A view from the bottom of Hilton Falls as it plummets down to the river below in a forest near Milton, Ontario.
#BuyIntoArt #HiltonFalls #Nature #NaturePhotography #Painterly #Waterfalls #DiscoverON #forest #Milton #Ontario
https://john-twynam.pixels.com/featured/hilton-falls-near-milton-ontario-painting-john-twynam.html
A small waterfall cascades over some rocks in the forest of Hilton Falls Conservation Area near Milton, Ontario.
#BuyIntoArt #ConservationArea #HiltonFalls #Nature #NaturePhotography #Waterfalls #DiscoverON #waterfall #cascades #forest #Milton #Ontario
I visited a lot of provincial parks and conservation areas when everyone around here was social distancing. One of them is Hilton Falls, which also has the ruins of an old mill.
#AYearForArt #BuyIntoArt #Nature #NaturePhotography #Waterfalls #DiscoverON #HiltonFalls #Milton #Ontario #Ruins
https://john-twynam.pixels.com/featured/hilton-falls-near-milton-ontario-3-john-twynam.html
Film Review Blog No. 78 – Rollei Paul & Reinhold
I remember not being overly excited about Rollei Paul & Reinhold when it was first announced in September of 2020. I mean, yes, it is great to see a special edition film released to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of a premier and historic camera maker (Franke & Heidecke later Rollei). There was little data on the film at the time, and there are still many gaps. This is a special edition film, limited production, and limited developer formulas; there's no time for Ilfotec HC!
Film Specs
Type: Panchromatic B&W
Film Base: Polyester
Film Speed: ASA-640, Latitude: 320-1600
Formats Available: 135 (35mm)
Roll 01 - Rollei Supergrain
My gut was telling me that I would end up with some grainy mush, not that I see that as a bad thing, but I wasn't expecting much from the film. Of course, as soon as I pulled the negatives out from the tank, my mind changed instantly. The density of the negatives were perfect, the film base proved clear with the Rollei and Paul & Reinhold/640 clearly marked on the rebate. But then scanning came treat number two. There's a reason that Rollei recommended their Supergrain developer because I ended up with a rich contrast that delivered excellent tonal separation. While there is grain, but it helps add edge sharpness, and the film is nice and sharp. As an introduction to the film, I am certainly impressed.
Nikon F5 - AF-S Nikkor 28-70mm 1:2.8D (Yellow-12) - Rollei Paul & Reinhold @ ASA-640 - Rollei Supergrain (1+12) 9:30 @ 20CNikon F5 - AF-S Nikkor 28-70mm 1:2.8D (Yellow-12) - Rollei Paul & Reinhold @ ASA-640 - Rollei Supergrain (1+12) 9:30 @ 20CNikon F5 - AF-S Nikkor 28-70mm 1:2.8D (Yellow-12) - Rollei Paul & Reinhold @ ASA-640 - Rollei Supergrain (1+12) 9:30 @ 20CNikon F5 - AF-S Nikkor 28-70mm 1:2.8D (Yellow-12) - Rollei Paul & Reinhold @ ASA-640 - Rollei Supergrain (1+12) 9:30 @ 20C
Roll 02 - Kodak D-76
I have mixed reaction to these images. My initial plan had been to develop these using a 1+1 time which might have helped reduce the prevalence of grain but probably would have dropped the contrast, whereas I did notice a certain drop in contrast even with stock but an uptick in visible grain. Yeah, mixed reaction. I'm not saying that these are bad nor is the combination bad, it certainly is what I initially expected from Paul & Reinhold, lower contrast and a bit more grain. The grain is a bit mushy, but you do have decent edge sharpness but you do lose that tonal separation, even with a yellow filter added in, maybe adding a deeper yellow filter will help out. While not a recommended developer in my case, but it will work in a pinch.
Nikon FA - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Rollei Paul & Reinhold @ ASA-640 - Kodak D-76 (Stock) 9:00 @ 20CNikon FA - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Rollei Paul & Reinhold @ ASA-640 - Kodak D-76 (Stock) 9:00 @ 20CNikon FA - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Rollei Paul & Reinhold @ ASA-640 - Kodak D-76 (Stock) 9:00 @ 20CNikon FA - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Rollei Paul & Reinhold @ ASA-640 - Kodak D-76 (Stock) 9:00 @ 20C
Roll 03 - Adox Rodinal
Alright, so there is an official Rodinal time for Paul & Reinhold, and I nearly did use the listed time, but I wanted to see how well the film performed when developed using the stand method. When developed normally in Rodinal the film is excellent and I was drawn in by some examples shared by fellow photographer Ori. But I made the choice after seeing the results I got out of D-76 being a little too grainy from what I saw earlier. The results were awesome, I went with a 1+100 dilution and had two slow inversions at the 30-minute mark. While there is still grain it's far more reduced than what I saw with D-76. But the grain helps build up that edge sharpness which combined with the tonal separation adds to the film's overall sharpness. There's a good contrast, nothing too harsh or soft a nice middle ground. While worth the effort and time taken for the results.
