Analog.Cafe ›

All of Analog.Cafe, Page 3

791 Reviews, Guides, and Essays

Shooting Fujifilm Fujicolor 800 QuickSnap Camera Film
Extracted and Exposed in a Much Nicer Camera
May 24, 2026
In this article, I’ll show you how I took this twenty-year-old disposable camera apart, recycled its components, and the photos I got on the very expired Fujifilm Fujicolor QuickSnap 800 film.
Film and Darkroom Save
The Biggest Film Test and a New Film Inversion App
A Monthly Newsletter for GOLD Members
May 22, 2026
I’ve been collecting film rolls and disposable cameras of various brands for several months. This May, I finally had the chance to load all eight of them into my Nikon F2 for an exposure test to determine, once and for all, our actual options for ISO 800 colour-negative film. In this newsletter, I’ll cover the BTS of that mega-experiment and talk about an update to the film inversion app I’ve been working on since January. This month’s member newsletter is FREE and does not require a subscription to be read in full.
News Save
Polaroid Reclaimed Purple 600 Film Review
Review, Shooting Tips, the Original Blue Comarison, and How to "Make" One Yourself
May 19, 2026
Polaroid Reclaimed Purple 600 is an instant film made with “leftover” materials to produce a truly unique look — this time with added Acid Red dye. The film’s purple colour effect is both creatively and technically fascinating — I’ve enjoyed shooting it — but there are some things you should know before you expose your limited-edition frames. Read on for my detailed overview of these stark new Polaroid frames, samples, a few extras (including that one time I created a similar purple effect accidentally on Instax Square), and tips for getting better exposures.
Film and Darkroom Save
Comparing All (8) ISO 800 Colour-Negative Films
Amber, Candido, CineStill, FunSaver, Lomo, Portra/Ektacolor Pro, QuickSnap, SantaColor
May 14, 2026
Just one factory in the entire world makes ISO 800 colour-negative film: Kodak. Yet you can find it in many types of packaging, sold at various price points. This article compares eight of the most popular brands, including rolls in disposable cameras, to see if there’s a difference.
GOLDFilm and Darkroom Save
Fujifilm Superia Premium 400 Film Review
A Rare & Wonderful Made-in-Japan Colour-Negative Film — Still in Production!
May 12, 2026
Fujifilm Superia Premium 400 is one of the last colour-negative films still manufactured by Fujifilm in Japan. In this article, I’ll reveal the colours, contrast, and resolution properties of this elusive emulsion and answer the question I had looking at my eBay total: Is it worth importing from Japan?
Film and Darkroom Save
F-Stop Printing: The Complete Darkroom Workflow
May 5, 2026
F-stop printing applies the same logarithmic exposure logic you already use when you shoot, baked into every shutter speed scale and aperture ring you’ve ever touched, to the one place in the photographic process where it was always missing: the enlarger. This guide will walk you through exactly how to do it, from reading your negative to dialling in a final time to dodging and burning with precision you probably didn't think was possible. If you’ve been printing with linear timing, you can start tonight.
Guides and Tutorials Save
Bleach Bypass
A Guide for Film Photographers
May 2, 2026
Bleach bypass is a relatively simple film development technique that creates rich blacks, low saturation, and increased contrast. In this article, I’ll share techniques, samples, and recipes for better bleach-bypass results on film. You will need to know how to develop colour-negative film at home (it’s not that hard!) and have a development kit with separate bleach and fix (no blix) or an extra black-and-white fixer.
GOLDGuides and Tutorials Save
Film Photography News — April 2026 Recap
New Kodak Film (Not for Us), WideluxX, All the Films, & Analog Renaissance
April 28, 2026
Kodak announces a new Euphoria-inspired colour-negative film — but only for motion picture productions; I made a list of all the film stocks and a list of all the film factories in the world, Daren and I recorded a new podcast episode, a new guide on lighting ratios offers tips for scientifically-proven mood settings, the WideluxX camera is now for sale (it’s not cheap!), and major investments into film production at the Harman factory in the UK are underway.
News Save
“Hurry Up and Wait”
A Monthly Newsletter for GOLD Members
April 24, 2026
I made fewer posts on Analog.Cafe this month, but I’m excited about them all, and I also can’t wait to tell you about the work I’m doing behind the scenes! New guides, reviews, and photography app updates coming soon.
GOLDNews Save
Lighting Ratios & Styles for Film Photographers
The Science and the Techniques for Effective Storytelling on Film
April 23, 2026
Light has been used as a storytelling device long before photography was invented. Its significance is even evident in writing where no image, other than what the mind paints, exists: “a bright sunny day” carries a different mood than “a dark alley.” Several scientific studies even link lighting in photography to measurable mood changes, suggesting that their effects are universal and innate. In this guide, I’ll focus on fundamental techniques for using lighting ratios as a storytelling device, observed on sets and in the field by movie studios and hobbyist photographers alike.
