What was your favourite film photography thing of 2019

FishyFish

FishyFish

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What was your favourite film photography thing of the year? It might be a camera or other piece of gear you acquired, maybe a book, or perhaps an event or experience oir the launch of a new product - whatever you like really, as long as it was your favourite.

Mine is...

My Holga 120N.

It might seem a little strange that my favourite piece of gear that I acquired last year was a plastic toy camera with a plastic lens that cost me less than twenty quid and makes photos with out-of-focus edges, heavy vignettes, and which I tape up with electrical tape to avoid light leaks, but I love the thing. Its flaws are its strengths and it always rewards me with photos that I'm really pleased with. It perhaps helps that I'm the sort of person who enjoys challenging themself to produce things from lowly equipment - I always support the underdog - but this camera delivers in spades. It's lack of comprehensive controls is also a joy. It's pretty much a case of choosing some film (usually 400asa B&W), deciding if it's sunny or cloudy, estimating the focus, and then pressing the shutter. It's like a weird artisan Olympus Trip that makes lo-fi but beautiful pictures.

Anyway, that's mine. What's yours? :)
 
I haven't spent much on film gear this year - and haven't shot much film. That's one of my NY Resolutions right there. That and get around to having a backlog of 120 developed!

Anyhoo - this little beauty did come into the family this year. A camera I've had my eye on since borrowing one a few years back!

147/365 Olympus 35RC by Dave Green, on Flickr
 
The promise of Acros 11 was a favourite, and hopefully the reality will be next year's? Camerawise it would have to be the Ensign 16-20 bought in January as its challenges kept the old brain cells ticking over, although the £20 Canon Z135 was a more versatile buy and saw a few rolls through it. :snaphappy:

And talking of film, I think I shot 29 rolls each of colour and b&w, although there may have been a couple more I've forgotten about! No sheet film, though. :(
 
Bessa R3M. Coupled with my Voigtlander 40mm I'm wondering if I need anything else for 35mm.

I've got to grips with "how I need to look through the viewfinder", but it's the shutter click that has me. It has a very reassuring chunky click that you feel in your hand as opposed to the Leica click which is very much an "is-that-it?" feeling.
 
I would have to say that my EOS 3 is the outstanding purchase this year. Although it doesn't present technical challenges like my fully manual cameras, it really does the business. Heretically, it shares the EF lenses with another camera, whose name cannot be mentioned.

On the other hand, if were to nominate my favourite camera of the it would be, for sure, my Fuji 645S, with Tri-X.
 
For sure the Leica M6 I picked up a couple of months ago. I've wanted one for such a long time and finally got the chance to buy one back in October.

It's everything I thought it would be and a joy for me to use. Hardly used a digital camera since I got it and for sure its scratched my itch totally!
 
For me it was these two:

Launched in 2004, the EOS 30v was the last of the 'enthusiast grade' Canon film SLRs. It's the updated version of the EOS 30 (which I also think is great), with new features such as a useful and good-looking 'on demand' blue backlight on the LCD screen, E-TTL II flash metering, a slightly upgraded autofocus system and a different paint finish.

The EF 28-135 IS lens is from the same era as the 30v and makes an ideal 'walk-about' lens for it, and this one turned out to be a particularly sharp example.

 
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Mine has to be the two Pentax LX's that I bought off ebay. One was slightly more expensive than it should have been and had an electrical fault that affected the meter (it didn't work), but I had it CLA'd and it's now perfect. The other was ab-fab right off the mark, and a fair price. These were my dream cameras back in the day, and I now have them with several different viewfinders to mount also.
 
All the material acquired for my darkroom.
Some of which was purchased by myself and some given very generously by folk to whom I offer many thanks.
 
After some thought, I think it has to be my home-brew 5x4" pinhole camera, the Excelsior MkI...

5x4 Pinhole 23.jpg

It was a close run between this, the whole plate tailboard camera from Asha, and the Nikon F2, but the tailboard project is still on-going, and the F2 hasn't been used in anger yet. The pinhole was particularly satisfying because it went from concept, to design, to working camera without a hitch. An honourable mention has to go to a PX625 adapter from the Small Battery Company, which has transformed my Rollei 35 S in terms of convenience and usability. Expensive for what it is, but worth every penny.
 
My Favourite "film thing" is quite simply - this section of the forum.

I haven't shot a single frame of film this year, or last come to think of it - but this is still hands down my favourite bit of the forum - I've a soft spot for the "creative" and "personal challenges" sections obviously, as that suits my "view on the photography world" but this place takes the title, hands down because of all of you lot.

(and, it's pretty much the only bit where I don't get hate RTM's submitted by the occupants every time I try and do my job...)
 
TheBigYin said:
My Favourite "film thing" is quite simply - this section of the forum.

I haven't shot a single frame of film this year, or last come to think of it - but this is still hands down my favourite bit of the forum - I've a soft spot for the "creative" and "personal challenges" sections obviously, as that suits my "view on the photography world" but this place takes the title, hands down because of all of you lot.

(and, it's pretty much the only bit where I don't get hate RTM's submitted by the occupants every time I try and do my job...)
Click to expand...


Oh stop it, you big softie :D
 
TheBigYin said:
but this place takes the title, hands down because of all of you lot.

(and, it's pretty much the only bit where I don't get hate RTM's submitted by the occupants every time I try and do my job...)
Click to expand...

Awww aint that sweet…...like us! :love::love:

Maybe to fit in with the "other" side, we best change our attitudes …….RTM "hate" mail incoming Mark! :exit::LOL::LOL::LOL:
 
My favourite item was not exclusively film related, but I have used it only with film cameras, and it's really two things that fit together:

- Manfrotto 055 carbon fibre tripod
- Benro GD3WH 3D Gear Head.

This combo is strong enough to use with an Intrepid 4x5 or a Mamiya RZ67 but light enough to carry over a shoulder all day long. The geared head is great for making sure that the camera is capturing the composition I have in my head. Although it gives most benefit with a substantial camera attached, I also use it with my tiny RealitySoSubtle 6x6 pinhole - because the camera benefits from being completely level and the support is light enough that there's no reason not to carry it.

I spent more on the legs and head than I have spent on any camera, but I feel it's worth it.
 
Ok here we go:

Additional weather proofing over the standard F3 - including rubber cover over shutter release button
Light meter is "on" as soon as the film door is closed & the first frame is wound on (gives you up to 39 frames from a 36 roll if you load it in subdued light)
Raised shutter speed dial for ease of use
Easier light meter on/off control button
Delete of double exposure capability
Easier to read frame counter (different & bolder colours)
Hot shoe on finder head (non TTL)
Finder shell is Titanium with a black crackle finish
Originally only sold via restricted number of official Nikon dealers to accredited press photographers.

All aimed at the requirements of the professional press photographer (back in the early 80's)

:)
 
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