2021-2022 FILM CHALLENGE!

The year-long film challenge 2021-2022 edition



What is The Dyxum film challenge?
This film challenge is simply about revisiting analogue photography for a bit of nostalgia, experiencing a radically different workflow and ultimately, appreciating how convenient our modern equipment is.

Who
Any Dyxumer can join this challenge. Just subscribe below - as simple as that.

When
The idea is to keep shooting film over the next year - starting on 6 September 2021 and ending (nominally) on 5 September 2022 – this challenge is flexible, because analogue photography is a bit like that….

Equipment
You can use any film camera and any lens you like (no matter what brand or format, e.g. medium format, or subminiature) however we would ask that one of your first rolls uses an alpha-mount (Minota AF) camera (if you have one at present). Like everything about this challenge, we can be flexible here, so if you are part way through a film in your Super Frankarette, you are still OK to post. But remember that we are alpha-mount forum so try to work in any Alpha mount camera you might have fairly early on.

If you don't have any Dynax, Maxxum or Alpha film camera then just use what you have - participation is the important bit.


Results
Try to post just the 1/3rd of the best pictures from each roll of film - we realise that sometimes you may have full roll of keepers but you have to narrow your selection down to 4, 8 or 12 shots - depending on the roll (i.e. 12, 24 or 36 frames). You can always post your out-takes in open views, or in one of the themed film threads.

Just one thread this time. So declare yourself, post your 1/3 keepers, discuss what cameras you are planning to shoot with or comment on other people's photographs all in this thread.

To make the thread a bit less photo-intensive please split your photo-posts into groups of 4 shots - it will be easier to navigate. When posting please state the camera, lens and film used. You might also want to mention how the photo was digitzed (e.g. what scanner/software).

Please remember to "number" your photos in a unique way - this will make it easier to refer to a particular shot in the discussion.

I have pictures taken in late 2020/early 2021 I still need to scan and even have developed. Where do I share those? The 2020/2021 thread is closed. Do I share these here because analogue photography is a bit like that…?

addy landzaat wrote: I have pictures taken in late 2020/early 2021 I still need to scan and even have developed. Where do I share those? The 2020/2021 thread is closed. Do I share these here because analogue photography is a bit like that…?

...for exactly that reason!

OK, here goes:

Started on Sept 3rd but finished yesterday and processed/scanned overnight

My wifes' birthday so we took a stroll in the Botanic Gardens behind our home. I've posted a few B&W shots from that using Kodak Infrared film.

However, I also rolled up 2x 36 exp rolls of Fujifilm RD-1 and took one with me.
RD-1 is a colour negative copy film designed to be exposed using lasers. In that way, the colour can be extremely precise when copying films for movie or long term storage use.
That's great if those are your uses but, when loaded into a camera for shooting in daylight; this presents a unique problem. The film is not tungsten based and is not daylight based. That means you need to guess/experiment a bit to determine what provides the 'look' you want. It's nearly impossible to get completely 'natural' colours but that's actually part of the beauty of the film and why I love it.
The other 'thing' about this film is that it is VERY slow. Think between 0.5-1.5 iso!. On bright days, shooting hand held wide open, or close to it, is possible. However, a tripod is a very useful device with this film. That slow speed also adds interest in that it allows movement blur at normal apertures without using any ND filtration.

I bought a 2,000 foot roll of this and keep the big tin in my freezer. I roll off 100' or so at a time and put that into a daylight loader. On this occassion, I rolled up two films and it seems I'm nearly at the end of the small bulk roll. It seems my working environment rolling from the big reel to the small reel needs a look at. The amount of dust on half of one of these films looked a bit like I'd emptied the vacuum into a bag, chucked the film in, and given it a good shake up. I've spent a day cleaning up the 24 images I'm about to post (2 films).
I have a suitcase changing bag for this which I also use to load large format (4x5" and 5x7" plus cut strips for my 4x10" pinhole camera). I'll be sure to give that a vacuum and wipe out then see what I can do to reduce any static before I reload the little daylight roller.

So here ya go, my first of this series. Film 1 is from the Botanic Gardens. I was keen to see what I could do with a bit of wind movement and the odd colours tjis film throws up. I used, variably, a yellow and an orange filter. All are natural light with no flash or reflector.
In some of the shots, the colour was awful and I’ve decided to process those as B&W.

1. That Prickly Plant

Minolta Alpha 7. Minolta AF 100mm f2.8 Macro lens. Yellow filter.

2. Wooden Chair

Minolta Alpha 7. Minolta AF 16mm f2.8 Fisheye lens. Built in Orange filter used

3. Spring is here and the Daffodils are Out but Fruit Trees are Bare

Minolta Alpha 7. Minolta AF 24mm f2.8 lens with yellow filter

4. White and Yellow Daffodil

Minolta Alpha 7. Minolta AF 24mm f2.8 lens with yellow filter

Edited by Idleidolidyll - 08 September 2021 at 02:09

Part 3:

9. Naked Trees

Minolta Alpha 7. Minolta AF 24mm f2.8 Macro lens. Yellow filter.

10. Low Profile

Minolta Alpha 7. Minolta AF 16mm f2.8 Fisheye lens. Built in Orange Filter

11. Low Profile B&W

Minolta Alpha 7. Minolta AF 16mm f2.8 Fisheye lens. Built in Orange Filter.

12. Low Profile B&W Too

Minolta Alpha 7. Minolta AF 16mm f2.8 Fisheye lens. Built in Orange Filter.

And as an addendum: here’s an image I’ve ‘painted’ in Corel Painter from these shots:

The Art of Photography

Minolta Alpha 7. Minolta AF 100mm f2.8 Macro lens. Yellow filter.

Edited by Idleidolidyll - 08 September 2021 at 02:16

#5 Governors Island and Manhattan


#6 Kids on bikes.


#7 Rose


#8 Soccer field.

A Day Out Cycling:

Still in COVID Lockdown; we are ‘allowed’ a 5km exercise radius. Sir Barry Curtis Park starts within that 5km limit so we headed there on our eBikes for some ‘exercise’ and a few photos.

This film was again Fujifilm RD-1 but only 30 exposures long. It was the end of my little ‘bulk roll’.
These images were the really dusty ones and took a lot of time to clean up. Luckily, I have a 17" Epson 8 ink printer and lots of roll paper. There’s no way I’d print these chamically as the spotting with a camel hair brush would take days and days!

Again, some were better as B&W so I desaturated them.

1. Stop!

Minolta Alpha 7. Minolta AF 16mm f2.8 Fisheye lens. Built in orange filter.

2. Industry

Minolta Alpha 7. Minolta AF 50mm f1.4 lens. Yellow filter.

3. Rocky

Minolta Alpha 7. Minolta AF 16mm f2.8 Fisheye lens. Built in orange filter.

4. Flash Gordon

Minolta Alpha 7. Lensbaby Sweet 35 lens with yellow filter