Retrochrome Revisited

About a decade ago, I shot with a bunch of the Film Photography Project’s Retrochrome 320. At that time, the FPP was offering two types of Retrochrome as well as Wittnerchrome. All three were expired films that offered a different color palette at a time when Kodak was not even offering an Ektachrome option. The Retrochrome 160 and 320 were both expired industrial Kodak Ektachrome emulsions.  I did like the look of the Ektachrome 320 - it was a warm result with a nostalgic look.  

Over the past 50 years, I’ve shot hundreds of rolls of slide film and at one time, Kodachrome and various E-6 emulsions were pretty much the majority of what I was using. It was rare for me to shoot expired slide film, as I was doing a lot of nature/macro-photography, and I wanted my results to accurately depict my subjects.  My photography is a lot different now, and experimenting with odd emulsions is quite typical.  So, I was interested when Mike Raso announced that a new Retrochrome 400 was available from the FPP earlier this year (alas, now sold out).  I shot one roll with my Pentax 17 back in late July and early August, and the other roll was shot with my Pentax KX in Arizona during my October trip.  Both rolls were developed by Dwayne’s Photo in Parsons, KS.  I asked for the option of just receiving them sleeved and not mounted, as I have no intention of showing them via a slide projector.  It makes the scanning process a lot easier, as well. Dwayne’s did a great job with the 120 and 35mm E-6 film that I mailed to them, and the turnaround time was a week. At $8.50/roll for 35mm E-6 (unmounted and no scans), it’s a great price. 

All of the frames were scanned with my Epson V700 flatbed scanner at 3200 dpi. Edits were made in Corel Paint Shop Pro.  

Pentax 17 - I loaded this roll into my Pentax 17 while on a trip with Graham Young into Maggie Valley, NC  on July 18.  I set the ISO to 200, but should have set it to ISO 320 or 400.  Still, the results are pretty good, and the bonus is that I got twice as many shots on the roll.  The film is expired, so I expect some grain and loss of shadow detail, but I think it looks pretty darn good.    Here are a few samples from that roll.

Pentax KX - This is the camera that I purchased at Monument Camera in Tucson in mid-October.  I used it for all the color film that was shot on the rest of my trip.  The lens is the 50mm f/1.7 SMC Pentax.  I set the ISO to 320. The first few shot on the roll were taken in Lowell, Arizona - a sort of ghost town S of Bisbee.  Most of what I shot there was done with my Pentax 6x7, but these images from the KX and on the Retrochrome really do have a vintage look to them, and were perfect for the subjects.  The rest of the roll was shot at the Pima Air and Space Museum grounds where there are a LOT of vintage aircraft that you can walk up to and examine.  Again, the nostalgic look of this film was perfect was these aircraft, and it held up well under that bright Arizona sun. I probably should have set the ISO to 400 with this film, but I really dig the look.

I have one roll left of the Retrochrome 400, and I’ll keep it in my film fridge for a future subject that will be appropriate for the look that this film gives me.  There is no doubt that a good transparency film provides some amazing images.  Just being able to look at a roll of developed E-6 film is quite nice — those little brilliant scenes on the light table are something. No inversion needed to see the image as it should be.    

A Monumental Visit

Whenever I travel, if I find there is a camera store in the vicinity of where I am staying, I try to stop by and check it out.  Tucson, Arizona has such a store — Monument Camera, and when I was in Tucson for over a week last month, I finally had the opportunity to stop in.  I was previously in Tucson in January, 2024, and was unable to visit Monument Camera when it was open.  This time, our vacation rental was located on the NE side of Tucson, and it was a quick drive to Monument Camera on E. Fort Lowell Rd.   It was our first full day in Tucson, and it turned out to be a great start to our 9 days there.  

The friendly folks at Monument Camera (L-R)- Alexis, Lee, McKenzie, Jordan, Nasho, and Jacob (missing).

