Nikon Z 24mm f/1.7 DX Review

It was a chilly summer night in New Hampshire and I was sitting at the dining room table of the family cabin, typing up a blog post about the Abenaki Indian Shop & Camp in Conway, NH. I think it was around 2 AM when I heard the signature ding of new email hitting my inbox - Nikon had just released the Z 24mm f/1.7 DX lens I’d been dreaming about ever since it showed up on Nikon’s lens roadmap! Practically sight-unseen, I threw the lens in my cart for pre-ordered. I own a bunch of specialized Nikon lenses like the F-mount 19mm PC-E and 8-15mm fisheye, but I’d never been so excited for a new lens like I was for this Z-mount DX lens.

I started shooting in 2015 with a D5500, making the jump to a D810 in 2021. Nikon has always semi-neglected their DX lens lineup, but the fantastic Nikon F 35mm f/1.8 DX lens was my first foray into the world of sub-f/2.8 prime lenses. That lens opened me up to a whole new world of bokeh and depth-of-field in 2015, and I’ve been waiting for Nikon to drop a Z DX equivalent since I picked up a z50. I’ve spent a good amount of time shooting with this lens since it arrived in August 2023, and I’m finally ready to share my thoughts on this lens.

So why choose this lens over the Z 28mm or 40mm f/2.8 lenses Nikon offers? There are a few advantages inherent to this lens for those of us who sport a Z DX camera like the z50:

  • Advantages of a DX-Only Lens - Because a DX sensor is physically smaller than that of a FF sensor, Nikon engineers can reduce costs by designing a lens that throws a smaller image circle than its equivalent FF counterpart. For the same price as the Z 40mm f/2 lens, you get a faster aperture, 35mm equivalent field of view (FoV), and all in a lighter package. If I could only take one prime lens with me, I’d rather have a 35mm FoV than a more restrictive 60mm FoV.

  • Portability - Compared to the excellent Z 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 DX, this lens is marginally larger with the (somewhat unique) hood attached. I use a MegaGear neoprene case when traveling without a camera bag, and I can still cram the z50 + lens + hood into it when I’m trying to minimize the gear I take with me.

  • Fast Aperture - While I almost never shoot wide-open, the f/1.7 aperture of this lens offers just a bit more light-gathering capability when you need it most. Who knows what’s in store for future Z DX cameras, but for now we need all the light we can get to compensate for lack of IBIS.

  • Filter Thread Size - This lens shares the same 46mm thread as the Z 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 DX, so no need for adapter rings or new filters if you’ve already invested in them. This won’t be helpful if you own any of the other 3 Z DX lenses out there, which all use bigger filters. But this was a bonus for me, as I have no use for all-in-one zooms or telephoto lenses.

All images shot on a Nikon z50 + 24mm f/1.7 DX | ISO 100, f/8, 1/640

How does it handle in the field? To find out, I made the drive over to St. Gaudens National Historic Park on the border of Vermont and New Hampshire. The weather was awful - overcast, periodic showers, and excessively humid. I was hoping to get a mix of architectural shots, close-ups of flowers and the like, and some low-light shooting opportunities to find out what the lens could do. The Historical Park was established in 1965 to preserve the studio and home of Augustus Saint-Gaudens, who sculpted numerous important monuments during his career. Notable works include the statue of Abraham Lincoln that stands in Chicago and the Sherman Monument in NYC.

From an ergonomics perspective, this lens handles well when attached to the z50 and makes for a well-balanced package. The focusing ring is right where you’d expect it to be, which alleviates my chief complaint about the inconvenient placement of the focusing ring on the Z 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 DX. The lens hood, while certainly odd, does its job well and protects the front element while reducing flaring. I’ll be leaving the hood attached at all times as I do with the Z 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 DX.

ISO 100, f/8, 1/400

Chromatic aberration is well controlled, and any fringing I found was easily correctable in Lightroom. Focusing was fast and accurate, just like I expected. Part of my excitement about this lens was that it provided a reasonably-priced Nikon equivalent to the Fujifilm X100V, which seemed like the perfect portable camera for those trips where I don’t want to lug the D850 with me. I bought (and sold) an RX100V because I just couldn’t make the Sony RAW files I was getting from the camera work in Lightroom, so having a fast ~35mm FoV equivalent lens that works with a camera I already own is a huge plus. Shooting exclusively with a prime lens like this forces you to zoom with your feet and think about composition more than you would with a zoom lens, which makes this the perfect lens to carry around and practice your photography without a particular subject in mind.

