Trenton Davis 6/6/20 Trenton Davis 6/6/20

My First Experience Shooting 4x5 Film

My first experience shooting a 4x5 camera came with a few lessons and areas to grow in. It was quite a fun challenge, however!

BACKGROUND

I’ve owned an early 20th century Speed Graphic since 2017…however, it’s only been until May of 2020 that I’ve finally exposed some Portra 160 with it. My results weren’t bad per se—if anything, at least I know the camera works and I am able to sell it in order to upgrade to a better 4x5 later. I’ll explain why further down.

Speed Graphic + Zeiss Tessar 13,5cm 1:4,5 Kodak Portra 160 — Speed Graphic + Zeiss Tessar 13,5cm 1:4,5
Kodak Portra 160

THE EXPERIENCE

This camera smells old. Like that dusty thrift store kind of old. The box it sits in is rusting around the edges. But thankfully, everything seems to still be intact. The focus rails are smooth to glide the lens down, the lens isn’t sticky at any aperture, the bellows don’t seem to be leaking any light. I think it’s pretty solid for the $250 that I paid for it. The only issue I have with it is it’s lens. Apparently none of the optics are coated so flare control, micro-contrast, and color rendition suffer. And it’s pretty obvious. The image, while somewhat sharp, has a bit of a glow, softness, and harsh vignette to it (which I’m not totally particular to). I much prefer a clean image with micro-contrast and pop all across the glass. It’s an early 20th century press camera with a Zeiss lens that I can’t find much info on anywhere…so, that tells me that it’s nothing that was ever sought after—even with the Zeiss name.

I AM NOT PERFECT

I can’t get ahead of myself when discussing older gear because I am sure I’ve only scratched 5% of what my issues with this first-time-shooting-4x5 are. Maybe I have issues with some of my film holders and light leakage, maybe I have poor quality ground glass for the focus screen, maybe the Zeiss lens is in fact a great lens (however, I feel pretty confident it’s just subpar). At the end of the day, however, this camera was intended for speed and efficiency for journalists and news outlets.

The film I was using was an older box of Portra 160 that I had purchased in 2017 and it has endured a few moves across states, spending time in and out of multiple refrigerators, etc. The first time I opened the box, I actually dropped the naked film onto a dusty basement floor (of course it was in the darkest corner I could find). So, there may be a lot of factors at play here.

RAW scan with the Fuji SP2500 + PS Stitching Speed Graphic + Zeiss Tessar 13,5cm 1:4,5 Kodak Portra 160 — RAW scan with the Fuji SP2500 + PS Stitching
Speed Graphic + Zeiss Tessar 13,5cm 1:4,5
Kodak Portra 160

Color and contrast balanced in PS. Speed Graphic + Zeiss Tessar 13,5cm 1:4,5 Kodak Portra 160 — Color and contrast balanced in PS.
Speed Graphic + Zeiss Tessar 13,5cm 1:4,5
Kodak Portra 160

IMAGE QUALITY

As you can see, I’ve had to do quite a bit of doctoring to the images in post. I’ve enhanced the vibrancy, contrast, and sharpness and gotten results that are passable…but still, there isn’t much point to shooting large format if your glass can’t render the cleanest, brightest, and most pleasing colors to the image as possible.

COST TO SHOOT, DEVELOP, AND SCAN 4X5

Images like the one above hurt the wallet and ego a bit. Between my dad’s confused expression and my blinking eyes, this moment is forever this way. Moments like this aren’t always bad tho. I’ll always prefer mid-reaction shots as I feel that the truest in humanity is revealed in them…but still, shots like this typically don’t end up anywhere other than a post like this.

In total, this shot cost me around $15. Yikes. But solid education and experience is forever priceless.

Speed Graphic + Zeiss Tessar 13,5cm 1:4,5 Heat-exhausted Kodak Portra 160 — Speed Graphic + Zeiss Tessar 13,5cm 1:4,5
Heat-exhausted Kodak Portra 160

SCANNING THE NEG

Fortunately, I have invested into a Fuji Frontier SP3000 scanner and I am able to take total control of the scanning process and achieve fantastic color and sharpness with my negatives. The image of my dad above is my first attempt at scanning a 4x5 negative with the 645 mask. This was stitched together with 8 images but as you can see I missed scanning a few slivers of the negative.

