Personal ramblings on photography
Kosmofoto reports that Kodak now offers new-look Gold 200 and Ultramax 400 alongside Kodacolor films.
In addition to Kodacolor 100 and 200, Gold 200 and Ultramax 400 are now repackaged and sold by Kodak directly instead of Kodak Alaris.
Please bring the 800 ISO that are stuck in diposable cameras.
Kodak Colour Negative Film and Colour Print Making Materials & Processes – researched by Michael Talbert — A collection of material about early Kodak film processes. We learn that Kodachrome initially cost US$3.50 a roll in 1936 (this included processing) which is US$54 in 2009… and learn how complicated its development process was. And from there many other links. A rabbit hole.
The Leica M EV1 Just Entered a Spec War It Can’t Win and Destroyed Its Own Value Proposition — The headline itself is what I thought of this camera.
Flashes and Strobes
Photo Strobe Trigger Voltages — A list of flash strobes and their trigger voltage. It’s important to match it with your camera as some might have more than 100V.
Sam’s Strobe FAQ — Notes on the Troubleshooting and Repair of Electronic Flash Units and Strobe Lights (Archived) — Tips on repairing electronic flash units.
Lomography just announced the Lomo MC-A, a 35mm point and shoot camera.
Has a 32mm f/2.8 auto focus glass lens, auto exposure or manual, DX coding with override, built-in flash.
At CA$699 from Lomography, it is cheaper than the Pentax 17 and allow more control. Available around December 2025, and also in black.
Another choice for a new 35mm film camera.
SilverBridges Unveils WideluxX™ Prototype 0001
It’s a good milestone since the 2023 announcement. It shows you can have a working camera. The next big question is how much it is gonna cost? And when will it be available?
Analogue announced the pre-order for the Analogue aF-1.
The aF-1 is a compact 35mm point-and-shoot camera designed by the Amsterdam company Analogue. It has 35mm f2.8 glass lens, LiDAR autofocus and built-in flash. All the features expected from the early 21st century point-and-shoot.
The pre-order price is 449€ or CA$790 (+ shipping) for a delivery Q1 2026.
Specs are not unlike an Olympus mju-II.
Polaroid Versus Fujifilm – How a Court Case Could Change Instant Photography Forever — Seems like a repeat of Polaroid vs Kodak. Just because of the square shape…
From Emulsive, How-to: Make DIY your own black and white transparencies (slides) — Apparently Ilford has an official process with Ilford FP4 Plus, and this article revise it by using a chemical inversion instead of a re-exposure. I always wanted to shoot Agfa Scala. And Adox Scala, its successor, doesn’t seem so easy to find here.
What is a color space? by Dan Hollick. — A clear explanation of what a colour space is. Despite this being part of a tutorial on writing software, it is really not specific to this craft.
The year is 2025 and Kodak announces Kodacolor. Like this was 1942.
Old is new again.
This news has been all around the internet, Kosmofoto has some details: Kodak launches new films called Kodacolor 100 and 200.
The short version is Kodak, not Kodak Alaris, will be selling a C-41 colour negative film, 100 and 200 ISO, in 135 rolls of 36 exposure, called Kodacolor. We see them listed at US$9.75. At the moment it is unclear which stock these two films are made of.
Kodacolor was the name for the 1942 colour negative film Kodak release to the market. It was the first colours negative for colour printing and had a speed of 25 ASA and later 32 ASA. It was discontinued in 1963 to be replaced by Kodacolor X, at 64 and later 80 ASA, and then in 1974 by Kodacolor II which used C-41 process to replace the C-22 process previously used. That latter version was 80 and then later 100 ASA. The last version of Kodacolor was Kodacolor Gold…
Update: I see the Kodacolor 100 and 200 listed for CA$15.75 and CA$16.00 respectively.
Lina Bessonova, a Germany based photographer did put to a test airport scanners and how they damage film. Hint: they do. You can read the details:
Flying with Film: Airport Scanners Test.
Her costly methodology involved making test rolls of various type, going through scanners a few times, and also going through the new CT scanners that are unfortunately now installed in airports like Amsterdam (AMS).
The quick result is that these CT scanners are very bad for film, and that even lead lined bags don’t prevent the damage, even though operators seem to have more difficulties seeing through. Even 50 ISO black and white is impacted. Lina has a very detailed set of samples.
If you fly in Canada, I would recommend to print the page about camera equipment from CATSA that recommend requesting a hand inspection. English and French. I think I will avoid. It’s not that I fly much anyway.
Michael Nguyen from Japan Camera Hunter writes about the Plaubel Makina 67, an uncommon medium format 6×7 rangefinder of Japanese-German design from the late 70s, with its specially designed Nikkor lens.
Kosmofoto reports KONO! announces KONO Color 200 colour negative film, a made-in-Germany colour negative, rumoured to be ORWO NC200.
Also as a follow-up from a previous post, Kosmofoto tells us that China Lucky Film’s new colour film ‘launched in July at Chinese trade show’. Price will be around US$7 and a first batch of 10000 rolls will be produced initially.
Kosmofoto tell Euston 400 is a black-and-white slide film from London film lab Aperture Printing. If you are in London this is a higher sensitivity film than the Adox Scala with the corresponding chemistry, and they develop it for you. It’s in limited quantity.
Imaging resource: Sony RX1R III Review: A $5,000 Letdown in a Familiar Shell. Lack of IBIS, still the older lens, the lack of tilting screen that the previous iteration had, and the battery life. Because the camera is US$5000.
Harman just announced Phoenix II, the successor of Phoenix, their experimental colour negative film. Phoenix II replaces the “limited edition” Phoenix, improving on colour rendition, and offering more exposure latitude. Available in both 120 and 135.
Don’t have it, so I can not tell. But here is from around the web:
– Petapixel Harman Phoenix II is a Brand-New Color 35mm and 120 Film Stock, presenting the Harman promotional images taken by various early recipients.
– JCH Film News: Harman Phoenix II rises with a few pictures.
– Kosmofoto Harman Technology releases Phoenix II colour negative film, followed up by First rolls: Harman Phoenix II (35mm) and First rolls: Harman Phoenix II (120).
If you liked Phoenix (the red box) then stock up. It is until supplies last.
Previously: New films