LOMO

Saving Fuji FP-100C and Wet Plate Pack Film Shooting

by EveNSteve

A lot has changed in the last few years regarding the survival of film, photographers are now making direct appeals to manufacturers and gaining support from other shooters in a global effort to save our materials. Perfect examples of this success: Impossible Project instant materials, CineStill and their new successful Indiegogo campaign, New 55 instant material, Film Ferrania and now perhaps Fuji FP-100C, only time will tell.

Screen shot 2016-03-04 at 9.53.50 AM

http://savepackfilm.net/

And then there is cool stuff like this video on how to shoot wet plate with your pack film camera!

Viva la Revolution- Steve

 

The Human Rangefinder

by EveNSteve

This instructive video provides a useful technique for making your very own, personalized rangefinder for the purposes of better focus accuracy with camera systems like a Rollei 35 and 35 S, Olympus XA 2, 3 and 4 as well as the LOMO LCA and Diana + camera systems… basically if you have to scale-focus your camera then this video is for you!

LINK:

Human Rangefinder Card Generator

I would again to thank Thomas Achtemichuk for making this very cool photographic tool available! 

Viva la Revolution- Stephen


The Horror of Redscale Film Technique

by EveNSteve

AudioBlog Logo

Let’s be clear: I personally don’t like Redscale film and the image below confirms it. It is possibly going to give me nightmares or at least a rash… my wife describes it as the Amityville Horror photograph. Nonetheless, the audio portion of this post describes Redscale film technique and gives pointers on how to maximize your negatives and additional information on how Redscale film techniques works. If this is your cup of tea, then go for it!

redscaletest_schaub
LOMO REDSCALE Film Test: March 21, 2009
Camera: Rollei 35 S
Overlapping Frame Technique (3 Frames)
Exposure: F4 @ 1/60, Rated at Box Speed

LINKS:

How to load your own REDSCALE Film.
LOMO REDSCALE Page

Viva la Revolution- Stephen!

Putting It All Together

by EveNSteve

Everything I post here on the Figital Revolution is- in one way or another- part of a test I am running for my own Artworks, or for a client at Indian Hill Imageworks. Over the last few months I have been testing the Olympus XA, the LOMO LCA, the Olympus XA 4, Kodak Ektar 100, alternative printing paper, perfecting my carry solution (BBB) and new methods for hanging artwork. Now it is time to put everything into action! I am leaving for Italy italianflagin a few days (note the Italian Flag) and all of the works and testing will finally get full use. Below is a new image I just made called Winter Leaves, Vermont. 2009. It is made using the Olympus XA 4 using an in-camera multi exposure, overlapping-negative technique I have been refining for the last few months. The film: Kodak Ektar 100…I am taking 40 rolls of it with me to Italy! The paper/ image: printed on an uncoated sheet of Arches Rough 22″ x 30″, 640 gsm as a d’Vinci Print (12 color).

Note: I am about to test a similar style paper with some different sizing properties made by Fabriano… since my new  artworks will be from Italy it only seemed right to look at Italian paper. Hey, they’ve been making paper for over 700 years… they have to be doing something right!

Winter Leaves, Pawlet, Vermont. 2009

Winter Leaves, Vermont. 2009
Edition size: One
Image Size: 25″ x 9″
Paper Size: 22″ x 30″
Copyright Stephen M. Schaub 2009

Install View

Installation View

Finally, I will be working on additional articles while traveling so get ready for new and exciting things here on FR once I return.

schaub-web09

 

 

 

Viva la Revolution- Stephen

The Olympus XA 4 – My Everyday Carry Camera!

by EveNSteve

xa4

The Olympus XA 4 is a wonderful merger of Zone / Scale Focus, sophisticated photographic creative control and an amazing 28mm macro lens… released in 1985! In a previous video blog I compared the Olympus XA to the LOMO LCA and LCA+  for the purposes of pointing out strengths and weaknesses to both systems- the Olympus XA 4 strikes the perfect balance between these two very different cameras and has now found itself as my everyday carry camera.

