Film ID what is it and where does it come from 35mm edition

I wanted this to be a Lomography.com article as I thought (Stupidly) that they were open about film stock and happy to have people fully informed. Alas I was rejected as they didn't want people to learn about what film they are using. The problem I have is that I love this company, sure the cameras are overpriced and crappy quality control ( I am not the only one with faulty camera issues) but there is something lively about them and I am a loyal customer. SO I am not out to get them. I am not out to tell you what to buy and what to avoid, but its a little unfair to have a house film and not tell people what film stock you are selling poeple. For the Record I spend hundreds of dollars at their film shop, they have so many types of interesting films.

I have not done any research into 120mm stock, this is different just because a 35mm ISO 100 house film is one company, it is not necessarly so that the 120mm is the same company.

Another company which I adore but sells cheap house film (Of the same stock as Lomography.com) is four corners Dark.

Just know what you are buying and be happy. I like four corners Dark as I ised their house film to test cameras. It is cheap and cheap to process.

Anyway here is what you can do to see what you are feeding your lovelies (35MM)
Written for Lomography.com

Film stock is usually made on one of a very few factories and then re-packaged. I did write a tipster on this but alas it was not deemed worthy for publishing on the web site... soo Here it is for you to read. I hope you find it as interesting as I do.
I have had a few people ask me about identifying Films. I am talking 35mm films not Medium format as I have not done research into 120mm but from this article I hope you will be able to go out and find out for yourself and use these clues to ID your other films.

So you go to the chemist and see house film for 50c so its old and expired but we don’t care it’s CHEAP FILM!! But you know in your heart that you want to know. Its it really Agfa? Kodak? Iford?

Probably bored with me now.. But this is a passion of mine..
This web site has a whole list of the Kodak codes. It is 28 pages long!!!
Kodak Codes Be sure to send him a note and think him for his hard work.

Ferrania may be the biggest source for house label film. There are alternating green + and • symbols between the sprocket holes of every other frame. The font of the frame numbering is segmented, like an LED clock display. Easy right?? Actually you will find most or your Lomo house film (but not all) is This brand. Italian Film!! SWEET! (AS is Uboot and the house film from Four corners Dark)
FYI Ferrania do not make 120mm film… so if you do the research please Let me know.

Fuji film always seems to have coloured stripes running through the sprocket holes. The frame numbers are “pixelated.” There’s an arrow to the LEFT of the half-frame “A” numbers SO if you see bar codes, you have a fuji branded film. Klick Max is Fuji for example. You can see the coloured lines at the top and the barcode with Pixilated Numbers (Also the bar codes are Fuji see below)

But as it is rebranded it doesn’t have Fuji printed on the neg. On occasion this does happen though.

Kodak manufacturered film is numbered in an extended font with smooth outlines. The half-frame “A” numbers have a long-tailed arrow below & a bit to the left of them. There’s a short black bar between 0 and 1 (on the edge without barcodes).

And you can see its a Kodacolor Gold 400 film.

Agfa film. Hm I don’t have much agfa film and the one or two roll tell me that they are really Fuji films.. so I need to research Agfa a bit more. Agfa tends to use a Cyan line for some brands and red triangles for others… but here is what I have so far Symbol marks on colour negative films
Oprima 100 4 red squares
Oprima 200 4 red triangles
Oprima 400 2 red squares
Portrait 160 4 green squares
The cartridge colour tells you the processing for example red /C-41 blue Process E-6 grey B/W negative processing. I am happy to receive any more information you may have

3M or Scotch uses Dots.

OK you have not processed the film, you have only got the canister.. No problem!! Get the barcode number and go to the DX reader (Doesn’t work on windows explorer)
DX codes are here
http://www.imageaircraft.com.au/DXsim/
(Doesn’t work in Windows explorer, if you have the canister, you type in the barcode of the film and it will tell you film speed, exposures, maker etc etc etc good for house films) Lomo films I have are Ferrania, the u-boot films are Ferrania my Rollei retro films are AGFA etc etc

And you can see its a Kodacolor Gold 400 film.

