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791 Reviews, Guides, and Essays

Kentmere Pan 200 Film Review
Possibly the Best Everyday Black-and-White Film
February 23, 2026
Kentmere Pan 200 is a new medium-speed black-and-white film from the same company that makes Ilford and Harman¹ photochemical products. Wherever it’s found, this film is one of the cheapest options. In this review, I share my *corrected development times for Rodinal*, along with the technical overview of dynamic range, resolution, tonality, scanning, and more. Lastly, I’ll explain why there’s little reason to pay more for anything other than Kentmere Pan 200.
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A Cheaper Way to Shoot Slide Film + App Updates
A Monthly Newsletter for GOLD Members
February 20, 2026
In this month’s newsletter, I’d like to share a technique for developing slide film at home economically so that the Ektachrome price tag doesn’t sting as much, and introduce an upcoming app update that will make scanning film easier (and maybe cheaper, too).
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Lucky C200 Film Review
A New Source of Affordable Colour-Negative Film! Is It Any Good?
February 12, 2026
Lucky C200 (乐凯 — pronounced Lè Kǎi) is a new colour-negative film from China. It’s characterized by occasional pink casts, bold, saturated colours, and an affordable price. While this film isn’t yet widely available in the US (as of February 2026), it’s beginning to slowly make its way to the rest of the world. In this review, I’ll cover all the technical aspects of shooting this new film, including exposure, development, scanning, inversion, and colour correction. I will also share samples shot in numerous settings, as well as images captured with the famous “3D” film camera.
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Nikon Coolpix S31 Waterproof Digicam Review
February 5, 2026
Nikon Coolpix S31 was launched in 2013 as a tough, waterproof point-and-shoot camera with a 10MP CCD sensor, 3x optical zoom, and 720P video recording. It’s not a modern camera anymore, being a 13-year-old that uses mostly abandoned but visually interesting sensor technology. Still, S31 is built on a mature platform that includes familiar features, like the 2.7” 230K LCD and a responsive shutter. In this review, I’ll cover the basics, like full specs, handling, image quality, reliability, and explain what type of memory card and batteries/chargers/cables this camera will need to function.
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How to Develop Slide Film at Home With Rodinal and C-41
Simple Process; No Expensive E-6 Kits or Hard-to-Find Chemicals Needed
February 3, 2026
This article explains how to develop colour-positive (slide) film using common photography supplies to save money and avoid waste. The Rodinal-flavoured C-41 reversal process only needs a bottle of a very common black-and-white developer to produce positives. This is not a complicated process, but you should have prior experience developing colour-negative film at home.
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Film Photography News — January 2026 Recap
Happy 200th, Photography!, a Conversation With Sissi Lu, and Film Prices 📈
January 27, 2026
The world’s first photo was taken in 1826. Happy 200th, photography! 🎂 In this year’s first issue of the Analog.Cafe newsletter, photographers recall shooting film in 2016; I hold a conversation with Sissi Lu about ethics, wabi-sabi, and her silver jewelry made from film fixer; film prices 📈; a new Instax camera; the return of Film Ferrania; and what to do when you’re short on chemistry.
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200 Years of Photography
A Monthly Newsletter for GOLD Members
January 23, 2026
This year, I want to celebrate not just the individuals who were privileged and passionate enough to discover this incredible technology two centuries ago, but also the progress in art and science that led us to both reinvent it all and hold on to the best parts, like shooting film decades past obsolescence.
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How to Find Deals on Film in 2026
January 20, 2026
In this article, I’ll share a few tips that can save you money on film with Film Price Trends (a web app built on top of film price data for the past 8 years) and discuss the state of film prices as of January 2026.
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Film Photography in 2016 vs. 2026
January 20, 2026
A short, community-flavoured, post to reminisce and review the decade of shooting film — how things have changed and what stayed the same. In this article, I share how the film photography community remembers the changes and the progress of this 200-year-old creative medium.
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My 8 Favourite Film Photo Stores and Labs in Taipei

January 19, 2026
After walking the streets of Taipei, I realized that film photography is not only alive but thriving. There are far more places selling and developing film than I initially thought: there are so many, in fact, that listing them all would be a tedious task. To keep that list short and focused, I've chosen 8 personal favourites.
