Micael Widell Newsletter #7: My 7 Favorite Instagram Finds from October & the Experience of 35mm Analog Photography
Captain's log
As I am reviewing my October of 2019 in terms of photography, to distill the most interesting things to write in this newsletter, I realize that this was an unusually uneventful month. This newsletter will be a bit shorter than usual.
We are now 930 people who consume this newsletter – welcome all new subscribers!
Seven Instagram finds
Here are some of my favorite photos that I loved on Instagram over the past month. Click the photo to get to the original post on Instagram.
Bo Le
Sergey Polyushko
Rasmus Nielsen
Dimpy Bhalotia
Abel
Tekla Evelina
Mike Meyers
35mm film photography
One thing I tried this month, that I didn't make a YouTube video about, or even post on instagram, is 35mm film photography. Earlier, I have experimented with medium format film photography using a Mamiya and a Holga camera, and after doing that I was now curious about the classic "full frame" 35mm format as well.
35mm means smaller, cheaper cameras and a lot more shots per roll. I looked around for a cheap camera with a 35-50mm f/1.4-f/2 lens, as I like that focal length and max aperture for allround photography – and I was lucky to find a very nice Konica FC-1, which is a pretty basic camera, with a 40mm f/1.8 lens, in mint condition, for just $50.
It was fun trying it, and I shot a roll of Tri-X, which is my favorite black and white film stock. I will probably keep the camera around, and shoot a roll now and then when I feel like it, but I don't think I will switch over to analog cameras as my main tools. It is simply too much hassle to develop and scan film, and getting someone else to do it is just too expensive in my opinion. Also, I really do like high resolution and dynamic range, areas where modern digital cameras really kick any film cameras ass hard.
One thing that the old cameras from the 70s and 80s have going for them though, is that they are so simple. You handle the camera for a couple of hours, and you will know every detail of how it works. With modern cameras, such as my A7III, there are so many things in the menus that I haven't even gotten around to trying. Sometimes, it is a beautiful feeling to use a very simple and minimalistic camera.
In the same way that I like to keep a bunch of different digital cameras and lenses, because it is enjoyable to constantly vary what tools you use, I will keep my Mamiya 645 and my Konica around for the occasional session. I also do find it very meditative to develop a roll of film by myself now and then.
My Published Videos since the last newsletter
- Laowa 17mm f/1.8 Review - $150 Budget Lens for MFT
- My 6 Best Tips for Autumn Closeup Photography (with Canon 135mm f/2.0)
Goodbye for now
Thank you for reading this far, and see you in a month! Feel free to follow me on YouTube, Instagram and 500px in the meantime. And also feel free to tell your friends about this newsletter, and to reply to it if you have feedback or comments :)
/Micael