Friday, 28 October 2016

Rediscovering film ...

Although in the last few years I’ve shot mainly digital, I still shoot film occasionally. Until recently, however, the only film camera I possessed was Nikon F65, a camera which is almost fully automated (auto-wind, autofocus, auto ISO-reading, etc.).

I had a hankering to go  back to a more manual camera, however, so bought a Nikon FM (Fully Manual).

In the 1980s I owned a Praktica BCA, so I immediately felt at home with the FM. I have to say, though, that the Nikon is a more robustly-engineered piece of machinery than the former East-German SLR. The manual controls are a joy and the winder is buttery-smooth; a truly tactile experience and a pleasure to use. (I was lucky to get my FM (black body) in almost-mint condition, too — an added bonus.)

I’m still figuring which film stocks I prefer, but so far for colour it has to be Portra (I’ve yet to try 400 ISO; so far I’ve only used 160). As for B&W, I’m still experimenting, though I do like Fuji Acros 100 and Neopan 400 (used for the images below).

Going forward, then, I think I’ll shoot film and digital on a 50/50 basis. In the meantime, a few images taken with the Nikon FM and 50mm 1.8 lens:

En plein air

Girls' day out

Savoir faire

Unimpressed

When you can't find the key

View

Steps

Takeaway service

Friday, 19 August 2016

Fuji X-Pro 1 at the Edinburgh International Festival 2016

It's that time of year again. During the month of August, Edinburgh's native population almost doubles during the annual Edinburgh International Festival. Crowds throng to the city centre — particularly the Royal Mile and Mound Square in Princes Street — where performers appearing at a myriad of Fringe events gather to enact little snippets of their shows and hand out publicity flyers to the public.

My latest photo walk took in the stretch of the Royal Mile between Hunter Square at the Tron Church and Bank Street at the top of the Mound, before finishing at Mound Square (Princes Street).

I had my X-Pro1 set on black and white mode, apertures between F6.7 and F8, 1/500 second, 27mm lens:

Alfresco lunch

Eats & treats

Fourth Monkey

Fringe group

Fringe trio

Ikki

Low angle

Musical duo

Royal Mile style

Straitjacketed