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Kodak Snapic A1 Film Camera Review & User Guide
The Premium Reusable
January 8, 2026
What I like about the new Kodak Snapic A1 is that it’s cheaper than all the new point-and-shoot options and smaller than all of them. It’s also a well-made camera. Yes, it’s plastic, and it mimics the highly regarded Ricogh GR1/R1 in shape only. But despite its limitations, it can take excellent photos and remain a reliable, fun companion for less than $100.
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Christmas in Mexico City
On Film, of Course
January 6, 2026
We waded among dense crowds, navigated the public transit system, and found a delightful coffee shop. This essay is a snapshot of our December 2025 trip to Mexico City. Featuring “3D” WIGGLE GIFs with Nishika N8000!
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Film Photography News — December 2025 Recap
Kodak A1 1st Impressions, 2026 Giveaways, & the Science of Impactful Images
December 30, 2025
In this year’s closing newsletter, I’ll share my first impressions with the Kodak Snapic A1, why I like this camera, and why it makes so much sense in 2026. I’ll also briefly cover the discontinuation of the Lomo MC-A, the new source of Kodak Aerocolor IV (SantaColor 100), Spot One — a compact 1° light meter, and several new website perks.
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Top 10 Films & the Aesthetic Science of Photography
A Monthly Newsletter for GOLD Members
December 26, 2025
These last few days of 2025, I ran through the Analog.Cafe data to surface the top 10 most-used films, added an early warning system to Chem Log, and published an article with the latest research in aesthetic science, which explains what makes our photos good. This is also the last month I’m giving away free film!
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Ilford Microphen Film Developer Review
December 18, 2025
Push-processing film increases its grain size and contrast, which can lead to undesirable results, especially if the push is significant. However, Microphen uses technology designed to control both for better results. Ilford Microphen is a black-and-white film developer, made with hydroquinone and phenidone by Harman Technology Ltd., for fine-grained results and controlled contrast.
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Lomo LC-A With Kodak Ektar 100
The Perfect Combo for the Tropics?
December 16, 2025
When reviewing my camera options for my upcoming trip to Nicaragua, I knew it needed to have three things: 1) Low enough value so that I wouldn’t worry about losing it. 2) Be able to easily fit in my pocket. 3) Capable of capturing high-quality images. And for the film, I knew I wanted something capable of capturing the vivid colours of a tropical country. I decided to take the Lomo LC-A — a classic Lomography lo-fi camera with Kodak’s high-resolution, high-saturation, fine-grained colour-negative film: Ektar 100.
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How to Retrieve a 35mm Film Leader
With HCL Film Picker 4 + Other Tools and Methods
December 11, 2025
A film picker (a.k.a. film leader retriever) is easy to overlook when shopping for home development supplies. However, it’s an essential gadget for saving time and money, and avoiding frustration. In this guide, I’ll explain how and why you should use a film picker. I’ll also show you a few ways to get your film out without one.
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How to Make Better Photos According to Science
What the Latest Research in Psychology Tells Us About Making Impactful Images
December 9, 2025
Photography is part art, part science. Traditionally, the empirical approach has been reserved for the design and operation of cameras. Unfortunately, the art of photography is often left to the word of authority (which can act as a gatekeeper) and guesswork. But it doesn’t have to be this way. In this article, I will review some of the latest studies, experiments, and findings that explain what makes our brains prefer certain types of images and apply that to the art of photography.
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Kodak Kodacolor 100 Film Review
A New Kodak Film?
December 8, 2025
Kodak Kodacolor 100 is a medium-contrast, medium-saturation colour-negative film with packaging design reminiscent of the classic 1980s branding. In this review, I’ll briefly discuss the origins of this film and cover the basics, such as colours, grain, and price. I will also give a few tips on scanning, exposure, and daily use.
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Ride a Dragon
Instant Photography Series
December 4, 2025
In ”Ride a Dragon”, Canyon turns to the immediate, tactile language of instant photography to explore the body as a vessel of memory and a landscape shaped by time. Working with Instax Wide black-and-white film, the artist constructs diptychs in which fragmented human forms appear alongside natural artifacts as leaves, shells, petals, flowers.
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