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791 Reviews, Guides, and Essays

Ricoh GR1/GR1s Film Camera Review
World’s Thinnest Camera — Is It Still Worth the Price in 2026?
September 9, 2025
Ricoh GR1s is a premium film point-and-shoot camera that features a sharp 28mm 𝒇2.8 lens, encased in a light, pocketable magnesium alloy body, and filled with some of the best mid-’90s technological advancements. In this review, I’ll take a deep dive into Ricoh GR1s’ features, build quality, lens quality, and the realities of buying, using, and owning one. I’ll also quickly compare the GR1s to the original GR1 and pin both against the world’s smallest full-frame camera, the Minolta TC-1.
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Harman Phoenix Reversal Explored
A Follow-Up
September 2, 2025
This article is meant to be an extension of the work done previously by Dmitri (which can be found here). After reading up on his processes, I realized that there may be room for improvement, or at least experimentation. Over the course of five test strips from two rolls from the same batch, I think I’ve found something that works well for both scanning and projection.
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Film Photography News — August 2025 Recap
Kodak Trouble? Leica “Lifestyle,” Non-Kodak Films, Widelux, Fold Instax Cam
August 26, 2025
Kodak was in the news; some outlets said they’re on the verge of bankruptcy. I reviewed and compared today’s only two colour-negative options that aren’t made by Kodak. Leica drew condemnation over a (now deleted) post on Threads. A new Widelux camera, made in collaboration with Jeff Bridges. Plus, an easy-to-use silver gelatin black-and-white printing kit that uses a smartphone as an enlarger, a new foldable instant film SLR in the works, a new line of 617/612, 4x5, 5x7 and 8x10 cameras, and CineStill’s massively improved scanning light source.
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🆕 Widelux, Fake CineStill, a Fix, & Colour Film ‘25
A Monthly Newsletter for GOLD Members
August 22, 2025
I tried to replicate CineStill 800T at home, found a relatively easy way to fix Polaroid SX-70’s failing film eject, and compared the only two colour-negative films that aren’t Kodak. I’ve also attended the only North American talk by Charys Schuler about the upcoming NEW Widelux cameras, made in collaboration with Jeff Bridges.
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THE REAL ISO200 Colour-Negative Film Options of 2025
Three New Articles Examine the Revival of the Budget Colour Film Category
August 19, 2025
In celebration of this year’s World Photography Day, I’m publishing three long-form reads that examine the lucrative and versatile category of affordable ISO 200 colour-negative films. This article lists all the factories that make it and their offerings, with reads about them (linked in recommended reading order). Happy WPD!
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Fujifilm 200 Color Negative vs. Kodak Gold
Which One Is Better? or Is It the Same Thing?
August 19, 2025
Fujifilm 200 is a US-made colour-negative film with Fuji branding sold across many outlets, including my local drugstore. This film is the current successor to the Japanese-made Fujicolor C 200, a medium-speed, affordable colour-negative film. In this article, I’ll compare and review both films.
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KONO Color 200/OptiColour 200/ORWO NC200 Film Review
A New German-Made Colour-Negative Film, Sold in 135, 120, and Bulk
August 19, 2025
KONO Color 200 is a new colour-negative film packaged and sold by a German company, KONO Manufaktur, in 35mm and bulk rolls of 100’ (30.5m). It’s the same as Optik OldSchool OptiColor 200 (available in 120 and 4x5) and ORWO Wolfen NC200. I’ve shot three rolls of it this summer in various settings and have lots to say about the quality of the images, the price, and what this film means for the future of film photography.
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Comparing Two Newest Colour Films: Phoenix vs. NC200
The Only Non-Kodak Colour-Negative Films Made Today
August 19, 2025
There are only two colour-negative film lines in production today, other than those manufactured by Kodak. They are both made in Europe as the first completely new C-41-based emulsions since the mid-2000s. In this article, I will compare them side-by-side to see which of these formulas is closer to replacing Kodak’s legacy of innovation and excellence in colour photochemistry.
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How to Fix Film Ejection Mechanism in Polaroid SX-70
At Home With Minimal Tools
August 12, 2025
This article shares relatively simple, illustrated instructions for diagnosis and two separate repair tips to fix the broken ejection mechanism on Polaroid SX-70 cameras at home. Expect lots of detailed photos, close-ups, and instructions for testing the repairs for a reliable operation for years to come.
