I am a frequent participant in the #CameraChallenge. The April offering included a motion challenge which fits My Inner Monet. My strategy for ‘Motion’ was slow shutter speeds and simple motion. I used the Diana F+ camera and Lomo 800 film, as I was photographing for the April Frugal Film Project.
Above: a walk in the wind, and Below: mountain drive by.
The Wise Old Owl speaks for the Alley Art Amazin’ mural project in my Hometown, Lafayette, Colorado. I started capturing these images for the Frugal Film Project and for my own interests in my Hometown’s support of the Arts.
Coming soon will be a discussion of the Wise Old Owl. Turns out I have photographed this mural with 4 different color films. And they all look different.
Below, sharing a few more murals. I may make a Murals Page on my blog…….
Continuing with the Showdown that I started a few days ago. I’ve been using E100 over a year. I’m midway in a film showdown between Kodak E100 vs Fuji Velvia 50. I had always preferred Kodak in the past, however, after some 35 mm experiences last year I had doubts. I had always used E100GX, a warm toned film of the old generation. The new film was based on a colder version E100G. But to be fair, I decided to do some formal color test comparison. This is Part, I am comparing four images of the Owl Mural made with four different films: E100, Velvia 50, Portra 400 and Lomo 800. For the direct comparison of the E-6 films I used my Mamiya-7’s; the Portra was exposed using a Mamiya-6; and the Lomo 800 was exposed using a Diana F+, for the Frugal Film Project.
First I’ll show them in pairs, then break down my critique of each one. Naturally I have selected my personal favorite for the Header image above.
Left: Lomo 800; Right: Portra 400. I made no adjustments for tone or contrast; only cropping to make them comparable in size. All of the image were exposed on overcast days. The first comment I can make is that both C-41 films are truer to the actual mural colors. The Portra 400 has a richer color tone which I would expect for the lower ISO film. But you have to admit that the Lomo 800 is very good, especially since it was exposed using a plastic camera. The winner here is Kodak Portra 400:
Now for the main event, E100 (left) vs Velvia 50 (right):
As one would expect, the E-6 films have a more saturated color. Not quite a natural representation. But in my lifetime experience with film (going back to childhood) I’ve mostly shot E-6. As a field scientist back in the pre-PowerPoint days, I needed to show my information in slide presentations. So that meant E-6 films. In my earlier professional days I used ECN films. When that was discontinued I switched to Kodak E100GX.
If you read my earlier experiences with E100, you’ll be able to decide which one I prefer. I simply find the E100 too cold. So the Winner here is, Fuji Velvia 50. I enjoy the richer and brighter blues and purples……
So these are my two favorites. I can accept either one depending on what I am trying to demonstrate. Which one do you prefer?
Stay tuned, right now I am continuing the side-by-side testing of these films as my Mamiya 645’s take a tour of my flower and vegetable gardens. I’m going to give E100 every possible chance to show me something that I’ll like.
And I may do a follow-up Road-Trip landscape comparison. In that case, I’ll see if a warming filter makes me feel better about the new Kodak E100.
This View no longer exists….Tree branches blew down to change it. Not sure that the Park Services will take those branches away. So we have captured a moment in time that is now gone…….
There are three locations at a nearby park where I test every ‘new’ camera and every ‘new’ film. So I took my first roll of Lomo 800 to all of those three spots.
It was hard to decide which to pick, bit I think the Reflection does work best. The Boat Dock below, was taken at an odd angle and looks best with some cropping:
