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Writing reviews on cameras is easy; I’ve been working on those since 2015, and while the style and depth of those reviews have changed since I first started, I have also begun to include other pieces of camera kit into the cycle. One of the two newest reviews I have written is on lenses. These days, many lens reviews are out there, with most focusing on modern digital glass. Some vintage glass is starting to be reviewed online thanks to the ability to adapt these lenses to modern mirrorless cameras used in the cinematography industry. These are also the hardest reviews to write for twoRead More →

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While my tastes in developers do lean towards the more exotic, something is refreshing about a standard baseline developer. In my books, that developer has always been Kodak D-76; these days, you can get the stuff in many different forms from different manufacturers. The first developer review that I wrote was on D-76 and I have since done Ilford’s version, ID-11, and Flic Film’s Classic MQ. It’s no secret that D-76 is one of the team’s favourites at the Film Photograph Project. The idea that you can get results from almost any film stock by using D-76 Stock for six minutes has been promoted byRead More →

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It’s always exciting news when a new film hits the market, and it seems that the folks at FilmFerrania are certainly working hard to bring back as much B&W stocks from the original version of Ferrania as possible. Last year we saw the introduction of Orto their newest film since the initial release of P30. And earlier this year they announced the reintroduction of Ferrania P33. P33 is another classic film stock from the Italian manufacturer. With a sensitivity of 160 ASA, the P33 ensures a simpler and more versatile photographic experience compared to the past. Designed to overcome the processing and printing challenges facedRead More →

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I’m still fond of lenses with a 28mm focal length, despite having other lenses (in different systems) that are wider, but sometimes all you need to get the job done is a 28mm. The Canon FD 28/2.8 fits that bill; it is essential and no-nonsense, with nothing overly interesting about the lens or optics. The FD 28/2.8 gets the job done without any fanfare. There are two versions of this lens available in Canon’s FD-Mount: the original collar-lock version (FD) and the button-lock version (FDn), which allows for easier mounting and dismounting of the lens from the camera body. After picking up the AE-1, whichRead More →

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Last year, there was an explosion of new film releases from a rebirthed ORWO; while some are variants of their popular black & white motion picture stocks, they also showed off two new colour films. There is still a lot of controversy around ORWO, especially in their future and future film manufacturing capacities. This month, I’m covering one of the two colour film stocks ORWO released last year, NC500. According to the ORWO website, NC500 is based on a classic Agfa colour motion picture film stock. The same film stock used to film the 1985 film, Out of Africa. But this is a new filmRead More →

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When it comes to photography the exciting things to review are cameras, lenses, films, and developers. But there are a tonne of other things that go into photography beyond the main kit. There are of course light meters, I’ve reviewed several of them in the past, both here on the blog and over on my YouTube channel. There are also flash units, but while I have flashes for all my main camera kits, I don’t use them that often, but they’re still good to have. But what about all those extra bits that don’t get the staring role, relegated to be mentioned in the background.Read More →

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I first learned about the fourth generation of Minolta SLRs from the Film Photography Project and Leslie Lazenby’s promotion of the Maxxum 700si as one of the perfect autofocus SLRs ever produced. And having used one in the past, the 700si is a good camera. I used one for a few rolls before passing it along; I had yet to return to the Minolta A-Mount. Then I got a 7000, which burned and was replaced with a Maxxum 9 because why not go from one end to another? It was with the ‘9 that I got my taste for the A-Mount. But in my reviewRead More →

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In: Developer Review Blogs
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If there is the closest thing to a universal developer in the film photography world, that developer is Diafine. If you’re thinking, “Wait, aren’t all developers universal?” You are right; a B&W developer will develop many different film stocks. But it doesn’t often happen that two other film stocks, shot at different speeds, can be developed simultaneously. There are some examples of cross-over, but only a few. Diafine uses three main development times and a couple of unique combinations. These are shared across many different film stocks that allow you to develop multiple rolls shot multiple ways in the same tank. You can also shootRead More →

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Regarding historically significant lenses, exact lens models like the Nikkor 85mm f/2 are abnormal. Usually, these historic lenses are designs like the Tessar, Petzval, and Planar. But in this case, this lens put Nikon on the map. Nippon Kogaku released the first 85mm f/2 as part of their original five-lens setup for the Nikon I. Although they also had versions in the LTM or M39 Mount. While Nikkor enjoyed popularity within Japan, they had yet to produce a camera that could be exported. But the lenses helped Nippon break out of the domestic market. The story goes that a chance meeting of two LIFE photographers,Read More →

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Regarding films and photography, you encounter polarisation daily—your choice of film, camera, developer, and even how you shoot or your subject matter. But among the more divisive film stocks, one brand stands out: Foma. Now I’m a reborn fan of Foma films. Initially, I was unhappy with the results, but I soon learned to like them once I learned how to develop them. While I’m still on the fence about Fomapan 200, I’m a big fan of Fomapan 100 and Fomapan 400. And back in 2019, on a trip to Chicago, I grabbed a couple of rolls of Foma Retropan 320, hoping to find somethingRead More →