Analog.Cafe

692 Reviews, Guides, and Essays

How to Fix Film Ejection Mechanism in Polaroid SX-70
At Home With Minimal Tools
August 12, 2025
This article shares relatively simple, illustrated instructions for diagnosis and two separate repair tips to fix the broken ejection mechanism on Polaroid SX-70 cameras at home. Expect lots of detailed photos, close-ups, and instructions for testing the repairs for a reliable operation for years to come.
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Scratching the Surface: A Visual Process
Composing Images as Textures
August 11, 2025
Bastien’s images and written portion differ stylistically and technically from most articles I’ve published on this blog so far. However, I thought his introspection and images, reminiscent of essays illustrated with Holgas and Agfa Clacks, give a compelling insight into the mind of a musician treating visual art as textures (more so than the content).
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Rollei RPX 25 Film Review
Very Sharp, Very Fine, Excellent With Vintage Glass
August 6, 2025
Rollei RPX 25 is a silver-rich, sharp, fine-grained panchromatic black-and-white film. In this review, I’ll share all I’ve learned about RPX 25 over the six years I’ve used it and why I think it may look so good with old lenses like the Voigtlander Ultron 2.0 or Zeiss Tessar 2.8.
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Photographing a Cartel With a Fuji Instax Mini
July 31, 2025
This past December, I travelled to Michoacán, Mexico — a place I’d visited years earlier while working on a long-term project about migration — to photograph daily life in a region fully controlled by organized crime. My plan was to spend a few days with a family I know along the coast before heading into the hills to photograph a big wedding, where I expected there to be a noticeable cartel presence.
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Film Photography News — July 2025 Recap
New Film, New Film, New Film, Fake Film, New Film, Free Film
July 29, 2025
The average price of a roll of 35mm film has gone up 9%... But, we have a new film: 乐凯C200 (Lucky C200) and ORWO NC200 — I’ve shot it, samples included! Not to forget the Harman Phoenix II launch, Adox Color Mission, and the free film I’m giving away to lucky GOLD members.
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How to Fake CineStill 800T
Testing the “CineStill Is Just Kodak Vision 3 Film Without Remjet” Myth
July 28, 2025
In the wake of Kodak’s major change to their film chemistry and a year after the 800T branding controversy, we tested the internet myth of how CineStill films are made (we made our own and compared it to the branded stock). The results were entirely unexpected. We ran our tests twice!
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Polaroid BW Tests, C-41 Reversal, Homemade Halations
A Monthly Newsletter for GOLD Members
July 25, 2025
In this newsletter, I talk about the sudden change in priorities, free film, shooting Polaroid B&W 600 film in unmodified SX-70 cameras, developing Harman Phoenix film as slides with Rodinal, and my plans for the month of August on Analog.Cafe.
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Halation in Film Photography, Explained
A Physical Phenomenon, an Artifact on Film, and a Creative Effect
July 23, 2025
Film is an imperfect, physical medium. In the post-perfectionist world, where clinical image accuracy is relatively easy to achieve, film artifacts are now valued for their expressive potential and unique, one-of-one renderings of the real world. Halation is one such artifact, which I will explain and discuss at length in this mini-guide.
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Film Prices Up 9% Since February 2025
Tri-X, Foma, and ColorPlus Are Still the Best Deal, Fujichrome Up $5/roll
July 18, 2025
In this article, I’ll share the latest insights on the best-priced films, name a few emulsions to avoid, and provide a few insights about the costs of shooting film in 2025 and beyond.
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Harman Phoenix C-41 Reversal Process (Rodinal)
I Tested 7 Recipes for HARMAN PHOENIX SLIDE FILM With C-41 and Rodinal
July 16, 2025
Harman Phoenix 200 is the company’s first colour-negative film in over five decades¹. Using the most common developer chemicals found in film photographers’ bathrooms, you can develop it as a slide film! Beware: this is an experimental technique for an experimental emulsion.
