My Favourite Lens

Vintage Lenses | Film Cameras | Street Photography

A Trip to Iran by Theo Santana [Kodak Gold 200 + Fujicolor C200]

This guest post from Theo Santana features some great work from a trip he took to Iran. Shot on Kodak Gold 200 and Fuijicolor C200, it gives a glimpse into life on the road between Tehran and Shiraz.

I’ve never really looked into going to Iran so these photographs gave me a little peek of what it might be like to do so. I’m a big fan of the environmental portraits he got and the story the pictures tell.

Come take a look, give Theo’s trip to Iran some eyeballs and love, and find out where else you can follow his work should you want to.

Kentmere 400 35mm Film Review

Kentmere 400 is a film brought to you by the same people behind the iconic Ilford range, created to compete at the more budget end of the market.

That Ilford DNA is a great sign, but is it good enough to warrant picking up and shooting instead of the more famous and higher quality offerings from Harman?

Spoiler alert: yeah, in my opinion, for many people it is. Come learn why and a whole lot more in this comprehensive review of Kentmere 400.

Small City Street Photography [Kentmere 400]

Sometimes you have to get away from the sprawling metropolis and head for the small city. Especially when it’s Chinese New Year and you have people to visit.

While you’re there you may as well get in some street photography. That’s what I did, and on Kentmere 400 film no less. A stock I hadn’t shot before now.

Want to see how it turned out? Because you can. Come see the small city street photography, the thoughts surrounding it, and one simple way some of the shots could have been better IMO.

Rushin’ Around the Cotswolds [Silberra Pan 200]

The Cotwolds aren’t the kind of place you’d typically rush around, and I wouldn’t recommend you do so. Not when you have all that scenery to stop and take in.

It’s scenery that deserves your best photography, which is something I didn’t give it. For me it was more of a testing ground for a roll of Silberra Pan 200 – a Russian film I got as a crowdfunding campaign reward.

That explains the daft pun in the title, but it doesn’t tell you how the shots came out. To know that, you’re going to have to click inside and come see for yourself.

Ilford Pan 400 35mm Film Review

Ilford is one of the biggest names in film photography and produce some of the most iconic and beloved stocks on the market today.

Ilford Pan 400 is not one of them. Instead, it’s a budget offering that’s only available in selected markets around the world. Selected markets that don’t include the US and the UK.

So depending on where you are, you might not get this in your local film shop. Should you still track some down and shoot it though? Come find out in this review.

Using Zone Focus and Hyperfocal Distance to Improve Your Street Photography

Zone focus and hyperfocal distance are two timeless techniques that can help you improve your street photography once you’ve learnt how to use them.

Don’t be put off by the fancy sounding names, either. All it takes is a comprehensive yet easy-to-follow tutorial, which is what we have here, and some practice, which is what you’ll need to do after reading it.

Also included is a section on pre-focus, which is another closely related way of going beyond auto-focus and taking your street photography to the next level. Come read. You know you want to.

Say Hello and Wave Goodbye [Agfa Vista Plus 200]

Sometimes you sit down with a bunch of photographs to share and no idea of what to write about to go with them. It’s not often I do that, but this piece is one of those occasions.

That title comes from a Soft Cell song. It was later covered by David Gray. It also covers a few themes detailed in this post. The passage of time is one. As is a discontinued film. Also a new way to even write stuff for this website.

Come see what we’re saying hello and waving goodbye to, why, and whether these are good or bad things. Hint: I think they’re mainly good.

Agfa Vista Plus 200 35mm Film Review

Agfa Vista Plus 200, perennial favourite of many a budget-conscious film shooter, is no more. Production has ended and stocks are dwindling.

So if you find some, should you hoard it while you still can? With its famous low cost, you may think the answer to that is a no-brainer. Not so fast, though.

As supplies run low, prices rise, and the question of whether it’s still worth buying is not so clear cut. I can’t tell you what to do, but I can give some thoughts in this review. Come read.

Longhua Martyrs’ Memorial Park, Shanghai [Agfa Vista Plus 200]

Longhua Martyrs’ Memorial Park offers a few things the rest of Shanghai doesn’t. Soviet-style communist sculptures and peace and quiet being the main ones.

It makes for a decent trip out of the city centre – especially when you consider Longhua temple is right next door too. Take your camera and perhaps even a picnic.

These are some shots I got from Longhua on Agfa Vista Plus 200 in the Yashica Electro 35. Come take a look and come learn more about the place before you visit.