Minolta Maxxum 9 - Minolta Maxxum AF 28-135mm 1:4-4.5 - Rollei Paul & Reinhold @ ASA-640 - Adox Rodinal (1+100) 60:00 @ 20CMinolta Maxxum 9 - Minolta Maxxum AF 28-135mm 1:4-4.5 - Rollei Paul & Reinhold @ ASA-640 - Adox Rodinal (1+100) 60:00 @ 20CMinolta Maxxum 9 - Minolta Maxxum AF 28-135mm 1:4-4.5 - Rollei Paul & Reinhold @ ASA-640 - Adox Rodinal (1+100) 60:00 @ 20CMinolta Maxxum 9 - Minolta Maxxum AF 28-135mm 1:4-4.5 - Rollei Paul & Reinhold @ ASA-640 - Adox Rodinal (1+100) 60:00 @ 20C
Roll 04 - Adox FX-39 II
In full disclosure, there are no official published times for Paul & Reinhold and Adox FX-39 II, but have decided to do one roll as stand developed I didn't want to include two going with HC-110 Dil. J. This means I needed to backwards engineer a time as I didn't have any other official listed chemistry. I went back through my records and found a film with a close box speed and the same D-76 stock dilution times. I landed on Bergger Pancro 400, which is decently close to the ASA-640 of Paul & Reinhold. From there I looked up FX-39 times, which I had felt would be a good fit for the film, landing on a longer more dilute time, I calculated back to a 1+9 dilution time. I ended up shooting two rolls the first at the box speed of ASA-640 and the second at ASA-320. The results are both excellent, at ASA-640, the negatives were thin but after scanning and some work in Photoshop they turned out better. The images were sharp, with a bit of grain, but I've come to expect that with this film, deep tones and excellent contrast. The second roll I pulled in development to account for the overexposure and the results were even better, with good density on the negatives that scanned well and needed little in the way of adjustment. There is some reduction in grain but no loss of sharpness, the contrast has also been reduced but nothing that takes away from the images themselves.
Minolta XE-7 - Minolta MD W.Rokkor-X 28mm 1:2.8 - Rollei Paul & Reinhold @ ASA-640 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 9:00 @ 20CMinolta XE-7 - Minolta MD W.Rokkor-X 28mm 1:2.8 - Rollei Paul & Reinhold @ ASA-640 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 9:00 @ 20CMinolta XD11 - Minolta MD Rokkor-X 50mm 1:1.7 - Rollei Paul & Reinhold @ ASA-320 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 8:00 @ 20CMinolta XD11 - Minolta MD Rokkor-X 50mm 1:1.7 - Rollei Paul & Reinhold @ ASA-320 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 8:00 @ 20C
Final Thoughts
Despite all my searching online, I haven't found any real clue onto the original source of this film, some point to a re-release of Agfa Isopan or Tasma T42, or a found roll of older film that's been over-exposed. How much was made or if it will continue to be made is unknown, so if you want to try it, now is the time as some stores still have it in stock but that stock may be limited. Overall I'm rather happy with the results and the film, the one thing that I wish they had were HC-110 times, but I managed to pick up another pair of rolls to see what I can figure out, thankfully working with FX-39 II on Bergger Pancro 400 times gives me an educated guess! And it actually worked and the images developed in Ilfotec HC turned out amazing, and probably are my favourite from the film.
Further Reading
Don't take my word on Paul & Reinhold, check out these other reviews of the films stock!
Beau Photo - Camera Confidential: Rollei Paul & Reinhold Limited Edition B&W Film
Kosmo Foto - New ‘Paul & Reinhold’ black-and-white films mark 100th anniversary of Rollei
#filmreviewblogs #adoxfx39ii #adoxrodinal #asa640 #canada #film #filmreview #guelph #hamilton #hiltonfalls #kodakd76 #macodirect #milton #minoltamaxxum9 #minoltaxe7 #nikonf5 #nikonfa #ontario #paulreinhold #review #rollei #rolleipaulreinhold #rolleisupergrain
Classic Camera Revival – Episode 112 – Hot Adox Summer
It's been a long hot summer, and Alex sits down for a rare CCR Solo show to talk about his experiences with Adox. If you haven't heard of Adox, then prepare to have your introduction made to the oldest name in film photography chemistry and supplies! While the original 1860s Adox is long gone their name and experience live on with the modern form of the company started by Fotoimpex as a way to preserve not only the intellectual properties of Adox but also Agfa!