When it comes to close-ups, this lens does a great job with close focus and blowing out the background at large apertures. I’d say the focal length is a little too wide for portraiture, but it worked just fine for the flowers that were blooming at St. Gaudens. The only real complaint I have so far about this lens is the vignetting. Chromatic aberrations are almost non-existent compared to the F-mount 35mm f/1.8 DX, but the vignetting on this lens bothers me more than its F-mount cousin did. To summarize, I’d recommend this lens for a number of reasons to all Z DX camera owners: it’s reasonably priced, a versatile focal length, and fun to shoot with. The F-mount 35mm f/1.8 DX really sold me on photography back when I started - seeing the bokeh, depth-of-field control, and light-gathering capabilities a wide prime lens could offer. So whether you’re looking for a reasonably priced lens to add fun to your shooting or for a faster aperture to help in low light situations, I don’t think you can go wrong with the Z 24mm f/1.7 DX.

ISO 100, f/2.8, 1/1250

Fuji Instax Meets 4x5 | The Lomograflok Instant Back

Fujifilm’s line of instant film, known as Instax, is all the rage these days. Introduced in 1998, Instax film stuck around while Polaroid died a slow death beginning in the early 2000s. And in an age of digital photography and camera sensors which can resolve an insane amount of detail, there’s still a certain thrill that comes along with watching a color print develop right before your eyes.

Some exciting things are happening in the world of film, from Pentax announcing the development of a new film camera to Fujifilm investing millions towards new film production at their factories outside Tokyo, Japan. Fuji even released my favorite 100 ISO black and white film, Across 100, in 120 format within recent years. Now if only they’d release it in 4x5…

Now instant film is fun and all, but the current line of Instax cameras just can’t satisfy my obsessiveness over controlling every aspect of the image-making process. Instax cameras are geared towards the casual photographer, and most models offer only the most basic exposure controls. But what if you want to push the film to the max with camera movements, varying depth of field, or off-camera flash? Clearly somebody else at Lomography had the same idea because they created this nifty attachment called the Lomograflok. If you happen to have a 4x5 camera laying around with Graflok tabs then you’re in luck!

Through the magic of the Graflok attachment system, you can easily shoot Instax images using your large format camera. Simply add a pack of Instax Wide film, throw in some AA batteries, and you’re on your way to instant color prints. Just don’t forget to bring a dark cloth with you like I did… you’ll still need it!

Sample Instax Images

NIkon 150mm @ f/32, 1/250 sec.

I’ll preface this review by saying that if you’re after absolute image quality, Instax will leave you disappointed. You won’t be blowing up an Instax shot to 200% in Lightroom to check for critical sharpness, and the prints are actually quite frustrating to scan/edit. Instax film resolves 10 lines/mm at best - for reference, Kodak T-Max 400 can resolve 10x the detail in B&W. Shooting Instax on 4x5 is just a fun, fast way to get a color image in the field. The images I took looked nothing like the advertising images you’ll see on Fuji’s website.

If you put technical details aside and focus on the fun then I’d say the Lomograflok back is a worthwhile purchase. Shooting Instax isn’t much more expensive than shooting 4x5 film at about $1 per exposure. As an added bonus, there’s no need to send any color film off for development if you’re like me and don’t shoot enough C41 or E6 to justify keeping color chemistry on-hand. You also avoid the tragedy of the USPS losing your exposed 4x5 Ektachrome in the mail… ask me how I know what that feels like.

The Lomograflok itself is a neat little device, and I feel the build quality matches the $175 price tag. To start making prints, you first compose your image using the ground glass and a special mask that’s provided with the Lomograflok back. The final image only takes up a portion of the 4x5 ground glass, and the mask also helps align your point of focus to the Lomograflok’s recessed film plane. Instax film comes in three sizes: Mini, Square, and Wide. The Lomograflok back uses Instax Wide film with an ISO of 800 that produces a picture of 4.3 in. × 3.4 in. in size.

