It seems that our society as a whole has a fascination with what other people carry around with them, I may not fully understand the fascination, but I certainly participate in it! This is a special contribution as it contains two separate bags and only film equipment. Read on to check them out.
Here at The Phoblographer, many of us have an interest in shooting with film, I myself started with film well over a decade ago and despite the fact that most (if not all) of my client work is done digitally these days, I still chose to use film for much of my personal work, we all have different reasons, but mine is specifically because I love the tangible quality of film, I like that there is something I can physically appreciate outside of the computer. Anyways, enough of that right? On to the gear!
Bag #1 (35mm)
- The venerable Nikon F3 – The finest manual focus SLR I have had the pleasure of working with. I went with the non-HP version for the higher viewfinder magnification.
- Nikkor 24mm f/2.8 AI – A true classic wide angle, on the camera most of the time.
- Nikkor-H 50mm f/2 (AIâd) – One of the sharpest 50s Nikon has ever made, and dirt cheap too!
- Nikkor-P 105mm f/2.5 (AIâd) – A true legend in Nikon’s lineup, this is the earlier Sonnar version which renders differently than the later Gauss-type version (Found in the AI & AI-S).
- Konica Hexar AF – Quite possibly my absolute favorite 35mm camera ever. It is a complete joy to work with and it is extremely quiet. Often times I will take only this camera and several rolls of film.
- Film case loaded with 10 rolls of film – Usually 5 rolls of Kodak Tri-x for the Nikon and 5 rolls of Acros 100 or 160 ProS (or a mix) for the Hexar.
- The rest is my usual EDC stuff, a small notebook, pens, business cards, and other small bits.
- Lastly of course is the bag itself, I will often rotate between different bags as my tastes change, but right now the Think Tank CityWalker 20 is working splendidly for this kit, it’s lightweight, very comfortable and holds everything easily.
Bag #2 (Medium Format)
This is a setup I’ll bring out when I’ve got something specific planned to shoot (whatever that may be). This is a setup that forces me to work at a much slower and more methodical pace, but that’s what I like about it.
- Hasselblad 500 C/M – This ones an oldie (early 1970s) but it still works almost perfectly, though I imagine it could use a service in the near future. The 6×6 square format is a unique challenge in regards to composition as I used to work exclusively with the 6×7 format. I like it though, and I hope this is a camera I’ll grow old with.
- Zeiss 80mm f/2.8 Planar C T* – This old version of the 80mm standard is more compact than the newer versions, but I find it a little tough to focus with because the metal ribs are a bit rough on the hands haha! I will often leave that quick focus handle on as it does help significantly, and spares my fingers. Image quality-wise there is very little to complain about, it’s a beautiful lens and renders in a very classical way.
- Zeiss 150mm f/4 Sonnar C T* – Same age and generation as my 80mm, this is more of a portrait lens but don’t let that stop you from using it however you like! This lens delivers a very interesting image as I found it to be almost painterly, particularly on B&W film.
- 2x A12 film backs – These are your typical 6×6 backs for a âblad, I carry two so I can keep one loaded with color film and the other with black and white. Or one with slower film and the other with faster.
- Spare film – I usually carry about 5 rolls with me, 1-2 color and 3+ B&W, right now I’m all out of color so I carry a mix of Ilford HP5 and Fujifilm Acros 100.
- I also usually bring my Sekonic light meter with me (The L-558r, which is no longer available, it’s closest replacement is the L-758DR) to get a general light reading for the environment, and then adjust from there. Very easy to do thanks to the EV scale!
- Lastly we have the bag, as with my other setup these rotate, but right now my well-worn Think Tank Retrospective 10 is my bag of choice for this kit, it holds everything perfectly and doesn’t weigh much.
Well, there you have it, a look into the bags of an avid film photographer. If you have any questions about any of this gear or need suggestions on where to start if you want some film gear of your own please leave a comment below, and remember BUY MORE FILM!
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