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Zeiss Ikon Contaflex Super B Film Camera Review
It’s Cheap, It’s Hefty, It’s Weird, It’s Pretty, It Has a Beautiful Lens
July 15, 2025
Zeiss Ikon Contaflex Super B is an unusual but well-built camera that features a sharp, expressive lens. It uses relic technology, like a non-returning mirror box, but also features interchangeable film backs, a leaf shutter mount, and a 100% DOF viewfinder. It’s also very affordable.
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Polaroid 600 in SX-70 NO Filter, NO Mods, NO Flash?
A Review of the 2024 ‘Big’ Improvements in the Polaroid B&W 600 Chemistry
July 8, 2025
After several rounds of controlled and field tests, and a short conversation with Polaroid, I’m finally ready to share my independent experiment-based findings: Does the new B&W 600 film work with unmodified Polaroid SX-70 cameras?
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Kodak Tri-X 400 Film Review
Instant Classic Kodak Grain & Contrast
July 3, 2025
Tri-X is one of Kodak’s best-recognized films that has been around for over 85 years. In this review, I’ll introduce you to the history that lends significance to this film as well as the technical aspects, like the grain structure and dynamic range, that make it an excellent choice for home and lab scanning. I will also briefly compare Kodak Tri-X to the other long-standing ISO 400 black-and-white photographer favourite, Ilford HP5+ and explain the difference between Tri-X and T-Max.
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Micro-Nikkor 200mm 1:4 AI-S Lens Review
Affordable, Sharp, Versatile, Compact
July 2, 2025
The 200mm Micro-Nikkor AI-S 1:4 IF is a telephoto lens that can focus as close as 2⅓ feet (61cm) while reproducing a 1:2 image on film or a full-frame sensor. In this review, I’ll explain what this lens is for, how it came to be, and what its modern analog is. Expect lots of samples, a full recollection of what it’s like to shoot, and whether you should get one, too.
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Film Photography News — June 2025 Recap
Leica’s First Film, Portra in Bulk?, Fancy Lenses, New Film, and a Podcast
June 24, 2025
New film: Leica’s first 35mm black-and-white Monopan 50, Harman’s Red in 120, Ilfocolor 400 Cine Tone. Plus, CineStill teases several new products, set to launch this summer. Light Lens Lab shares samples of their soon-to-ship black-and-white emulsion, along with very ambitious goals. Meanwhile, Kodak ditches remjet from their Vision 3 films, throwing CineStill’s halation products into question. Omnar announces Bertle 50mm 𝒇2 MC FLB, and Jollylook makes affordable no-batteries-needed Instax film backs for Mamiya RB67/RZ67 MF cameras.
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RETO Pano Reusable 35mm Film Camera Review
With a See-Through Plastic Shell
June 23, 2025
RETO Pano is a new, affordable, reusable compact camera with an ultra-wide 22mm lens and an optional panoramic mask. Having put several rolls of film through the see-through plastic model, I am genuinely impressed with the value it delivers. In this review, I’m sharing all that is good, a few issues, and a shooting guide for better photos.
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A Podcast, Polaroid Film Test, Reviews, Guides, Apps
A Monthly Newsletter for GOLD Members
June 20, 2025
“A Beginner’s Guide to Film Photography” is now live on Analog.Cafe! I am also working on the audiobook version. Plus: upcoming film tests (including a well-documented DIY pre-processing attempt with local photographers), several camera reviews, article and app updates, and a new survey of the film price landscape.
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A Beginner’s Guide to Film Photography
2nd, “200 Years of Film Photography!” Edition
June 17, 2025
Film photography is easy, but it’s more fun if you know what you’re doing! This beginner-friendly guide goes beyond the basics and is available as an illustrated read and a 73-page printable PDF book. The guide covers everything you need to get started and excel with a film camera in a digital world. Including the historical context, current culture, money-saving advice, and tips for better results with modern tools.
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All Photographic Film Sold Today
Sortable, Searchable List With Real-Time Updates
June 7, 2025
This page sources the incredibly comprehensive list of film stocks currently in production from Wikipedia and arranges it in an easy-to-parse table with real-time updates, a compact layout, sortable columns, and a search field.
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Welcome to Karmir Film Lab in Yerevan!
A Creative Stronghold for Film Photographers in the Caucasus
June 4, 2025
An article about a film lab and a creative hub in Yerevan.
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