GOLDGuides and Tutorials Save
InvisibleFilm
Building a Digital Home for Analog Photography
April 13, 2026
Gonzalo is making the InvisibleFilm: an app for logging film stocks and cleverly connecting those logs to the negatives via printed QR codes. In this article, Gonzalo explains his project, the motivations behind it, and a few advanced features, such as lab services.
News Save
Harman Switch Azure Film Review
Blue Halation
April 10, 2026
Harman Switch Azure 125 is a colour-negative film with reversed blue and red channels. In this review, I’ll demystify this film’s properties and origins, share lots of high-res samples, and offer a few tips for making better photos.
Film and Darkroom Save
Film Photography News — March 2026 Recap
Eastman Kodak Switcharoo, Harman Switch Azure, WideluxX, and Spring Blossoms on Film 🌸
March 31, 2026
Harman (a.k.a. Ilford) now sells Switch Azure — an experimental film with swapped colour couplers; this newsletter explains its origins — Eastman Kodak released six (not really¹) new films, Jeff Bridges made a WideLuxX camera, plus an early start to spring with this year’s cherry and magnolia blossoms on film!
News Save
‘26 Spring Blossoms on Film
March 31, 2026
A photo essay in which I express and explain my deep affection for the flowering trees through photographs of the early 2026 spring blossoms, made with various new films and old cameras. Shot near Vancouver, BC, with stories from Thailand, Japan, and Russia.
Essays Save
March of Film 2026
A Monthly Newsletter for GOLD Members
March 27, 2026
Guys, it’s been a crazy-busy month. Harman released a new colour film following the slightest of leaks in February, and Kodak redesigned its Portra and T-Max film lines to become Ektacolor and Ektapan. I did my best to get all those films into the studio as soon as possible, study, photograph, and write up something useful. It’s been like that almost daily as I prep for several more film reviews, camera reviews, and film comparison articles to be published in the coming weeks. Let me break down those plans for you below, along with updates to the apps for film inversion and more.
GOLDNews Save
My Addiction to Film Photography
An Opinion From a Novice Analogist and Seasoned Digitalist
March 26, 2026
After years of shooting digital, I decided to try film. What I found pleasantly surprised me. There is far more to this community and practice than I originally thought.
Essays Save
Leica Sofort (Original) Instant Film Camera Review
The Cheapest Leica Money Can Buy. Is It Good?
March 24, 2026
This camera is closely related to Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 — but it’s not the same. In this review, I’ll discuss Leica’s image quality — with lots of samples — ergonomics, features, and direct film exposure (which the new Sofort 2 cameras lack). Plus, I’ll pepper a few tips for taking better photos on film.
Film Cameras and Gear Save
Harman Switch Azure vs. Lomochrome Turquoise
March 12, 2026
Harman Switch Azure and Lomography Lomochrome Turquoise photographic effect films switch blue and red colours, making faces appear blue and skies orange while keeping greens green. Up until last week , Lomography was the only maker of this type of product. But a few days prior, leaked photos of Switch Azure made a few readers and me wonder if Lomochrome Turquoise will finally have an alternative. And so as soon as it dropped, I ordered a few rolls and focused on the shiny new thing for the entirety of the past few days. In this article, I will compare both films in my small home studio using a daylight-balanced light, a calibrated colour chart, and a few props. These films look very different — and one of them is much harder to use than the other. Can you tell which is which?
GOLDFilm and Darkroom Save
Samsung WB2000 (TL350) Digitcam Review
Analogue Gauges, RAW Files, Manual Modes — Oh My!
March 10, 2026
Released in 2010, my Samsung WB2000 is sixteen years old. Yet, shooting with this camera feels like a modern experience — that is, until the analogue gauges spin up. The WB2000 can be a bundle of cheap fun (I bought mine for less than $150) with lots of capabilities. I even managed to scan 35mm film in the macro mode! In this review, I’ll share all the technical details, lots of full-res samples, my experience with this camera, and a few alternatives in case you can’t find this very rare camera on sale.
Film Cameras and Gear Save
Film Photography News — February 2026 Recap
Six New* Films, Four New Cameras, and More!
February 24, 2026
A new ISO 400 colour-negative film from China: Lucky C400; Fujifilm’s “secret” Japan-made colour-negative film, a new mystery film from Harman, Kodak’s updated Ektachrome film boxes, plus: how to develop positives at home with Rodinal, several new panoramic film camera projects, updates on the Leica Monopan, and a new* packfilm project.
News Save