Speed Graphic + Zeiss Tessar 13,5cm 1:4,5

IN CONCLUSION

It’s been a fun experience so far but I know I have a much longer way to go until I start to find results that I am able to showcase. The challenge with 4x5 is that researching large format systems feels like an entirely new language to me. I haven’t found as broad of a community offering as much info as the 35mm and 120 communities do—at least one who all can simultaneously agree on a select few lenses and bodies as the main go-to choice for shooting large format photography. Large format bodies and lenses along with their specs don’t make much sense to me at this point. This will probably be a multi-year quest to find the perfect match for me.

Thank you for sticking around through this post. I’d love to hear any recommendations or comments that you have regarding large format photography, or maybe some criticism on what I could have done better with the images above.

Until next time!
Trent

Trenton Davis 4/6/20 Trenton Davis 4/6/20

COVID-19 Quarantine Porch Portraits with Fujifilm GFX 50R and Pentax 6x7 Lenses

During week three of the social distancing quarantine here in Utah I decided to get out and photograph some of my closest friends and film industry partners. Of course I practiced safe social distancing by keeping myself a good distance from my subjects. Shot with the Fujifilm GFX 50R and my Pentax 6x7 lenses.

Quarantine Porchraits: The Faces of Utah Film

#**TheFrontStepsProject**

During the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic.
April - May, 2020.

Also, the Utah Film Commission were so kind to feature the images along with a few words from each of the subjects of this project. Check it out here: https://film.utah.gov/blog/porchraits/.

Tess & Babetta Kelly Producers — Tess & Babetta Kelly
Producers

For this project I decided to use the Fujifilm GFX 50R paired with my medium format Pentax 6x7 lenses, the 105mm F2.4 and the 200mm F4. These lenses do incredibly well and keep that same glassy look that I am familiar with when I use them on my Pentax 6x7 body.

The photos were taken throughout our conversations about the quarantine and how each of us is holding up during it. We discussed the stress and struggle with simple things such as grocery shopping, hand-washing, loneliness, cancelled jobs, etc. One silver lining that we all agreed on was that this quarantine offered us better contact with extended friends and family via group video chats and video gaming. Each session took anywhere from 10-20 minutes.

Cameron Gade Director — Cameron Gade
Director

Ryan Hannah DP & Steadicam Operator — Ryan Hannah
DP & Steadicam Operator

Trevor Macdonald DP — Trevor Macdonald
DP

Val Hunter Events Planner & Producer — Val Hunter
Events Planner & Producer

Mikkel Richardson Cinematographer and AC — Mikkel Richardson
Cinematographer and AC

Meg Cabell Set Decorator — Meg Cabell
Set Decorator

Dallin Corbin Camera Assistant — Dallin Corbin
Camera Assistant

Trenton Davis 7/22/19 Trenton Davis 7/22/19

Kodak Pro Image 100 Review! Now available in the USA!

Today, I review Kodak’s Kodak Pro Image 100 film! This film is now shipping from US distributors! Read more!

Kodak Pro image 100

Review and Film Scans

In 2018 it was recommended that I try a Kodak stock that I had never heard of, Kodak Pro Image 100! The only caveat was that it was available only in Europe. No big deal, however, as there were numerous eBay sellers shipping internationally. So, I had placed my first order for a new, inexpensive “Pro” stock to try out.

I had done a bit of research on this stock prior and had come across a few stunningly warm and vibrant images on Instagram. Needless to say, I was excited for what was in store.

Warner Brothers Studios backlot, LA Contax T3 Kodak Pro Image 100 — Warner Brothers Studios backlot, LA
Contax T3
Kodak Pro Image 100

THE EXPERIENCE:

Kodak Pro Image 100 is a very fine grain stock, and I was excited to try something that was a step up from the Kodak Gold lines. I don’t really haven’t found any real negatives about this film other than wishing that Kodak had released an ASA 400 version for a bit more flexibility. ASA 100 is pretty limiting once the sun drops below the horizon, but for everything else during the day it’s a wonderful replacement to Kodak Golds 100, 200, and 400 stock.