The storefront was quite welcoming, and when I stepped inside, it was definitely apparent that this is a destination for anyone that shoots film.  Glass cases full of cameras, aisles of photographic gear and accessories, and plenty of staff on hand.  Of course, film is prominently displayed at the front of the store.  I had a nice conversation with Alexis, and after a few minutes, she went into the back and brought out Lee Walker, the owner of Monument Camera.  Lee bought the business in 2020 - and then there was COVID. It’s truly great to see he was determined to keep a film-based photography store going in a city with lots of local and visiting photographers.  He added in-house film developing services, and of course, sells all kinds of cameras and supplies.  It’s obvious though, that film cameras are their forte, and there are a lot of beautiful cameras for sale.  Anyone desiring a twin lens reflex would be smitten by the selection available in the medium format case.  No matter what your level of experience is, it's great to talk to other photographers, and a camera store is a magnet for that.

Lee and I talked for quite a while and I asked if he had any Pentax K-mount bodies for sale, as this trip was pretty much a Pentax gear road trip (more about that in another post).  He brought out two beautiful K-mount bodies. A mint black Pentax LX with a 50mm f/1.2 SMC Pentax lens, and a very nice Pentax KX with a 50mm f/1.7 SMC Pentax lens.  Of course, the LX was in fabulous condition, but my wallet could only accommodate the KX.  I decided to buy the KX, and I used it every day while we were in Arizona.  You will often pay a bit more for a camera at a brick and mortar store, but it’s worth it.  To have the camera in hand and test it out out before you buy, and know that it’s been serviced is a plus, and of course, you are supporting a local business.  In this day of instant gratification, there is something to be said for walking into a store and buying a camera, lens, or film, and interacting with others in the photography community.  Maybe you only need a lens cap, so why not go to a store that has them right there?  

Monument Camera sells a lot of film, and I hope that I convinced Lee to carry some FPP branded films.  I stopped back into the store a few days later and dropped off a couple of gift zines, and bought a roll of Kodak Kodacolor 100, as I was almost out of color 35mm film, and had more days left for this trip.  I’ll be developing all those rolls of C-41 film soon.

If you are anywhere near Tucson, AZ, I highly recommend visiting Monument Camera.  You may just make some new friends.  

Monument Camera is located at 15 East Fort Lowell Rd., Tucson, AZ. It’s on Instagram @monument_camera, and their web site is www.monumentcam.com.   

This one came home with me.

Bill Schwab's left us.

Bill Schwab, Photostock 2008

Bill Schwab 1959-2025 

To say that someone left us too early is an understatement.  Bill Schwab, a Michigan-based photographer, died in Scotland yesterday from cardiac arrest while leading one of his photo workshops in Scotland.  Kerik Kouklis, Bill’s closest friend, gave the awful news via his Instagram account. It was heartbreaking news, for sure.  I have known Bill only since 2008, when I went to the second Photostock event in Emmet County, MI. Over the years, as he made Photostock an annual gathering for photographers, it was clear that he valued the spirit of photographic exploration, welcoming photographers of all skill levels, and as he often announced, to leave your ego at the door. Bill put a lot of time and energy and money into hosting Photostock, and because of his work, we were able to meet and listen to some very amazing photographers from all over North America.  Bill, who was from Detroit, gradually moved his base of operations into very rural Emmet County, near Harbor Springs.  I remember those early Photostock events when we basically camped in his woods.  As the annual gatherings grew larger, the Birchwood Inn became the place to be, with those evenings around the fire pits, lots of good conversation and often music with new and old friends, and a good amount of alcohol to keep things lively.  In 2022, he moved the event to Cross Village. The one person responsible for building that great photographic community was Bill Schwab.   I didn’t go every year, but I did attend many of them, the last being in 2022.  When I lived in Michigan, it was just a few hours on the road, but going from NC to northern Michigan is a much longer trip.  

