Rollei 35 B
Launched in 1966, for a while the Rollei 35 was the world's smallest full-frame 35mm camera. I think it's an absolute joy to use and I'm sure for many it's compact size will be the main attraction. Originally the Rollei 35 was made in Germany but mine is one of the later models made in Singapore from 1971. To be even more specific the 35 B which I have was available from 1976 and features a built in light meter.
My Rollei originally belonged to my dad and I remember him using it on many family holidays and special occasions including trips hiking around Shetland and South Uist.
The Rollei 35 B is a fantastic camera that can be thrown in a bag or a big pocket, it's well built, robust, and will give you a lot of enjoyment.
Voigtlander Bessa I
Manufactured from 1951 - 1956 I bought this camera from a friend of my dad's who in turn had inherited it from his brother who had worked as a photographer for the NHS.
I used it for the first time on this project and really liked the option to shoot either 6x4.5 inch negatives using a little metal insert or 6x9 inch negatives without. In the end I didn't use the insert and shot everything 6x9.
The Bessa I is a really robust 120 film camera which stood up well on our trips to the beaches and forests around Aberdeen.
Kodak Ektar 100
I remember using this film a lot before I went digital and always being impressed with the results.
The sharpness, colours, and detail you can get are marvellous. There's also something that feels quite classy and professional. While I love Fuji 200 (see below) for that nostalgic feel, I love Ektar 100 for a sense of artistic professionalism. This of course has only a little to do with the actual technical properties of the film itself and more to do with my own mental processes of how I make meaning out of the results. But that's important too.
If you want to experience analogue film photography in all its glory then I think the best way is to buy a bunch of different film types and see what grabs you. You might be surprised!
Kodak 400TX
I bought this film in 35mm format because of its legendary status among photojournalists back in the day. Aberdeen has a reputation as a very grey city and I wanted to try and capture some of that while wandering around the more industrial parts of town.
Using it in my tiny Rollei 35 B I could inconspicuously move around and take photos almost before anyone had realised what I was doing. I'm really pleased with the results and sure with more practice both with the camera and the scanner I could do even better.
I'll definitely be ordering more of this film in the future. Practice makes perfect.
Ilford Ortho Plus
I was drawn to this film because of its reputation for high resolution detail and fine grain, however being rated at 80 for use under natural light made it pretty challenging under Scotland's often gloomy weather conditions.
As with all of these films though I'm sure with practice I'll get better at understanding and working with their individual nuances.
Maybe you'll have better fortune than me but it's not one I'll be rushing out to buy again until I get a bit more experienced with analogue film in general.
Fujicolor C200
The main reason for trying this was because I had an old roll already loaded and a vague memory of having been pretty impressed with the results way back when. So I ordered some more and certainly wasn't disappointed.
I really like the colours you get, for some reason when I look at the scans they feel like what old-school colour film photos are meant to look like. There's some kind of romantic nostalgia lurking in there which I've enjoyed.
Part of the attraction is also probably because, so I've read, Fuji 200 is a very forgiving film so for novices like me returning to analogue photography after many years I'm probably able to get away with a lot more mistakes than some other films would allow. Thanks Fuji 200 for making me look good!
Analogue Wonderland
Established in 2018, Analogue Wonderland is a bit of a one-stop shop for all things film photography, and it's where I chose to buy all my film for this project and get it processed. I've no idea if they're the cheapest but they do have an excellent selection of classic film stocks as well as newer retro films, and some useful guides to explain the characteristics of most, if not all, the films they sell.
I got all my film processed by Analogue Wonderland and found the service to be friendly and professional and the turnaround quick. I chose to do the scanning myself but could have paid extra to get it done by the experts.
Film photography is certainly not cheap but their prices seemed broadly similar to other companies and the range of services on offer certainly comprehensive.
Epson V700
I've had this scanner for years. It came out in 2006 and I suspect I got it around about that time. All the negatives I shot were scanned using the V700 and it generally did a good job. Have a look at the gallery and judge for yourself. Sadly I no longer have access to the bundled SilverFast software or the original Epson Scan, so had to make do with the inferior Epson Scan 2 app which was a bit of a pain.
I'll keep using the V700 for now but ultimately will need to get something better or pay to have my negs scanned at the processing stage. Or maybe I'll pay for SilverFast again and see if that makes life easier. Ultimately I think the final scan quality is still really good after all these years but the process was just so fiddly!