Agfa film. Hm I don’t have much agfa film and the one or two roll tell me that they are really Fuji films.. so I need to research Agfa a bit more. Agfa tends to use a Cyan line for some brands and red triangles for others… but here is what I have so far Symbol marks on colour negative films
Oprima 100 4 red squares
Oprima 200 4 red triangles
Oprima 400 2 red squares
Portrait 160 4 green squares
The cartridge colour tells you the processing for example red /C-41 blue Process E-6 grey B/W negative processing. I am happy to receive any more information you may have

3M or Scotch uses Dots.

OK you have not processed the film, you have only got the canister.. No problem!! Get the barcode number and go to the DX reader (Doesn’t work on windows explorer)
DX codes are here
http://www.imageaircraft.com.au/DXsim/
(Doesn’t work in Windows explorer, if you have the canister, you type in the barcode of the film and it will tell you film speed, exposures, maker etc etc etc good for house films) Lomo films I have are Ferrania, the u-boot films are Ferrania my Rollei retro films are AGFA etc etc

From left to right we have made by..
1.Lomo Redscale 100 – Ferrania Imaging Color FG Plus 100
2. Color Slide X-pro ISO 200 – Rollei made by Agfa (This has no barcode but I can tell after developing)
3.Lomo X-pro Chrome ISO 100 – Eastman Kodak Company Film not indentified
4.Lomo 30mm ISO 100 Color negative – Ferrania Imaging Color FG Plus 100

So you see, the redscale and the ISO 100 normal are the same film but the redscale is loaded in reverse. Pretty cool huh??

I love these films so I am not nit picking. I love to see where things come from and how they are made and I hope you do to

If you need any more info send me a message

Flirting

Been flirting with a few cameras, I have not really been about to take photos and I have been relying on my iPhone for photography.

Took my Fisheye to the city but didn't really use it mainly because it was a dull grey day and I only had my test film in it.
So here are some iPhone pics of the recent weeks.

Furtsration

I listed my Holga on ebay today.

I sold my Holga on ebay today.

Yay. Except I am in debt that's ok but the credit card company are ringing for money. I am awaiting the thugs to turn up on the doorstep.

AN I find a copy that I like (Hence this entry in the film blog. Yes, its a lecia copy , but damn it it was made in 1954 in the USSR.) I want it. I am sellign almost al my cameras to buy it. Alas no one want my digital cameras. I think the ilford sprite will be next. mint condition.. I got it from lightleaks store.

Do you think I should? The box is ratty but the camera is a new as an old camera can be. I have the instructions even. I dunno.

It looks like I will have to sell everything (Including computers) except my russian lovelies.

Anyway Bye bye Holga. Only used you for two rolls but we never bonded. I am sure your new owner will enjoy your charms I am sorry it didn't work out.

Super sampler

I can express what a disappointment this camera is. I wanted it and I was thrilled when I got on in a camera mystery bag at christmas.

David has to show me how to work it, and I played with it, but I didn't bond at all. I was not comfortable using it and I revereted to me iPhone to do the same thing. So it sat with hald a film used in it. On my trip part 2, I took it with me to use the rest of the film and maybe sell the damned thing. Its fun if you are 6. Or can shoot children but I am not 6 and I can't shoot random children this modern society frowns upon such things.
So I struggled.

If you are an active person or photographs children or have dogs or cats who are active then this maybe bfor you.

SO imagine me releif when I send in the film.

And my disappointment when the fild came back. It was an ISO 400 film, it was used outsiode excep three shots which I am not counting in my assessment. The Agfa Vista plus film was a good batch, I have used it in the Cmena cameras with success. Sooooo

Why did I get results like this???



Sticky shutter. One shutter, the last one stays open too long. Piece of crap.



Poor qualty and as this is my second defective camera from Lomography.com, I am wondering if my loyalty should lie elsewhere. If I had bought it from the Lomo store here in Sydney then I may have been able to return it but Lomo in HK syas I have to return in within 14days. Hmmm
Mind you if you meed their 14day guideline, they are helpful and happy to pay for a courier to replace the camera with a new one. But couriers are a pain in the arse. You sit here all day and they come at 1600 but if you leave for the post office at 10, they come at 1003hrs.. AARGGHH hate couriers. hate hate hate. I am very lucky in that the PO acts as y business address and the ladies there know me and sign for me. YAY! Benefit of a small town.

