Bill Smith's Photography

  Harmon Technologies is on a streak at the moment with the release of Phoenix 200 2.0 but wind back a couple months they also released a 200 ISO black and white film under the Kentmere banner, an answer to a question not asked. Kentmere is the budget film line for beginners, photography students and for those who are frugal. I grabbed some rolls in 35mm and 120, I shot this particular roll back in June (yes I'm behind, I know).  Thinking we might have a similar situation to Fomapan 200, I overexposed down to 120 and developed normally in Ilfotec HC. I certainlly got more shadow detail. I have shot follow up rolls in 35mm at box speed on the August Toronto Film Shooters photo walk, you will have to be patient and wait for those.  What do I think, what I shot here on 120 is really nice, shooting through a Rolleiflex with Zeiss glass helps. I see it as another option for the film stash. I got fine grain and if I were to shoot at box or close to, I'll have faster shutter spe...

 I've shot my share of Bergger Pancro 400 over the years, and I'm a sucker for it's tonality. That said, once I run out of the 35mm, I'm not shooting with it again. Pancro 400 in 120 however, now that's a different ballgame, it sings in my F series Rolleiflex, the 75mm F3.5 Zeiss Planar lens does the film justice. I'll have to track down another brick or two of Pancro 400 in 120 when I run out. It's not a common film on this side of the Atlantic.  The Rolleiflex came along for the ride with me a few weeks ago to renew my passport as it was expiring in July, the Service Canada location in Little Italy is a lot more civilized compared to other locations. All in all, took maybe a half hour on the outside and I was down the street having lunch at Cafe Diplomatico. The new passport showed up a week and a half later which blew my mind, that was fast.  Haven't shot much with TLR last year, all my Rollei's and Mamiya C220F were in storage. I plan to shoot sq...

 One Tuesday in early September I took a wander down to the Davisville Farmer's Market to meet up with Jo-Anne to grab some stuff for dinner and some fresh groceries. I loaded my 3.5 F Rolleiflex with a roll of Harman Phoenix 200 gifted to me by Hao from Graination Lab under strict instructions not to talk about until early September. Well, it's mid October and I'm finally getting around to scanning this roll, no worries about the media embargo.  I've shot Phoenix 200 in 35mm and love what I got out of those rolls, 120 delivers even more. Like what I shot through my Nikons, I rated the roll of Phoenix 200 around 125 ISO, I could have gone a bit lower like 100, but that will be an experiment for next time. You have that unique colour palatte that's Harman and I hope they keep it for the second batch when that comes around.  Camera: Rolleiflex 3.5 F  Planar Type II Twin Lens Reflex.  Film: Harman Phoenix 200, processed by Graination Lab.  ...

  Been ages since I shot medium format colour, and with a bright sunny August Saturday morning, it made sense to load the Rollei up with some Agfa Optima 100, I was gifted a couple of bricks in 120 that was freezer stored since about 2004, the film itself expired in 2005. The story goes this came from Agfa Canada's inventory and they shared warehouse space with Bayer Phramaceutical and the Oakville Camera Club member gifted it to me to clear up room in his chest freezer for food.  The punchy colour of Agfa Optima 100 is neither Kodak or Fujifilm, said it before, it's something else, and I'm going to be sad when my stash is depleted. I'll probably switch over to Lomo Colour 100, I've seen good results from that.  Tough call on favourite shots from this set, a tie between the 40 year old Corvette and the variety store at Arlington and St. Clair. It was a great photowalk, we started at Krave Coffee and ended at True History Brewery at St. Clair and Dufferin. The weathe...

 Felt like forever since I last shot medium format. and putting a 120 roll of Fomapan 400 in my 3.5 F Rolleiflex felt like coming home. I did feel a tad discombobulated with composition a bit, but hey, love the negs, that's all.  Camera: Type Two Rolleiflex 3.5 F Planar TLR.  Film: Fomapan 400, Rollei Supergrain 1+15.