Once you’ve squared away the composition and focus, you’re ready to install the Lomograflok back on the camera. Remove the ground glass and attach the Lomograflok with the locking tabs of the Graflok system, making sure the locking tabs are fully engaged. Next, open the back of the Lomograflok and pop an Instax cartridge in. Just like you would with a typical film holder, you’ll set the lens aperture/shutter speed, remove the dark slide, and make an exposure. Pressing the eject button spits out your image as small rollers in the back squeeze out development chemicals over the film. Within 90 seconds you’ll be able to see the results of your work!

Every pack of film gives you 10 exposures, which I found was just the right amount for a weekend of shooting. You’ll also need 4x AA batteries, and my Enloop rechargeables lasted me both packs of film I had on hand.

So what have I learned over my first 2 packs of Instax Wide film shot with the Lomograflok? Here’s some struggles I faced and tips I learned along the way:

  • Out of my first 10 shots, I had 6 successful images. I lost two by reason of over exposure, one to poor framing, and another to poor composition (completely my fault). Incident metering with my Sekonic L-508 seemed to produce more consistent results than reflective metering.

    • While Instax film is rated ISO 800, I recommend underexposing about 1/3 of a stop to protect highlight details. Crushed shadows look better than blown highlights with this film. It’s incredibly easy to end up with a completely white sky if you aren’t careful.

  • While Instax film develops in 90 seconds, I found it takes another few minutes for blacks to fully develop. Contrast vastly improves with time.

  • The high ISO of Instax film poses significant challenges with the comparatively slow shutter speeds that large format Copal shutters are capable of. Copal 0 shutters are capable of 1/500 sec. speeds while Copal 1s max out at 1/125 sec. The image of a sign post you see above was actually overexposed at 1/125 sec. and f/64, but that’s the best I could do without an ND filter. My Nikon 270mm f/5.6 just ran out of shutter speed and aperture to cut out the bright sunlight. Luckily the film is so low-resolution that diffraction really isn’t noticeable.

  • Be extremely careful with close subjects and leave a little room for unintentional cropping around your subject. The shot I lost to poor framing which looked right on the ground glass but was cropped tighter than intended.

Hopefully some of the information above and sample images here have helped you decide whether the Lomograflok is for you. The limitation of ISO 800 speed film, narrow dynamic range, and relatively slow shutter speeds inherent to large format is really the only thing that makes me second-guess the Lomograflok. Looking past the technical aspect, I think the fun of shooting Instax outweighs the technical difficulties of adapting it to a format for which it was never intended.

NIkon 270mm @ f/36, 1/125 sec.

Review | Sony RX100VA

I’ve been toying with the idea of a more compact alternative to my D810 for about a year, and over the summer I found this used Sony RX100VA for a good price at B&H. Broadly, there are two categories of compact cameras available today for the prosumer market: full-frame fixed lens cameras and 1” compact cameras, the latter category including the RX100 series. There’s a lot to like about this little camera, but I’d describe my experience so far with the RX100VA as love-hate. A common saying in photography goes “the best camera is the one that’s with you”, which was one of the primary drivers behind picking this thing up. While I appreciate everything this camera can do, I think the #1 lesson I’ve learned is to temper my expectations - it’s not my D810 after all!

Lens & METERING

With a 24-70mm equivalent lens and a wide f/1.8-2.8 aperture, the camera encompasses focal lengths that I use most often. I specifically chose the VA variant because it’s the most recent model with the 24-70mm lens included - all models since the VA have a longer 24-200mm f/2.8-4.5 lens. The extra reach might be great for other photographers, but given my use case I chose the wider aperture for the benefit of lower ISO in difficult shooting conditions. Given the 1” sensor, you’re unlikely to notice much of a difference in DoF regardless of which lens you choose.

Coming from my D810, chromatic aberration is an issue with this camera which Lightroom struggles to correct automatically. I often have to manually tweak the defringing settings in Lightroom as the eye dropper fails to sample what I’m seeing. The built-in lens profile does a good job of correcting distortion, however I automatically add +10 vignetting on import to Lightroom as the corners tend to come out a bit dark across all focal lengths.