Bill was an alt-process advocate, and when you were at a Photostock, you were likely to be smelling ether with all the tintype practitioners that were there. That was one of the fun aspects - bringing all types of photographers together so that we all learn something new, and in the end, it was the image that matters.  He recognized that photography IS a big tent, and made efforts to be as inclusive as possible.  If it wasn’t for those Photostock gatherings, I would never have met a lot of the people that I now know.  Bill used whatever new technology that became available that would add new dimensions to exploring what photography could do.  I enjoyed his videos on YouTube, and he reached a lot of people through that medium. Best of all though, it was just good to sit down and have a beer with him and talk.  All of us that knew Bill saw his love for photography and how he enjoyed sharing that enthusiasm.  I believe that he made me think more about my photographic practice, and to trust my instincts.

Losing someone like Bill really hurts.  He will be missed most of all by his family.  The photography world lost a good man,  a teacher, a hard-working photographer, and a friend.  

Photostock 2009

Photostock 2013

Photostock 2018

Photostock 2022

Photostock 2022. Everyone in this photo lost a friend. Rest in peace, Bill.

Kodak's Signet 50 - 1950s retro

 

The OG Signet - Signet 35

Kodak's line of Signet-branded cameras began in 1951 with the introduction of the Signet 35, which replaced the ugly as hell Kodak 35 camera.  The Signet 35 was a stylish camera, with a nice 44mm f/3.5 Ektanar lens ins a Synchro 300 shutter. Compared to the Argus C3, the Signet 35 was far superior in aesthetics, size, and ease of use.  The only drawback of the Signet 35 was the tiny viewfinder.  It was a true rangefinder focus camera, and its compactness was its strength.  However, over time many examples of the Signet 35 have sticky shutters.  As do many lens-shutter cameras from over 60 years ago!

The follow-up camera, the Signet 40 (https://randomphoto.blogspot.com/2022/12/kodaks-signet-40-camera.html) appeared in 1956, with a more Art Moderne style, an Ektanon 44mm f/3.5 lens and a maximum shutter speed of 1/400 sec.  I think it's one of Kodak's most beautiful 35mm cameras.  The rangefinder patch is easy to see, and the camera is a real joy to use.

The Signet 50

The Signet 30 and Signet 50, introduced in 1957, feature a bottom-mounted film advance lever (single-stroke), A Kodak 44mm f/2.8 Ektanar lens, a bright-frame viewfinder, and alas, no rangefinder.  Quite different in appearance from the earlier models, they have that late 1950s "modern" design.  The body is largely Bakelite with aluminum fittings.  Both cameras use Exposure Values to set the shutter speeds/apertures. The Signet 30 lacks any meter, but the Signet 50 does have a Selenium meter.  The biggest change may be that the shutter is internally cocked (only when film is loaded) when you advance the film.  Earlier models required a separate operation to cock the shutter on the outside of the lens mount, just as the Kodak Pony models, which were the "low end" of Kodak's 35mm cameras line.

The Signet 50 is an attractive camera, and has a very nice, sharp lens.  After you press the shutter, a little "WIND" reminder pops up in the viewfinder.  The Selenium meter in my example reacts to light, but its not at all accurate.  Typically, one would set the EV number to what the needle points to on the meter that;s viewed on the top deck of the camera.  While I'm not a fan of the EV system, it's genius lies in the fact that once you select an EV, it locks in the combination of shutter speeds of apertures that give the same EV. So, say the EV is 14, which could be 1/250 sec at f/8 or 1/125 at f/11, or 1/60 at f/16, or 1/30 at f/22.  Hasselblad used this EV system on some of their lenses, and Kodak used it on some Retina models, too.  If your handheld meter has an EV reading, that's also helpful to use with this camera.  Of course, you can set the EV on the lens barrel to anything you want, but those speeds and apertures are locked into that EV number.  To an experienced photographer, it's a pain in the butt.

The Signet 30 and 50 models feature a slot on the back for Kodak's Exposure Cards. These are small laminated cards that feature EV numbers for a particular Kodak film with the light conditions shown.  They were also used on the Pony IV camera. 