Nikon FE - AI-S Nikkor 50mm 1:1.4 - Adox Silvermax @ ASA-100 - Adox Silvermax Developer (1+29) 11:00 @ 20C
Mamiya m645 - Mamiya-Sekor C 1:2.8 f=80mm - Rollei Superpan 200 @ ASA-160 - Adox Silvermax Developer (1+29) 15:30 @ 20COlympus OM-2n - Olympus G.Zuiko Auto-W 1:2.8 f=35mm (Yellow-12) - Adox HR-50 @ ASA-50 - Adox HR-DEV (1+49) 11:00 @ 22CRolleiflex 2.8F - Carl Zeiss Planar 80mm 1:2.8 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-125 - Adox HR-DEV (1+35) 12:00 @ 20CMamiya m645 - Mamiya-Sekor C 45mm 1:2.8 N - Ilford FP4+ @ ASA-125 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 6:00 @ 20CNikon F5 - AF Nikkor 35mm 1:2D - Adox Silvermax @ ASA-100 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 8:00 @ 20CNikon F5 - AF-S Nikkor 28-70mm 1:2.8D - Adox CHS 100 II @ ASA-100 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 7:30 @ 20CMinolta Maxxum 9 - Minolta Maxxum AF 28-135mm 1:4-4.5 (Yellow-12) - Efke KB100 @ ASA-100 - Adox Atomal 49 (Stock) 8:00 @ 20C
You can order Adox products and other film photography projects through Fotoimpex. Also, make sure to follow them on Facebook and Instagram for the latest!
Web: www.fotoimpex.com
Instagram: instagram.com/adoxphoto
Facebook: facebook.com/ADOXPHOTO
Want a subscription to SilverGrain Classics and are a fan of Classic Camera Revival? Visit their shop online and buy a magazine or a subscription? Looking for a good spot to get your gear and material fix check out Burlington Camera (Burlington, ON), Downtown Camera (Toronto, ON), Film Plus (Toronto, ON), Belle Arte Camera (Hamilton, ON), Pond's FotoSource (Guleph, ON), Foto Art Camera (Owen Sound, ON). Out West there's Kerrisdale Cameras (BC), The Camera Store (Calgary, AB) and Beau Photo Supply (Vancouver, BC). Additionally you can order online at Argentix (Quebec), buyfilm.ca (Ontario), the Film Photography Project or Freestyle Photographic. Looking for development options, check out these labs that have our support, Boréalis Photo Lab, Old School Photo Lab, The Darkroom, and Film Rescue International.
Also you can connect with us through email: classiccamerarevivial[at]gmail[dot]com or by Facebook, we're at Classic Camera Revival, Twitter @ccamerarevival, and Instagram (@classiccamerarevival)!
#classiccamerarevival #adox #adoxatomol49 #adoxchs100ii #adoxfx39ii #adoxhr50 #adoxhrdev #adoxsilvermax #adoxsilvermaxdeveloper #canada #ccr #crawfordlake #efkekb100 #fomapan200 #fotoimpex #hiltonfalls #ilfordfp4 #mamiyam645 #milton #minoltamaxxum9 #nikonf5 #nikonfe #olympusom2n #ontario #paris #podcast #rolleisuperpan200 #rolleiflex28f #solo #toronto #welland
Optical Review Blog No. 19 – Konica Minolta Zoom AF 17-35mm 1:2.8-4 D
If you know me and my photography, you know that I'm a sucker for a good ultra-wide angle lens. The problem is that these lenses can often cost a fair amount of money and often have several issues that go along with that wide focal length. Probably the best lens of this class (ultra-wide zoom) is the Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8G which I reviewed last month. Sadly no other company has a similar lens to that beautiful Nikkor glass. However, while I was building up my Maxxum kit, I happened across this lens. While it is the odd duck in my Maxxum kit, all my lenses are pretty close to OG Maxxum without getting crossed x's; it fits the bill perfectly. Sure, it's not a favourite lens among A-Mount shooters, and it's far from perfect. But it does exactly what I need it to do, and it didn't break the bank.
