Bill Smith's Photography

Bergger Pancro 400 is fast becoming one of my staple films and I've been experimenting with the developers on hand. In Rodinal 1+25 it was meh, Pancro 400 shone in HC110 dillution B, and now, the stalwart, D76 or American ID-11. I used the one part water one part D76 stock solution and followed the 17 minute developing time with the recommended inversion protocols from Bergger. The end results you see below. I showed my friend and fellow co-host from the Classic Camera Revival john Meadows a few of the shots. There's grain, but it's a pleasing grain. His comment was some of the photos had a three dimensional tonality, especially the Mercedes AMG supercar. You want to test the limits of a film find and example of this car in the matt black finish and see how your film handles it. Bergger Pancro 400 processed in HC110 B and D76 1+1 was shot in bright harsh sunshine so I can't comment how it would handle duller light, you will have to stay tuned for that. Overall in 3...

I got lucky, Lake Ontario was in one of its moods and I got some dramatic wave action. Things are starting to open up a wee bit,  I think we might be rushing the gun a bit. Most people are suffering quarantine burn out, and a tiny number in my extended circle are starting to embrace Covid Skepticism, that saddens me because they are underestimating how serious this is. I have no clue what happens next, I'm just headed out for a walk and taking my camera with me. Camera: Nikkormat FTn, Nikkor lenses. Film: Fomapan 400, D76 1+1.

This makes Nikkormat FTn  number four in my collection, judging by the plastic tipped film advance, near the end of the production run before the FT2 was introduced. I got this off Ebay a few weeks ago on a whim. While I could fix the jumpy meter in my Nikkormat FT3, my early chrome FTn, I could not due to a stubborn screw on the lens mount that just would not budge. What's the allure of Nikkormat FTn's? For me partly memories of growing up in Montreal in the 1970s, my dad had one and he documented my brother and I throughout or childhood on Kodak Tri-X and later slide film. Two, I have always recommended this camera to people who wanted to buy into a Nikon system on the cheap. Nikkormat bodies are by and large under $100 CAD then you can focus your remaining budget on lenses, and Pre Ai Nikkor glass is less expensive than the later Ai and Ais lenses. The other bonus, these cameras are built like tanks that work in all kinds of weather, what's not to love? On this litt...

Ok, Rodinal 1+25 is not the best developer for Bergger Pancro 400 in 35mm. With this roll I went with HC110 dilution B (1 part developer, 31 parts water) and I used my Nikon FE2. I got a lot more of the shadow detail this time out and the grain was a lot smoother. I made a couple of 5x7 darkroom prints of the Mercedes AMG Roadster and the line up in front of Cobs Bread and they came out as great looking prints. Camera: Nikon FE2, Nikkor Ais 50 f1.8 lens. Film: Bergger Pancro 400, HC110 B.

When I traded off my Hasselblad kit last year some friends wondered if I was going to miss having an interchangable lens medium format camera in my line up, the answer was no, because I have one, the Mamiya C220f. What a tank of a twin lens reflex camera, especially compared to Rolleiflexes and another TLRs out there, the Mamiya C220f is sturdy, and the lenses available for it are 55, 65, 80, 105, 135 (an interesting lens in its own right), 180, and 250mm. The only lens I don't have is the 250mm, I should look for one at some point. Yes I lose out with the lack of interchangable backs but I'm one for finishing the roll of film. I managed to stuff my C220f with the 80mm lens on, some film, a light meter and the 55mm lens and hood into my Lowepro sling bag I use for skiing for my morning walks. What I should do next time is rock a 65mm and 105mm lens combination. The Mamiya while hefty sits well on my back while walking around the neighbourhood. I used Freestyle Photograp...