Wow, it’s been 5 months since I last posted a blog post! Been so busy with my day job. So let’s continue from my previous post: I went Tokyo to buy films!
As usual, I shoot films while travelling. And I used Leica M6 during this Tokyo trip.
Unfortunately, I didn’t manage to get my films processed in Japan. Instead, I got them processed in Bangkok. Thus I was a little disappointed that my photos lack the kind of “Japanese filter vibe”. This also further proves that different scanning services offer different looks. I strongly believe if I were to develop my films in Japan or even Hong Kong, my film looks would be very different.
Let’s see the photos and judge for yourself:
Fuji Industrial 100
Meiji Shrine, Tokyo (2018)
Meiji Shrine, Tokyo (2018)
A park beside Meiji Shrine (2018)
Mount Fuji (2018)
Around Lake Kawaguchi (2018)
Cat in Tokyo (2018)
Sleeping cat (2018)
View from above Tokyo Tower (2018)
I am the most satisfied with the film look from Fuji Industrial 100. Super love the kind of vibe this film offers. Perhaps I was also lucky with the sunny weather.
Kodak Color Plus 200
Tsukiji Market Tokyo (2018)
Black suits in Tokyo (2018)
Vending machines everywhere (2018)
Hakone (2018)
Empty subway platform (2018)
Purification fountain of shrine (2018)
My hotel bed in Tokyo (2018)
Kodak Gold 200
My ryokan room (2018)
A chillax corner in my ryokan (2018)
Sensoji Tokyo (2018)
Street of Tokyo (2018)
Cute kindergarden kids! (2018)
Damn iPhone (2018)
Some random stairs (2018)
Selfie (2018)
Owakudani in Hakone (2018)
Kodak Ektar 100
Street of Hakone (2018)
Solitude (2018)
Way leading to Hakone Shrine (2018)
Wishing plates in Hakone Shrine (2018)
Students (2018)
Washing fountain in Hakone Shrine (2018)
Local houses in Hakone (2018)
Local eatery run by retired elderly (2018)
Train (2018)
Among the four films that I used in Japan, I had the highest expectation for Ektar 100 because it’s the most expensive. Its film look let me down. I purposefully reserved my roll of Ektar for Hakone because I knew Hakone is scenic with a lot of greeneries.
Sadly, the weather was very gloomy and foggy during my stays in Hakone. With ISO 100, many of my shots were prone to be underexposed.
Conclusion
Overall, I am quite unhappy with my photos. Leaving film looks alone, I am more disappointed with my style of shooting and the compositions. Many of my shots looked touristy.
Anyway, can you tell that these photos were shot with Leica Elmarit 28mm lens? Personally, I cannot. The quality is average. Most importantly, this shows that expensive lens don’t do magic to your photos. Skill is more important than the price tagged to the lens.
Furthermore, I am a 35mm person. It was a wrong move to use 28mm for this trip. I feel that most of my photos looked very ‘distant’. (Of course, I didn’t post those very bad & ugly ones)
Well, I enjoyed my trips and really glad that I chose to shoot films 🙂 I look forward to more trips to come!!!
I like very much the colors of Fuji industrial 100., and your compositions there, it seems sunny days are happier days to shoot : )
Ektar 100 is very nice with blue skies or with golden light. In cloudy days it seems its contrasty nature is not very flattering and tend to looks quite bluish (at least in the photos the lab scans from the roll)
I actually love some of the images, especially “A park beside Meiji Shrine “, “Black suits” and “Sensoji Tokyo”! and I also love the look of Fuji Industrial 100. I’m so glad you posted, I’ve been waiting eagerly since May :/.
Personally, i love all the photos especially Meiji Shrine . Film only excels when there is good light. But when it’s cloudy, i try to avoid shooting with it. When i travel , i try bringing a small p&s digital camera with me. Best of both worlds.
Lovely set of photos from your trip. I like the colors from the cheaper Kodak films (Gold & Color Plus). I’ve only shot one roll of Ektar, after seeing the results I decided it wasn’t for me.
Happy Shooting!