I have to hand it to the minds at Lomography. Whatever sources they have, or partnerships with film manufacturers, they have been able to come up with some films that simply defy convention and encourage experimentation by photographers. I'm not sure where this latest release stands in the world of C-41 films that Lomography has come up with, but when I saw it available, I purchased three rolls from the Lomography store.
First of all, I knew that I wanted to test this film in a camera that has shown reliable results with color films, my Yashica Electro 35CC. With its 35mm f/1.8 lens, this camera is considerably more compact than the big Yashica Electro 35s most people are familiar with. That's one reason that I use it, and the other is that I like the aperture-priority operation of this camera (even if I don't know what the exact shutter speed will be), and the 35mm lens is perfect for much of the photography that I do.
I already had a roll of Kodak Pro Image 100 in this camera, which was fortuitous, since I could compare the color rendition of the Color '92 with the Pro Image 100. I shot the roll of Color '92 in Murphy and Asheville, NC. I shot it at the box speed of ISO 400, and it was developed by Ball Photo in Asheville, and I scanned the negatives on my Epson V700 scanner. Minor corrections were applied post-scan in Corel Paintshop Pro.
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| The Henn theatre, shot on Pro Image 100 |
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| Henn Theatre, shot on Color '92 |
As you can see, the Color'92 has a bit of a slightly different palette, but nothing like the Lomo Metropolis film. If anything, it reminds me of some older slide film scans, but with better shadow detail. In the two photos of the Henn theater in Murphy, NC, the red looks slightly muted compared to the Pro Image 100, but blues are more intense.
Some more images:
Based on this sample, I'd say that the reds have some cyan that mutes them a bit, and that the film really shines in full sun. Overall, it's certainly a choice on whether to use it or any other 400 ISO color film. It's not going to be as obvious a result as say, Lomo Metropolis or Lomochrome Purple. However, I do like the look of this film
Is it worth the extra price over some expired 400 ISO film? It all depends on what you are looking for. I think the more muted appearance in shade is quite nice.
I have also loaded my first roll of this film in a Yashica rangefinder - but the 35 GS - also because of its brilliant consistency with color film. Yours look great, can't wait to finish up my roll.
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