A few months back, I decided to take a plunge into film. Yes, whilst the whole world was going digital, yours truly decided instead to move into opposite direction. To be honest, it wasn't quite a difficult decision to make. With digital cameras now being the norm, one could pick a film camera at a reasonable price, provided one knows where to look. I decided at the onset to go with an Olympus OM-1N. This
chromed, mechanical beauty was one of most popular SLR (single lens reflex) camera that was ever made in the 70s. I called it Maitani's Mechanical Masterpiece.
In terms of functionality, aesthetics, and ergonomics there is no other SLR from that era that is as comparable or as suave. Paired together with an OM 50mm f/1.4 fast lens, I had in my hands a tool that could function without the need of a battery and that called for me to make all the settings necessary for the capture of an exposure. If I was ever to take a crappy snapshot, the blame would rest solely on me and could not be conveniently heaped upon the camera as I did when using digital.
The next issue for my consideration was film. Browsing through some camera shops, I was slightly shocked to see film being sold above at RM10 per box for 36 exposures. Mind you, I wasn't even looking for those high-end films with cool names like Provia or Velvia. It was by providence I stumbled upon an Aladdin's Cave of a shop that stocked
Fujifilm Superia 200 and
Lucky 100 B&W, and selling for less than RM10 per box! Without hesitation, I scooped back six boxes of each. Talk about hoarding.
Before I proceed further, I must confess I was actually bitten by the photography bug when I was just starting secondary school in the late eighties. But the cost then was prohibitive, and I had to look away and instead permit my pencils and drawing pens to capture a scene. How ironic when digital photography came about and nearly turned every John and Jane into a wannabe photographer, the entry cost to film also came down! Even as I write this, I am already making plans for further acquisitions in terms of cameras and films. Strangely, I have been accused for being a film wanker by certain quarters, who themselves hoard film in their refrigerators like as if there was no tomorrow.
Film has forced me now to carefully consider each exposure before clicking the shutter button. I no longer utilize a photographic technique I term as Spray-And-Pray, as I did when using digital. Spray-And-Pray is a more or less effective but time-consuming method whereby you take a hundred snapshots in hopes that one would prove to be a keeper of a gem. Since going film meant not having the ability to delete crappy snapshots, I find myself more or less at ease of mind after snapping an exposure compared to when using digital, where I would furiously preview each shot and delete where appropriate. After all, if you did take a crappy snapshot, it has been exposed, so why cry over split milk, yes? So in a nutshell, film photography is about thinking more before and worrying less after. Each snapshot, that is.
But I digress. The three photographs shown here was taken by me with an OM-1N paired with an OM 50mm f/1.4 fast lens. Exposed on a Fujifilm Superia 200, developed and processed into living colors by matte Kodak paper, and finally scanned with a CanonScan Lide 20 flatbed scanner. Apart from that, no other digital post-processing work was carried out. Oh, the streaks and specks of light on the first picture? It was due to the shutter curtain being damaged that permitted light to leak unto the negatives before being properly exposed.
Comments and critiques welcomed.
Adios Muchachos.
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