Ultrafine Liminality Film

A little over a month ago, I saw an announcement from Ultrafine Online about a film stock that they were releasing.  Their Liminality 250 black and white film announcement had all the things that pique my interest. For one, it wasn’t just a rebranding of something from Foma or Orwo, and two, it’s a S.O. Kodak film.  S.O. means “Special Order,” which means the film has some special characteristic that differentiates it from the typical film stocks.  In the case of the Ultrafine film, their description tells a lot:

“Ultrafine Liminality 250 Black and White Film

Kodak Special Order 078 Black and White Film originally utilized in rocket testing technology. A Kodak Special Order (S.O.) film originally designed for instrumentation testing however it yields amazing results when utilized as a 35 mm camera film. Based on the Kodak T-max 400 emulsion with some tweaks in the high contrast range makes for a wonderful film to shoot under a variety of conditions. We have assigned a 250 ISO, given the age of the stock, and the scientific tweaking the film was initially given. The Film is out-dated and has been kept in cold storage and is yielding fantastic results! It is an extremely fine grain black-and-white, having a wide contrast range, and a sturdy Kodak ESTAR (polyester) base, which allows the film to lay flat for handling.”

Obviously, I had to try a film that was used for rocket testing!  I ordered three 36-exposure rolls at $10.95 each.  I think that’s a fair price given the oddity of this film.  I loaded a roll into my Minolta XG-M with a 45mm/2.8 Rokkor.  I set the ISO at 250, and shot the roll within a day or so.  

I developed the film in Kodak T-Max RS developer for 9 minutes at 20°C.  I was really pleased to see that the negatives were perfect. I did not see any base fog on the film, nor any indication that this film was “old.”  Differing from the T-Max 400 films that I have shot before, there was no pink anti-halation dye in the wash water or on the processed film.  The tough Estar base makes me wonder if the film was used in launch scenarios where a camera would have a high-frame rate and large film cassettes.  

The film laid flat in the scanner holder, and my scans were at 3200 dpi on the Epson V700 scanner.  The negatives scanned beautifully, with very fine grain and lots of tonality.  This is a lovely film to shoot with.  

Here are some selected frames from the roll:

 

I like the fact that the Liminality film is something unique and also that it delivered exactly what Ultrafine said it would.  The next roll that I shoot with it will likely be developed with another developer, just to see if the results are any different.  I recommend that if you develop it, use whatever developer type and times posted for normal Kodak T-max 400 film at the ISO of 400.  The Kodak T-Max RS developer yielded excellent results for me.

As I noticed that there was no pink anti-halation dye showing up in the wash, you can see that the film does have some halation on reflective objects, as seen in the above image. Not a big problem, but something to be aware of. 

There are some film stocks that have become popular for street photography, such as JCH Street Pan, and ATM Street Candy 400.  I never liked my results with the JCH film, and the ATM Street Candy 400 was okay.  However, I like this Liminality film, and it's certainly worth a shot (or 36 shots), so I recommend buying some while it is available.

The Minolta XG-M

Minolta XG-M with 45mm f/2 Rokkor-X

Over the years, I have acquired, used, and sold quite a few Minolta SLR cameras.  Once Minolta evolved into the late 1970s -1980s era of electronically-controlled SLR bodies, their cameras became a tad smaller, more capable, and of course, easier to use.  I’ve always thought of the SRT series as basic, competent, and reliable SLR bodies, and I’ve covered them previously on RCB.  My first experience with a Minolta SLR was around 2001, when I was gifted a Minolta X-700.  At one time, I had a full range of accessories for macro-photography and flash units for that camera, all given to me by a friend.  The camera was a delight to use, and the Minolta lenses were certainly top-notch.  It seems implausible that I would sell all my Minolta gear, but at some point I did that, as I grew more invested in the Nikon system.  I’ve never had to buy an X-700, as I have been gifted several over the last 20 years. They come and they go. I was given another one early this year, and it came fully serviced, so it ought to have a pretty long life.

However, this post is not about the X-700.  

Minolta XG-9 - the last of this body style

The Minolta XG series started in 1977 with the introduction of the XG-7. Like most other Minolta SLRs, it featured a horizontally-traveling cloth focal plane shutter.  The XD and XE series (1974-84), developed in collaboration with Leitz, featured a metal, vertically-traveling focal plane shutter and metal body. However, the XG series and X-number series have horizontal cloth shutters, which probably kept the cost down to some extent. You can find the most information on many of the Minolta SR, SRT, XE, XD, XE, and X-number cameras on the excellent Rokkor Files site. 

Top view of the XG-M (from the manual)

The Minolta XG-M was the best of the XG series, introduced in 1981.  It replaced the XG-9, and the big improvement was the ability to use the metering in manual mode, as well as a motor drive.  It was only sold in the chrome version, and in almost all aspects is nearly identical to the X-700 that appeared later in 1981, which was only sold in black.

