Agfa Ultra 100 and Agfa Ultra 50 with a Contax G2 and Rolleiflex 6008i – The Perfect Summer Holiday Films

AS swallows turning backward
When half-way o’er the sea,
At one word’s trumpet summons
They came again to me –
The hopes I had forgotten
Came back again to me.

I know not which to credit,
O lady of my heart!
Your eyes that bade me linger,
Your words that bade us part –
I know not which to credit,
My reason or my heart.

But be my hopes rewarded,
Or be they but in vain,
I have dreamed a golden vision,
I have gathered in the grain –
I have dreamed a golden vision,
I have not lived in vain.

St. Martin’s Summer by Robert Louis Stevenson

Ah Summer, Spring into Summer is when I feel alive, a time where my camera usually surfaces after deep hibernation. I actually prefer Springtime, as after mid-summer my mood darkens and anxiety hits, as how I loathe Autumn and especially Winter.

Anyway, I went to Barmouth in Southern Snowdonia in Wales one summer for a week, and shot a roll of Agfa Ultra 100 with my Contax G2. I also spent a few days in the Isle of Purbeck in Dorset that year, when I lugged around a Rolleiflex 6008i with a roll of Agfa Ultra

The Rolleiflex 6008i is part of the 6000 series of Medium Format 6×6 SLR which Rollei released as competition to the Hasselblad 6×6 Cameras, which was a mistake, I was told by a friend to look out for a Rolleiflex instead of a Hasselblad, but I didn’t know he meant the TLR – and instead I end up with this!

There are many available, and some more advanced than others. They are BIG, boxy creatures, heavy, yet fairly compact (not behemoths like the SL66) with perfect ergonomics and very versatile – incorporating a ‘grip’ with features such as shutter speed control and shutter release on them. So these could be used in a Studio, and also on the move.

The SLX mk1 has solid German engineered build BUT has quirky electronics, and collectors/dealers suggest looking out for Mk 2 version which is far more reliable. The crowning glory of this series are the lenses; superb glass from Schneider, Zeiss and Rollei (Mamiya) are all beautiful and pin sharp. The most advanced Manual Focus version is the Rolleiflex 6008 integral II, and this was followed by (I believe) the worlds first 6×6 Auto Focus SLR; the Rolleiflex 6008 AF

This I believe was a competitor for the Contax 645, as both had Auto Focus, yet the Rolleiflex had the better build, larger negative size and a much wider array of Lenses (the downside being that many were MF rather than AF), plus a more illustrious lineage (as Contax 645 was Japanese built and a Kyocera camera rather than a purely German made SLR). I’ve spoken to photographers who have had both, and by and large they all prefer the look and feel of the Rolleflex images rather than the Contax.

The 6008i and AF can take Digital backs, so are more than geared towards the Digital age (though I have never used, nor can I afford a Digital back). The shutter and everything is electronically controlled, so without a battery it will not function – this could be a disadvantage to those used to mechanical cameras.

Unfortunately this was the only picture of mine I could find – with it’s little brother and cousin.

Agfa Ultra 100 and 50 are punchy and highly saturated print films which are quite rare nowadays.

Barmouth is a lovely secluded Sea Side town, at the southern end of Snowdonia. A dreamy place, on The Irish Sea dominated by the Mawddach Estuary, golden sand, the harbour and the wooden Barmouth Bridge.

The Isle of Purbeck in Dorset south coast of Britain (close to Poole) is a beautiful place, the only place in Britain where the seas are warm in Summer.

Agfa Ultra 100 was released to replace the splendid Agfa Ultra 50. Agfa Ultra 100 had better shadow detail and very slightly less saturated and not as warm. Ultra 100 is also finer grained. I prefer Ultra 100, but 50 is very nice if you’re lucky enough to grab a roll.

I do love using old world Films, especially Agfa emulsions which I find to be extremely pleasing with their own unique look. Sure one can hope to get the technicolor look with Apple Aperture or LR Photoshop but there’s nothing like the real thing, my opinion of course. It is quite grainy, but has an old world look and feel and obviously false colour which I think is perfect for Summer Holiday snaps.

The prints are superb, luscious vibrant things, fit enough to treasure and mount, and the straight Lab scans (as I have here) are delightful in their vibrancy; all I did was adjust horizons and crop/frame.

These Agfa emulsions are long gone and very rare, and I take great care in crafting every precious frame – slowly, taking my time and I was quite pleased that all 36 exposures were keepers.

Photography to me is about composition, balance and vibrancy, and colour is an essential element, and it plays a big role in what I find attractive and appealing – I don’t care one bit about bit depths, pixels or resolution.

The prints I have made (on paper and canvas) on 35mm are big and very pleasing to the eye, and are to be found mounted on the walls of friends and family – so I don’t understand this extreme need for greater and greater resolution and detail (though it helps if one is a Pro and makes mural sized exhibition prints).

I like the simple things, things which make me happy and give me a feel of the place and situation, be it white clouds, a blue sea, brightly coloured houses and boats.

I think many people have forgotten the joy and simplicity of photography and miss the point entirely, and for this I think Print Film and apps such as Hipstamatic on the iPhone are brilliant tools to use to express.

Anyway, I’ve submitted a few snaps as an ode to long gone Agfa Ultra 100, a Summer Holiday Film, where reds are really RED and the colour reminds one of a sunny seaside holiday and dreams of childhood.

Only snaps, but I adore this Film

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