In terms of autofocus, I find myself using Wide or Expand Flexible Spot modes most often depending on what I’m shooting. Quick trip out with the family? Wide more for fast focus. Shooting a blog post? Expand Flexible Spot for accuracy. I’m a proponent of focus and recompose, which I’ve accomplish by disabling AE Lock on the 1/2 shutter press. I focus on my subject with a 1/2 shutter press, recompose, and take the shot (I have AE Lock mapped to another button on the off-chance I need it). It’s EXTREMELY easy to miss focus at infinity for some reason, and I stopped using Center mode because it would often grab the foreground vs the building off in the distance I was aiming for. If you think you’ve missed focus, use the zoom toggle to quickly zoom in 100% and check critical focus. This feature is also handy if you think there might be some camera shake in your picture.

Information on the RX100VA’s lens is sparse online, but through my own testing I’ve been able to nail down the sharpest apertures and focal lengths.

One quirk of the RX100VA is it’s minimum shutter speed calculation. The old adage “1 / focal length is the minimum shutter speed to avoid camera shake induced blur” holds true, however I’ve found the minimum shutter speed calculated by Sony to be optimistic at times. Don’t try shooting one handed with the EVF as you’re bound to get some camera shake in the resultant image. You can always adjust the ISO AUTO Min. SS from Standard to Fast if you want to be safe. I first did this when I realized 1/4 of my shots were blurry from camera shake and have since improved my technique enough to revert back to Standard.

Not specifically lens related, but the RX100VA has a handy built-in flash that I’ve used a few time for pictures of the family in not-so-great lighting conditions. It works well and isn’t too harsh when set to “Fill Flash”. I’ve certainly appreciated it when there just wasn’t enough light for the ISO/Aperture combination I needed.

Ergenomics

For a compact camera, the RX100VA has some great quality of life features I’d expect coming from a DSLR. For one, the pop-up EVF is ingenious. It retracts into the camera body when not in use and allows you to get into that classic camera shooting position, which affords extra stability for longer shutter speeds. There’s also a tilting LCD (not a touch screen, which I think is a drawback given Sony’s atrocious menu structure) which makes getting low angle, high angle, or selfie style shots a breeze. I don’t love EFVs in general as someone who stares at a screen for a living and shoots lots of film, however I have nothing but praise for the Sony engineers who managed to fit one into this tiny camera!

Another great feature is that you can assign the ring around the front lens to act as a stepped zoom, offering the focal lengths of 24, 28, 35, 50, and 70mm. One of the first things I learned in photography is to treat your zoom lens as a collection of primes. I like to zoom with my feet, and the stepper zoom makes it easy to quickly select the focal length I need. There’s a menu setting which allows you to change the zoom speed from normal to fast - while you might hear the mechanical zoom with the onboard mics when recording video, you’ll appreciate the faster speed if you primarily shoot stills like me.

The one thing this camera should’ve come packaged with is the optional accessory grip. It’ll run you an extra $15 but will make this tiny camera a bit easier to hold. For a simple adhesive grip that you slap on the front of the camera, it really made a difference in handling to me.

Image Quality

In terms of image quality, this camera packs a punch with its 1” ~20 megapixel sensor and surprisingly flexible ISO range. Unlike my D810 where I use dedicated command dials to control ISO and aperture, I leave the RX100VA on Auto ISO (lower limit 125, upper limit 3200). In really dark situations I can find a nice ledge to set the camera on, adjust my settings manually, and take longer exposures with the self-timer to get a clean image. I also like that the high megapixel count leaves plenty of room to crop without sacrificing resolution. I’ve found the sensor to struggle most with highlights and the meter to tend toward overexposure. I have a permanent -1/6 exposure adjustment programmed into the camera which has mostly solved my issues. Areas around highlights (think bright sky or windows) are prone to wash out. Lightroom’s Auto White Balance function doesn’t seem to work well with this camera either. I usually adjust the tint slightly by hand or use the eye dropper to get things looking natural.