Lens Specifications
Make: Konica Minolta
Model: Zoom AF 17-35mm 1:2.8-4 D
Focal Length: 17-35mm
Focal Range: ∞ - 0.3m
Aperture: f/2.8-4 - f/22-32, 7 Blades
Structure: 14 Elements in 11 Groups
You can clearly see the barrel distortion in the image, mainly because I was nearly right next to the test chart - Image shot at f/8.
Minolta Maxxum 9 - Konica Minolta Zoom AF 17-35mm 1:2.8-4 (D) - Kodak TMax 100 @ ASA-100 - Argentix T-Grain Developer (1+4) 6:00 @ 20CEven with a 17mm lens, at f/2.8 the depth of field is narrow and the image is rather soft.
Minolta Maxxum 9 - Konica Minolta Zoom AF 17-35mm 1:2.8-4 (D) - Kodak TMax 100 @ ASA-100 - Argentix T-Grain Developer (1+4) 6:00 @ 20COnce you get to f/4 the depth of field tightens up and the image starts to get sharp.
Minolta Maxxum 9 - Konica Minolta Zoom AF 17-35mm 1:2.8-4 (D) - Kodak TMax 100 @ ASA-100 - Argentix T-Grain Developer (1+4) 6:00 @ 20CYou start to get into the sweet spot for the lens at the f/8 mark.
Minolta Maxxum 9 - Konica Minolta Zoom AF 17-35mm 1:2.8-4 (D) - Kodak TMax 100 @ ASA-100 - Argentix T-Grain Developer (1+4) 6:00 @ 20CThere is little difference between f/8 and f/16.
Minolta Maxxum 9 - Konica Minolta Zoom AF 17-35mm 1:2.8-4 (D) - Kodak TMax 100 @ ASA-100 - Argentix T-Grain Developer (1+4) 6:00 @ 20CAt f/22 the depth of field is nice and wide and the image gets a good level of sharpness.
Minolta Maxxum 9 - Konica Minolta Zoom AF 17-35mm 1:2.8-4 (D) - Kodak TMax 100 @ ASA-100 - Argentix T-Grain Developer (1+4) 6:00 @ 20C
Build Quality
What surprises me the most about the K-M 17-35/2.8-4 is how light the thing is, given that it's an ultra-wide-angle lens with an f/2.8 maximum aperture on the wide end of things. Thankfully the lens is primarily made from plastic. Not the most well-built lens in my kit, but it does have the needed foundation where it counts. While the outer housing and filter thread and hood mount are plastic, the lens mount is metal, and the optics are clearly glass. It does little to throw off balance on the Maxxum 9; no surprise there. Still, I could see the lens being comfortable on cameras without a grip and even the older models like the si , xi , i and original series of Minolta autofocus cameras. The only thing to caution about is being careful about mounting and dismounting the hood or letting it knock against objects. Given that the hood and the hood mount (bayonet) are plastic, they can damage far easier. The one nice thing is that the optics are well protected, and the front element does not stick out past the front of the lens. It also has a 77mm filter thread, which means that you can easily add colour or other filters to the lens.
Any distortion and fall-off is gone at the 35mm focal length, image is shot at f/8.
Minolta Maxxum 9 - Konica Minolta Zoom AF 17-35mm 1:2.8-4 (D) - Kodak TMax 100 @ ASA-100 - Argentix T-Grain Developer (1+4) 6:00 @ 20CAt 35mm and f/4 the image quality and sharpness is pleasing.
Minolta Maxxum 9 - Konica Minolta Zoom AF 17-35mm 1:2.8-4 (D) - Kodak TMax 100 @ ASA-100 - Argentix T-Grain Developer (1+4) 6:00 @ 20CAt f/5.6 the depth of field or image quality has little change.
Minolta Maxxum 9 - Konica Minolta Zoom AF 17-35mm 1:2.8-4 (D) - Kodak TMax 100 @ ASA-100 - Argentix T-Grain Developer (1+4) 6:00 @ 20CWhile you do get a bit more of the rear in focus at f/8, the front still is a bit out.
Minolta Maxxum 9 - Konica Minolta Zoom AF 17-35mm 1:2.8-4 (D) - Kodak TMax 100 @ ASA-100 - Argentix T-Grain Developer (1+4) 6:00 @ 20CYou start to get a good wide depth of field at f/19.
Minolta Maxxum 9 - Konica Minolta Zoom AF 17-35mm 1:2.8-4 (D) - Kodak TMax 100 @ ASA-100 - Argentix T-Grain Developer (1+4) 6:00 @ 20CIt should come at no surprise that the whole image is in focus at f/32.
