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Oxford: Graflex Super D with 7 inch Aldis lens

Tuesday, October 27th, 2026

Street portraits made in Oxford to test a lens I’ve adapted to my Graflex Super D. The lens is designed for quarter plate but covers 5×4 at portrait distance. The problem with my Super D is the internal mirror is quite large and this lens has a long protruding rear element which means when the lens is clear of the mirror swinging up the furthest I can focus is approximately 2.5 metres. Ideal for portraits but not great for group shots of three people. This is what lens testing is all about, to learn these things. The last shot is out of focus because I had to move the lens forward to allow the mirror to swing up but I like it despite the softness. On the day I chose to make these portraits the wind was so strong it almost knocked over my camera with the tripod a few times but I held onto it and made these images in short order. Thanks to everyone who stopped by.

[Tech info:] Graflex Super D, 7 inch Aldis lens, Kodak TXP 320 (expired), ISO 200, developed in Kodak HC110 1+31.

20261025_SuperD_7inch_Aldis_TXP320_HC110B_01_web

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Tags: 5x4, aldis, b&w, film, graflex, oxford, super d, Tri-X

Oxford: street portraits with 10×8 Deardorff camera

Tuesday, October 13th, 2026

Recent large format street portraits made in Jericho, Oxford. Afternoon autumn light can be wonderful when it bounces off glass buildings. I wanted to test out a lens I’ve had for some years but haven’t used much. The film I used is so old it predates when Ilford started printing expiry dates on their film boxes. I added some benzotriazole with the film developer to help reduce base fog. It seems to have worked. Thank you to everyone that stopped to be photographed.

[Tech info:] 10×8 Deardorff, 300/f4.2 Plaubel Anticomar lens, Ilford FP4 @ ISO 25, Rodinal 1+25 in a Jobo expert drum.

20261011_Oxford_300-f4.2_Anticomar_FP4_Rodinal_1-50_01_web

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Tags: 10x8, 300mm, black&white, deardorff, fp4, ilford, oxford

Oxford: Moonlighting on a winter night

Tuesday, January 6th, 2026

I have been saving some of the original Fuji Acros 100 film I bought (before it was discontinued) for some night photography and a few days ago I decided the time was right to use a roll. The previous night I had noticed how bright the moon was and felt the Acros film would be perfect for some moonlit shots. Unfortunately the following night when I went out there was a thin layer of cloud in the sky but I was determined to follow through and exposed some frames for varying lengths of time. I started at 2 minutes and worked my way to 10 minutes. The longer the exposure, the longer the star trails appear in the shot and the brighter the sky appears to the point it can end up looking like daylight. The shot below was a 6 minute exposure at f5.6. I darkened the sky in the scan to give more of a feeling of night. The pond was frozen and there wasn’t any breeze which has rendered the trees very clearly.

[Tech info:] Mamiya RB67, 50mm lens, Fuji Across 100 (expired 2019), 6 minutes @ f5.6 (exposure), developed in Adox HC110 1+31 for 5.5 minutes.

20260104_RB67_6min-Exposure_Acros_HC110B_01_web

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Posted in film, Oxford | 2 Responses »
Tags: 6x7, acros, black&white, film, hc110, moonlight, night, oxford, rb67

Oxford: Graflex Super D with 200/2.5 Hektor lens

Saturday, February 1st, 2025

Here are street portraits from my first outing with this camera and lens combo in Oxford. It attracted a fair bit of attention and I enjoyed chatting with people about it, I also had some patient volunteers to help me with my testing. The Hektor lens is from a projector and doesn’t have any aperture control. This means the depth of field is wafer thin and exposure can only be controlled by shutter speed which is limited on my Super D. If those limitations weren’t enough, the furthest focus distance is approximately 1.5m because the lens has to be quite far forward for the rear element to clear the mirror. I enjoy portrait photography so this is not a problem.

It seems the more limitations I have, the more enjoyment I get out of photography.

[Tech info:] Graflex Super D 5×4, 200/2.5 Hektor lens, Fomapan 400 @ ISO 200, Developed in Adox XT-3 stock.

