It may be quite rare now but if you can grab some Rollei Superpan 200, Erik Witsoe’s punchy street photos prove it will be well worth it.
Looking for a new film to try? If you shoot more street and black and white, like punchy contrast in your snaps, and shoot a lot during bright daylight, you might want to lookout for some Rollei Superpan 200. It’s a pretty rare black and white film these days, but if you can get your hands on some, you might just have a blast with it and end up with great shots like Erik Witsoe did.
Last time we featured slices of life in black and white by the Warsaw-based photographer and artist, we saw some work from his 365 Project in 2017, shot using Canon EOS 6DII, Fujifilm X100f, Olympus OMD, and Nikon D80. This time, he’s gone full analog with a Nikon FM2 SLR camera loaded with the Rollei Superpan 200 to shoot the streets of Warsaw in spring. As many of those who saw this set on his Behance page, his photos have a nice, crisp look to them. With the strong contrast allowing for prominent shadows and details, he effectively captured the bright and lively mood that comes with the season.
The Rollei Superpan 200 definitely did a great job in rendering the variety of scenes captured, with all the lines, shapes, and textures. At ISO 200, the film also proves perfect for shooting outdoors in bright daylight, even in slightly shady areas or overcast days. It also has a fine grain that adds a pleasant texture and character to the photos.
But wait — ISO 200 film? That’s just one of the things that make this a rare and special black and white film. Research also tells us that this is either the same as or based on the Agfa Superpan 200. There are only two other ISO 200 black and white films that we know of: Fomapan 200 Creative and Ilford SFX 200 infrared film. Close enough are the ISO 250 Siberra Cinema 52XX Film and the CineStill BwXX, which are essentially the same as the variable speed Kodak Double-X cine film best exposed at its “native” ISO 250.
Visit Erik Witsoe’s website and Behance portfolio to see more of his photography.
All photos by Erik Witsoe. Used with Creative Commons permission.