FishyFish's Contact Sheets

It won't be to everyone's liking but frame 5 of sheet #70 appeals to me, the canal boat is almost hiding against the wall and I agree with Ian about frame 12
 
Contact Sheet #71

This roll is notable for being the first I shot with my new (to me) Zenzanon 50mm lens for the ETRSi, and also to see how a roll of this expired Superia 100 would fare. I bought a couple of rolls of it from an eBay seller. Both of them have now been shot - the other to come in a future contact sheet post - and I've bought another couple from the same seller based on the results of this initial outing. It had a bit of a tendency towards a green cast, but I've managed to recover that I think and the results look very nice. I really wish that there were still consumer grade colour films available in 120 format. The prices of the pro films are detrimental to my shooting too much of them. Even the cheaper Lomography Color Negative films are on the rise now. :(

I'm glad I was able to catch a nice dollop of autumn colour here, and just as happy that the film did a good job with it.

Frame #12 is my standout.

Bronica ETRSi
Zenzanon 50mm f/2.8 MC
Fujifilm Superia 100 (expired 2008)



2020-10-28 Bronica ETRSi Fujifilm Superia 100 (expired 2008)
by fishyfish_arcade, on Flickr
 
Another good set, with some strong images. But I agree with you that #12 is my favourite, lovely light and colour.
 
Contact Sheet #72

I'm going to attempt to put some weight on the gas and catch up with these before the year comes to a close (although there's still the possibility I might shoot some more before then - and I have two rolls currently sat waiting to be developed and scanned).

Anyway, this roll was one of two I shot on a trip to Kelham Island (an upcoming former industrial area just to the north of Sheffield city centre which is in the process of gentrification - every time I visit it seems that new apartment buildings are rising or old factory buildings are being converted). It was shot at the end of a week off work I took at the end of October. I'd planned to visit the Peak District during this time but the whole of South Yorkshire being polaced under Tier 3 Covid restrictions put paid to that (although a little bit of the Peak District sits within Sheffield's boundary, so I can go there without breaking the rules. Looking on Facebook, it also seems that many other people are just ignoring the rules anyway).

The weather was nice on the day and the low sun was making lovely, contrasty shadown on things.

Frame #1 is a little squished as, due to operator incompetence, I made the first shot before properly winding the film to the correct place!

Yashica Mat 124G
Ilford Delta 400
Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 8mins @ 20°



2020-11-01 Yashica Mat 124G Ilford Delta 400
by fishyfish_arcade, on Flickr
 
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Contact Sheet #73

A direct follow on from the previous sheet, this roll of HP5+ was shot on the same outing although featuring more photos from the edge of the city centre. #5 & #7 are my faves here.

Yashica Mat 124G
Ilford Delta 400
Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 8mins @ 20°



2020-11-01 Yashica Mat 124G Ilford HP5+
by fishyfish_arcade, on Flickr
 
Contact Sheet #74

A foggy day! I love me a foggy day to make photographs!

I took a tripod out with me for these, but decided to push the film two stops to give me shorter shutter speeds at smaller apertures. I've read Paul Hart's trilogy of photobooks (Farmed, Drained, & Reclaimed) this year, and I think there are some definite (if maybe indirect) influences that I've picked up from his work.

The duplication on frames #1 & #2 is because I forgot to reset the mirror lock-up before winding on, so I was kind of forced to take a very similar shot again. The fact that the mirror doesn't automatically unlock itself when winding feels like a bit of a design flaw on the ETRSi - one that's caught me out on a number of occasions.

Bronica ETRSi
Zenzanon 50mm f/2.8 MC
Ilford HP5+ (@1600)
Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 13mins @ 20°



2020-11-07 Bronica ETRSi Fujifilm Ilford HP5+ (@1600)
by fishyfish_arcade, on Flickr
 
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Contact Sheet #75

More foggy day photos, taken with the same camera and lens as above on thge same day, just a different film - another roll of the expired Superia 100 that I had success with in Sheet #71. I much prefer the film in better light, and it was used here only because I had no other B&W film with me at the time.

Bronica ETRSi
Zenzanon 50mm f/2.8 MC

Fujifilm Superia 100 (expired 2008)


2020-11-07 Bronica ETRSi Fujifilm Superia 100 (expired 2008)
by fishyfish_arcade, on Flickr
 
Some cracking shots there - and quite a splurge on the processing and scanning.

