Confession-time: I hadn't shot on half-frame until this year. But I suspect that's probably true for many analogue photographers. It is definitely a format that has exploded in popularity over the past two years - partly driven by the new cameras that have been released (or about to be ? hello Pentax Film Project!) and partly by the lower cost-per-image. In this article, we'll explore the ins and outs of these compact cameras and provide you with expert tips to maximise your photographic potential. From understanding the history and features of half-frame cameras to mastering composition, ligh ..read more

The arrival of a new film emulsion never fails to get us all excited, which just reaffirms the hold that analogue photography has over us. And when Film Ferrania hinted at the release of two discontinued black and white films back in November 2023, there was much speculation amongst the community as to what they might be. Luckily for us, Ferrania gave us a clue ahead of time on their Instagram post - with exclusive previews of P33 and P36 ?, the latter mysteriously vanishing from the caption. Come February 2024, the long-awaited announcement finally arrived and Ferrania P33 35mm film was relea ..read more

When you're picking a film format for a day out most people will select 35mm or 120. However I've noticed that film enthusiasts are increasingly exploring beyond the standard film formats to discover the delights of niche film types. Among these other options, half-frame and 110 film stand out as similar choices - both providing a relatively small image on the negative. 110 film was designed from the outset as a pocket format, known for its miniature size and ease of use. It has traditionally been pitched to photographers who value compactness and simplicity over image quality (altho ..read more

The internet is full of personal manifestos about why people shoot film. I could certainly write one for myself - referencing the special joy of holding a 50-year old camera to capture beautiful images. But here at Analogue Wonderland we are uniquely placed to take a wider view of the question: every year we hear from thousands of film shooters about their persistent attachment to analogue technology in a digital world. And the reality? There is no single answer! Instead we see a mishmash of complementary themes and motivations. So I have canvassed our community to pull out the key trends ..read more

Many analogue photographers don’t bother taking notes on the images we take. But there is so much valuable information either locked up in our heads or, more likely, lost to time that we could be leveraging to improve our skills and our images. Taking notes by hand is seen (rightly!) as tedious, time consuming, and low-value. But it’s only low-value if you never use it, and the value of this information increases dramatically with volume. The tedium problem is real, though. As a long-time veteran of Silicon Valley, I thought perhaps I could apply my skills designing great user experiences to r ..read more

I’m mainly a digital photographer - but I’ve been experimenting with film for the past couple of years (it’s been a new form of education for me). I’ve experimented with 35mm, Medium format, experimented with cameras that have frustrated and bought me much joy (and taught me a lot about photography into the bargain). But using film in a professional context (at a wedding for example) is quite difficult - with a myriad of issues that need to be dealt with to make sure photos are kept secure and nothing is lost along the way. What I have developed a real love for, and have been using on professi ..read more

The first time I started to take the Pentax Film Camera Project seriously was August 2023. Of course I'd followed the initial posts, videos, and teasers from the official website as soon as the standalone Pentax Film Project page launched in 2022, but there was little detail to understand how serious they were about launching a brand new Pentax film camera. Then I received a meeting request from the Ricoh Imaging European team (the owners of the Pentax brand since 2011) asking for 'a chat about the film market'. It quickly became apparent that they were deadly serious! UK visits ..read more

If you’re visiting New York for travel, the sudden explosion of visual stimuli and cacophony of sounds can be intimidating, I know it was for me when I first arrived. Coming from a slow moving place where street photography was mostly documenting well manicured lawns, vintage cars, and golden light falling onto regional architecture, the screaming, ever changing streets of the city were a lesson in adaptability. If you’re coming to New York and want to make the most of your time here, whether it be a day, a week, or a month, it’s important to be intentional about what you shoot and push past y ..read more

As a photographer who shoots both digital and analogue, I think of myself as two totally different entities. I am a photographer who shoots digital and I am a photographer who shoots film and I exist in both of these worlds simultaneously. Yes, there is of course a lot of crossover, in terms of skill and understanding how to photograph, but I approach them in completely different ways. And more importantly, the journey they take me on elicits both very contrasting emotions and responses.     About me: Sarah Emma Smith   I shoot digital for work and very, very rarely for anything ..read more

It was a Tuesday afternoon last year. I sat down at my desk and I opened our emails. There was a reply from a couple saying they had decided to book another wedding photographer because they offered 35mm film. I had two reactions; the first was shock and the second was annoyance. I mean, I love film photography. If you know me, that would come as a surprise. I am the most impatient person you could ever meet. I hate queues, I hate middle lane hoggers and I hate surprises. But there’s something about film where all of the slowness becomes exciting.     I first ventured into film phot ..read more