That time I shot with a…

That Time I Shot with Ilford Multigrade RC as film.

Many moons ago I was keen to try my hand with large format, as large as I could manage, 10 x 8 seeming a good choice. You can tell how long ago from my pinhole shot of the Humber Bridge in the UK which shows it under construction some 50 years ago! Since large format film was way beyond my means at the time I thought I would try enlarging paper to produce paper negatives which I would then contact print onto more enlarging paper to produce a positive image, just like Fox-Talbot.

Kodak Flash Bantam camera

That time I “half-framed” a cute Kodak Flash Bantam camera (Part 3 of 3)

When Part 2 of this three-part series went online, reader Stephen Meese made a  comment that said it all:

“Wait, you experimented with a different film format, AND shot without a meter, AND shot with expired film, AND you’re developing your film using an experimental method? That’s a bold move Cotton!”

He had an impressive series of “ANDs” there… and I added one more! The last time I developed my own film was in 1980, and 43 years on, I seriously needed to relearn the art of slipping 35mm film into Nikkor reels.

Kodak Flash Bantam camera

That time I “Half-Framed” a cute Kodak Flash Bantam camera (Part 1 of 3)

I’ve long wanted a half-frame 35mm camera. Doubling one’s images per roll is especially great now that film costs more. I’m an inveterate tinkerer, though, and preferred to convert an inexpensive (but decent) “full-frame” camera, rather than buy a “real” half-frame. But what camera should I tackle? Ideally, it would be:

Pocketable
Well-built
Fully mechanical
Blessed with a nice lens
Easily (and reversibly) converted and
Fun to shoot

My First Shots with the Pan-Holga 360 – by Sonny Rosenberg

The Pan-Holga was created by the inventor Richard McCaleb around 2003, at least that’s when he sent it to Cory Armantrout who I just bought it from. I was compulsively perusing various kinds of cameras on E-bay when I stumbled upon the Pan-Holga, when I expressed an interest in it, Cory offered to sell it to me for half the listed price, needless to say I couldn’t resist!

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