise Post's autograph, I think this story is an awesome example of how we can use our photography to connect us to personal history and the people and events that are important to us. Which, at the core is the very reason I got into photography.

Thanks for reading, happy shooting!

_Follow, Favorite, Like, Add, Insult, ContactJohnny Martyr _

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