Bill Smith's Photography

  The guys at Camera Rescue in Finland surprised everyone with a new colour C-41 film for the consumer market (note choice of words) called Santa 100. In reality they reached into the Eastman Kodak product catalogue and cut down Aero Color 100, an aerial survailance film for tracking pollution and map making which was big surprise for me as digital capture was more expensive and nowhere as good at giving super high resolution, learn something new every day.  I had an opportunity to take a recently serviced Canon New- F-1 and installed a power winder that came from another New F-1 body. This isn't a motor drive at a frame or two per second its quite leisurely but that's ok. New F-1's are total beast pro bodies and I love shooting with mine. Sadly my New F-1 AE needs  a CLA, but that's to be expected on a 35+ year old camera.  Shooting with Santa 100 I rated at box speed and by and large got really nice results. There were a few frames that look like they got a little ...

  I love Adox CHS 100 II as a medium speed black and white film, with Adox's FX39 II developer it sings. Up until this roll I was processing at 1+9 dillution but being marketed in 500ml bottles and only one retailer selling Adox products in Canada (Argentix.ca). I should roll with a higher dillution to stretch my bottle. I consulted with photo educator Lina Bessenova who loves shooting with Adox CHS 100 II and processing in FX-39 on the longevity of the developer, the last thing I want to is to be playing with another Ilfosol (just look at that developer the wrong way it will go bad). She reasured me from her personal experiences the developer holds up well, even one year in.  To be safe I bought a second bottle and I'm storing it in the dark. I also ordered another dozen rolls of Adox CHS 100 II but from Fotoimpex in Berlin, might as well go to the soiurce. As of writing the film left Frankfurt airport and is probably now sitting on a skid somewhere in a Canada Post facility ...