Super D Hektor 20250125_Hektor_Foma400_001_web 20250125_Hektor_Foma400_002_web 20250125_Hektor_Foma400_003_web 20250125_Hektor_Foma400_004_web 20250125_Hektor_Foma400_005_web 20250125_Hektor_Foma400_006_web

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Tags: 5x4, b&w, film, fomapan 400, graflex, hektor, oxford, portrait, super d, xt-3

Oxford: first outing with Marion Soho reflex 5×4 camera

Monday, November 18th, 2024

Here are some pictures from my first outing with a Marion Soho reflex camera I recently had serviced. The camera is probably around the 100 year old mark but it has been well looked after by the previous owner(s) and certainly doesn’t show its age. When I bought it the shutter curtains were dry and jammed which is very common with old reflex cameras which either haven’t been used regularly or have been stored in poor conditions (heat/humidity). The shutter curtains in mine have been replaced with cloth supplied by Custom Bellows UK and now the camera works like a dream. It’s smaller and lighter than my 5×4 Graflex Super D which makes it more comfortable to carry on my back while cycling into town.

[Tech info:] Marion Soho reflex 5×4, Fomapan 400 developed in Rodinal 1+25.

20241117_Oxford_Marion-Soho_5x4_Foma400_Rodinal_01_web

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Tags: 5x4, black&white, film, fomapan 400, oxford, people, portraits, rodinal

Oxford: street portraits with a Graflex Super D 3×4 camera – part 2

Sunday, September 29th, 2024

Second test with fresh Shanghai GP3 100 film in this size (3.25″x4.25″). Processed in a Jobo expert drum without pre-rinse and water instead of stop bath. Looks like there is still mottling and uneven development. Maybe this film doesn’t like constant agitation? More testing needed. For scanning I made holders from old sheets of 5×4 film. Seems to work well and no more newtons rings.

[Tech info:] Graflex Super D 3×4, 152 mm Kodak Ektar lens, Shanghai GP3 100 @ ISO 100, processed in Rodinal 1+25 for 9 mins.

20240928_Oxford_SuperD_3x4_GP3-100_Rodinal_1-25_01_web

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Tags: 3x4, black&white, film, gp3, graflex, oxford, people, portraits, rodinal, shanghai, super d

Oxford: street portraits with a Graflex Super D 3×4 camera

Sunday, September 22nd, 2024

First test with fresh Shanghai GP3 100 film in this (3.25″ x 4.25″) size. Processed in a Jobo expert drum with water pre-rinse and stop bath. Looks like this film might need water instead of stop bath (the same as Fomapan film) because I can see uneven development. Scans made directly on the glass of my Epson V700 which has resulted in some newton rings. I will work on a better method. It’s a real shame about the uneven development but overall I’m pleased with these first results.

[Tech info:] Graflex Super D 3×4, 152 mm Kodak Ektar lens, Shanghai GP3 100 @ ISO 100, developed in Rodinal 1+25 for 9 mins.

20240921_Oxford_SuperD-3x4_GP3-100_Rodinal_1-25_01_web

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Tags: 3x4, black&white, film, gp3, graflex, oxford, people, portraits, rodinal, shanghai, super d

Oxford: large format film street portraits

Friday, September 20th, 2024

Recent street portraits on large format film. Making the most of what will probably be the last week of warm weather this year I took my camera gear into town to make some portraits as the sun was rapidly dropping. There is a glow to some of the skin tones which I think might be down to the warm colour temperature of the early evening light. The camera is from somewhere around the 1950s, the brass lens is around 150 years old, the film is fresh. Thank you to everyone who stopped to be photographed.

[Tech info:] Graflex Speed Graphic, Dallmeyer 2B petzval lens, Fomapan 400 film rated at ISO 200, developed in Rodinal 1+25.