Minolta Maxxum 9 - Konica Minolta Zoom AF 17-35mm 1:2.8-4 (D) - Kodak TMax 100 @ ASA-100 - Argentix T-Grain Developer (1+4) 6:00 @ 20C
Image Quality
The first thing that you notice about the 17-35 is that there is a great deal of distortion at the 17mm end, especially when you have the lens close to the subject; while there is a curvature to the front lens element, the lens is certainly not aspherical like the 14-24mm f/2.8G from Nikon. Thankfully that is not much of a problem once you're further back from your subject. I rarely encounter it when working out in the field because I don't use this lens for close up work at the 17mm end. It also is not apparent when you zoom into the 35mm focal length. However, this lens still has some optical troubles; at the wide end, you will notice vignetting and distortion at your corners at wider apertures, not as apparent at the 35mm end but rather heavy at the 17mm end. This vignetting does go away once you get past f/5.6, the sweet spot between f/8 and f/22(32). While decent at f/4, if you shoot it wide open at f/2.8, the image is soft, but that clears up at f/4. Honestly, Konica Minolta probably would have made a better lens if they made it a constant f/4 aperture. The out-of-focus elements are nothing special but are smooth on the edges. The lens does not have trouble with flare; surprisingly, the deep-set from the element and the hood works in the favour, and unless your light is seriously off-axis or directly in front of the lens, it hardly flares. Despite its faults, the 17-35mm is not a bad lens, considering the cost.
Minolta Maxxum 9 - Konica Minolta Zoom AF 17-35mm 1:2.8-4 (D) - Kodak TMax 100 @ ASA-100 - Argentix T-Grain Developer (1+4) 6:00 @ 20CMinolta Maxxum 9 - Konica Minolta Zoom AF 17-35mm 1:2.8-4 (D) - Kodak TMax 100 @ ASA-100 - Argentix T-Grain Developer (1+4) 6:00 @ 20CMinolta Maxxum 9 - Konica Minolta Zoom AF 17-35mm 1:2.8-4 (D) - Kodak TMax 100 @ ASA-100 - Argentix T-Grain Developer (1+4) 6:00 @ 20CMinolta Maxxum 9 - Konica Minolta Zoom AF 17-35mm 1:2.8-4 (D) - Kodak TMax 100 @ ASA-100 - Argentix T-Grain Developer (1+4) 6:00 @ 20CMinolta Maxxum 9 - Konica Minolta Zoom AF 17-35mm 1:2.8-4 (D) - Kodak TMax 100 @ ASA-100 - Argentix T-Grain Developer (1+4) 6:00 @ 20C
Applications
If you're a fan of landscapes, capturing the wide-open space or are a wide-angle junkie like I am, then this is your lens. While it certainly has some pain points in the optical quality department, these generally go away when you're shooting outside and stopping the lens down. And any distortion is easily fixed in post-processing. However, these distortions make it unsuitable for architecture work (unless you're cool with fixing). Personally, this would have been a favourite lens of mine while exploring if I had originally gone down the A-Mount path instead of the F-Mount path. The lens I can also see is a fun option covering outdoor events and capturing large crowds when you don't always have the space to step back and use a longer focal length. And even though it's not a constant aperture, f/4 isn't too bad. One of my favourite compact lenses for the Maxxum system is the 35-70mm f/4. As for portraits, certainly not; even if you think it will 'look cool', the distortion on this lens is way too strong.
Minolta Maxxum 9 - Konica Minolta Zoom AF 17-35mm 1:2.8-4 (D) - Kodak TMax 100 @ ASA-100 - Argentix T-Grain Developer (1+4) 6:00 @ 20CMinolta Maxxum 9 - Konica Minolta Zoom AF 17-35mm 1:2.8-4 (D) - Kodak TMax 100 @ ASA-100 - Argentix T-Grain Developer (1+4) 6:00 @ 20CMinolta Maxxum 9 - Konica Minolta Zoom AF 17-35mm 1:2.8-4 (D) - Kodak TMax 100 @ ASA-100 - Argentix T-Grain Developer (1+4) 6:00 @ 20CMinolta Maxxum 9 - Konica Minolta Zoom AF 17-35mm 1:2.8-4 (D) - Kodak TMax 100 @ ASA-100 - Argentix T-Grain Developer (1+4) 6:00 @ 20CMinolta Maxxum 9 - Konica Minolta Zoom AF 17-35mm 1:2.8-4 (D) - Kodak TMax 100 @ ASA-100 - Argentix T-Grain Developer (1+4) 6:00 @ 20C
The Low Down
Thankfully because of the poor reputation this lens has, you can pick one up at a reasonable price for what the lens is; most run from 175-260$ on the used market. Some are a little more expensive, but these are often new in the box and come with all the original factory accessories. Of all the accessories you do want is the hood, at the very least, as it does help cut down on flare. If a constant aperture is something that you do look for in a lens, there is the 17-35mm f/3.5 model, but look for the later model units with the 'green' coating, but you're also looking at costs around 350-500$ on average. It also depends on the camera you're shooting; the f/3.5 version (the later versions) are far better performers on digital cameras, while the K-M version does better with film. Please don't ask me why; that's what my source has said.
