Bronica Zenza ETRS With CineStill 800T

It was absolutely roasting on the day I had organised a series of workshops across London. To catch some cool air we stopped over in this cafe. Almost immediately I knew I had to get some shots on some CineStill 800T in here. So many tungsten lights! We reserved up a little spot while we waited for our cold drinks to arrive.

Armed with my Bronica Zenza ETRS I loaded up the roll and got shooting.

Why did the images come out blasted in orange? Well, if you haven’t checked out my previous video on this check it out here:

Essentially if the ‘remjet’ layer hasn’t been removed properly from the Kodak T rolls and then is processed in C41 chemicals you get this result. CineStill reimbursed everyone after it turned out the entire batch had turned out this way. Whilst I was disappointed not to see the actual results from this film I am really pleased with the shots nonetheless!

The Bronica’s waist level finder is an absolute dream to shoot with. Combined with the fact you have only fifteen shots per roll you are forced to carefully think about what you’re going to shoot and you have to move to reassess the best possible options. Using an eye level finder is a very different experience. You will have to slow down and eradicate the ‘spray and pray’ option which digital offers widely.

A little bit disappointed with the later images. Always remember to carry your light meter with you and definitely check the light meter reading if you’re changing your setting. You can use a simple phone light meter or a more expensive option such as the Sekonic light meters.

Get out there! Shoot and make mistakes, that’s the beauty of photography whether digital or analog. Learn to slow down your process, reflect on what your taking. Get in touch with your questions and comments. Would love to hear what you would like to learn more about or anything that you think I may have missed!

Shooting Kodak TMax 400 on Zeiss Ikon Nettar

The drive down was long but enjoyable one. The weather continued to improve and made the drive through little English roads just that more navigable. On occasions, a view presented itself which merited a quick stop, review and then continuing on the winding journey to the coast.

I was a little hesitant at first to dive into the world of 6x9 film cameras due to the over inflated pricing of the cameras! The Zeiss Ikon Nettar 6x9 camera which is little heard of but is a bargain film camera for the size of the negative it produces. The final versions of these cameras came out in the early 1950s so it is a testament to the quality and simplicity of the build of the camera which has seen them survive so long.

The light kept piercing through the clouds occasionally as the fresh sea breeze drifted through the car window. I was beginning to wonder if it would be easy to find a parking spot close enough to the beach. Driving along the coast eventually brought some luck, followed by the slightest of scrambles up the shingle ridge and I was ready to snap away!

One of the main reasons to shoot on this format is because it gives the same aspect ratio as a 35mm so it’s natural to step up to this medium format for the significantly larger negative it offers. For those looking for more detail on the image, this would be a worthy step up. I suspect that professional photographers probably did use this for their higher clientele work and went through many, many rolls. I’m not sure if that would be practical in today’s world!

I placed my camera bag down on the shingle beach and took a look around. Lucas had already skittled off on an adventure looking for the right angle and shot. I sat for a bit just observing the waves coming and washing ashore, it was just nice to soak in the crisp fresh air.

Rustling through my bag looking for the films which I had brought along, I pulled out a few rolls of 120 film. Always tricky making a decision, sometimes having less is more. I realised at some point I would have to try out the Zeiss Ikon Nettar and now was as good a time as ever. Black and White film can be more forgiving so I loaded up a roll of Kodak TMax 400 in the bitterly cold wind. With one foot on the film wrapper, I closed the back of the case and scrolled the film through. I looked up and then went for a walk.