Good morning, happy Halloween! 👻🎃

I’m feeling better 🙌 and can’t wait to get a camera out this weekend and take some photos. But until then I’ve got some interesting stuff for today. Let’s get to it.

1. 📸 A new instant camera

2. 📱 The best app for film photographers

3. ✈️ Aerial-reconnaissance film?

📸 A new instant camera

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, anytime someone makes something new for film photographers it’s a win. 👏 

So it’s pretty cool to see Lomography come out with a glass version of their Lomo’Instant Wide camera. Using the readily available Fujifilm Instax Wide instant film it’s a good alternative to a Polaroid camera when you want a wider format. With a glass lens instead of plastic you’re going to get better, sharper results. Plus at $279 it’s cheaper than the Polaroid I-2, which has a glass lens but costs more than twice as much.

📱 The best app for film photographers

There are a lot of things film photographers have to keep track of. 😵‍💫

• What film is in which camera?

• When was that film loaded?

• What ISO it was shot at?

• Are you pulling/pushing the film?

• Has the film been developed & scanned yet?

• What developer / time / temp / agitation was used?

It’s important to keep track of these things, as it really helps us learn. There is a lot of trial and error with film and figuring out what we like and don’t like. Since we don’t get instant results it’s very easy to forget if you shot Delta 3200 at box speed or at 1600. Or what that weird film that you tried that you liked the results of. 🤔

To help keep track of all this, I use this great iPhone app, Light Me - Logbook.

Whenever I load a new roll of film into one of my cameras I make it a habit to record it in Logbook 📖. This way I know what is in my cameras at any given time.

This is particularly helpful with my large format camera. I can keep track of what is in my different film holders and which side has been exposed or not. Since large format is a slower process and a steeper learning curve it’s really important to record exactly what lens, aperture and shutter speed you used. Having this information when you’re reviewing your images later is invaluable.

The same goes for developing.🧪 Particularly with B&W there are a lot of different variables and recording what you’ve done is essential to figuring out what you like.

I highly recommend giving it a try.

✈️ Aerial-reconnaissance film?

There is a type of film I’ve been interested in trying. Aerial surveillance film.🕵️‍♂️ Believe it or not Kodak still makes film for this purpose, Kodak Aerocolor IV. It’s used in medium- to high-altitude aerial-mapping and aerial-reconnaissance photography. According to Kodak this could be for:

It has a very fine grain and a wide dynamic-range. As well as lower contrast and less saturation with an emphasis on red. It definitely has an interesting look to it. 👀 And it can be developed with the normal C-41 process.

Analog Cafe has a great detailed review, with sample photos.

Where can I get it?

Kodak only sells it in bulk, but Flic Film respools it and sells it in normal 35mm cassettes, called Elektra 100. You can buy a roll at B&H for about $12.

I’m definitely excited to try it. I’ll report back once I do. 🫡

Alright that’s going to do it for this week. Have a great weekend, and I’ll see you next week. 🤠

Go turn a spooky negative into an even spookier positive.

Ben Henschel

📷 Canon A1 / 🎞️ Aurora 800