leicaguy

I’m not sure how many years I had a roll of Ilford SFX sitting in the freezer, but it was more than a few. So one day last September (2007), I thawed it out and went off to the Maryland Steam Historical Society Annual Steam Show in Arcadia Maryland. I promptly got the color slide film developed and scanned, but I put the exposed roll of SFX in the refrigerator as I was planning on sending it off to David Wood at dr5.com for his custom processing.

I’ve written about dr5.com before (see this post). And since that writing I’ve sent more film off to them. I don’t expect my photos to win awards, but I still care about the quality of the processing. I would urge any and every film shooter reading this to at least send one roll to dr5.com. I’d say that the cost to develop and mount one 36 exposure roll is about $14. That is no more expensive than what you would pay at a quality camera store (not one of those national chain stores), so the only excuse you have is taking the trouble to mail the film to dr5. And that is the excuse, along with a bad memory, I used for about a year.

On the dr5 website they refer to SFX as having “a very slight, hazy-METALIC” look in their developer 1-neutral and a “stunning metallic sepia/selenium tones” in developer 2-sepia. I had my roll processed in developer 2-sepia. I can see some of that description in my photos. I shot most of these photos at the Steam Show, and the direct sunlight created deep shadows and high contrast which may not be the best environment for this film. On the other hand, due to SFX’s extended sensitivity into the near-infrared, blue skies and lots of sun can a greater infrared look (i.e., dark skies, bright plant foliage) especially when using deep red filters. For the record, I used a Heliopan No. 25 red filter on this entire roll.

Compare this shot of the Mail Pouch barn with the one I did using Ilford FP4

• Leica MP
• Leica 35mm Summicron ASPH
• Ilford SFX (dr5 dev2)

Three steam tractors lined up.

• Leica MP
• Leica 24mm Elmarit ASPH
• Ilford SFX (dr5 dev2)

Stone Crusher shot hand-held at 1/15sec.

• Leica MP
• Leica 35mm Summicron ASPH
• Ilford SFX (dr5 dev2)

A well maintained Emerson-Brantingham Peerless engine. The wheel and most accent trim on this tractor are bright red, but with SFX and the No. 25 filter it appears almost white.

• Leica MP
• Leica 24mm Elmarit ASPH
• Ilford SFX (dr5 dev2)

A Frick Engine.

• Leica MP
• Leica 24mm Elmarit ASPH
• Ilford SFX (dr5 dev2)

A Keck Gonnerman on the move.

• Leica MP
• Leica 35mm Summicron ASPH
• Ilford SFX (dr5 dev2)

A mounted engine shot hand-held at 1/8 sec.

• Leica MP
• Leica 50mm Summilux ASPH
• Ilford SFX (dr5 dev2)

A line up of tractors fired up and ready for the parade.

• Leica MP
• Leica 35mm Summicron ASPH
• Ilford SFX (dr5 dev2)

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