#72 frame 12, #73 frame 3, #74 frames 3, 11 & 15 catch my eye.
 
Some cracking shots there - and quite a splurge on the processing and scanning.

#72 frame 12, #73 frame 3, #74 frames 3, 11 & 15 catch my eye.


Thanks Paul. These sheets had already been processed and scanned, I just hadn’t gotten around to making and uploading the contact sheets. I’ve got four more contact sheets to upload here later, another couple of scanned rolls to make sheets from, and then the two aforementioned rolls that I still have to dev and scan. So eight more to come (unless I shoot any more before the year’s end - which I might :) ).
 
Contact Sheet #76

This was my "experimental" roll of HP5+ to see how well it would fare when pushed three stops to 3200asa. The ability to shoot handheld in dimly lit locations is a useful one - churches and so forth spring to mind as examples. The results here are, I think, very nice in terms of how well the film responded to the push and the subsequent development in DD-X. Grain is noticable, but not obtrusive, and contrast is still well controlled with detail in the shadows and highlights. The only real downside was the fact that I had to stand developing it for twenty minutes before even getting onto the stop, fix, and wash stages of the process.

Frames #3, #7, and #15 are my favourites from this roll.

Bronica ETRSi
Zenzanon 50mm f/2.8 MC
Ilford HP5+ (@3200)
Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 20mins @ 20°



2020-11-22 Bronica ETRSi Ilford HP5+ (@3200)
by fishyfish_arcade, on Flickr
 
I'm going to attempt to put some weight on the gas and catch up with these before the year comes to a close
About time you put some shots up, come Nige, stop slacking :D

TBH it's hard to know where to start. Superia and a misty day is always going to get my vote, the birch trees in #74 look good as does the barbed wire. Lovely tonality and architectural details in #73.
 
Someone is *not* happy about 20 minute dev times.... ;)

I listen to podcasts while I'm developing. It's like on-demand radio for various interests... Music, photography, strategy gaming... 20 minutes isn't long enough! Hence my latest 35mm test of HP5 at 6400 (which may see soup before 2021 as it's great for shooting the cats)

That's quite a catchup there Nige. Realy like the architecture work in the first two with 72 (frame 3) & 73 (frame 5) standing out for me. The misty woods in B&W is right up my street and there are many on there I'd be happy to have taken - esp frames 3 & 6 where the mist is hinted at.

Not so keen on the colour stuff. I just don't think it's as strong as the B&W. Nice to see a return of the pylons in the last sheet though, and I really do like the tyre(?) in the lake. Very nice.

As we approach the end - do you have any thoughts on your "year"? Was it useful, or just a pain in the bum to update the thread? There was an element of the latter for me and with a 52 attempt coming in January I may well continue with contact sheets for the various themes. Hopefully much less testing next year for me!
 
About time you put some shots up, come Nige, stop slacking :D

TBH it's hard to know where to start. Superia and a misty day is always going to get my vote, the birch trees in #74 look good as does the barbed wire. Lovely tonality and architectural details in #73.

Thanks Chris. I much prefer my Superia photos from the previous sheet (#71). The sunlight brings it to life and maked for more appealing photos, I think. It might just be the subject matter here though - I love misty days, anc misty colour shots can be beautiful. These all feel a little too green though.

Someone is *not* happy about 20 minute dev times.... ;)

I listen to podcasts while I'm developing. It's like on-demand radio for various interests... Music, photography, strategy gaming... 20 minutes isn't long enough! Hence my latest 35mm test of HP5 at 6400 (which may see soup before 2021 as it's great for shooting the cats)

I have thought about having something on to listen to, but I always forget until it's too late.

That's quite a catchup there Nige. Realy like the architecture work in the first two with 72 (frame 3) & 73 (frame 5) standing out for me. The misty woods in B&W is right up my street and there are many on there I'd be happy to have taken - esp frames 3 & 6 where the mist is hinted at.

Not so keen on the colour stuff. I just don't think it's as strong as the B&W. Nice to see a return of the pylons in the last sheet though, and I really do like the tyre(?) in the lake. Very nice.

