Shooting ultra low ISO film
I do love to browse the pages of film sales websites, some like Analogue Wonderland feel like you are a kid in a sweet shop! There seem to be new films popping up on a regular basis from manufacturers you have never heard of. On this particular occasion I came across some FPP Low ISO 1.6 colour film in 35mm which looked intriguing.
With the roll in hand, questions arose like how do I even shoot this stuff? How do I meter when my phone App doesn’t go down to ISO 1.6?
After some internet browsing I found that you have to use a fully manual camera, definitely a tripod and meter for the lowest option you have available then adjust setting a couple of stops to get the correct exposure. Simple then!
I opted for my fine example of the Chinon CS for it’s simplicity and I knew it was working perfectly, with the Chinon 55mm f1.7 and N.P.S. 28mm f3.5 lenses.
I knew I wanted to shoot on the coast and with clear skies, high tide and a beautiful sunset in prospect I headed off…
Chinon CS
The first shot I really like, even with the small light leaks at the top. The light was still quite bright so the shutter speed isn’t long enough to smooth out the ripples on the water.
Chinon CS - FPP Low ISO 1.6
I love how this film looks in this fading light - yes they are not accurate to what the eye sees, but the blue of the water is gorgeous. The strong contrast of the railings works really well too.
Chinon CS - FPP Low ISO 1.6
Chinon CS - FPP Low ISO 1.6
These golden hours shots came out really nice, however the rest of the roll shot in daylight had a serious colour shift, and I didn’t like them!
Some time later I was gifted six rolls of Slow Your Roll low ISO film - also 1.6. Having seen the results of the FPP stuff, I thought it sensible to shoot some at sunrise rather than daytime.
Chinon CS - Slow Your Roll 1.6
I shot the first part of this roll on the Isle of Wight, before leaving it for a year to finish the rest. It’s great when you forget what you have shot, so getting the scans back from the lab is exciting!
Chinon CS - Slow Your Roll 1.6
The Slow Your Roll film feels like it may be the same stock as the FPP stuff, which is fine as it’s is such fun and produces images not attainable with standard 35mm stocks.
Chinon CXII - Slow Your Roll 1.6
Luckily for me I still have four rolls in the freezer for when the mood takes me, and conditions are as gorgeous as these. There were definitely more fails than wins using these ultra low ISO films, but nothing to do with the film itself, but down to me choosing to shoot it in the wrong conditions - they absolutely shine in the early morning and late evening when the light is sublime, but would not recommend using in daylight unless you understand which filter to use to correct the colour shifts like in the image below…
Chinon CS - Slow Your Roll 1.6