Hi Neville, yes, the difference that one stop of extra light makes is amazing. Once I'd recovered from the initial shock when I saw the first roll, I could actually see where a shot was ok in areas, and then it would just plummet into oblivion as the light fell away - the film clearly needed more light. Obviously there is a bit of a sacrifice in terms of the sky, which often ends up somewhat bleached out, it wasn't fully blown out though, so that's fine with me.
I also shot my first roll of this film stock at box speed. I was so disappointed that I was quite certain I wouldn’t waste my money (and time) on another roll. So I have to say that I have found this video quite inspiring and I’m definitely going to give the film stock another chance and use ISO 200. I was thinking the approaching autumn months may not be the best time and to leave it for now, but your closing comments about your day being overcast has given me hope - and of course there’s always the chance of catching some decent light in the next month. You get some great shots out of your T50 - I might even use mine this time. Many thanks!
Cheers Paul, I wouldn't be surprised if you could even be a bit bolder and drop to maybe 150 ISO, but that might zap the highlights a bit too much. I'm thinking that it may not be the film for general landscape shots (something I often shoot if I don't have a specific event or subject in mind), it seems to give more pleasing results when there's a definite subject to look at rather than just a pretty view, but I'm sure there will be folks out there who will prove me wrong with some great landscape shots.
Good to see you got around to having your second go at this . I’ve started my “second chance “ roll of Phoenix as it happens and I found a roll of this Orwo film that I’d forgotten about so I must do my own second chance roll with that one also. You did manage to get some nice retro cinematic looking military show shots this time
Cheers Conrad, hope your second chance Phoenix roll works out ok, I think I'm on roll 4 of that stuff (roll 3 has just gone to the lab), and I've got 4 more rolls in the fridge. I'll probably post a short video when roll 3 of Wolfen NC500 comes back from the lab too, just in case roll 2 was a fluke and it returns to the old muddy look!!!
Hi Benjamin, definitely for my taste pulling one stop is the way to go (but still processing it as normal). I've seen some fabulous shots taken with this film and also some terrible ones (including plenty of my own) so it's definitely got potential to create good images when everything is just right. Hope you get some fab results from your roll.
Cheers ohjajohh, yes, the colour palette of that film worked well for those vehicles, I don't think it would be my first choice for beautiful landscapes, but you never know, it could work. I'm planning to use another roll at a classic car show soon, because it should suit that job pretty well. I bought that Zuiko f1.4 a couple of years ago, it's a lovely lens, and I think it will find a permanent home on my recently purchased OM2 once I've taken it apart and fixed it.
Wow, now that's different from last time. Would be nice if they gave suggestions on how far you can push this film. I love the latest results, punchy, almost 3D.
Cheers LEgoiste, I have multiple thoughts on the publicised rating of film stocks - I get the impression that it's easier to sell a faster film than a slower one, so there might be a temptation to set the box speed slightly higher than the technically ideal speed - I seem to recall that Harman said the ideal speed for Phoenix was less than 200 ISO (maybe 130 ISO, but I can't remember now), and certainly I've been happier with my results rating it at 100 and 125 ISO than other people seem to have been when they've left it at box speed. I have a hunch that the same thing applies to NC500. This might be the case with lots of film stocks, but where the film has more latitude it's less of an issue. I wonder if the general feedback on NC500 would have been better if they'd put the box speed at 200 ISO rather than 400 - I've seen plenty of people shooting one roll and saying never again.
Enjoyable as usual, Tim! Love the Lancia Stratos. Question on how you print your photos, is that a service your lab offers or do you have a photo printer at home?
Hi Zed John, the Stratos was at a Kit Car show so I'm guessing it was a replica, but a pretty good looking one all the same. I've been all round the houses regarding 6x4 photo prints over the years - many years ago I bought an Epson Picturemate, that used a 6 colour cartridge, thinking that it would be the perfect solution, but it was not brilliant in it's colour rendition and very prone to blocked nozzles. The later Picturemate models dropped down to a 4 colour cartridge and seemed slightly less blockage prone, but I think even those are pretty much history now. One of the labs I've used recently offer proper C type photo prints, these are the ultimate prints by a long shot, but they're not cheap, and if I order them when I get the film processed, I'm paying for all shots to be printed and not just the ones that are worth printing. The lab I use the most, do offer 6x4 prints at a very reasonable price, I've only tried them on a B&W set and they're not that great for B&W. So I ended up selling my soul to the devil and getting a Canon Selphy printer, which is brilliant, although still not as good as C type prints, but it actually works out cheaper per print if I buy my paper and dye ribbons at the best price I can. I limit myself to only printing about a dozen shots from each film too, so a pack of 108 sheets lasts me a while.
Hi Paolo, set the camera (or your hand held exposure meter, depending on how you like to work) to 200 ISO and then develop the film as standard. If you send it to a lab don't say anything and let them develop it as if it had been shot at 400. I've shot 3 rolls at 200 ISO now and the results are vastly better than when shot at 400 regardless of whether I'm using an auto camera like the T-50 or something a bit older where I'm metering using a hand held meter.
A definite improvement.
Hi Neville, yes, the difference that one stop of extra light makes is amazing. Once I'd recovered from the initial shock when I saw the first roll, I could actually see where a shot was ok in areas, and then it would just plummet into oblivion as the light fell away - the film clearly needed more light. Obviously there is a bit of a sacrifice in terms of the sky, which often ends up somewhat bleached out, it wasn't fully blown out though, so that's fine with me.