I think I'm a fair-weather photographer when it comes to colour stuff. Good light really lifts it up whereas dull weather tends to make flat looking colours that don't really do it for me as much. I've seen lots of nice colour photographs shot in gloomy conditions though, so it might just be the way I personally find colour shots that doesn't suit those conditions.

As we approach the end - do you have any thoughts on your "year"? Was it useful, or just a pain in the bum to update the thread? There was an element of the latter for me and with a 52 attempt coming in January I may well continue with contact sheets for the various themes. Hopefully much less testing next year for me!

Having the contact sheets hasn't really added anything in terms of how I make photos, but it's been really good to see what others are doing (including the misfires) and be able to receive and offer feedback on them. It is getting to be a bit of a PITA as the year comes to an end if I'm honest - mostly due to my letting them pile up though. I felt similarly when I did a Photo 365 thing a few years ago. By late autumn the enthusiasm for it had ebbed away and it had become a chore. I might continue with it next year, but I may just make sheets for rolls that standout in some way.
 
There were some great shots on #71 and whilst I'm not normally a fan of lots of green I do like the way Superia renders green, especially in soft light.
 
Contact Sheet #77

I think that this roll, above all others, was my biggest pleasant surprise of the year. The camera was a car-boot find earlier in the year that I rescued for £1. I got a roll of 36exp Fuji C200 with it and then noticed it also had a roll of Kodak Colorplus already loaded. With no idea how long the Colorplus had been sat in the camera, or if it had already been partially used (or, worse, that back had been opened or something), I decided to shoot it to see if the camera worked ok. In the end I got 33 shots from the roll (counting the two burn frames). The camera is your standard, "Christmas, birthdays, holidays" point and shoot compact than was probably owned by the average person in the pre-digital, pre-phonecam days and works perfectly well to meet these requirements. The lens is ok, but not as sharp as some other compacts I own - still not a slouch though.

The photos though, well, they're probably some of my favourites from the whole year. The roll has a whole clutch of pictures that leapt out at me as soon as the scans appeared on the screen before my eyes.

There's a bonus image in the guise of #11. I didn't know that moving the negative holder on the Plustek when it was set to multiple passes would result in this sort of double-exposure and it was a complete accident caused by my not paying attention. I do quite like it though. :)

Fuji DL-270 Zoom Super
Kodak Colorplus
Grain2Pixel conversion



2020-12-01 Fuji DL-270 Zoom Super Kodak Colorplus
by fishyfish_arcade, on Flickr

Double exposure scan.jpg
 
Really nice contact sheet, and good to go out with a bang :)

13 & 14 look really nice. Reminds me of Haas' work (very hard to tell at this size though). Also I actually clicked on frame 15 because I wanted to see it bigger. :)
26 looks really nice too.

How do you find these P&S cameras in gloom? I have my MInitec loaded with 400 speed film and I'm loathe to take it out because of the flash going off all the time. Do you turn the flash off somehow?
 
Contact Sheet #78

And, in the blink of an eye, we jump from a pleasantly surprising roll to a big disappointment.

This was the first roll I put through my newly acquired GW690. The film - some Velvia 50 - was already in the camera when I received it with just a single shot made by the previous owner(frame #1). In my eagerness to try the camera I rushed out first chance I got and shot the remaining seven frames. With only eight frames per roll, this doesn't take long...

Instead of waiting for a blue-sky sunny day that would have worked well with the Velvia, I went out on a bright but somewhat overcast day and basically wasted the roll. I didn't expose well and most of the frames have blown out skies, frame #6 being the only one that is veering towards something ok.

I've still been burning through film with less care than I should be taking when using this camera, but I'm hoping the novelty will wear off soon and I can get down to using it with more purpose and paying more attantion to my technique and composition.

Fujica GW690
Fujichrome Velvia 50



2020-12-01 Fujica GW690 Fujichrome Velvia 50
by fishyfish_arcade, on Flickr
 
Set 77. Yes, a nice set of images, and that chance discovery was very nice. Very Monet-esque.

Set 78. I like frames 5 & 6.
 
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Really nice contact sheet, and good to go out with a bang :)

13 & 14 look really nice. Reminds me of Haas' work (very hard to tell at this size though). Also I actually clicked on frame 15 because I wanted to see it bigger. :)
26 looks really nice too.

How do you find these P&S cameras in gloom? I have my MInitec loaded with 400 speed film and I'm loathe to take it out because of the flash going off all the time. Do you turn the flash off somehow?