There was a STEEP learning curve in Lightroom to produce final images that hold up against my D810, but with a good amount of editing it can be done. I’ve been a Nikon shooter since my first camera, a D5500, and I’m used to the way Lightroom renders my Nikon’s .NEF RAW files. After lots of tweaking, I finally created a Lightroom import preset that I’m happy with. I’ve found the .ARW files my RX100VA produces have a slightly green tint (I’ve tried everything to fix it), need a ton more sharpening, and need a hint of clarity and dehaze to look good. You can see my default import settings below:

  • Develop Module

    • Clarity | +10

    • Dehaze | +8

  • Lens Correction

    • Vignetting | +10

  • Detail

    • Sharpening | +40

    • Radius | 1.3

    • Detail | 25

    • Masking | 15

Calibration (I used this to get rid of the terrible green cast I was seeing):

  • Shadows

    • Tint | +10

  • Red Primary

    • Hue | -10

    • Saturation | +5

  • Green Primary

    • Hue | +15

    • Saturation | -5

  • Blue Primary

    • Hue | 0

    • Saturation | +9

My Travel Kit

The RX100VA is a camera I aim to always have with me when traveling, and as such I have a go-bag with everything I need for a day of shooting. Here’s a list of what I carry:

  • Sony LCS-CSJ Carrying Case

    • Op-Tech USA Strap | I keep a set of clips on my RX100VA and the case itself so I always have the strap with me. The camera won’t fit in the case with a neck strap attached.

    • 2-3x NP-BX1 Batteries | This camera absolutely eats batteries. You can expect about 220 shots per battery, in my experience. Expect less shots if you extensively use the EVF.

    • Sandisk Extreme Pro 64 GB SD Card | This will get you a ton of shots - 1,761 in RAW + JPG (fine) to be exact. No need for a bigger card unless you plan to shoot lots of 4k video.

    • Microfiber Cloth & LensPen Micro

    • Lens Cleaning Wipe (for LCD)

    • WhiBal G7 Keychain Card | Like I mentioned above, getting the white balance right can be tricky. This little card fits neatly within the carrying case and comes in handy when I want to shoot an 18% gray target in tricky lighting situations. I leave my RX100VA on Auto White Balance: White.

  • Tom Bihn Zipper Pouch

    • Sony BC-DX2 Charger + USB Wall Adapter | While you can charge batteries in the camera itself, this handy little charger comes dirt cheap in a kit from B&H. Worth it for charging batteries on the go while leaving your camera safe and sound in it’s case.

    • Apple Lightning to SD Card Reader | I often leave my heavy 2021 MacBook Pro at home when traveling, so this adapter allows me to browse a day’s work from my iPhone or iPad.

Test Shots

I purchased the RX100VA to have a camera that could easily travel with me on my trips downstate, to be used for blog posts when I didn’t have time to haul my D810 with me, and to capture more moments with my family. The RX100 series also excels at video but I haven’t had much experience with that aspect of the camera. I’ll be sure to update here if I ever dive into it. You can see some of the blog posts I’ve made which were shot on the RX100VA linked below:

The Verdict

In an age where content is increasingly being consumed on the small screen and iPhone photography prevails, I think there’s still a place for a compact camera in the photographer’s pocket. The main benefit I find with the RX100VA is it’s ergonomics which make it such an enjoyable little camera to use. While I’ve repeatedly considered fixed lens alternatives like the Sony RX1 and Fujifilm X100 series, I think the flexibility of the RX100VA’s zoom lens is too valuable to pass up. What probably matters most is I now have a high quality camera with me when I would’ve been empty handed, enabling me to shoot more blog posts, get out in the field, and live up to the tagline of my site: History | Exploration | Photography.

Review | Kentmere 400 vs. Tri-X vs. HP5 Plus

This post was inspired by another I made back in the early days of my website, a post from October 2017 titled Kentmere 400 | Budget B&W Film. Since that time I’ve come a long way with my film development techniques, the capability of my scanning equipment, the digital workflow I use to scan negatives, and my overall knowledge of photography. Looking back on that article I figured it was time for a redo. I loaded up my LowePro 400 AW II with my Nikon F100, 12-24mm f/2.8, 50mm f/1.8, and 85mm f/1.8 one foggy March morning before striking out through the streets of NYC to shoot some film.

GRC_20538.jpg

First, a quick bit about the technical specs behind this comparison. Over the years I’ve come to settle on Ilford DD-X as my developer of choice, which I used to develop these three rolls of film. I do keep a bottle of Rodinal on hand for slower films (Ferrania P30 or Across 100) but DD-X is my go-to for everything else. I started off with HC-110 but found the dilutions impractical for most film I shot. All negatives were scanned on a Nikon D810 with the 60mm f/2.8 AF-S macro lens and a Nikon ES-2 adapter, which is a massive leap forward in quality from the V600 I used when I first started shooting film. Hopefully this will be apparent when you look at the images below, which you can click on to get a closer look.