Further Reading
Don't just take my view on the 17-35mm, check out these other reviews.
Kurt Munger - Konica Minolta Zoom 17-35mm 1:2.8-4 (D) Review
Imaging Resource - Konica Minolta 17-35mm 1:2.8-4 D AF Review
Dyxium - Minolta AF 17-35mm F2.8-4 D A-mount lens reviews
#opticalreviewblog #canada #hiltonfalls #kodaktmax100 #konicaminolta #konicaminoltazoomaf1735mm1284d #lens #lensreview #milton #minoltamaxxum9 #ontario #optics #review
Ah yes, it is that time of year again when the weather turns suddenly stinking hot, and minds turn to vacation. Sadly when Heather and I took our first week off, things were still closed off; that did not stop us because we had the same trouble last year when we went on vacation. And while I did shoot a lot of film during the week, I also got the chance to give my D750 a good run with different lenses other than the 28-70/2.8D, which is becoming a workhorse in my kit for both the F5 and the D750. And since most of the content I share here is related to film, why not show off a bit of colour since it is summer vacation!
It's been a while since I last saw the Paletta Mansion.
Nikon D750 - AF Nikkor 35mm 1:2DA quiet day along the lakeshore.
Nikon D750 - AF Nikkor 35mm 1:2DA different angle on the lakeshore.
Nikon D750 - AF Nikkor 35mm 1:2DA very empty creek.
Nikon D750 - AF Nikkor 35mm 1:2D
The week opened with a trip out to Burlington, with Heather's parents coming over to help with some electrical work. I had to pick up some treats from Sunshine Doughnuts and Nickel Brook brewery, but that meant killing time, so I went to the beautiful Paletta Mansion to catch some early morning light before heading into the downtown to line up for doughnuts then to the brewery for their handcrafted Root Beer and Ginger Beer, which if you are a fan of, are well worth going to pick up. The Monday saw us take a drive along the Niagara Parkway from Fort Erie to Niagara-On-The-Lake, with a picnic outside past Frenchman's Creek. We stopped at Niagara Falls to walk around the falls. It was surreal as there were very few people present before heading to Niagara-On-The-Lake. With Tuesday and Wednesday being rainy, we stayed inside.
The International Railroad Bridge in Fort Erie, Ontario
Nikon D750 - AF Nikkor 50mm 1:1.4DWilloughby Historical Museum
Nikon D750 - AF Nikkor 50mm 1:1.4DHeather at Niagara Falls, strange to not have to jockey for position and photos.
Nikon D750 - AF Nikkor 50mm 1:1.4DAnd equally empty downtown Niagara-On-The-Lake.
Nikon D750 - AF Nikkor 50mm 1:1.4D
Sunny weather returned by Thursday, so we headed out to St. Jacobs to visit the farmers market, which is great to visit on Thursdays as fewer people are milling about, and you can actually feel comfortable in the smaller crowds. Then a walk around the historic village before taking the long route home along Highway 7. Sadly with so few people at the market, my plan to get some street style shots in were dashed, but I managed to get a few.
One of the more unique sellers at the Market. Almost everyone from this farm were in some sort of costume.
Nikon D750 - AF DC-Nikkor 105mm 1:2DFirst time seeing purple cauliflower.
Nikon D750 - AF DC-Nikkor 105mm 1:2DHeather outside a former church turned toy store.
Nikon D750 - AF DC-Nikkor 105mm 1:2DFormer flour mill turned cafe and market.
Nikon D750 - AF DC-Nikkor 105mm 1:2D
On Friday, after enjoying coffee in the morning with my parents (it was my mom's birthday), we closed off the week with a hike at Hilton Falls. With reservations still in place and going in the middle of the day on a weekday meant there were again not that many people on the trails or around the falls. Intending to keep the kit small and light, I went with my 28mm manual focus lens. And the light was perfect even under the canopy of the deep woods that surrounds the trails. I even managed to get a few good shots in of the falls themselves.