Front and side views

The camera’s features:

• Electronic horizontally-traveling cloth focal plane shutter with step-less speeds in A mode, selectable speeds from B to 1/1000 sec + 1/60 flash sync in manual mode.
• Power supplied by 2 LR-44 1.5V type cells
• Full-aperture center-weighted metering
• Aperture Priority and Manual exposure mode
• Exposure Compensation +/- 2 stops in 1/2 stop increments
• Film ISO range of 25-1600
• Self-timer, electronic with LED indicator, ca. 10 sec delay
• PC Sync port as well as hot-shoe over the prism with additional pin for X-series flash units
• On/Off switch on shutter speed dial
• Depth of field Preview button
• electromagnetic shutter release on shutter speed dial + remote shutter release near the lens mount
• Ability to use the Motor-Drive 1 and Autowinder G accessories
• Film reminder on rear door
• Viewfinder with 93% coverage. Shutter speed, aperture, and manual mode indicated in viewfinder.
• Weight- just over 18 ounces without the lens.  

The viewfinder shows all you need to know

This camera has all you need to take quality images, especially when paired with the MC and MD Rokkor Minolta lenses.  I’ve owned several XG-M bodies since 2013, and my latest XG-M was given to me by a contact that purchases my zines.  It’s in great condition, and I’ve used it for a few rolls this year.  Over the years, I’ve taken quite a few good images with XG-M cameras, and I enjoy using them. The split-prism at the center of the viewfinder is an excellent focusing aid, and the ergonomics of the body are excellent.  A tiny grip on the right side is nice, and of course, it could be more pronounced, but still, it handles well. All of the controls are precise, and the winding lever’s stroke is short. The shutter sound is not going to alert anyone. On top of that, it’s a responsive camera that just feels good in the hands to shoot with.

the back and bottom views of the XG-M

Here, I show my XG-M with the 58mm f/1.2 MC Rokkor-PG lens, which is a loaner from my friend Bill Pivetta.  This is a stunning lens that is heavy, yet renders the subjects beautifully with a very pleasing bokeh. 

However, the lens that I highly recommend for every-day use is the 45mm f/2 MD Rokkor-X.  It’s wonderfully sharp and almost a pancake lens, as it extends about an inch from the front of the prism housing.  

Minolta XG-M with the Minolta Auto 280 PX flash

You can use any flash unit that can work with a standard single pin hot-shoe, or a dedicated Minolta flash.  A dedicated flash contains another contact that activates the shutter speed to 1/60 sec for flash  synchronization, and causes the flash ready LED to show in the viewfinder. 

Minolta XG-1 with 50/1.7 MD lens

The only caveat I have regarding the X-series cameras, is that a bad capacitor will cripple the camera.  I’ve seen it happen in the XG-9, the XG-M, the X-570, and the X700.  There are online instructions on how to replace the capacitors, but if you are not the sort of person that knows how to work with a soldering iron and some disassembly of the camera body, then a repair shop would be needed.    However, the majority of XG-series cameras that I’ve seen still work fine.

A few examples from the XG-M:

Minolta XG-M, Eastman 5231, May 2025

Minolta XG-M, Eastman 5231, May 2025

Minolta XG-M, Fomapan 200, May 2025

Minolta XG-M, FPP ISO 6 Blue Sensitive, July 2025

Minolta XG-M, Ferrania P-30, 2018

Minolta XG-M, Eastman 5222, 2018

While I’m primarily a Nikon user, if I were to lose all my manual Nikons for some reason, I’d be happy with the Minolta universe. There are a lot of excellent lenses and accessories to satisfy most situations that a photographer will encounter.  The major area of deficiency would be in the range of shutter speeds that typically stop at 1/1000 sec., lower-speed flash sync, and a battery is required to use the camera. Long bulb exposures could potentially drain the battery.  However, these limitations will not be a problem for the majority of users. 

Minolta XG-M, Kodak Gold 200, 2018

Minolta XG-M, Panatomic-X, 2015

Minolta XG-M, Efke 25, 2015

Current used prices on eBay range from $40 to $120, for a body with a lens.  They are fairly abundant on the used market, but make sure to get one that has been tested or at least sold as working!

Minolta XG-M, Arista 100, 2015

 

Ferrania's P30 Film - A One Roll Review

I love shooting b&w film.  There are so many choices out there, and the various emulsions, whether old or new are worth exploring if you want to try them (and today, Kodak Alaris announced Tmax P3200 will be reintroduced!).