After digitizing the negatives I import the files into Lightroom, do some basic exposure adjustment, then finish the editing process in Photoshop. All photos were given the same amount of sharpening and then inverted after cleaning up any lingering dust with the spot healing tool. Lastly, I converted the file to 16-bit Grayscale and added a curves layer to set the white/black points in Photoshop. I then used Lightroom for final adjustments and export.

Tri-X 400

Kodak Tri-X 400 is a classic, and was the first film I started shooting with back in college. As of October 2021, Tri-X will run you $9.95 a roll for 36 exposures. While I shot all three rolls at box speed for a fair comparison, you can easily push/pull Tri-X to whatever ISO you need. The same can be said for HP5 Plus.

I personally have a love/hate relationship with Tri-X because no matter what I do, the grain is always hit or miss when scanning. It provides a grittier look than other Kodak films (specifically T-Max 400). Sometimes this grittiness fits your subject - I’ll often choose Tri-X when shooting at former military bases because of the grain alone. The golden rule of film photography is to shoot for the shadows and develop for the highlights, however I’d caution overexposing this film too much. I’ve found that when scanning, especially if you’re using something like an Epson V600, it can be very difficult to recover highlights from Tri-X without throwing off the whole image. Out of all the films I tested, I felt Tri-X had the best balance of contrast overall.

Kentmere 400

Working on a budget? Kentmere 400 is probably the film for you. Clocking in at $5.19 a roll for 36 exposures as of October 2021, this is the lest expensive film I shot for this comparison. I love Kentmete films for when I need to test a camera, lens, etc. because they’re reliable and inexpensive. Kentmere is a low contrast film which leaves you a lot of room to work in the shadows, and turns out great when developed in DD-X. I’ve shot numerous rolls of this film to test repairs I’ve made to my cameras, but not very many on what I’d consider serious work. I just don’t shoot enough film to make the price per roll very relevant, but I think you’d be hard pressed to find a B&W film in this price range that performs this well. I’d also highly recommend Kentmere 100, which I didn’t test here but still make use of quite often.

One word of caution when scanning Kentmere films with flatbed scanners like the Epson V600 or V800 - be very careful with the Unsharp Mask. I actually like to leave this option on when scanning 120, but I think it’s too aggressive for Kentmere and leaves the grain looking chunky. I’d leave the sharpening to Photoshop.

HP5 Plus

At $8.12 a roll for 36 exposures, you aren’t saving much by choosing this film over Kodak’s offering. But HP5 Plus offers something different than Tri-X - stronger contrast and what I think is less pronounced grain, especially in the skies. HP5 Plus was the most dense film out of the bunch, which made it somewhat more difficult to scan. I don’t think this had anything to do with overexposure since my F100 is usually pretty consistent in matrix metering mode. I’d probably let it sit in the developer a little longer next time.Regardless of the negative density, the results speak for themself - just look at the detail in the chrome of the motorcycle pictured below.

The Verdict

So what does this mean to you as a photographer? If you need a budget film, Kentmere is your best choice. Otherwise I’d say it’s a tossup between Kodak Tri-X and Ilford HP5 Plus. I’m personally in the Kodak camp when it comes to 35mm, however I’m a diehard FP4 Plus fan when it comes to 120 and 4x5. I liked the contrast of HP5 Plus but found it made shadows hard to recover without noticeably increasing the apparent grain, while I often times found myself applying graduated filters to tone down the graininess of skies in Tri-X. I think I spent less time editing my Tri-X shots in Lightroom after applying a basic curve in Photoshop, but I wouldn’t say that’s a good indication of film performance. Both films are a solid choice - try both and see which you like better! There’s never a bad time to go out and shoot some film.

Review | Canon F1n

My very long (and expensive) journey into film photography started out with the iconic Canon AE-1 Program and a 55mm f/1.2 SSC lens which my mom helped me buy from Midwest Photo Exchange in Columbus OH. It was a good camera to start out with, but I quickly outgrew the basic features of the AE-1 Program. I eventually upgraded to a Canon A1, which added some nice features like a multiple exposure override lever and a digital meter readout. But even that wasn’t enough, and I landed on the Canon F1n. Having invested in the 24mm f/2.8 SSC, 55mm f/1.2 SSC, and 100mm f/2.8 SSC, it made sense to upgrade bodies rather than jump lens platforms and mount. First available in 1981 as Canon’s top of the line film camera, the F1n was the last in a confusingly named line of FD mount profession 35mm SLRs. The F1 series was released in the following order: F1, F1n, New F1 (or the F1n latest version).

