The topic of today’s post is a roll of Retocolor Aqua 400 I picked up at my local camera shop. Never heard of the company. I did not look up sample photos in advance. I decided to give it a try with no background. Interestingly this is a 27 exposure roll instead of the 24 and 36 exposure rolls I am used to.
Camera? A favorite rig of mine.
For a lens, I chose the far sharper than it has any business being 7Artisans 35mm f/1.4.
Last thoughts.
I like this film… but under very specific conditions from what I see. It fared well and suited the mood for the evening, small town photos, but I was not as keen on other images taken on this hazy evening. Also, I am seeing less dynamic range than I have seen in more common films. Not bad. Just not my particular cup of tea for general use. As stated above, I am a fan of mainstream emulsions evidently.
That being said I am much more of a fan of the aqua tint than I thought I would be. Especially with the storefront shots above.
Would I buy it again? Not sure. But not because I do not think it is a good film. It is. And if the look this film gives is up your alley it is an excellent choice. And I do like many of the exposures I captured with it. My reluctance has more to do with the price. While not out of line, other favorites of mine either cost less, almost half as much in some cases, or no more so there is not much incentive for me to stray out of my comfort zone. That being said, I really like supporting smaller companies and that will likely play a part. It does help that I develop at home, so that does offset some of the cost. There will likely be more rolls in my future.
I appreciate having this opportunity to share my experiences with these lenses.
Eric L. Woods
I shoot a variety of new and old digital and film cameras. Industrial Engineer by education, IT is my vocation, and I really enjoy using, testing, and writing about cameras. All three of the latter are very therapeutic exercises for me. If you are so inclined my blog address is ewoodsphoto.com and I can be found on twitter and Instagram. All the best to you.
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Dan Mountin on 5 Frames with Retocolor Aqua 400, Konica Hexar RF and 7Artisans 35mm f/1.4
Comment posted: 17/10/2023
Comment posted: 17/10/2023
Bradley Newman on 5 Frames with Retocolor Aqua 400, Konica Hexar RF and 7Artisans 35mm f/1.4
Comment posted: 17/10/2023
Comment posted: 17/10/2023
Paul Quellin on 5 Frames with Retocolor Aqua 400, Konica Hexar RF and 7Artisans 35mm f/1.4
Comment posted: 18/10/2023
Comment posted: 18/10/2023