Bill Smith's Photography

 The Texas Leica was a novelty over March Break, now that I've revisited the camera a few months later I've decided if I need the 6x9 negative, I'll just borrow my brother's. I love the 6x6 crop and shooting with twin lens reflex cameras too much.  That said, I'm not turning down an opportunity to run two rolls of Catlabs X Film 80 through the camera. Like before, the Texas Leica isn't heavy, just bulky, a rangefinder for The Hulk. Yup, the camera delivers.  Camera: Fujica GW690III, 90 F3.5 Fujion Lens.  Film: Catlabs X Film 80, HC110 B. 

It's been a hot Summer and while I've been trying to go for regular walks, when it gets really hot, I just want to go down to the lake. A few weeks ago I took my Rolleiflex 3.5 F with me along with a Rolleinar II. a special close up lens attachment and I'm blown away with what I got out of the the last three frames below. More on that below.  I'm shooting all my Catlabs X Film 80 to make room for the upcoming Film Ferrania P30 in 120 release, It's not that I don't like Catlab's product but I want to support Ferrania in their relaunch efforts.  So, on the way down I see an early 1960s Lotus (Ford) Cortina on a side street and of course I have to shoot that, and then as I get to Gairloch Gardens shoot the arch I photographed months ago prior to the leaves coming out. Honestly I prefer my photo sans leaves, that became a print. Gairloch during the week is pretty quiet compared to weekends, we'll see if that stays as the Summer goes on.  Rolleinars, I have t...

New film, yes it's really a new emulsion, coated and finished somewhere, we just don't know where. The who behind this is CatLabs of JP camera store in Massachusetts just outside of Boston, and they commissioned a new film that has the look of the long departed Kodak Panatomic X into a new emulsion that is relatively faster at 80 ISO as opposeed to the original's 32 ISO. The news behind Film 80 X crossed my news feeds via Instagram as I follow the store and they up a shot of a bunch 120 rolls of the film. I had to order 10 rolls to see what the fuss is about. First off Film 80 X is available in any film format as long as it's 120. Medium format shooters will be really happy. I put a roll through my Rolleiflex on a super sunny early May Sunday afternoon and photographed around Oakville's waterfront. I shot at box speed and processed in Ilford's ID-11 with a 1+1 dillution for 15 minutes along with a four minute presoak all at 20c. I was blown away. I recentl...