National weather forecasts declared that my corner of Minnesota would develop the conditions for powerful tornadoes on Monday, April 28. My wife and I watched as storm clouds moved in from the west that afternoon. We were anxious about how this would go. We double checked our homeowners insurance and agreed on how we would proceed if the tornado sirens sounded. She’d get the dog. I’d get the cat. We’d all head to the basement.
The storm did get intense, but the sirens never sounded. After twenty minutes the worst of it was over. After another twenty minutes we could see clear skies coming on the western horizon. Soon the clouds began to part. I stepped outside. Everywhere wet surfaces glistened with amber light. The tone of the evening had turned from foreboding to serene.
I was struck by how the clouds and light played against the buildings across the street from our house. I had a roll of Lomography Berlin 400 loaded into the Pentax MX I had just picked up at my local antique store, so I grabbed the camera and walked across the street.
These are the photos I took. All were shot with the SMC Pentax-M 50mm f/2 lens that came with the camera. It was my first roll in the MX, so I wasn’t sure how it would all turn out. I set the shutter speeds as suggested by the meter with a little overexposure here and there to give more light to shadows.
I developed the film with LegacyPro L110 (an HC-110 clone). I used a 1+31 dilution for seven minutes and am happy with how it came out. My fixer must have been exhausted because there are plenty of splotches and streaks on the negatives. Some crud inside the camera also appears to have scratched the film. Oh well. I’m not chasing perfection.
I used my mirrorless camera and macro lens to scan the negatives. I then used Darktable to invert the RAW files and adjust contrast.
These shots, along with the rest on this roll of film, are special. I know a camera is just a light-sealed box to expose film in, but there’s something about this Pentax MX. I love its size, simplicity, and directness. It inspires me to amble and snap, and its meter guides me to lovely exposures. The actual heavy lifting is done not by the camera but by the lens, the film, and the developer. Of course, the actual heavy lifting is done by this world itself.
Thanks for reading. I’m on Instagram and have a website.
– Jason
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Erik Brammer on 5 Frames after a Storm with a Pentax MX and Lomography Berlin 400
Comment posted: 17/06/2025
Comment posted: 17/06/2025
Gary on 5 Frames after a Storm with a Pentax MX and Lomography Berlin 400
Comment posted: 17/06/2025
Comment posted: 17/06/2025
Gary Smith on 5 Frames after a Storm with a Pentax MX and Lomography Berlin 400
Comment posted: 17/06/2025
Article subject is also a great idea and well done. Thanks for sharing.
Thomas Wolstenholme on 5 Frames after a Storm with a Pentax MX and Lomography Berlin 400
Comment posted: 17/06/2025
Comment posted: 17/06/2025
James Evidon on 5 Frames after a Storm with a Pentax MX and Lomography Berlin 400
Comment posted: 17/06/2025
Reinhold on 5 Frames after a Storm with a Pentax MX and Lomography Berlin 400
Comment posted: 17/06/2025
Beautiful images you made, Jason.
My favorites are the wires and the man, sweeping the roof.
davesurrey on 5 Frames after a Storm with a Pentax MX and Lomography Berlin 400
Comment posted: 18/06/2025
I recently won an auction lot of three MXs with lenses for very little money all working well. I agree that despite it all being about the lens and film, the camera body still is important in the enjoyment of taking the shot.
Geoff Chaplin on 5 Frames after a Storm with a Pentax MX and Lomography Berlin 400
Comment posted: 18/06/2025
Russ Rosener on 5 Frames after a Storm with a Pentax MX and Lomography Berlin 400
Comment posted: 18/06/2025
Yes these are grainy but that can suit the mood. Since you stocked up on this film you may want to try developing it in D-76 next time or XTOL. The cool thing about B&W film is that using a different developer can create a totally different image.
Image #4 is my favorite. For me it captures the quiet twilight as the sky clears after a major storm. For me, having grown up in the central Midwest and survived many horrific storms and even tornadoes I don't quite get the impending doom. Use of an Orange or red filter and higher vantage point viewing a menacing monster storm on the horizon would do it. Or perhaps an open cloudscape outside of town.
Naturally all Art is subjective, so these are just my opinions and tips.
Comment posted: 18/06/2025
Ibraar Hussain on 5 Frames after a Storm with a Pentax MX and Lomography Berlin 400
Comment posted: 19/06/2025
Thanks for the article
JC on 5 Frames after a Storm with a Pentax MX and Lomography Berlin 400
Comment posted: 20/06/2025
In the moment i'm shooting the A-1 and Fomapan 200, the next roll will work in the MX.
Your pics with the Berlin 400 are very nice here. My favourite is the guy sweeping his roof.
Martin Patrick on 5 Frames after a Storm with a Pentax MX and Lomography Berlin 400
Comment posted: 24/06/2025
journey too.
Comment posted: 24/06/2025