When I shot the St. John’s Episcopal Church in Cold Spring Harbor last week, I brought several cameras with me. My digital Nikon Df shooter got the first batch of photos, while at the same time I used, in rapid succession, my Kodak Panoram 3A super-ultrawide 125-year-old film shooter, my Krasnogorsk FT-2 35mm ultrawide (“Raskolnikov”), and my Nikon F2S 35mm weapon (“Nikon Athena”).
Since I still have to use up the film in Athena and Raskolnikov, I was able to snap off some shots from the Kodak Panoram 3A camera. And thankfully, my girlfriend Suzanne (who accompanied me on this photo shoot) dutifully wrote down all the technical specs and shooting speeds as I scrambled from camera to camera. Since these film cameras don’t export EXIF data onto the film, I was thankful that Suzanne kept the notes for me.
I still have the great digital shots from this photo excursion … but I’m hoping that the Panoram can actually snag something spectacular. Plus, it was an opportunity to use one of my remaining Fuji Velvia 120 film rolls. I only have three or four fresh rolls left … and once they’re gone, they’re pretty much gone for good. No way am I spending $100 for a Japanese-only imported pro pack.
Now in the past, I’ve snagged maybe two good shots out of the Panoram. I’m hoping that I can get at least three good shots on this roll. Maybe. Possibly. We shall see.
The film just arrived from the developers. I’m ready to scan the film myself.
Here we go. Cross your fingers, folks.
I saw three good images on the film. I took the best one of the three, and scanned it with my flatbed scanner. I can tell you this – the images from a Nikon Panoram 3A nearly take up ALL of my scanner’s available length.
After a few tweaks on the highlights, I pulled this out of the mix.
I mean … it’s nice. For sure. And I’m pleased that the Panoram could get this ultrawide shot.
But this film works best with a sunny day, and it was tremendously overcast and wet that morning.
Let’s try something. Maybe if I re-scanned the film and altered it as a black and white construct. Just for future testing.
And I got this.
Okay. It’s better. It’s not Competition-Season-better, but I’ve got something here. And it allows me some routes going forward.
Let me explain.
Apparently the Kodak Panoram 3A can work with wide panoramic vista shots, so long as it’s either bright and sunny (with the sun at my back), or if I have black and white high contrast film in the chassis (like Ilford SFX or vintage efke).
These are good educational notes.
And it also means that the photos I took with the Nikon Df are the ones that are designated for Competition Season 2027.
Yes, the “fence” shot will go for any competition that needs an HDR entry or a high-contrast capture, while this one below …
This one, with the initials “BVP” (for “Buena Vista Panorama”) will get some love in any show that requires a super-wide image.
This will allow me a bit of flexibility and creativity, don’tcha know.
Yeah. This feels good. So, so good.
And I’m not giving up on the Kodak Panoram 3A. Not by any stretch. It just means I have to use the right film … at the right time … with the right subject …
And you know what they say … three rights make a left.
And I want to be left with a great capture after everything is through. 😀