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Scratching the Surface: A Visual Process
Composing Images as Textures
August 11, 2025
Bastien’s images and written portion differ stylistically and technically from most articles I’ve published on this blog so far. However, I thought his introspection and images, reminiscent of essays illustrated with Holgas and Agfa Clacks, give a compelling insight into the mind of a musician treating visual art as textures (more so than the content).
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Rollei RPX 25 Film Review
Very Sharp, Very Fine, Excellent With Vintage Glass
August 6, 2025
Rollei RPX 25 is a silver-rich, sharp, fine-grained panchromatic black-and-white film. In this review, I’ll share all I’ve learned about RPX 25 over the six years I’ve used it and why I think it may look so good with old lenses like the Voigtlander Ultron 2.0 or Zeiss Tessar 2.8.
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Photographing a Cartel With a Fuji Instax Mini
July 31, 2025
This past December, I travelled to Michoacán, Mexico — a place I’d visited years earlier while working on a long-term project about migration — to photograph daily life in a region fully controlled by organized crime. My plan was to spend a few days with a family I know along the coast before heading into the hills to photograph a big wedding, where I expected there to be a noticeable cartel presence.
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Film Photography News — July 2025 Recap
New Film, New Film, New Film, Fake Film, New Film, Free Film
July 29, 2025
The average price of a roll of 35mm film has gone up 9%... But, we have a new film: 乐凯C200 (Lucky C200) and ORWO NC200 — I’ve shot it, samples included! Not to forget the Harman Phoenix II launch, Adox Color Mission, and the free film I’m giving away to lucky GOLD members.
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How to Fake CineStill 800T
Testing the “CineStill Is Just Kodak Vision 3 Film Without Remjet” Myth
July 28, 2025
In the wake of Kodak’s major change to their film chemistry and a year after the 800T branding controversy, we tested the internet myth of how CineStill films are made (we made our own and compared it to the branded stock). The results were entirely unexpected. We ran our tests twice!
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Polaroid BW Tests, C-41 Reversal, Homemade Halations
A Monthly Newsletter for GOLD Members
July 25, 2025
In this newsletter, I talk about the sudden change in priorities, free film, shooting Polaroid B&W 600 film in unmodified SX-70 cameras, developing Harman Phoenix film as slides with Rodinal, and my plans for the month of August on Analog.Cafe.
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Halation in Film Photography, Explained
A Physical Phenomenon, an Artifact on Film, and a Creative Effect
July 23, 2025
Film is an imperfect, physical medium. In the post-perfectionist world, where clinical image accuracy is relatively easy to achieve, film artifacts are now valued for their expressive potential and unique, one-of-one renderings of the real world. Halation is one such artifact, which I will explain and discuss at length in this mini-guide.
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Film Prices Up 9% Since February 2025
Tri-X, Foma, and ColorPlus Are Still the Best Deal, Fujichrome Up $5/roll
July 18, 2025
In this article, I’ll share the latest insights on the best-priced films, name a few emulsions to avoid, and provide a few insights about the costs of shooting film in 2025 and beyond.
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Harman Phoenix C-41 Reversal Process (Rodinal)
I Tested 7 Recipes for HARMAN PHOENIX SLIDE FILM With C-41 and Rodinal
July 16, 2025
Harman Phoenix 200 is the company’s first colour-negative film in over five decades¹. Using the most common developer chemicals found in film photographers’ bathrooms, you can develop it as a slide film! Beware: this is an experimental technique for an experimental emulsion.
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Zeiss Ikon Contaflex Super B Film Camera Review
It’s Cheap, It’s Hefty, It’s Weird, It’s Pretty, It Has a Beautiful Lens
July 15, 2025
Zeiss Ikon Contaflex Super B is an unusual but well-built camera that features a sharp, expressive lens. It uses relic technology, like a non-returning mirror box, but also features interchangeable film backs, a leaf shutter mount, and a 100% DOF viewfinder. It’s also very affordable.
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Polaroid 600 in SX-70 NO Filter, NO Mods, NO Flash?
A Review of the 2024 ‘Big’ Improvements in the Polaroid B&W 600 Chemistry
July 8, 2025
After several rounds of controlled and field tests, and a short conversation with Polaroid, I’m finally ready to share my independent experiment-based findings: Does the new B&W 600 film work with unmodified Polaroid SX-70 cameras?
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