Cahuenga Blvd, Los Angeles, CA. Contax T3 Kodak Pro Image 100 — Cahuenga Blvd, Los Angeles, CA.
Contax T3
Kodak Pro Image 100

SHOOTING KODAK PRO IMAGE 100:

One of the most frequently asked questions with film stocks is how the film handles overexposure or underexposure. This is one area that Pro Image 100 is a bit sensitive. This stock doesn’t like too much overexposure nor underexposure. I’ve found that rating the film at box speed (ASA 100) will yield you the best results in terms of color and tonality balance. When overexposed, the highlights and whites seem to burn out and break at least a few stops shorter than the Portra 400 and Fuji 400H stocks. Underexposure will, of course, lift grain levels and shots are very difficult to recover during scanning. These are the ONLY negatives that I’ve experienced shooting and scanning Kodak’s Pro Image 100 stock. Otherwise, it’s a fantastic film for professional, casual, and travel work. More below…

Morrison St, North Hollywood, CA Contax T3 Kodak Pro Image 100 — Morrison St, North Hollywood, CA
Contax T3
Kodak Pro Image 100

Malibu, CA Contax T3 Kodak Pro Image 100 — Malibu, CA
Contax T3
Kodak Pro Image 100

FIRST SCANS:

WOW! I’m actually very happy with the results! Kodak Pro Image 100 looks as if it could be the love child between Kodak and Fuji. It adapted Kodak’s warmer looks but with the pastel tones of Fuji’s 400H stock! The stock has taken the best looks about both film manufacturers, and it’s final result is great to admire. Sharp detail and grain seem to play very well for an inexpensive “Pro” film stock. Be sure to expand the images to view them larger.

Cali Deserts Hexar AF Kodak Pro Image 100 — Cali Deserts
Hexar AF
Kodak Pro Image 100

CONCLUSION:

Kodak Pro Image 100 is likely to be my ongoing travel film of choice. It’s inexpensive, it’s clean, the colors are wonderful, and it’s readily available in the US from B&H Photo for $27.99 USD as of this posting. That’s a big win for us C41 shooters looking to save money but still find quality results from our negatives. So be sure to pick up a pro pack and enjoy the rest of your summer shooting this wonderful stock!

Devil’s Punchbowl, California Hexar AF Kodak Pro Image 100 — Devil’s Punchbowl, California
Hexar AF
Kodak Pro Image 100

Trenton Davis 6/15/19 Trenton Davis 6/15/19

London on Film

Some film images of various parts of London, England.

Next to NYC London was the most historically rich and fascinating city I’ve experienced. At just over 600 square miles, London has history along every street, buildings, and grounds. We experienced St. Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, Kensington Palace, Buckingham Palace, Hampton Court Palace, Tower of London, River Thames, , Covent Garden, Winston Churchill War Rooms, an under-construction Big Ben (still spectacular though), Natural History Museum, Camden Market, Notting Hill, Kensington Gardens — it was a lot to fit in inside a weeks stay but we made it work!

St. Paul’s Cathedral

St. Pauls Cathedral has some crazy history. It has caught fire and been destroyed multiple times, lightning destroyed the spire in 1561 A.D., it fell victim to the vikings in 962 A.D., and throughout the centuries its interior and exterior have been expanded time and time again to what it is today. I recommend taking the 528 steps up to the top of the dome to see the entire city of London.

Panoramic view of London from atop St. Paul’s Cathedral Dome. Shot on the X-T20 with the Fujinon 23mm 1.4.

West Minster Abbey

The Westminster Abbey was one of my favorite places to see and learn about. There is an abundance of historically famous figures buried here such as: Charles Darwin, Isaac Newton, Charles Dickens, and many many other various figures. They didn’t allow photography inside unfortunately so I can only recommend googling more of it’s history.

Kensington Palace, home of Princes Diana and Prince Charles and Queen Victoria’s Jewels

Kensington Palace | Contax T3 + Portra 160. Scanned on Fuji Frontier SP3000.

QUEEN VICTORIA'S DIAMOND AND EMERALD DIADEM

The Kensington Palace, which resides within Hyde Park, holds a massive collection of crowns and jewels that belonged to members of the royal family such as Queen Victoria and designer Prince Albert. A number of Princess Diana’s dresses are also on display, as well.

Buckingham Palace

Below are some photos of a unique Changing of the Guards, the Horse Guard Parade.

Olympus Stylus Epic + Kodak Pro Image 100

Olympus Stylus Epic + Portra 160. Spot the small plane in the upper-right corner?

Trenton Davis 5/15/19 Trenton Davis 5/15/19

Fuji XT20 - Review

My first time using a Fuji X-Series camera…It’s pure joy!

GEAR:

Fujifilm X-T20
Fujinon 23mm F1.4
Lightroom CC + Mastin Labs + VSCO+ iPhone X
Apple Lightning to SD card reader (for downloading and editing RAW files on iPhone)

EXPERIENCE:
I had purchased a used X-T20 body and lens from sellers across the web. The Fujinon 23mm F1.4 came from Forrest Walker (website) whose candid street work is stunning and fascinating to me.

