You guys were pretty good at recognizing digital cameras based only on their backs. And today, we have something for film camera enthusiasts. In this DIYP quiz, we ask you to guess film cameras based only on their back. Some of them are iconic, some are less well-known; some are vintage, and there are even some modern ones. So, let’s jump right in and check how well you know your film cameras.
My first year with the Mamiya M645 medium format film camera
I’ve been using cameras for half my life and I felt like I knew my way around any basic system, until I discovered medium format. The upgrade in resolution was an entirely new beast I was eager to tackle. I scoured the internet to decide on what I should use as my first medium format system. I ended up choosing the Mamiya M645.
Not only was 6×4.5cm regarded as the most welcoming format in the world of 120 film, but the Mamiya M645 was cited often as the most welcoming entry-level 6×4.5 camera. And now I’ve been shooting it for over a year.
Pentax Update #2 reveals their first new film camera will be a compact camera
In December, Pentax announced they were developing a new film camera. At the time, there was no real information on exactly what type of film camera it would be. In fact, it wasn’t even revealed whether it would use 35mm film or medium format. And while many hoped for a modern-day update to the Pentax 67 or a fully mechanical 35mm SLR, it seems that the first new Pentax film camera will be a compact camera.
The information comes in the second video update for the Pentax “Film Project”, where they expressed gratitude for the overwhelming feedback they’ve received. Given that feedback, it seems that Pentax may be planning to do a range of cameras in the future and that this isn’t just a one-off.
How I turned my bedroom closet into a darkroom for $20
A few years ago I had a great darkroom setup in my basement that I converted from a (mostly) unused bathroom. It had a wet side and a dry side, built-in exhaust, and plenty of space.
That came to an end when I sold that house and moved into an old Victorian-style home where bathrooms are a sparse thing and any plumbing in the home was an afterthought.
Not long after relocating, I started to ponder how I could possibly create a darkroom space at the new house. Of course, I had grandiose dreams of a new build that was even better than my previous space.
This DIY gadget captures and saves metadata for your film photography cameras
One of the great things about digital photography is that it stores metadata within the files of each your photos. It allows you to have a permanent, searchable archive of every image you’ve ever shot. Right now, I can quickly and easily go search for any photograph I’ve shot in the last 21 years (I switched to DSLRs in ’02) and see exactly what camera and lens I used, as well as the exposure settings and other information.
Film doesn’t really do this, though. After all, it’s an analogue medium. At best, typically, we might see the date and time impressed upon the image itself during capture but beyond that… Not really. This device, though, from Alessandro Genova helps you to capture the settings for every film photo you ever take. And it even has a built-in light meter!
Watch: The first ISS moon transition ever captured on 35mm film
Photographer Jason De Freitas has shown us a fantastic lunar eclipse sequence and a timelapse of the Milky Way. What’s special about these projects is that they were shot entirely on 35mm film.
Now Jason has done it again. Using his film camera and a telescope, he shot what seems to be the Holy Grail of astrophotography lately: the ISS transitioning the moon. What’s more, it’s probably the first ISS transit captured on 35mm, ever!
Pentax takes a step back into the past with the launch of the “Film Camera Project”
Pentax is an odd duck, for sure. They’ve held onto DSLRs with a death grip against the onslaught of DSLRs, which could potentially become their undoing in a few years. Now, though, it seems that instead of taking a step towards the future, they’re taking one into the past. But it’s not a backwards step! Film’s resurgence over the last decade or so is no secret. New film brands seem to be popping up regularly and even Kodak is struggling to keep up with demand.
It’s a trend that has not gone unnoticed by Pentax, who have always been a more familiar brand amongst film shooters than digital. So now, they’ve launched a new Film Camera Project. In a press release, the company said the project entails research and developing new Pentax brand “film camera products”, bringing together both veteran and younger engineers to take advantage of both old and new tech.
Leica could announce another film camera in October. Yes, October 2022
Rumor has it that Leica is about to announce yet another 35mm film camera next month. And yes, we’re living in 2022, you didn’t accidentally walk into a time machine. If you still enjoy shooting film, then you’ll be happy to know that the upcoming model should be far more affordable than the $20k limited edition M-A “Titan” introduced earlier this year.
This LEGO camera is a fully functional pinhole camera and shoots with real 35mm film
There isn’t much of a shortage of LEGO cameras. We’ve covered a bunch on here before that either look like real cameras, such as Nikon, Olympus, Leica, Hasselblad and Polaroid and we’ve covered a few functional LEGO cameras, too, although most of those require some… non-standard (LEGO standard) components. This one, though, looks just like a real camera and works just like a real camera, too.
The LEGO ZH1 is a fully functional pinhole camera by Zung92 made entirely of LEGO. It features an actual shutter button, film advance, film take-up reel, a wind lever with a wind release, customisable lenses and you can even switch it up between half and full-frame mode.
How to modify the Plustek 8100 35mm film scanner to scan medium format roll film
Film’s resurgence in the last few years has left many analogue photographers with something of a problem, particularly if they want to shoot medium format film. That’s the lack of scanners on the market capable of scanning film compared to 20 or even 10 years ago. Sure, there are some out there that can do medium and even large format but they’re often prohibitively expensive.
So, photographer Christian Chapman decided to have a go at modifying his Plustek 8100 – a scanner designed for 35mm film – to make it scan medium format 120 roll film. As well as modifying the scanner and designing up some 3D printed replacement parts, he also had to modify the driver to make it scan further than it usually would for 35mm film. And he’s made it all available to download so you can do it yourself.
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