isaacc7
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Well, I finally brought my film over here. I had originally thought that I was going to bring a 5x7 and 4x5 camera over here. When I came to my senses I bought a Horseman VHR package. Well, it turns out that was too big too...
This time I have brought a Seagull folder, a Moscva 5, and a zero 2000 pinhole camera along with 120+ rolls of Portra 400vc. The film expired several years ago, but despite that and 6 passes through xray machines, it's fine... There were several curious screeners wondering what in the hell I had in my carry on, but luckily I left the film in their pro packs with KODAK plastered all over them. That seemed to satisfy everyone...
There's an endless supply of potential shots here, I've done some shooting with my little digicam, but that was pretty frustrating. My first two rolls were more or less tests of the camera, the lab, and of course me. I hadn't shot any film for at least a year and a half, and God only knows when the last time was I shot with a manual camera.
I performed rather well, all of the exposures were dead on, the focus was mostly OK, but I have to get used to the framing on the Seagull... The only real problem was with the lab. I expected this, it's difficult enough to get decent 120 processing in the states, I knew this place had the potential to be a horror show.I know of two places in Sana'a that can do 120. There's one close to me on Zubyari and there's another place that's way the hell down Hadda street. I went to the closer place this time. The prints looked fine, the negs looked fine, except for a streak all along one side... Surprise! The rollers weren't exactly clean outside of the 35mm area... Anyway it cost me the equivalent of 5 bucks for two rolls for developing and printing. The owner swears that the machine will be ready for me the next time. I'll give him another shot since he's so close... I think that I will use the film mostly for people pictures and tripod based landscapes and use the digital for everything else. There were a few decent shots off of my test rolls, you can see one of them on my site (along with some commentary about shooting there) and there's a link to the others if you're interested. If people are interested, I'll keep you up to date about shooting in this place, it's a trip!
Isaac
This time I have brought a Seagull folder, a Moscva 5, and a zero 2000 pinhole camera along with 120+ rolls of Portra 400vc. The film expired several years ago, but despite that and 6 passes through xray machines, it's fine... There were several curious screeners wondering what in the hell I had in my carry on, but luckily I left the film in their pro packs with KODAK plastered all over them. That seemed to satisfy everyone...
There's an endless supply of potential shots here, I've done some shooting with my little digicam, but that was pretty frustrating. My first two rolls were more or less tests of the camera, the lab, and of course me. I hadn't shot any film for at least a year and a half, and God only knows when the last time was I shot with a manual camera.
I performed rather well, all of the exposures were dead on, the focus was mostly OK, but I have to get used to the framing on the Seagull... The only real problem was with the lab. I expected this, it's difficult enough to get decent 120 processing in the states, I knew this place had the potential to be a horror show.I know of two places in Sana'a that can do 120. There's one close to me on Zubyari and there's another place that's way the hell down Hadda street. I went to the closer place this time. The prints looked fine, the negs looked fine, except for a streak all along one side... Surprise! The rollers weren't exactly clean outside of the 35mm area... Anyway it cost me the equivalent of 5 bucks for two rolls for developing and printing. The owner swears that the machine will be ready for me the next time. I'll give him another shot since he's so close... I think that I will use the film mostly for people pictures and tripod based landscapes and use the digital for everything else. There were a few decent shots off of my test rolls, you can see one of them on my site (along with some commentary about shooting there) and there's a link to the others if you're interested. If people are interested, I'll keep you up to date about shooting in this place, it's a trip!
Isaac