Import 11917.jpg

Tech Specs

One of the things which really stuck out to me about the F1n was just how satisfying it feels to hold. It’s a heavy SLR, and I personally find the weight reassuring. There’s barely and plastic on the F1n. It has some handy features common to top-of-the-line SLRs of the era like Nikon’s F series: interchangeable focusing screens and viewfinders, a fast maximum shutter speed of 1/2000 sec, and an optional AE winder/grip. The type of metering the camera performs is dependent on the focusing screen you use: A for average metering (matrix), P for partial (center weighted), and S for spot metering. I personally use a PL screen with center weighted metering and a cross split focusing aid. I find A screens to be unreliable and S screens to be too time consuming to use. The camera features match-needle metering where you change the aperture/shutter speed to determine the correct exposure. I prefer this over the meter of the AE-1 Program or A-1 because you know just how slightly over/under exposed your shot it compared to the meter readout. Note that you’ll need the AE Finder FN for aperture priority shooting and an AE Power Winder for shutter priority shooting. Many folks who choose film as a medium do so for a more manual experience, so these accessories are totally optional.

GRC_19866.jpg

The Verdict

If you are invested in Canon FD lenses and want the best (but not the most recent) FD mount camera you can get, the F1n is for you. However, I think 95% of people would be fine with an A-1 instead. It’s less money than the F1n and has all the features you’d need in an SLR, unless you want interchangeable viewfinders and focusing screens. An annoying quirk of the F1n is you can override the film advance to make a multiple exposure, but it still advances the film counter. You can only take so many so many multiple exposures before the film counter runs out – a problem the A-1 doesn’t have. The A1 is also a lighter camera. Otherwise, the F1n is a technically excellent camera.

While I did appreciate the vertical grip aspect of the AE winder, I often left it off the camera because it adds a lot of weight to the whole package with 4x AA batteries. Photographers today who shoot film are using the medium because of the unique look it provides, the complexity, and the greater perception of involvement the photographer has in the final product. I think you’d be hard pressed to find a photographer who’s shooting film in a sports or action setting, which negates the main benefit the AE winder provides: 4 FPS continuous shooting. That’s another reason I often left the AE winder at home: I missed throwing the film advance lever after every shot, which gives a satisfying thunk after every shot.

The real drawback to the F1n, which I can’t fault the camera for, is the FD mount itself. I ultimately sold my AE-1 Program, A-1, F1n, and all my FD lenses because I just couldn’t stand the breech-lock system anymore. The lock collar needs to be in a very specific position to take the lens on and off the cameras, and the rear lens caps are a pain to deal with compared to my Nikon F mount lenses. I recently combined my 35mm and digital platforms together with my recent purchase of a Nikon F100 and D810. I hope you found this helpful and feel free to send me any questions you might have here!

Review | Mamiya C22

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I’ve been through a few different camera systems over the years, refining the equipment I work with to fit my shooting style. I started off in the world of medium format film with a Bronica ETRS 6x4.5, mainly because it was a reasonably priced system to get into. Scanning on an Epson V600, I just wasn’t happy with the picture quality I was getting from my negatives. The 6x4.5 format exists in this weird space between 35mm and 6x6 and I felt like it really didn’t provide any benefits over just shooting 35mm with my F100. When many people think of the 6x6 format, they envision a TLR (twin lens reflex) from companies like Yashica or Roliflex which features a fixed (usually ~80mm) lens. I stayed away from these cameras because I wanted interchangeable lenses, though I wanted to stick with the TLR style of camera. The unique selling point of the Mamiya TLR system is the range of interchangeable lenses which allows you to switch focal lengths mid-roll.

