Expired Film Shots

Authentic Southerner · Feb 16, 2015

New to the forum but long time amateur photographer... looking for some feedback/critique on some of my film shots... I usually shoot expired film and shoot both 35mm and 645... b&w and color...

Here are a couple ... the first is the Grand Canyon (in very muted light) shot with a Pentax 645n camera and expired 220 Kodak Portra 160vc.... the second shot with a Nikon F3 and expired Kodak Elite Chrome 100.... both scanned with very little if any editing

limr · Feb 16, 2015

It's interesting to see the color shift in the first shot. We're so used to such vivid colors in a shot of the Grand Canyon. I think this works nicely. And I love the sense of depth and colors in the second one, though I wish the focus were a bit sharper.

dxqcanada · Feb 16, 2015

The OOF actually adds to the nostalgic look to the faded colour.

Authentic Southerner · Feb 16, 2015

Yeah... I hear you on the out of focus... one reason I don't shoot the F3 much is because my eyesight is not what it once was... I wear reading glasses so I can see the speedometer in my car...(I won't say how old I am.. but I saved $ from a summer job to buy a Pioneer SX-1050... I passed the F3 off to a son and shoot mostly a F5 and a little Minolta CLE for 35mm these days... the auto focus on the F5 helps .. a lot

Authentic Southerner · Feb 16, 2015

Here is one that I like... expired tmax-100 in a Minolta CLE 35mm... I developed and scanned the film

Authentic Southerner · Feb 16, 2015

and another.. same film same camera... tmax-100 Minolta CLE 35mm.... this one went a little yellow in the editing... but given the cemetery context I thought it wasn't too bad...

dxqcanada · Feb 16, 2015

I prefer the expired colour film better ... I prefer B&W images to have good blacks and whites, this one looks flat to me.

limr · Feb 16, 2015

Nice. Great tones.

Edit - that was for the first b&w.

Authentic Southerner · Feb 16, 2015

Yes...by processing myself I have probably introduced another variable to the mix...as if there weren't enough already... old cameras, expired film, home processing, old far sighted guy, etc etc..... Good to hear what others think though in a considerate and constructive context... appreciate the input

dxqcanada · Feb 16, 2015

No probs ... you will get many different opinions here ... and if you get tired of your Minolta CLE (cause who really likes cool rangefinder m-mount cameras anyway), I can take it off your hands.

Authentic Southerner · Feb 16, 2015

Ok I will post one last one for the night and see what folks have to say about this .... this I shot on the Big Sur coast last summer... Pentax 645n... expired Kodak txp 320? I think it was.... probably underexposed but I thought it was nice

Authentic Southerner · Feb 16, 2015

dxqcanada said:
No probs ... you will get many different opinions here ... and if you get tired of your Minolta CLE (cause who really likes cool rangefinder m-mount cameras anyway), I can take it off your hands.

Yes the CLE is a nice camera....if only I wasn't so damn far sighted... I cannot afford Leica glass but I have been jonesing for the Voigtlander 15mm.... not sure I can justify it though... unless I sell something else...

smithdan · Feb 16, 2015

Authentic Southerner said:
Yes...by processing myself I have probably introduced another variable to the mix...as if there weren't enough already... old cameras, expired film, home processing, old far sighted guy, etc etc..... Good to hear what others think though in a considerate and constructive context... appreciate the input

Nice. Like the colour shift on the Grand Canyon shot and the look of the street scene.
I can match your list except I'm nearsighted so focus is challenged as well. Did you home process the colour? What chemistry did you use on the Elite Chrome?

Authentic Southerner · Feb 16, 2015

I only process black and white myself....I haven't even considered doing any c-41 or e-6....I know some will cringe but I take all 645 film to Walmart....they send out to a big Fuji lab.... C-41 120-220 film is very cheap...most recently paid about $3.20 for a 220 roll of Portra 160...I have had quite a lot of e-6 done there as well....great results but not as cheap as c41...I usually send c41 35mm to mpix and scan the negatives....Walmart is slow...about 3 weeks but they have only lost one roll out of dozens...and refunded full retail value for the film cost....I've had same sorts of film developed at Dwayne's and personally I saw zero difference in quality.....my two cents fwiw