2024092_Oxford_Dallmeyer-2B_Fomapan400_Rodinal_01_web

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Tags: 5x4, black&white, dallmeyer 2B, film, fomapan 400, graflex, oxford, people, portraits, rodinal, speed graphic

Oxford: Rolleiflex Tele – part 2

Thursday, September 19th, 2024

Here are some more pictures from my Rollei Tele which I was using last week in Oxford. The sun drops quite quickly this time of year and the maximum aperture on the Rollei Tele is f4 which meant I was struggling in areas of shadow so I rated this roll at ISO 200 to give myself a little breathing room. I spot metered for the darkest shadows (in some cases black fabric) and I like how these have turned out – not too contrasty.

The first picture below is the closest focussing distance with the built-in lens and the second picture down is with the clip-on close-up lenses. Same exposure. Notice how the depth of field changes and how the background falls nicely out of focus. I really like how the texture in the black leather coat has turned out.

[Tech info:] Rollei Tele, Ilford FP4 rated at ISO 200, developed in Promicrol 1+14.

20240919_Oxford_Rollei-Tele_FP4_ISO200_Promicrol_01_web

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Tags: 6x6, black&white, film, fp4, oxford, people, portraits, promicrol, rollei tele, rolleiflex

Oxford: Rolleiflex Tele – part 1

Tuesday, September 17th, 2024

Some years ago I bought a Rolleiflex Tele which has a 135mm f4 lens and my plan was to use it for portraits with a flatter perspective than you can achieve with the standard 80mm lens. The problem I found was the minimum focussing distance is quite limiting when you want to create a head and shoulders portrait. Clip-on lenses are required to focus closer and this clunky design put me off using it. Last week I decided to dust it off and try it out for general photography without the clip-on lenses. The shots below are from my first roll testing it out. It’s a heavy beast to walk around with for any length of time but I really enjoyed the reach compared to the standard lens and the image snapped into focus nicely which made focussing a breeze.

[Tech info:] Rolleiflex Tele, Ilford FP4 @ ISO 64, developed in Promicrol 1+14.

20240917_Oxford_Rollei-Tele_FP4_ISO64_Promicrol_001_web

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Tags: 6x6, black&white, film, fp4, ilford, oxford, people, portraits, promicrol, rollei tele, rolleiflex, summer

Oxford: Ensign Reflex test

Monday, September 16th, 2024

After replacing the ground glass screen in my Ensign reflex camera I wanted to test it out so I lugged it into town last Sunday morning and here are some shots from that roll. The image is clearer and brighter than before but I’m still struggling to nail focus. The mirror is anything but crisp and looks to be covered in a layer of hazy fog. I’ll have to send it off for re-coating. I can’t reach infinity focus which makes this setup more suited for portraits.

[Tech info:] Ensign Special Reflex, Aero Ektar lens, Delta 100 (expired), developed in Promicrol, 1+19.

20240915_Ensign_D100_AeroEktar_004_web

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Tags: aero ektar, delta 100, ensign, oxford, promicrol

Oxford: Ilford F.P.4 Glass Plates – part 1

Sunday, September 15th, 2024

Here are some portraits I recently made on Ilford F.P.4. dry glass plates which expired circa 1950. The box doesn’t have a visible expiry date that I can find but the label design (see below) was dated by Nicholas Middleton who has done some research about it. His excellent photo blog contains a wealth of information about various old film stocks, cameras and glass plates he has tested. Following his advice I rated these glass plates at ISO 5 which gave me an exposure time of approximately 2 seconds in shade. The Ross reflex camera I used has been serviced and inside is a date of manufacture from 1915 written in pencil. The camera is in excellent condition considering it’s over 109 years old. I still have two more plates to develop and six left to use.

[Tech info:] Ross reflex, Zeiss 11.5 inch f6.3 lens, Ilford F.P.4. glass plates @ ISO 5, developed in Rodinal 1+100 for 1 hour semi-stand (slow agitations at 30 mins).

53977997204_303dd330c7_c 53896482609_c5e83e1af8_c 53993299077_f4b38bd66d_c 20240914_FP4_Glass_ISO5_Ross-reflex_Zeiss_11.5inch_RDNL_1-100_03_web