• Skip to content

Main

  • Portfolio Overview
  • Selected photography projects
  • On Photography
  • Blog
  • About
  • Contact
  • Store
  • Back
  • City of London
  • Creative Londoners
  • Guangzhou, China
  • Henley Royal Regatta
  • Margate – English Seaside
  • Not My King Protest
  • Social Landscape of Contemporary Life
  • What is British?
  • Whitechapel Mission
  • Back
  • Your store for Photographic Prints, Photo Zines and Workshops.
  • My Account
  • Checkout
  • DxO Affiliate Links

Michael Wayne Plant

Main

  • Portfolio Overview
  • Selected photography projects
    • City of London
    • Creative Londoners
    • Guangzhou, China
    • Henley Royal Regatta
    • Margate – English Seaside
    • Not My King Protest
    • Social Landscape of Contemporary Life
    • What is British?
    • Whitechapel Mission
  • On Photography
  • Blog
  • About
  • Contact
  • Store
    • Your store for Photographic Prints, Photo Zines and Workshops.
    • My Account
    • Checkout
    • DxO Affiliate Links
  • 0 items

Follow us

Connect with us on LinkedinFollow us on TwitterLike us on FacebookFollow us on FlickrFollow us on InstagramSubscribe to our Channel on YouTube

Header Widgets

Posted on June 9, 2023

Film

AuthorPostedbyMichael Wayne Plant

With Buying a Leica M-A, I have disappeared down a film rabbit hole that for me had disappeared in 2003/4 when I got my Nikon D70. The first Digital camera I used, meant that I no longer used film in my photographic practice. I used to makes images on film then scan them on an Imacon scanner, that I would rent by the hour and save the files to a CD/DVD, then take them home and retouch them on my computer with a much earlier version of Photoshop. This was when I was a Fashion photographer. I no longer make fashion images, so I no longer need that workflow, except that I might, as I will want to share my analogue images digitally on social media so I still need to find a film scanning process and the film scanner that I would love to have is no longer made. What to do? I don’t know for now.

I do know that I will be having to work out what film to use. Fortunately I only want to use Black and White film. However the film I had wanted to use is Kodak Tri-X, I am not sure now, if I want to as the film has got excessively expensive and I think I will look for an alternative. So the search begins, right now I have an old roll of Rollei 400S in my camera, I will have to buy some new film to make a proper judgement on it. Then I will look at Ilford Delta 400, I am going to spent some time looking at 400 ISO film first as this is the most versatile ISO for the kind of work I want to make with film.

Rollei Retro 400S film

I read somewhere that the Rollei Retro 400S film is actually made by Agfa so I will see if it feels like the old Agfa APX 400 that I used to like that film and used to alternate between that and Tri-X, and I can buy it for £120-00 for 20 rolls at Imaging Warehouse, there is an also a cost incentive for this, as it would then only cost me £6-00 per roll of film vs the £14-00 that is the current Kodak Tri-X price.

I have found I can buy ten rolls of Ilford Delta 100 and 400 for £79.00 at Mr Cad

UpDate. Rollei Retro 400S is actually a film designed to be used for aero surveillance and has extended red sensitivity so if you use it with a red filter it can look more like an infra Red film.

Here is the link to Rollei Retro 400S on the Rollei website

Alex Luyckx has a good set of film and developer reviews on his website, you might want to check out. This is his review for the Rollei Retro 400S.

I have decided that the first rolls of film were not a good indication of what the film could do as I was using film stock that was 14 years out of date and had been badly stored. I have now used more new in date film stock and the film is very high in contrast and is a good film but not for the kind of work that I want to make with my Leica MA camera.

0 Posted in Analogue Photography, PhotographyTagged Analogue Photography, Black and White film, Film Photography

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Post navigation

Previous
Next

© 2025 All Images and text copyright of Michael Wayne Plant MINIMAL

Follow us

Connect with us on LinkedinFollow us on TwitterLike us on FacebookFollow us on FlickrFollow us on InstagramSubscribe to our Channel on YouTube
x
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT
✕