The Mamiya C22 is solid camera that just feels right in your hands. Mamiya is known for making heavy cameras (think of how much an RB67 weighs!) and the C22 is no exception. It’s weighty, but also helps you keep the camera steady when using a neck strap. I use a padded OP/TECH Envy strap, but even then, I can only wear the camera around for so long before my neck starts to hurt. Prism finders are handy when using the camera on a tripod because it’s impossible to look down through the waist level finder (WLF) when the camera is up high. I prefer the C22 over the C220 and C330 because it’s a simpler (and slightly lighter) camera. I also just prefer the design ascetics over the later bodies, and don’t mind the “drawbacks” of the C22.

I shoot a combination of three lenses: the 80mm f/2.8, 65mm f/3.5, and 180mm f/4.5. The 80mm is the most versatile and can cover 80% of what I shoot. The 65mm is a good wide angle for those shots that are just a bit too tight for 80mm but it exhibits some vignetting on color film, which can be corrected in post. Mamiya did make an elusive 55mm lens, but I have yet to find one at a price point I’m comfortable with. I especially noticed the vignetting when shooting Ektachrome, where it showed up noticeably in the sky on a clear day. The 180mm is a beautiful and unique lens that looks almost comical when attached to the C22. It’s a beast of a telephoto lens that produces beautiful bokeh and is incredibly sharp. The 180mm is by far my favorite lens for the C22, but often requires a tripod because it’s very easy to get camera shake at shutter speeds less than 1/250th of a second when shooting handheld.

These lenses are built around Seiko shutters, which most repair shops won’t touch. Repair tutorials/manuals are also difficult to come by online. I had to rebuild the 80mm shutter myself because it became sticky and was difficult to cock. If you’re going to attempt a repair on these types of lenses, make sure you don’t over-tighten the interior lock ring when you put everything back together or the slow speed escapement won’t function correctly. After a few flushes of the shutter with contact cleaner and a touch of gun oil on the slow speed escapement, the shutter was back to working perfectly. Here’s a few tips I’ve picked up over the years if you’re planning on investing in the Mamiya TLR system:

  • Did you take a shot but can’t wind the film to the next frame? The Mamiya C22 has built in multiple exposure protection, and the film winding knob can lock up after you take a shot if you don’t completely follow thorough. This will require you to cock and fire the shutter again before the winding knob will release. Move yourself out of direct sunlight, put the lens cap back on, stop the shutter down to f/16, and set the shutter speed to 1/500 sec. This will reduce the chances of making an accidental double exposure while releasing the multiple exposure lock. Cock the shutter and take another shot, making sure to completely depress the shutter release lever. This should allow you to advance the film and keep shooting.

  • Is there dust between your lens elements? If so it’s an easy fix. Set the lens to maximum aperture and put the shutter on bulb (B). Cock the shutter, unscrew the front lens element, depress and hold the shutter release, and shoot a few bursts of canned air into the lens body. You can then reassemble the lens dust-free! Don’t overtighten the front lens element when you put it back together.

  • Is your viewfinder dirty? There’s a piece of protective glass over the focusing screen, so you can easily clean it by removing the WLF and wiping it down. If the dirt is between the focusing screen and protective glass cover, you can disassemble it and clean both. I’ve done this with my C22, and it’s not a difficult process though the task seems daunting. Be careful to retain the paper shims that will inevitably fall off when you remove the silver piece cover that holds the glass and focusing screen in place. These were added at the factory and are critical to maintain focus between the ground glass and film plane. Make sure to put them back when reassembling, otherwise your images will all be out of focus. After cleaning everything by hand with a bit of Dawn and some warm water (DO NOT use anything abrasive, just wash with your fingers), air dry the components and reassemble. Now your viewfinder should be as spot free as when it left the factory! Note that washing the focusing screen and protective glass cover won’t fix any etching damage that was caused by fungus.

  • Is there a chance you might bump your lens into something while walking around? Of course there is - don’t ask how I know. I’ve found the 80mm f/2.8 lens is pretty safe from bumps, but the 65mm f/3.5 and 180mm f/4.5 lenses are highly susceptible to dents and dings. It seems these lenses once came with protective retaining rings for the delicate threads, but they’re often missing on the second hand market. I was lucky enough to find some 49Ø Mamiya SL1-B skylight filters on eBay (the spacing between the looking and taking lenses is very tight and requires slim filters) to protect the threads. Even if you don’t normally put UV filters on your camera lenses, which I don’t, I’d recommend keeping one on just to protect the threads from damage.