Analog film photography and cameras

OM4/ 50mm 1.4

Nice camera.

I'm guessing you've tested it on a tripod with fixed subjects?

If you have a Canon DSLR you could buy an adaptor to test the lens more easily without having to process film (just make sure the adaptor is a decent one - if they are the wrong thickness the lens won't focus at infinity).

@nefarious, have you had your eyesight checked recently? A long time ago something similar had happened to me, and I thought it was the lens. It wasn't the camera lens, but my own eyesight that had begun to slip a bit.

The last image posted is back-focused ..... but at that distance the background should be sharp anyhow, even wide open I reckon.

What I'm trying to say is ... I think it wasn't scanned flat, the film wasn't sitting flat against the pressure plate in the camera or perhaps it was damaged in processing.

There are all sorts of chemical artifacts from processing so something is up.

Well it's f 1.4 and I think you could expect load of bokeh and hard to get focus on point when wide open. If you didn't dropped the lens is see no reason it could get damaged although whats the model and make of lense cus you can clearly see circural smudges which usually appear in cheap lenses.

focusing screen could be out of alignment, then it would look in focus when shooting but the negs would be out. i think olympus om screens are interchangeable (?) which makes it more of a possibility imo @nefarious

you could put some tracing paper where the film should be and the shutter on bulb and check for any difference between finder and film plane

I always use the split prism for focusing to be sure - so I hope it isn't my eyesight!

You can check if the focussing screen sits tight / try what @shinkuu_kiss said with the tracing paper.
I would also shoot a few frames with a different lens to see if it's this.

As mentioned already the streaks come from the lab, not you.

Cheers everyone - I thought the streaks came from the lab but wanted to double check before sending a complaint!

That's some real ninja shit right there! Will give it a shot. Prob gonna run a roll through with a different lens to be sure. Got some shit old film and asda does dev only for £2 (useful for less precious rolls).

anyone used one of those Ilford disposable cameras? I got one and will be using it for a ride on Sunday, any pro tips?

No but there's an article on 35mmc about using one. Looks good...

Used a few of the XP2 ones for shots whilst riding bikes and motorbikes, since picked up an Olympus XA2 for the same purpose but had some great results. Much better than using other brand disposables. Only tips are to wherever possible have the sun/light behind you and if the subject is within 5 metres or so then use the flash in anything less than full sunlight. Will try and dig out some examples.

I've found some 15 rolls of out-of-date Arista 400 (expired in 2013) that has been in the fridge for a long time. Not sure if it's still good, but available for anyone if interested and willing to collect near London Bridge in evenings. Let me know. Similar characteristics to Tri-X which was my film of choice back when I had a film camera.

Excuse the colour cast, I'd scanned it in colour and not converted to B&W.

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I'll take 5, can walk over to LB in lunch or after work on Thursday.

Good tips! Samples would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

And in case you were wanting to do some selfies whilst riding...

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After work on Thursday should work for me. I'll keep five aside for you when I'm back this evening.

Looking for a Fuji GA645 or similar if anyone happens to have one lying around..

Took these on a recent trip to California and Melbourne. Colour ones are using Kodak 200 in a Kodak Retina IIIc, 28mm lens Rangefiner and the B&W are Kodak 400 using a Zenit - E with a 58mm Helios lens SLR.

Nice! Top one is rather Massimo Vitali.

^^ Wicked atmosphere created by these. They're great.

Love them all but the B + W set are spot on.

Really like the light bouncing off the building, draws you in.