Always a favourite, Hilton Falls.
Nikon D70 - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5Heather waiting for me to do my photography thing.
Nikon D70 - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5The light was perfect!
Nikon D70 - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5Another favourite, a section of rock visible above the forest floor.
Nikon D70 - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5
Well, that's it for this week's Summer Vacation, but this isn't the only time off we have this summer, so stay tuned in August for Part II! You can of course see all the photos here over on Flickr.
#photography #hiltonfalls #milton #niagaraparkway #nikkor #nikond750 #stjacobs #stjacobsmarket #summer #travel #vacation
Film Review Blog No. 72 – Adox Silvermax
If there is one film that has achieved a little bit of a cult following these days it's Adox Silvermax. Silvermax was the first true film to come out of the renewed Adox Fotowerks GmbH factory in Bad Sarrow, Germany and its parent company Fotoimpex. Based on a classic Agfa film, a modern take on APX 100, it has a higher than normal silver content and when paired with Adox Silvermax Developer presents a classic B&W look. If you were a fan of the older Adox and Efke films, then Silvermax will be your jam (I Hope). The official documentation states that Silvermax has a higher than normal silver content resulting in a higher DMAX (which is the maximum density that can be distinguished from black by a scanner or densitometer or whatever device. It is a single number representing a single density), has a finer grain, sharpness, and has an anti-halation layer between the emulsion and the base. Silvermax is one of several films I'm reviewing this year that I will not have D-76/ID-11 as part of the review process. The one thing you'll notice is that there are none of my 'standard' developers in this review, while you can develop Silvermax in D-76/ID-11, Rodinal, and HC-110, I decided that to get the best results out of Silvermax, might as well go full Adox. So I went with Adox Silvermax developer, the matched pair for Silvermax, along with Adox Atomol 49 a historic developer that handles high silver content films. Adox HR-DEV is an interesting choice but only because it listed Silvermax as one of two films on the bottle. And finally, we have Adox FX-39 II because it's just an awesome developer and might as well stick to the theme.
These are examples of previous production run cylinders, the current run features a two-tone special edition 160th Anniversary Colour Scheme that is rather eye catching.
Film Specs
Type: Panchromatic B&W
Film Base: Triacetate
Film Speed: ASA-100, Latitude: 50-200
Formats Available: 135
Roll 01 - Adox Silvermax Developer
You know, it's a shame that Silvermax film is going away because the results I got out of this first roll are amazing! That should come as no surprise as the Silvermax Film and Developer are made for each other. And the results speak for themselves. These images have a rich deep contrast, without being overly so. The blacks are blacks and the whites are clean and the tonal separation between them is excellent. This combined with an excellent grain structure allows for good overall sharpness and edge sharpness. While officially the documentation calls for a different agitation pattern I went with a standard pattern (constant for the first minute, then five inversions every following minute) and I'm happy with my results. The only downside is only ever shooting Silvermax in Silvermax developer once.
Nikon FE - AI-S Nikkor 50mm 1:1.4 - Adox Silvermax @ ASA-100 - Adox Silvermax Developer (1+29) 11:00 @ 20CNikon FE - AI-S Nikkor 50mm 1:1.4 - Adox Silvermax @ ASA-100 - Adox Silvermax Developer (1+29) 11:00 @ 20CNikon FE - AI-S Nikkor 50mm 1:1.4 - Adox Silvermax @ ASA-100 - Adox Silvermax Developer (1+29) 11:00 @ 20CNikon FE - AI-S Nikkor 50mm 1:1.4 - Adox Silvermax @ ASA-100 - Adox Silvermax Developer (1+29) 11:00 @ 20C
Roll 02 - Adox HR-DEV
I initially thought I would not use HR-DEV in this review, but after finishing off the five rolls I needed for the review of the developer I had just enough left for one more roll and decided that because Silvermax is printed on the bottle, I should use it for Silvermax. What struck me as odd is that I had to give the film a one-stop push for the published times. I'm sure I could have calculated out the ASA-100 times. And the results speak for themselves, you get a rich contrast, with deep blacks and bright highlights. You can see that the fine-grain nature of Silvermax maintains that with the one-stop push combine with the sharpness given with the HR-DEV. While the fifteen-minute development time combined with the weird agitation pattern (initially thirty-seconds then two inversions every two minutes), might turn people off, but I think it's worth it to get that extra boost of speed.