Before our trip to London, I wanted to source a small, mirrorless travel camera to pair with my compact 35mm film cameras (Olympus Stylus Epic and Contax T3). The older model X-T20 seemed like a good fit (no pun intended) — so that was where I started. This was also my first time stepping away from Canon DSLRs as my travel digital camera…and that excited me to say the least.

First off, I was torn between the Fujifilm X-E3 and the X-T20. I liked the rangefinder style and aesthetics of the X-E3 more, but the flip out screen of the X-T20 ultimately won me over. I enjoy handling and shooting the X-T20 just as much as I like processing its raw files. Gripping the body of the camera feels just like old film cameras from decades ago. Fuji really dominated it with the stylish looks and feel of their X-Series lineup. It’s a complete 180º from how it feels to handle a Canon DSLR. Shooting with the X-T20 packs fun and excitement into shooting everyday events…and even portraiture! I feel a strong connection with the process from the moment I turn on the camera, to the editing, and delivery. Needless to say, I haven’t had this much fun shooting a digital body in years.

Shooting and executing “the shot” with the X-T20 isn’t as fast as what I am used to with the full-frame professional cameras from Canon such as the 5D and 6D series but that was expected so I anticipated extra planning with some shots in the city. Navigating buttons and changing focal points isn’t as easy and quick as the other pro camera brands but this could also be due to my lack of knowledge as I am still learning about this camera. I’d really need to test out this camera at a wedding or a larger event to see how it fares under tougher shooting conditions where the pro DSLRs usually dominate.

FEATURES:
The Fujifilm X-T20 comes with an 24mp APS-C X-Trans III sensor. Even though it is a cropped sensor I have surprisingly been able to look past that to find insanely sharp, detailed, and color-rich images come out of it. I’m actually blown away by how capable it is in competition with the full-frame market (not all scenarios, of course).

My favorite aspect about mirrorless bodies is that I am able to see a better example of the image that will be captured, how highlights and shadows look, as well color reproduction and depth of field – all through the back touch screen or electronic viewfinder. Mirrorless is the future and I’m excited to see what else major camera manufacturers will produce under this this technology.

The camera has two shutters to choose from; electronic or mechanical. There are advantages to using each. I particularly enjoy using the mechanical shutter because you still get to feel the vibration of the shutter clapping downward as the image is captured. The electronic shutter is fantastic for shooting under stealth conditions. I’ve been using this mode a lot while I am on sets, and it’s perfect during live takes where a sound person is running audio on an actors dialogue.

A few other key features of the X-T20 are:

Internal 4k Video capture @ 100Mbps (10 minutes per clip).
Automatic panoramic mode.
325 focusing point (91 in center 40% of screen are used with phase detection for fast and more precise focusing.
Various Film Simulation effects such as Acros 100, Classic Chrome, Provia, Velvia, Astia, and more.
14 fps raw image capture with the electronic shutter, and 8 fps raw image capture with the mechanical shutter.
Touch screen.
WiFi image transfer to smartphone

LENSES:

XF 23mm F1.4 R was my choice lens to start my Fuji X-Series journey with. I debated between this one and the XF 16mm F1.4. But the 23mm was a better choice since it is multipurpose and serves as a great portrait lens yet still wide enough for street, cityscape, and landscape photography. There is a less expensive 23mm F2 option but I knew I’d be happier with the F1.4 version for better color rendition, sharpness, and bokeh patterns.

DIGITAL TO FILM COMPARISION:

I never thought I’d witness it but the X-Trans CMOS sensors seem to produce colors and grain that most mimic that of film. I’m truly blown away by the side-by-side comparisons with my film rolls scanned through my Fuji Frontier SP3000 scanner. It makes sense, however, that Fujifilm would be the ones to best replicate the feel and texture of film with their digital sensors. They’ve had over 80 years of experience in manufacturing countless film stocks (Acros, Provia, 400H, etc.), film scanners, developer chemistry, and film cameras and lenses of their own.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

I think I will always have a spot reserved in my bag for an X-Series setup. Taking this camera on my trip to London was one of the most fun times I’ve had traveling with a digital camera. If Fujifilm ever decides to release a full-frame line of lenses and bodies I would be an instant convert…and it may just be enough to get me to sell off my beloved Fuji Frontier SP3000 film scanner and a few film cameras. I can’t believe that it’s taken me so many years to have finally tried out a Fujifilm X-Series camera. I am very excited to keep using their cameras and anything else they release years from now.