My talk at The Artist Book foundation at MASSMoCA, January 26, 2019.
Viva la Revolution- Steve
film
CineStill BwXX Film (Kodak 5222) Developed in Instant Coffee
So here are my latest results experimenting with CineStill film in Caffenol (instant coffee)… I am very happy with this combination! I have found the usable EI for this film-developer combination to range from 100-3200, all with one processing time, but the very best is around EI 640. This test image was made with my 1956 Leica M3 with a 1960 Leica 135mm Leitz Wetzlar Elmar at F5.6.
I’ve been continuously tweaking my Caffenol developer and developing technique over the past few years… I find it to be a very solid go-to developer for virtually any black and white film.
Viva la Revolution- Steve
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Ektachrome E100 is Back!
Announced this morning, Kodak will begin shipping E100 in 35mm now and next month 8mm and early next year 16mm.
I remember being at a cafe here in Vermont and getting a call from Kodak to let me know that E-6 (Ektachrome) was being discontinued by Kodak due to weak sales. Me and a few other photographers got a few days notice in order to help soften the blow in online media. This time I got no call, no film to test and finding an actual press release was strangely difficult (Why is it not on the homepage Kodak??!!) BUT, I am nevertheless happy to see Ektachome’s return… it is a good sign of strength- and returning faith- in our medium.
https://www.kodak.com/US/en/corp/Press_center/New_EKTACHROME_Films_to_Begin_Shipping/default.htm
Viva la Revolution- Steve
The Way Back: From Film Emulation to FILM
An article I interviewed for in Singapore during XEdition 2018 has just published on Lifestyle Asia… its on how the iPhone/ camera phones and film simulation apps like Instagram, Hipstamatic and Huji Cam may actually be encouraging younger shooters to look towards film.
http://www.lifestyleasia.com/569088/film-digital-photography/
Testing JCH Street Pan 400
Pinhole Film Tests With ORTHOTOPOSCOPE SS Camera
Running a test with my new ORTHOTOPOSCOPE SS camera (6×12) and a non optimized pinhole of around F70 (optimized is around F130 for the 25mm focal length). I am looking at the following films with EI from approx 100-1600 all in developers I have found that works best for maximum compensation and best overall tonality with each specific film. Reciprocity corrections were kept to just a gerous doubling to time— with this type of camera and work I like to keep it simple if possible. Exposures ranged from 1 second to 30 seconds all handheld as that is my standard way of shooting with a pinhole system.
- 400TX • Diafine
- 400Tmax • 510 Pyro
- Delta 3200 • 510 Pyro
- Fuji 400CN • C41
- Portra 400 • C41
- CineStill 800T • C41
All test results will be converted to B&W as that is my current need with these materials.
UPDATE: So I’ve looked at the film and I am very drawn to the Porta 400 and VERY drawn to the Cinestill 800T when both are converted to B&W. The regular B&W film was amazing but due to the pinhole capture I had a lot more range of possibilities in the conversion process that really helped to bring out crazy tonal separation in the two color negative materials.
Test Film with 510 Pyro
Testing 8 different films, all 120 in a stand development 1:500 in 510 Pyro Developer… film was exposed at +3, +2, +1, Box Speed, -1 and -2 to see developer / film latitude combination… have seen some pretty amazing results with this developer…. more later…. (Films Tested: Rollei RPX 400, Bergger Pancro 400, Ilford HP5+, Ilford Delta 3200, Ilford Pan F+, Ilford FP4+, Fomapan 100 and Kodak 400TX ).
Many thanks to my friend Dan for introducing me to this developer and to Jay DeFehr on getting this up and running and for being such a helpful source of knowledge.
Viva la Revolution- Steve
Let The Film Testing Begin
I am heading to the Cotswolds (UK) in just over a week and running one last set of tests over the next few days…. looking at chromogenic B&W films (and converted Portra 400) compared to traditional B&W films processed in Pyro 510 (stand development)… all for the purposes of scanning.
Stay tuned!
PS- and yes that is Fuji Neopan 400CN… very hard to get here in the USA as it is not imported… made by Ilford for Fuji, based on XP2 Super but it is a different film made to Fuji Specs… time will tell.
Custom Instant Camera by Patrick Putze
One thing I forgot to mention in the video is just how SHARP the lens is— really makes a huge difference when working with Fuji Instax materials.
To contact Patrick visit: https://www.facebook.com/polaroidconversions
The End of Fuji 100c
F-You Fuji!
Not much more to add…. off to the cape to shoot for a few days. I’m not bringing ANY Fuji material—
Viva la Revolution- Steve
Figital Revolution 