I was one of the early Film Ferrania Kickstarter backers, and while I do hope they are able to bring their color E-6 film into production, I am far more likely to be shooting b&w film. Last year, Ferrania brought back an old emulsion, which they called P30 Alpha, and touted it as a traditional b&w film with high silver content, with an ISO of 80.  I didn't get any of the earlier rolls, but what I did see online piqued my curiosity.  So this year, when they let backers know that the P30 film was available for $5/roll, I jumped and purchased five, which arrived quite quickly.  Even with the $8 shipping, I think it is a bargain for five 36-exposure rolls.

I brought one roll in my bag when I went to Toronto a few weeks ago, and shot it with my Minolta XG-M, one of my favorite and most reliable Minolta SLRs.  Most of it was shot while I was in the Distillery District with Bill Smith and Nancy Bueler -- my Toronto photo friends that took their time to show me around town. 

After I returned home, it was the first roll I developed, as I was curious to see if the hype about this film was valid.  I shot the film at ISO 80, and developed it in D-76 straight, for 7 minutes, as directed in the instructions.  As soon as I took the film off the reel and hung it to dry, I was pleased with what I was seeing.   It had been a snowy overcast day, and there was a lot of contrast in the scenes.  I scanned in the negatives on my Epson V700 scanner at 2400 dpi, and my initial response is WOW! I think this film has great tonal response, great mid-tones, very fine grain, and I am very pleased with the results.  I have yet to make traditional prints from the negatives, but the scans needed very little tweaking.   The film lies flat in the negative holder without any cupping like we see in Kodak's Tri-X. 

Here are some sample images from the roll.  I was not disappointed in any of them.  I am blown away when I look at the detail in the first image.  The Ferrania P30 film is a keeper, and I hope that they keep producing it. 

First Impressions - Lomography's New F2/400 film

When the new F²/400 film from Lomography was announced back in February, I eagerly pounced and bought 10 rolls.  I liked the images that I saw in their advertisements, and still, given the history of the film, I was prepared to be disappointed.  The thing about color films, is no matter what one gets, the resulting developing, scanning and modification can be quite different from person to person. That's because we tend to adjust the colors to what we find most pleasing. My red may not be the red you like, etc.

The history of the film -- from Lomography's site:

"In 2010, we bought the last ever Jumbo Roll of original 400 ASA film from some renowned Italian filmmakers. Then, ever the ones to experiment, we left the film to age like fine wine in oak casks in the Czech Republic. Thankfully, our crazy instincts were rewarded — seven years later, we went back to discover that this fantastic film still produces refined colors with a beautifully unique tone. It’s one-of-a-kind Color Negative with an X-Pro feel, and we’re so excited to share it with you! There’s a only a very limited amount of this film available, so make sure you don’t miss out.

Lomography Tipster: If you would like to experiment different ISO, the Lomography Color Negative F²/400 film gives exciting results also with ISO 200. "

Obviously, if it came from Italy, this is old Ferrania/Solaris film.  I don't recall any experience with that, but hey, I figured that I would still give it a go. The ad colors showed the film as having more of a pastel appearance, with some trending towards blue in the neutral colors.  I loaded two cameras with the film -- my Nikon FM2N, and my Minolta XG-M.  The film in the XG-M was finished first, and I developed it in a fresh Unicolor C-41 kit from the FPP store. About half the roll was shot in New Jersey while at the FPP HQ, and the rest was shot in Ann Arbor and a new state park in Jackson Co., MI.  I rated the film at ISO 400, used Aperture-priority mode, and did not do any exposure compensation for the shots. I used an Epson V700 scanner to scan the negatives.

The film base is a dark orange-red, and the frames looked uniformly overexposed to my eye.  As we know, scanning and post processing can do wonders,    The images did tend to have muted pastel colors, slightly bluish in the neutral colors, and a bit soft.  Not necessarily a bad thing, but I ended up tweaking every image to make them satisfactory to my taste, at least.  While the Lomo site says one can shoot it at 200 for exciting results, I think one should go the other way.  ISO 800 may be where this film really shines.  The roll in my Nikon is about half shot at 400, and I am going to do the rest at 800 and see what I get.  I'll post an uncorrected image from one frame first, and my corrected version after that. The remaining images all reflect my adjustments in Paint Shop Pro, reducing the exposure and in some cases, doing some auto local tone-mapping for a better effect.

unadjusted image - straight scan

adjusted to my liking

and here we go...

Judging by the indoor photos, this film could be easily rated at ISO 800.   I have used that XG-M many times, so I know it's not overexposing due to faulty metering.  My second roll will be additional data, for certain.  

Okay, what do I think so far?  I'm on the fence.  I sort of like it, and the indoor image of Mike Raso is quite good.  I think a little underexposure might be good.    I also need to shoot it with more people as subjects and see how it goes. Of course, if you want a washed-out Lomo look to your images, this film is perfect.  As of this evening, I see that Lomography Color Negative F²/400 is still sold out, so my remaining stock is all I will probably have on hand.  If you have shot some, let me know your opinion, as well!