Film and Darkroom

96 Stories, Experiments, Workflows, Reviews

Colour Infrared Film

All the ISO 800 Colour Films, Compared

Developing Film in Cannabis

Lomography Fantôme Kino 8 Film Review
A Slow Black-and-White Film for Sunny Bokeh, High Contrast, and Fine Grain
July 8, 2024
Lomography Fantôme Kino 8 is a low-ISO black-and-white motion picture film sold in 35mm only. This film shows exceptionally fine grain, which it typically renders in high contrast. I was able to get very natural-looking images out of it when I developed it at home with my solution of Rodinal 1+50. This film has also taught me things I’ve never expected about my old Ultron lens.
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All the C-41 ISO 800 Colour Films, Compared
Portra 800 vs. FunSaver 800 vs. Lomo 800 vs. Aurora 800
June 24, 2024
There’s seemingly some choice when it comes to high-speed daylight-balanced colour-negative film. But is it all branding? We compare all the ISO 800 films we could find side-by-side to see if there’s any actual difference once developed and scanned.
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Harman Phoenix 200 — New Colour Film Review
The Most Important Film Photography Product of 2024
June 8, 2024
Harman Phoenix 200 is the most important film photography product of 2024. It opened the doors to a new colour film facility at a British factory which has been continuously supplying us with photochemistry for over 140 years.
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Polaroid Go Film Review
June 3, 2024
Polaroid Go instant film packs include two perfectly miniaturized Polaroid I-Type/600 film cartridges — with the emulsion and frame materials faithfully replicated. They’re smaller (which makes them cheaper) but the choice of cameras that can take advantage of this format is limited.
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Developing Film in Cannabis
Test Results and Recipe
April 20, 2024
In this article, I’ll share the results from my new “Sativa Cannanol” film developer and a recipe so you can make it at home. You’ll also see how this cannabis-based developer stacks up against a commercial one and various phenol-based solutions, like coffee, moss, fir, cedar, blood, pond water, EpiPen, and pee. You will also learn about various ways to make and improve your own organic homemade developer.
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ORWO NP20 for Agfa Rapid/SL Cameras
Experimenting With Expired Black and Whtie Film in an Extinct Mini-Format
March 8, 2024
ORWO NP 20 is a panchromatic black-and-white film that was discontinued decades ago. The batch I’m testing expired in 1992 — thirty-two years ago! What I have here is the elusive “SL Kassette” format designed specifically for certain miniature half-frame cameras.
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Film Ferrania P30 Film Review
A Cinema Special Remake
February 26, 2024
Film Ferrania P30 is an ISO 80 panchromatic black-and-white film sold in 35mm and 120 formats. It’s known for its recognizable strong contrast and ultra-fine grain.
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Amber T800 Film Review
Is It as Good CineStill 800T?
December 22, 2023
In this review, I’m comparing Amber T800 to CineStill 800T (in terms of image quality, price, and shooting experience), discussing reasons for its existence, and giving you my thoughts on whether it’s a suitable CineStill alternative.
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Harman Phoenix 200 vs. Ilford Ilfocolor 400
Comparing Two New “Ilford” Colour Films
December 18, 2023
Did you know that there are TWO “Ilford” brands, and both of them have recently begun selling colour film? This article explains everything and compares the emulsions in depth.
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Kodak Gold vs. ColorPlus
Side-by-Side Comparison
November 23, 2023
Our extensive tests revealed no significant difference between the two emulsions. But there’s a slight nuance you may like to know about.
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How to Choose Black-and-White Film for Photography
Looks Can Be Deceiving
November 17, 2023
10 principles for selecting black-and-white film. Some of which may contribute to your final results in unexpected ways.
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How Motion Picture Film Is Duplicated and Distributed
A Pure Analogue Movie-Making Process vs. Digital Intermediate Workflows
October 24, 2023
The traditional film finishing and distribution process, how it compares to modern hybrid workflows, and what that means for film lovers & photographers.
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CineStill 800T Film Review
Kodak Movie Picture Film for Still Photographers
October 15, 2023
A high-speed, ultra-fine-grained tungsten-balanced colour film. Samples, detailed specifications, advanced shooting tips, and the recent controversy.
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Kodak Ektachrome 200 (Daylight) Expired Film Review
Results With E-6 and X-Pro Devleopment
October 14, 2023
If you’re looking for an excellent expired slide film in ISO 200 that also looks good cross-processed, this is the one to get.
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Lomochrome Color ’92 Film Review
Inc. Exclusive Interview With Lomography + Home Development/Scanning Tips
October 13, 2023
An in-depth review of the new colour-negative film from Lomography, including exposure, scene selection, and post-processing tips.
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A Brief History of Polaroid
Innovation, Success, Luck, Persistence, a Ponzi Scheme, and Family Fortunes
September 17, 2023
Today’s Polaroid was rebuilt and re-invented by the artists, scientists, and entrepreneurs who could not stand seeing it fade. This is the story of its incredible survival.
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Polaroid Color 600 Film Review & Shooting Guide
Inc. I-Type Colour Films, Go, and 8x10 Packs
September 12, 2023
This is the most versatile instant film. But you need to know how to expose, store, and scan it properly for the best results, as it is not cheap.
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Lomography Lomochrome Purple XR Film Review
A Unique, False-Colour Experimental Film With an “Extended” Dynamic Range
September 3, 2023
See the samples and learn about ways to make Purple look better for your project — from exposure techniques to post-processing.
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Arista C-41 Liquid Color Negative Dev Kit Review
$1 per Roll!
July 11, 2023
In this review, I’ll cover the mixing process, how I ratioed the chemicals to effectively triple the yield, and how I safely disposed of the hazardous waste.
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Kodak UltraMax 400 Film Review
It ❤️ Loves the Sun and Doesn't Cost an Arm
June 11, 2023
Kodak UltraMax 400 is a medium-speed, fine-grained mid-range colour-negative film. It renders natural tones cheaper than Portra and works well with minilabs.
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