In use, the Signet 50 is quite easy to work with, especially if the light isn't changing much in the course of using it. The viewfinder is big and a pleasure to use. I loaded the camera with a roll of Rollei Retro 80s, and shot with it one afternoon in September in the River Arts District of Asheville - my testing ground for cameras.  The zone focus on the Signet 50 is easy to work with, and if the Selenium meter were working, it would be sensitive from ASA 10-400.  Given that the maximum shutter speed is 1/250 sec, that's a decent range of sensitivity.  There is a cold shoe on the top of the camera, so you could use a small modern light meter there.   

I should add that there is a Series V filter ring on the front

Note, and this bears repeating, if you find one of these cameras, you need to have film in it to test the shutter! You can find the manual online at the usual place - https://www.butkus.org/chinon/ and don't forget to pay Mike for his valuable service.

Results

The Rollei Retro 80s is a contrasty film, and I was very happy with the results from the Signet 50.  The negatives were scanned on my Epson V700.

My favorite street art in the RAD.

If you find a nice working example of a Signet 30 or 50, it would certainly be worthwhile to buy it. Load it with a roll of Kodak Gold 200 and see what that 1950s technology does for you.

Film is not dead! Travels of a T-shirt

 

Sept. 26, 2025

So says this T-shirt that I received in 2005, from my long-time Flickr friend, Therese.   The t-shirt was sold by Looking Glass Photo in Berkeley, CA, and I wore it there when I visited Berkeley in 2016.  By that time, it was definitely vintage, and now even more so.  The sentiment expressed on the shirt was a rallying cry from long-time film users in the 2000's.  Digital had become a juggernaut, and on top of the rise in digital cameras, came the opportunity to pick up nice film cameras really, really cheaply.  I could visit several thrift shops in Ann Arbor, MI and come home with a camera bag containing an SLR body and a lens or two for less than $20.  Those were the days!  I also remember being able to buy short-dated or "expired" 35mm film for a buck or two a roll at a camera store.

October, 2005

At Looking Glass Photo, 2016

Of course, we didn't have a crystal ball that would tell us where this was all going, just that as film users, we were not going to give up our film cameras for those heathen digicams.  I got my first DSLR in 2005, a Nikon D70s, which I used for nearly a decade.  This was before the bounce-back in film and (used) film camera sales, and the trendy cameras becoming Canon AE-1, Pentax K1000, and those lovely yet unreliable  Contax T-series cameras.  Sometime around 2012, there became a groundswell of desire to shoot film from new photographers, and it has sort of remained steady.  Steady enough for Ricoh/Pentax to make a half-frame camera, the Pentax 17.  So, no film is NOT dead.  It will likely survive as a creative medium for decades. I don't know how many more years my t-shirt will last, but as I wear it only occasionally, I suspect it's good for another decade.  

There are a lot of reasons to shoot with film cameras - and there are as many to shoot with digital. Right now, digital mirrorless cameras are THE thing, and because you can adapt just about any lens to use with them, I don't see them declining in sales.  However, I still feel more creative using an SLR, either film or digital. But back to film -- I think what I continue to love about film cameras is that I can take a camera made in 1956 (the year I was born) and get great photos with it.  Film cameras have their own unique haptics and because I love shooting in b&w, there are a lot of choices in film, from really low-ISO of less than 3 to 3200.  The film is what makes "analog" photography so much fun.  Now, I have my share of digital cameras - probably more than I need or use regularly. But, when it comes to film cameras, I get more satisfaction in using them.  It's partly knowing the craft of photography, but also knowing that even the cheapest SLR is capable of wonderful results.  In addition, medium and large format cameras have amazing resolution, yet the cameras cost a fraction of what a digital medium format camera will cost you.  

So, you don't have to be one of those people that are either only film or only digital!  Use both, enjoy what you are doing, and make meaningful images.  Photography is a big tent, and there's a place for everyone.