ready for summer

The last week was filled with more low ISO shooting fun. I specifically wanted to finish off my rolls of Rollei Retro 80s in 120 and start shooting it in 35mm after I had run out of Rollei RPX 100 for my Leica. I have to say that I quite enjoyed shooting the 80s so far. It has been a challenge and I definitely like how contrasty it is. Definitely a film with lots of character. I also quite enjoy how lovely the lens of my Zeiss Super Ikonta 530/2 renders when it’s shot at wider apertures, so that I even considered getting an ND filter! Turns out that I’m quite enjoying my low ISO experiments. After shooting so much ISO 400 film before it’s really changing the way I work. With ISO 400 I usually just zone focus and hope for the best, but with lower ISO I have to take a shallower depth of field into account and have to actually focus properly. It’s a more deliberate way of shooting and although it’s pushing me a little out of my comfort zone, I’m actually enjoying it a lot too. When this month of shooting exclusively low ISO films is over, I will obviously start shooting ISO 400 again, but I’m sure low ISO films will find their way into my camera much more often now.

It’s now almost June and I’m still posting pictures from last year. I guess it’s time to catch up a little, so you’ll get some more frequent posts until I finally reach some pictures from this year. This is close enough to new pictures for me anyway, since I actually developed quite a few of these only very recently. Most of these rolls had been lying around since last year and I was collecting them for the next batch of C41 chemicals. I generally shoot much less colour in winter, so it took me a while to get enough C41 film together. By now I have a lot of it lying around again though, because I brought a whole batch of it back from Argentina. Once I get some new C41 chemicals – this time it will be a 5L pack of the Tetenal C41 kit -, they are next on my long list of rolls to develop.

But now, let’s take a look at the pictures I have for you this week: The last C41 film from last year. Grab a refreshing beverage and enjoy some summery fun. Well, apart from a rather wintery roll at the start that had been sitting around undeveloped since February last year! Jeez! In any case, these pictures put me right in the mood for summer. Good thing that summer is approaching fast and that we already had some rather sunny days!

All pictures taken with: Rolleicord V, Schneider-Kreuznach Xenar 75mm f/3.5 and Canon SureShot WP-1.

Starting off with: Rollei / CR 200 crossed.

This roll was taken in February. I really like how the subdued colours add to the atmosphere. Definitely, cross-processing the roll was a good decision. They actually turn out with a heavy blue tint, but once the colour correction magic is through with it, this is how it looks.

Next roll June 2015, same combination.

This roll also worked really well cross-processed. I never thought I’d like anything crossed, but this stuff looks really interesting and somewhat nostalgic.

The only problem is that it somewhat increases grain which means that resolution suffers a little. In 35mm it would definitely be too much, but in 120 it’s quite lovely.

Skin tones not too far off, yet the colours are somewhat funky.

I think it works really well with Rollei pictures.

There was a funky red line going through this roll. Since no other rolls were affected I’d suspect it was a problem with the emulsion of this particular roll only.