They don't tend to play nicely without flash in low light. A couple of these frames had the flash go off because I'd forgotten to disable it. In bright conditions though they tend to be ok - I still always disable flash though, just in case...

Some bigger versions of frames #13 & #26. #15 suffers from camera shake sadly.


Rainy day in town
by fishyfish_arcade, on Flickr


Sunrise tree
by fishyfish_arcade, on Flickr
 
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with just a single shot made by the previous owner(frame #1
And I was just going to say how frame one looked pretty good to me :)

That post did make me chuckle because earlier in this thread you told yourself to shoot slide film only on sunny days and I remember thinking. "Yep. I need to take that advice too". To err is human :)
 
Contact Sheet #79

My first roll of Cinestill 8--T (thanks @Harlequin565 !). We had a foggy evening a few weeks ago, so it seemed rude not to take advantage and go shoot a roll. I learnt a number of things on the evenong.
  1. The 50mm lens flares quite a lot without a hood when under LED streetlights.
  2. Focussing can be difficult without well defined and lit objects beneath the split prism.
  3. Don't assume that you've moved the shutter speed dial correctly without checking. You might find you overexposed many of the photos by a full stop!
  4. Based on the above point, Cinestill 800T has forigiving latitude. :)
  5. I felt curiously guilty, like I was doing something wrong, when making these photos at night in populated areas. I know I wasn't doing anything wrong, but the feeling persisted while I was out.
The results are ok for a first attempt, ~3, #11, & #12 are probably the best three, and #11 is a fave because of the swoosh of red taillights.

And, yes, #7 IS a petrol station. It's the Cinestill 800t law I believe.

Bronica ETRSi
Zenzanon 50mm f/2.8 MC
Cinestill 800T



2020-12-11 Bronica ETRSi Cinestill 800T
by fishyfish_arcade, on Flickr
 
I liked frame 3 too.

And I think you'll find only Gas Stations are Cinestill law. Petrol stations are fine. The shot reminds me of the wonderful 24 Hour Garage People by the heroic Half Man Half Biscuit (link)

Also, I really like 12. Makes me smile.
 
Contact Sheet #80

Still a few 2020 rolls yet to stick up here. This is the second - and more successful - roll through the GW690. It's still pretty much me testing the camera, but this time using a film that I knew I should have a decent chance of success. I missed focus slightly on a couple of these (or, more likely it was camera shake - this is a big, heavy beast to handhold!), but when it hits, the lens is sharp.


Fujica GW690
Ilford Delta 400


2020-12-15 Fujica GW690 Ilford Delta 400
by fishyfish_arcade, on Flickr
 
I like the church and the hut in the woods, but there may be several others that work in a larger size.
 
Having just rewatched Cabin In The Woods, frame 5 appeals muchly.
 
Contact Sheet #81

Further shots from the GW690. I'm still in the "new toy" phase with the camera to an extent but am quickly realising that that's an expensive place to be with the paltry eight shots you get to a roll when shooting 6x9! I think I need to aim on being more deliberate and considered with this camera or it's going to cost me a lot of money if I get too snap happy. But then, whwere's the fun in that (at least for a little longer). :)


Fujica GW690
Ilford HP5+


2020-12-20 Fujica GW690 Ilford HP5+
by fishyfish_arcade, on Flickr
 
Like the look of frames 2 & 7.

If it's a hobby, and it doesn't hurt anyone, and you can afford it - enjoy! That's my motto.
 
There is some nice light on frame 4 by the look of it.

My problem has returned to the "not getting out to shoot anything" here. I'd say to hell with the cost and use as much film as you can, while you can. Who knows what's around the corner.
 
Like the look of frames 2 & 7.

If it's a hobby, and it doesn't hurt anyone, and you can afford it - enjoy! That's my motto.
There is some nice light on frame 4 by the look of it.

My problem has returned to the "not getting out to shoot anything" here. I'd say to hell with the cost and use as much film as you can, while you can. Who knows what's around the corner.

It's not just the financial cost to be honest, it's also the investment in time to develop the film. I don't have any intention of not using the camera due to either either monetary or time costs, but I do want to try and make every shot the best it can be given the limited number per roll.
 
