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Don’t discard the elderly

By Hendra Lauw
Posted on 09/06/2013 in Film Photography, Photographer's Journal

Canon P

For the past three years, I have found myself drawn to old cameras. There is something about them that is timeless. Maybe the style, the shape or the sound of the shutter curtain. Or maybe it’s just me who is bored of the current modern styles and just want to go back to basics.

Though not a lot, I have started collecting some old camera. Working and not working. One of them that I really like is the Canon P, a rangefinder camera that Canon first released in 1959 and continued until 1961. Mine was a ‘late’ model. Upon researching, based on the serial number, I believe mine was manufactured in mid to late 1961.

The camera is a solid and pure mechanical machine. It does not have battery and it uses film! In this current fast moving world, sometimes it’s good to slow down, enjoy the moment and just shoot a roll of 36 exposures.

So, if you have any old cameras that your grandparents or parents owned, try to clean them up, buy a roll of film and have fun shooting with it. But if you are really thinking of getting rid of them, email me first.   :)

And, here are some of the photos I took using this camera:MORE +

Lomography Smartphone Film Scanner

By Hendra Lauw
Posted on 05/06/2013 in Film Photography, Photoblog

Lomography Smartphone Film Scanner

I bought a Lomography Smartphone Film Scanner yesterday and played with it to scan my old slides and some recent black and white negatives. Definitely not a perfect film scanner but it’s fun to use and fast.

Lomography Smartphone Film Scanner

Here are some of the scans I did. MORE +

Multiple Exposure

By Hendra Lauw
Posted on 25/05/2013 in Film Photography, iPhoneography, Photoblog

Fuji X100s - Multiple Exposure

I like playing with multiple exposure function in a camera. While I know combining images in Photoshop can yield the same result, but I like doing it in the camera. The above was shot with Fuji X100s’ multiple exposure function switched on. The camera was shot first and then followed by the box of Ilford PANF Plus 50. That’s my Olympus OM-1n film camera. A cool way to tell what film inside the camera now.  :)

Below are two multiple exposure images shot about ten years ago when I was still shooting only negative and slide films. There were shot with Minolta Dynax 5 film camera. The first one was on Kodak EBX slide film and the second one was on Kodak E100VS slide film. I need to find the original slides to rescan them to get higher resolution files. I used the double exposure function of the camera to shoot two exposures so I could position the full moon where I wanted it to be.

MORE +

Johnnie Walker and Chivas

By Hendra Lauw
Posted on 07/09/2012 in Film Photography, Photoblog

Canon P and Canon 35mm LTM f/2 on Kodak black  and white film Tri-X 400.

Keep walking, Johnnie. Go find the Black Label.

Sprocket Rocket Fun

By Hendra Lauw
Posted on 20/08/2012 in Film Photography, Lomography, Photoblog, Photographer's Journal

I loaded a roll of black and white Kodak TMax 400 film into my Sprocket Rocket lomo camera about 2 months ago when I was in Bandung. Didn’t finish it until last week when I brought it to Geylang Serai at night. In between I shot few images in Bugis and City Hall areas. I love the panoramic format of this plastic camera, but watch out for the lighting though. It needs a lot of light. I only got few keepers from this roll.

The above was shot in Bandung from outside of Texas Fried Chicken restaurant through its glass window, hence you can see some reflections in the photo. The one below was shot somewhere along the Waterloo Street. It was a hot and bright day, hence the better exposure as you can see.MORE +

Pretty International

By Hendra Lauw
Posted on 18/08/2012 in Film Photography, Photoblog

Voigtlander Bessa R3A and Nokton 35mm f/1.2 ASPH V2 and Kodak TMax 400 film. MORE +

I am watching you – 3

By Hendra Lauw
Posted on 16/08/2012 in Film Photography, Photoblog

The third image of my “I am watching you” series. This one was shot using Canon Canonet QL17 FIII on Kodak Portra 400 color film. This version of Canonet has 40mm f/1.7 lens. The entire frame of the negative was scanned using Epson 2450 scanner. MORE +

I am watching you – 2

By Hendra Lauw
Posted on 10/08/2012 in Film Photography, Photoblog

Shot at night in a dark alley between Arab Street and Haji Lane with Canon P and 35mm LTM f/2 on black white Kodak TMax 400. MORE +