I also shot my first roll of this film stock at box speed. I was so disappointed that I was quite certain I wouldn’t waste my money (and time) on another roll. So I have to say that I have found this video quite inspiring and I’m definitely going to give the film stock another chance and use ISO 200. I was thinking the approaching autumn months may not be the best time and to leave it for now, but your closing comments about your day being overcast has given me hope - and of course there’s always the chance of catching some decent light in the next month. You get some great shots out of your T50 - I might even use mine this time. Many thanks!
Cheers Paul, I wouldn't be surprised if you could even be a bit bolder and drop to maybe 150 ISO, but that might zap the highlights a bit too much. I'm thinking that it may not be the film for general landscape shots (something I often shoot if I don't have a specific event or subject in mind), it seems to give more pleasing results when there's a definite subject to look at rather than just a pretty view, but I'm sure there will be folks out there who will prove me wrong with some great landscape shots.
Good to see you got around to having your second go at this . I’ve started my “second chance “ roll of Phoenix as it happens and I found a roll of this Orwo film that I’d forgotten about so I must do my own second chance roll with that one also. You did manage to get some nice retro cinematic looking military show shots this time
Cheers Conrad, hope your second chance Phoenix roll works out ok, I think I'm on roll 4 of that stuff (roll 3 has just gone to the lab), and I've got 4 more rolls in the fridge. I'll probably post a short video when roll 3 of Wolfen NC500 comes back from the lab too, just in case roll 2 was a fluke and it returns to the old muddy look!!!
Recently gifted a roll and was searching for whether pushing or pulling would be a good idea. I will definitely be pulling 1 stop, thank you!
Hi Benjamin, definitely for my taste pulling one stop is the way to go (but still processing it as normal). I've seen some fabulous shots taken with this film and also some terrible ones (including plenty of my own) so it's definitely got potential to create good images when everything is just right. Hope you get some fab results from your roll.
@@GrumpyTim Thanks Tim! I get my film developed locally, so should I just let them process it as normal, no mention of pulling?
Hi Benjamin, yes, just let the lab process it as normal.
Nice photo's, the colours fit very well with the old vehicles. ALso a nice Zuiko f1.4 at the end
Cheers ohjajohh, yes, the colour palette of that film worked well for those vehicles, I don't think it would be my first choice for beautiful landscapes, but you never know, it could work. I'm planning to use another roll at a classic car show soon, because it should suit that job pretty well. I bought that Zuiko f1.4 a couple of years ago, it's a lovely lens, and I think it will find a permanent home on my recently purchased OM2 once I've taken it apart and fixed it.
Wow, now that's different from last time. Would be nice if they gave suggestions on how far you can push this film. I love the latest results, punchy, almost 3D.
Cheers LEgoiste, I have multiple thoughts on the publicised rating of film stocks - I get the impression that it's easier to sell a faster film than a slower one, so there might be a temptation to set the box speed slightly higher than the technically ideal speed - I seem to recall that Harman said the ideal speed for Phoenix was less than 200 ISO (maybe 130 ISO, but I can't remember now), and certainly I've been happier with my results rating it at 100 and 125 ISO than other people seem to have been when they've left it at box speed. I have a hunch that the same thing applies to NC500. This might be the case with lots of film stocks, but where the film has more latitude it's less of an issue. I wonder if the general feedback on NC500 would have been better if they'd put the box speed at 200 ISO rather than 400 - I've seen plenty of people shooting one roll and saying never again.
Enjoyable as usual, Tim! Love the Lancia Stratos. Question on how you print your photos, is that a service your lab offers or do you have a photo printer at home?
Hi Zed John, the Stratos was at a Kit Car show so I'm guessing it was a replica, but a pretty good looking one all the same. I've been all round the houses regarding 6x4 photo prints over the years - many years ago I bought an Epson Picturemate, that used a 6 colour cartridge, thinking that it would be the perfect solution, but it was not brilliant in it's colour rendition and very prone to blocked nozzles. The later Picturemate models dropped down to a 4 colour cartridge and seemed slightly less blockage prone, but I think even those are pretty much history now. One of the labs I've used recently offer proper C type photo prints, these are the ultimate prints by a long shot, but they're not cheap, and if I order them when I get the film processed, I'm paying for all shots to be printed and not just the ones that are worth printing.
The lab I use the most, do offer 6x4 prints at a very reasonable price, I've only tried them on a B&W set and they're not that great for B&W. So I ended up selling my soul to the devil and getting a Canon Selphy printer, which is brilliant, although still not as good as C type prints, but it actually works out cheaper per print if I buy my paper and dye ribbons at the best price I can. I limit myself to only printing about a dozen shots from each film too, so a pack of 108 sheets lasts me a while.
Sorry, you set the camera to 200 ASA but did you develop at 200 or 400 ASA?
Hi Paolo, set the camera (or your hand held exposure meter, depending on how you like to work) to 200 ISO and then develop the film as standard. If you send it to a lab don't say anything and let them develop it as if it had been shot at 400. I've shot 3 rolls at 200 ISO now and the results are vastly better than when shot at 400 regardless of whether I'm using an auto camera like the T-50 or something a bit older where I'm metering using a hand held meter.
@GrumpyTim thanks man