VIDEO:

IMAGE:

powerxa4

TEST EXPOSURE…Olympus XA 4 focused at 1′. Exposed on Kodak Ektar 100… exposure was hand held at under 1/30th of a second (interior light glows at exposures under 1/30th) at F5.6  (at the 1′ focus setting the minimum f stop is f 5.6. Note the nice crisp detail and beautiful  out of focus (OOF) rendering. Yes I know it is not “Leica Sharp” but damn it is really good for a Point and Shoot from 1985! One additional thought… I love the new Kodak Ektar 100!

LINK:

Fantastic sites with lots of information on the XA line…

http://diaxa.nfshost.com

The XA Way

How to Focus Your LOMO LCA

by EveNSteve

This short informational video provides useful information on how to get “in focus” images, or at least more of them with the LOMO LCA. Focus is over rated in my opinion but it is nice to know how to just in case!

Link to the DOF Chart referenced in the video:

http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html

 

UPDATE:

“who the hell needs a video explaining zone focus? can it get any easier than this?”

Quote from a Flickr user who found this video (not sure if he watched it) and apparently found it revolting! I disagree completely that Zone Focus is easy, especially at first… fact is that most Zone focus camera users rely on many many rolls of experience or depth of field to get “sharp images”… this video points out a quick method to learn how to “focus” these systems (LCA) through visual memory and pace count.

Is Cross Processing or XPRO Dead?

by EveNSteve

I’ve just started a film test in preparation for my trip to Italy next month– the two films in consideration are Kodak Ektar 100 and Agfa Precia CT cross processed. Thus far, most of the artworks from my current series A New Eden are either XPRO (cross processed- E6 film in C41 chem) or expired film. However- after much testing here on FR I have recently  fallen in love with the new Kodak Ektar  …SO I decided to do a quick comparison test and find out: does the XPRO effect really have to be actual cross-processed film?

So what do YOU think? Look at the snapshots below and see if you can pick out the one that is the Agfa Precia CT XPRO…only one is true XPRO…the others are all Kodak Ektar  in Photoshop using Alien Skin Exposure 2! 

Think you have the right answer? Then give a listen to the Audio portion of this post for additional thoughts on cross processing / Xpro… as well as the answer!

AudioBlog LogoPlease click on the logo to listen to the audio.

 

 

When you finish with part one, click here to listen to part 2!

Olympus XA vs LOMO LCA and LCA Plus

by EveNSteve

Please watch this video first for a discussion on the pros and cons of the Olympus XA vs the LOMO LCA and LCA+. Please note that the video is of high quality and may take a few seconds to load depending on your connection speed.

Comparison Images:

lca

xaxaschaubprocess

General Info: All test images were shot at F 2.8 on Kodak TX, processed in Diafine Developer, scanned on an Imacon with no sharpening applied, natural light. Please be sure to click on the images to see them larger.

LCA: Notice the general soft focus/ appearance…I shot this image 10 times and this was the sharpest. I changed my lens to subject distance and I changed my zone focus setting but in the end this was the best. It is not real sharp but does have a nice soft visual quality with some subtle vignetting.

XA: Very sharp at the point of focus (glasses)… and this sharpness is at F 2.8!  The XA achieves its best sharpness around F 5.6 – F 8. The OOF (out of focus) quality is nice in the background and general illumination is pretty good edge to edge.

XA+: This is the same negative as the XA sample image above with the addition of a bit of a vignette and a bit of a general surface blur applied in Photoshop…I feel this hits the mark perfectly for my visual needs.

Useful Links:

Olympus XA Info

LOMO LCA Info

Olympus XA Repair/ Service

A New Eden – Artworks by yours truly made on the LCA and XA (the new XA artworks can be found on the home page). This overlapping negative technique is possible with both the XA and the LCA and it the subject of a future post here on the Figital Revolution…stay tuned!

Notes: The Olympus XA came in other later versions such as the XA 1, XA 2, XA 3 and the XA 4 all of which are Zone Focus cameras. My favorite and the most collected and used is the original XA followed by the XA 4.

Final Thoughts: I will be posting additional articles regarding the XA with info on fill flash, long bulb exposures and additional tips and techniques in the coming weeks so again stay tuned!

Viva la Revolution- Stephen

UPDATE: I was wrong on the current price of the Lomo LCA+…it is not $199 US as I state in the video but rather $250 US…the XA is now a real bargain!