“Are you shooting film in there?” my uncle Anthony asked me on the boardwalk of Seaside Heights, AKA “The Jersey Shore.” A valid question in this day and age. Digital cameras are looking more like film cameras–like my own Fujifilm X-E4–but it wasn’t the X Series slung on my arm that day, it was my Minolta SRT 100 with a Rokkor 58mm 1.4 lens and a Vivitar 28mm Auto Wide-Angle lens close by. Loaded inside was Kodak ColorPlus 200, a chameleon of films, appearing under many iterations since its debut in 1972.
A lot of people are probably wondering, “Why not Portra, Gold, or Ultramax?” Well, I never tried ColorPlus before. And if you need a better reason, it’s extremely affordable. I have an affinity for the underdog. I think Kodak ColorPlus certainly fits that bill and amongst the chaos of carnival rides, fried food, and Italian ices, I couldn’t think of a better match.

Beach Hut taken with Vivitar 28mm 2.8 Auto Wide-Angle
I first discovered the Vivitar 28mm 2.8 Auto Wide-Angle Lens about 10 years ago. I had recently purchased a Canon 6D and was scouring eBay looking for vintage Nikon mount lenses because I could adapt them to the Canon with a small short flange adapter. The lens made its way to my mirrorless setups. I eventually sold it and my heart grew fonder, so I found another version of it to go on my Minolta SRT 100. It’s been in my bag ever since. It’s so small and lightweight, I can’t imagine life without it. It’s also extremely affordable, for now.

Candid of my brother by the motel pool. Taken with the Vivitar 28mm.
Earlier in the year, I had been experimenting with Fujifilm Superia. I remember watching a documentary on the making of John Carpenters,’ “Christine” and he stated that he shot the opening scene–set in a 1950s Detroit car factory–with Fujifilm because it gave the scenes a warmer tone and a muted color palette. I heard the same thing when Barry Sonnenfeld spoke about lensing the Coen Brothers film, “Millers Crossing.” I like warmer tones and classic things. I think it is rooted in who I am, but I found the colors to be inaccurate to what I actually remembered seeing. Kodak ColorPlus certainly captures those colors accurately.

Love those blue skies and a ferris wheel. Taken with the 58mm 1.4
The Minolta 58mm 1.4 lens is something that I stumbled upon by total accident. I was looking for a Minolta 50mm 1.4, saw one for $35 on eBay, and quickly ordered it. The image of the lens on the listing was a little blurry, and when it arrived, I realized it was the 58mm. I almost returned it, until I started doing some research on it and realized what a deal I scored. A lot of people talk about the greatness of the Minolta 50mm 1.4 and how it’s one of the best legacy lenses of all time. From the images I’ve seen, that certainly seems true, but I love my 58mm. And when I adapt it to my mirrorless Fuji, it’s not hard to get great results (about an 85mm equivalent).

Seaside Heights as that evening sun goes down. A little blown out, but I like it. Taken with the 58mm 1.4.
I can’t complain about Kodak ColorPlus. It cost me $6 at B&H and if you buy multipacks, it works out even better. Seeing the results from this film is a joyous experience. It captured the colors and the moments effortlessly. When I look at them, it transports me back to the beach, the boardwalk, and all those memories from that hot August day and now you can experience them too.
Thanks for reading. You can find me on Instagram and I’m selling some prints here.
8 Comments
Dan Castelli
October 2, 2021 at 6:41 pmSteve,
Nice day, color film, Jersey shore? All the markers of a great outing. The 🎡 is my favorite. Good shots.
Stephen Badolato
October 2, 2021 at 7:04 pmThank you Dan! The ferris wheel is my favorite as well. I’m shooting a few rolls of Fuji Color 200 and it’s such a different animal in terms of color. Hopefully, will share those soon.
shawn granton
October 2, 2021 at 8:11 pmNice! ColorPlus is my “go-to” color stock. I’d rather save Ektar and Portra for special occasions. And I do like the look of ColorPlus.
I have that MC Rokkor-PG 50mm f/1.4 for my SR-T 101 and love it. But that 58mm f/1.4 is great as well!
Stephen Badolato
October 2, 2021 at 9:07 pmAgreed! The 58mm is quite nice. I thought I was buying a 50mm, but when it arrived it was the 58. I already had the 45mm, so it actually worked out to my benefit.
Omer
October 3, 2021 at 1:23 pmNot only are the images very nice, but the processing and scanning are good. May I ask, who processed the film and how was it scanned?
Thank you.
Stephen Badolato
October 6, 2021 at 3:07 amThank you. These were developed and scanned at Luster Digital on Ave in the East Village, NYC. I love the work they do and they’re only a few blocks from my apartment.
Robert Guanci
October 3, 2021 at 8:19 pmNice shots and love the color palette out of ColorPlus. I’m fond of Kodak Gold as well, I feel like I can get a little more pastel of it than other Kodak films. Bravo from another Jersey native!
Mats
October 4, 2021 at 12:27 pmGreat colors in the photo of your brother!