Personal ramblings on photography
Kosmofoto reports that Kodak now offers new-look Gold 200 and Ultramax 400 alongside Kodacolor films.
In addition to Kodacolor 100 and 200, Gold 200 and Ultramax 400 are now repackaged and sold by Kodak directly instead of Kodak Alaris.
Please bring the 800 ISO that are stuck in diposable cameras.
Kodak Colour Negative Film and Colour Print Making Materials & Processes – researched by Michael Talbert — A collection of material about early Kodak film processes. We learn that Kodachrome initially cost US$3.50 a roll in 1936 (this included processing) which is US$54 in 2009… and learn how complicated its development process was. And from there many other links. A rabbit hole.
The Leica M EV1 Just Entered a Spec War It Can’t Win and Destroyed Its Own Value Proposition — The headline itself is what I thought of this camera.
Flashes and Strobes
Photo Strobe Trigger Voltages — A list of flash strobes and their trigger voltage. It’s important to match it with your camera as some might have more than 100V.
Sam’s Strobe FAQ — Notes on the Troubleshooting and Repair of Electronic Flash Units and Strobe Lights (Archived) — Tips on repairing electronic flash units.
One of the first pictures I took with the Fujfilm X-M5.
Also today were announced the new Fujifilm X-T30 III and the XC 13-33mm F3.5-6.3 OIS.
The X-T30 III is just a refresh of the X-T30 II from 2021, the entry level X-series body. Added is the new processor on top of the X-Trans IV sensor, bringing it in par with the X-M5 and X-S20, with updated auto focus and video capabilities.
From the control changes, the left dial is no longer used for drive. but instead is, like on the X-T50 and the X-M5, the film simulation dial, with support for film recipes as introduced by the X-E5. Still hoping for a firmware update doing this on the X-M5.
It also adds direct printing support to the Instax Link printers as well as the associated “crops” for the Mini, Square and Wide formats. Fujifilm, can we get a firmware update to do that on the X-M5 and X-E5 ?
This camera comes optionally with the new XC 13-33mm F3.5-6.3 OIS that replaces the XC 14-45. A bit wider, and shorter, slower at the long end, and it dropped the power zoom.
Shipping in November 2025 body only for CA$1249, or in December as a kit for CA$1449, in three different colours, Silver, Black and Graphite.
DPReview: Fujifilm X-T30 III adds fresh ingredients to familiar recipe.
Take a Leica M11, remove the rangefinder and replace it with an EVF, shave the price by 10% (it’s still unaffordable) and you have the Leica M EV-1.
At the most basic level, you can get essentially the same sensor in the Sony a7CR for considerable less money, and get a similar shooting experience by adapting your M-mount lenses to fit. It won’t be as small, be as nicely built or say Leica on the front, but in purely pragmatic terms, it’ll be comparable.
I think that removing the rangefinder is like removing the main reason to buy a Leica M camera. I don’t see where that make sense. If you want to use M lenses but don’t care for the rangefinder, the above suggestion from DPReview will be probably more adequate, and anything else, the law of diminishing returns applies. And instead of a Sony, you can also use any other full frame mirrorless like a Nikon Z or Panasonic S.
This doesn’t mean Leica is abandoning the rangefinder though, but I still wonder who this camera is for except if you want to 12K.
One day I shot two rolls of film in a Leica M7. And I loved it.
The Leica M EV-1 will cost CA$12,315 as per one of my local stores, and should be available starting 23 October 2025 (ie today).
Post scriptum:
David Imel video Why Leica shed its most iconic feature (YouTube) explains the rangefinder quite well, but I’m not convinced the reasoning make sense.
Lomography just announced the Lomo MC-A, a 35mm point and shoot camera.
Has a 32mm f/2.8 auto focus glass lens, auto exposure or manual, DX coding with override, built-in flash.
At CA$699 from Lomography, it is cheaper than the Pentax 17 and allow more control. Available around December 2025, and also in black.
Another choice for a new 35mm film camera.
SilverBridges Unveils WideluxX™ Prototype 0001
It’s a good milestone since the 2023 announcement. It shows you can have a working camera. The next big question is how much it is gonna cost? And when will it be available?
Analogue announced the pre-order for the Analogue aF-1.
The aF-1 is a compact 35mm point-and-shoot camera designed by the Amsterdam company Analogue. It has 35mm f2.8 glass lens, LiDAR autofocus and built-in flash. All the features expected from the early 21st century point-and-shoot.
The pre-order price is 449€ or CA$790 (+ shipping) for a delivery Q1 2026.
Specs are not unlike an Olympus mju-II.
A day after Kodacolor 100 and 200 are announced, Lomography comes out with a new 200 ISO colour negative. LomoChrome Classicolor 200 is a “limited edition”. Not sure why limited edition, I suspect they might have obtained a limited stock of something no longer produced. CN100 is thought to be a Kodak stock that is not available under a different brand.
It will be sold for CA$13.90 which is higher than of the Kodacolor 200 listed at CA$16.00.
via Kosmofoto
And the Kodacolor announcement was such a big deal that non photography outlets talked about it.
Polaroid Versus Fujifilm – How a Court Case Could Change Instant Photography Forever — Seems like a repeat of Polaroid vs Kodak. Just because of the square shape…
From Emulsive, How-to: Make DIY your own black and white transparencies (slides) — Apparently Ilford has an official process with Ilford FP4 Plus, and this article revise it by using a chemical inversion instead of a re-exposure. I always wanted to shoot Agfa Scala. And Adox Scala, its successor, doesn’t seem so easy to find here.
What is a color space? by Dan Hollick. — A clear explanation of what a colour space is. Despite this being part of a tutorial on writing software, it is really not specific to this craft.