Shadows and Highlights

By Hendra Lauw
Posted on 10/08/2012 in Film Photography, Photoblog

Shot with Canon P and 35mm f/2 LTM as part of my darkroom processing lesson. I was looking for shadows and highlights when I was shooting these. Film used was the black and white Kodak TMax 400. Enjoy the rest of the photos below.MORE +

Geylang Serai Night Market

By Hendra Lauw
Posted on 09/08/2012 in Film Photography, Photoblog, Photographer's Journal

Geylang Serai comes alive during the month of Ramadhan with many vendors selling foods, snacks, fabrics, carpet, clothes and many others. Temporary tents were set up to host these vendors and you should really come to enjoy the atmosphere of the bazaar. Forget Orchard road. Get sweaty and have fun. To cool you down, find the ice cream man above and enjoy his little tricks entertaining the customers while he is serving you.

The photos here are from the first roll shot with my new old film camera, the Olympus OM-1N and Zuiko 50mm f/1.4 which I bought from eBay recently. Majority of them were shot at f/1.4 due to low lighting condition. The film is the black and white Kodak Tri-X 400. Enjoy the rest of the photos below.MORE +

Olympus OM-1N and Zuiko 50mm f/1.4

By Hendra Lauw
Posted on 04/08/2012 in Film Photography, Photographer's Journal

I recently bought a film camera, the Olympus OM-1N with Zuiko 50mm f/1.4 lens, from eBay. Was lucky because the nice guy let me bid even though he would only take US bidders initially. Thanks again! And honestly, I got a steal. The camera is still in a very nice condition. And it comes with the cool looking strap too. I have not had it checked, but it seems to work well. I shall know when the first roll of film comes back from the lab.

The Olympus OM system was first introduced in 1972. The OM-1N MD version was released around 1979. I am not sure when exactly mine was manufactured. Mine seems to be a bit later judging from the serial number. It is a joy to use the compact camera body with great timeless design. Mine is the silver version as you can tell from the photos here. Should I be looking for the black version for collection?  :)

Oh, by the way, I wasted one roll of memories, when the first roll of Fuji Neopan 400 I used was not properly loaded, which I didn’t know until much later unfortunately. I was more careful when I loaded the second roll. It was Kodak Tri-X 400. I finished it last night when I brought the camera out for a night shooting at Geylang Serai. Sending the roll for processing soon and will share again here. Have a great weekend, everyone! MORE +

Just Woke Up – A Medium Format Portrait with a Rolleiflex TLR

By Hendra Lauw
Posted on 03/08/2012 in Film Photography, Photoblog, Photographer's Journal

Ola, have you seen those big 6×6 cm negatives lately? I shot this using the Rolleiflex 2.8F which I borrowed from a friend. I like the big negative. It doesn’t curl as much as the 35mm, and since I scan the entire negative by simply placing it on the scanner surface, this is a good thing.

The film used as you can tell from the scan above is the Fuji Pro400H 120mm.

And just for your viewing pleasure, here is the black and white version after I converted the scan result in Adobe Lightroom and removed the film information on the black border.MORE +

In the dark alley of Little India

By Hendra Lauw
Posted on 21/07/2012 in Film Photography, Photoblog, Photographer's Journal

I shot these images at night in Little India using the Canon P rangefinder camera and Canon 35mm f/2 LTM lens. The film was the black and white Kodak Tri-X 400.

Canon P is a fully mechanical rangefinder camera. No battery needed to operate the camera. This makes metering a little tricky. But if you are an iPhone user, you can download this little app to use as an exposure meter. My Canon P was probably produced around 1960. Bought quite cheap locally here in Singapore.MORE +

Chopsticks – Holistic

By Hendra Lauw
Posted on 11/07/2012 in Film Photography, Photoblog

The guy was in pain as the Chopstick man was giving him the treatment on his leg. His expression says it all. Shot with Canon P and Canon 35mm f/2 LTM lens on Kodak Tri-X 400 black and white film. I cropped it to have a square format.

Durian Seller

By Hendra Lauw
Posted on 10/07/2012 in Film Photography, Photoblog

Durian seller at night near Bencoleen street. Shot with Minolta CLE and Minolta Rokkor 40mm f/2 on Kodak TMax 400 black and white film. I cropped it so it has square format. MORE +

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