A Moto Guzzi Falcone and an Expired Kodak Portra 160 Roll – One Shot Story

Shot with a Pentax SMC FA 50/1,4 and a Pentax Z-20 loaded with an expired Kodak Portra 160, this photo portrays a Moto Guzzi Falcone.

The Falcone has a special place in the history of Italian motor industry. It was successful in both the civilian market and the military/law enfrocement sector. So strong was its appeal in this latter community that the Polizia Stradale (roughly, the highway patrol) kept it in service until the seventies despite the official manufacturing ceased at the end of the sixties.

Many tyres have worn out on the roads, but as often happens with iconic mechanical engineering from the past, the Falcone has retained its appeal: still today, one in fair condition may costs between about 8.000,00 and 10.000,00 Euros (contrary to its successor, whose current value is negligible). So, it is not uncommon to find more than one exemple at motor shows and reunions at one of which I took the photo featured in this post.

As far as technicalities are concerned, to me the most interesting part is the  effect of the light on the expired emulsion. Instead of affecting the final result, the yielding of an almost metallic blue cast contributed to an overall ‘nostalgic’ feel which blends nicely with the old bike.

Speaking of the hardware, it is an open secret that the SMC FA 50/1,4’s autofocus is noisy and not exactly a bolt, making it suitable for meaningful rather than impromptu shots. However, when the surrounding noise — from traffic or other human activities— is loud enough, the lens work reasonably well also for street-photography.

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