Contact Sheet #82

Apart from the first two (including a shot I made of the Sheffield city centre Debenhams store while it's still there), these were all made up on Burbage Moor at the edge of the city. The rock formations are known as The Ox Stones. As it was quite a cold day there weren't too many people about, so I could get pictures without anyone else in the shot. When I visited last it was quite crowded with people clambering atop the stones while I tried to make pictures. That was when I shot the roll of Polypan F I had from you Ian. Some of those can be seen here.

Fujica GW690
Fomapan 400



2020-12-20,22 Fujica GW690 Fomapan 400
by fishyfish_arcade, on Flickr
 
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Nice set! Really nice lighting on shot #3, that's my favourite, Of the rocks, #7 is my favourite, but #5 could almost be a natural Sphinx.
 
Contact Sheet #83

More photos from Burbage Moor as I walked down from The Ox Stones and into Lady Canning's Plantation (fnaar! :)). The woodland shots were all underexposed, although two of them look quite nice still in a low-key way. #6 & #7 are in Ringinglow close to where I'd parked my car and then the final two images were taken on the way home when I stopped off to photograph the festive phonebox and streetlamp at West Handley.

Fujica GW690
Shanghai GP3



2020-12-22 Fujica GW690 Shanghai GP3
by fishyfish_arcade, on Flickr
 

This made me chuckle. I remember Viz!

This bit of West Handley has made more than a couple of appearances in your contact sheets if I'm not mistaken. That wire in the top right corner of #8 is a bit distracting and whilst #7 is really nice it doesn't give the context that #8 does. Do you have a frame from all your visits that is "Yep. Done" or are you still looking for that "final composition"?
 
Contact sheet #83, frame three has some lovely light.

What's Shanghai GP3 like? Although I suspect with a 6x9 you could probably use sensitised kitchen roll!
 
This made me chuckle. I remember Viz!

This bit of West Handley has made more than a couple of appearances in your contact sheets if I'm not mistaken. That wire in the top right corner of #8 is a bit distracting and whilst #7 is really nice it doesn't give the context that #8 does. Do you have a frame from all your visits that is "Yep. Done" or are you still looking for that "final composition"?

I don't think I have a "perfect" shot (whatever that entails) of the location, but I've not, as yet, set out to get one. It's so far been a location I drive past occasionally if I have a spare couple of frames. It might be worth a visit with the GW690 again to see if I can get something that really nails the place properly at some point.

Contact sheet #83, frame three has some lovely light.

What's Shanghai GP3 like? Although I suspect with a 6x9 you could probably use sensitised kitchen roll!

GP3 is quite nice and produces good, contrasty negatives. It's maybe not as high quality as, say, an Ilford of Kodak stock - I've had problems with the backing paper bleeding through on one roll (although never on any others), and sometimes find small blemishes in the emulsion. They're not game changers though. It's not a film I'd pick as my first choice I don't think, but am happy to grab it if I see a good deal and I've had some nice results with it.
 
Contact Sheet #84

After a long-ish run of medium format contact sheets, here's some 35mm for a change. My main aim here was to test out some Pentax K-mount lenses I was gifted back in December. I also got a couple of cameras (A Pentax ME Super, and a Topcon RM300). I was keen to try the ME Super but it seems a bit tempremental, with the mirror sticking up every so often and stiff controls. It also needs new light seals. The Topcon has a very loose advance lever and is missing the battery cover, so needs manual metering. I've not tried it out yet to see if the loose lever is an issue though.

Despite this I wanted to try out the lenses that came with the cameras - A couple of Pentax SMC primes (35mm f/3.5 & 50mm f/1.7), a Takumar-F 70-200mm f/4-5.6 zoom, and a Tamron Adaptal zoom (I can't remember the model, but think it's a 75-200mm). I still have my Pentax P30T, so that took up body duties. Each of the first three lenses got an outing on this roll of film and each performed well (although I think I over-developed it slightly, which has taken the edge off the detail a little). I don't use telephotos often and it was nice to be able to pick out distant subjects while I was out on the couple of walks during which the photos were made.

#2 is a blurred mess because the batteries in the camera failed - luckily I'd taken spares!

One more sheet to come and that's 2020 wrapped. :)

Pentax P30T
Ilford HP5+



2020-12-24,27 Pentax P30 Ilford HP5+
by fishyfish_arcade, on Flickr
 
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