Minolta XE-7 - Minolta MD Rokkor-X 45mm 1:2 - Adox Silvermax @ ASA-200 - Adox HR-DEV (1+30) 15:00 @ 20CMinolta XE-7 - Minolta MD Rokkor-X 45mm 1:2 - Adox Silvermax @ ASA-200 - Adox HR-DEV (1+30) 15:00 @ 20CMinolta XE-7 - Minolta MD Rokkor-X 45mm 1:2 - Adox Silvermax @ ASA-200 - Adox HR-DEV (1+30) 15:00 @ 20CMinolta XE-7 - Minolta MD Rokkor-X 45mm 1:2 - Adox Silvermax @ ASA-200 - Adox HR-DEV (1+30) 15:00 @ 20C
Roll 03 - Adox Atomol 49
While Atomal is a recent addition to my chemistry kit, it certainly has made a bit impact. As a developer that handles older films stocks and film stocks with higher silver content I figured it would make a great choice for Silvermax. And it did not disappoint me in that endeavour. While not the same results as I got with the paired Silvermax Developer, these are darn close! First off there's an excellent contrast here, despite the terrible lighting conditions I was shoot in, with good tonal separation. There's also excellent edge sharpness and maintaining of fine grain. A worthwhile developer if you have a stash of Silvermax film but no Silvermax developer!
Minolta Maxxum 9 - Minolta Maxxum AF 28-135mm 1:4-4.5 - Adox Silvermax @ ASA-100 - Adox Atomal 49 (Stock) 10:00 @ 20CMinolta Maxxum 9 - Minolta Maxxum AF 28-135mm 1:4-4.5 - Adox Silvermax @ ASA-100 - Adox Atomal 49 (Stock) 10:00 @ 20CMinolta Maxxum 9 - Minolta Maxxum AF 28-135mm 1:4-4.5 - Adox Silvermax @ ASA-100 - Adox Atomal 49 (Stock) 10:00 @ 20CMinolta Maxxum 9 - Minolta Maxxum AF 28-135mm 1:4-4.5 - Adox Silvermax @ ASA-100 - Adox Atomal 49 (Stock) 10:00 @ 20C
Roll 04 - Adox FX-39 II
As awesome as Silvermax has performed in all the previous developers, I honestly love the results from FX-39 II the best. There's a certain brightness to these images, excellent tone without being too contrasty. There is a sharpness both thanks to tonal separation and edge sharpness both without increasing the grain. I knew I had a winning roll when I pulled the negatives out of the tank. Now, I did modify my agitation pattern slightly, using an initial agitation of only thirty seconds, but then ten seconds every following minute mark, based on notes found on the FX-39 bottle. And the scanning proved easy with much of the tonal curve being easy to match and produce stunning results. Another worthwhile developer for your Silvermax film if you don't have Silvermax developer.
Nikon F5 - AF Nikkor 35mm 1:2D - Adox Silvermax @ ASA-100 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 8:00 @ 20CNikon F5 - AF Nikkor 35mm 1:2D - Adox Silvermax @ ASA-100 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 8:00 @ 20CNikon F5 - AF Nikkor 35mm 1:2D - Adox Silvermax @ ASA-100 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 8:00 @ 20CNikon F5 - AF Nikkor 35mm 1:2D - Adox Silvermax @ ASA-100 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 8:00 @ 20C
Final Thoughts
While I did not include any standard developers in this review, Silvermax does look okay in those developers. It renders similar to what is found in the original Agfa APX 100 films. My first roll of Silvermax I ever shot I processed in Kodak HC-110, while I was not impressed when I went into this review I cleared my mind of that first roll and found an amazing film. Which sucks, because now I have to give it up. Sadly, back in March 2021, Adox announced that Silvermax will cease production. Back in 2004, Adox acquired the last batch of a specialised sensitiser that is a key part of Silvermax film. That batch, surprisingly lasted sixteen years, and the last batch went on sale in March as a special 160-year edition of the film. Currently, there is no word on a new Silvermax II, but I'm confident that the folks at Adox will do their best to bring something new to the table.
Further Reading
Don't just take my words on Adox Silvermax, here are some other reviews by fellow bloggers.
Emulsive - Adox Silvermax Review
Thorley Photographics - Adox Silvermax 100 – Film Review
Parallax Photographic Corp - Adox Silvermax 100 Film Review
Steve Walton's Outdoor Blog and Photographic Journeys - Adox Silvermax Review
35mm Love - Adox Silvermax in D76 1+1
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