I am wondering of the other cameras I have from them are defective and I will be stuck with them. I am sad and crawl back to my 1954-1975 soviet russian built cameras.







in other news I saw Lomo cameras in a shop in Newcastle!!

Squee New Fed Micron

This camera is a 3rd model (was made from 1968 through 1986) of FED Micron.

The early (1967), 1st model was nearly identical to the Konica EYE half-frame camera of the same period.

While the original model was nearly identical to the Konica Eye, the model III evolved to show a few small differences. For example, while the earlier models had a hinged film door, this version has a removable back.

The camera in this lot was bought in April,1975 (according to receipt).

General and technical characteristics

This is a half frame viewfinder camera with manual override.

Focusing is by distance scale on the lens or symbols in the viewfinder.

Shutter speeds are visible in the viewfinder as is a parallax frame for close-ups.

Camera has shutter priority auto-exposure controlled by a selenium meter around the lens.

The lens is a Helios-89 30mm/f1.9. Shutter speeds of B, 1/30 - 1/800.

Film speeds use the Soviet system (16 - 250).

The built-in selenium meter also sets the shutter speed and the f-stop in a programmed exposure mode.

At 1/30 the f-stop is f1.9; at 1/800 the f-stop is f16.

For flash use, the apertures can be set manually with a 1/30 shutter.

There is also a B setting for the shutter which sets the aperture at f1.9 -- great for night shots.

In low-light conditions a red flag covers up the shutter speeds and prevents exposure -- nice touches.

Film Size: 35mm
Image Size: 24x18mm
Dimensions:
height:7.5cm
width:11.7cm
depth:5.2cm
weight:445gm
Normal lens:Helios-89 30mm f1.9
Lens Mount: fixed
Filter size: M46X.075
Typical serial no: 7500742




That was the add a few months ago and to decided to buy it. Alas it took ages to arrive. I only arrived today. Thats almost 2 months.
Still I quite like these little halfframe cameras. I hope the ad it right and the selenium meter does work. The aperture selection is odd and difficult to know what you have selected. The instruction book is in Russian as you would expect but on the whole a nicve piece.


My Chayka is a delight to use to I hope this one lives up to its companion in service.


The Diana mini, the great disappointment, has been exchanged and I have no opened the camera. After using the little but heavy steel construction russian cameras I really don't wanna try the plastic badly made chinese camera. My delight in Lomo is lessened witht he failure of the Supersampler. I have a few old cameras, all made in russia and two from germany and they are all better in quality than the Lomo branded items.



So I have returrn the Diana Mini, Sold I hope the supersampler or I'll give it away, I'll keep the Diana love edition  (Its pretty) and the Old 1960s Diana F sell the Holga and stick to my Beloved Russian Cameras with a few exeptions. I do want a cat camera....

I know I can buy it from Four corners Dark I just hope stock stays until I can afford one.. lol Silly but cute.

Finally joined One roll one Month, the web site is horrible but the people are lovely. :-)

OK Back from my road trip.

Slowly I am uploading films from the trip.

I was disappointed in the Supersampler, it seems to keep the last shutter open too long causing overexposure :-(
shame because some cute photos were ruined





I was happy with the February Fish eye challenge. And I was thrilled with one photo of David diving into the pool :-) I would love to do this sort of challenge again.

Any Ideas for april?







and of course my favourite


A lot of my lomo photos are at my Lomohome and of course, FLickr

I have a little pamphlet I wrote on the lighthouses on our trip this past week, so if you like lighthouses have a browse. There is also a photo magazine.

WooZang Issue 2: Lighthouses of Western Victoria

Some of the more beautiful lighthouses in the state of Victoria stand along the Great Ocean Road. I take you on my road trip to visit this lovely ladies who keep ships safe from harm. I have included as much detail about each lighthouse as I possibly can.

WooZang Issue 1: Sydney Harbour and Surrounds

Sydney's pride and joy is its harbour. For me, I delight in riding the ferries and shooting what passes me by. Join my in my excusions through the past summer on the harbour of 2011