I’ve spent the better part of the summer isolated at home due to a rather nasty virus. However, recently I have been feeling well enough to go for short walks, and on one such occasion I decided to bring along my Canon AE-1 Program — an analog film camera — with a 50mm f/1.8 FD lens. A classic combination.
In the camera I had a roll of Fujifilm Superia 200, 24 frames, that was stored in my fridge for a few years. Could be anything from 2–6 years. I don’t remember.
I also brought along my Canon 5D — I think it sounds better than my 5D mark II — paired with a 50mm f/1.4 EF lens. On this camera I shot both RAW and JPG, where the JPG was processed with a Kodak Portra 160 picture style in camera.
Yes, you can install different picture styles on newer Canon cameras. And by newer I mean from late 2005, like the classic Canon 5D, but not early 2005, like the Canon 350D. More on picture styles later.
Some of the shots I took with both cameras, and I am looking forward to compare the results. But for the most part I just used the analog camera.
Using a analog camera, in manual mode, with manual focus, forced me to slow down. Everything had to be checked and double checked. Focus. Exposure. Framing. There is no way to check the result on a screen and try again.
And yes, I know the AE-1 Program has a program mode — it’s in the name. But I like to shoot in manual, I do so on my digital cameras as well, except for the OM System TG7. But that’s for a different kind of shoot, where time is not on your side.
My first DSLR
This experience made me curious, so I charged the battery on my Canon 350D — my first DSLR — and took it for a walk as well.
The 350D, as mentioned above, does not support picture styles. You can, however, tweak some parameters, which I did after doing some simple research. Well, used an internet search engine to be more precise.
The shutter sound on the 350 is what I would call “light and cheerful”. It has a smaller sensor, and thus also a smaller mirror and shutter curtain. But it’s noticeable slower writing files to the CF-card than the 5D.
I also have the 5D mark II, and for some reason this camera sounds different from the original 5D. To be honest, I’m not a fan of the shutter sound at all.
Camera equipment
The danger of picking up and using all my cameras is of course that I now suddenly find myself searching for more camera equipment. And that is a deep, and expensive, rabbit hole.
So far I have looked for other Canon EOS analog cameras, because I have already invested in EF lenses, only apparently not enough, because I’ve also been searching for lenses. Especially prime lenses, like this beautiful Canon 50mm f/1.2.
Also, after a few YouTube videos, I have searched for Leica, especially the Leica M6, which seems to be the holly grail of Leica film cameras.
I guess it would make more sense to buy a digital Leica M, like the M9 or M10, but damn it is expensive. However, it would make me one of the cool kids. Yes, I know that the Leica M11 is the newest, but if the M9 is expensive used…
Picture Styles
Since you asked.
A few years ago, I discovered a site with 158 Canon dSLR Picture styles picture profiles. Here is how to install the picture styles, or, if you prefer, a YouTube video on how to install picture styles on Canon.
Thomas Fransson, from the YouTube video linked above, also makes his own picture styles, which you can download for free — or you can give a small donation.
A quick note: The picture styles from Thomas is in the pf3 format, which is only supported on cameras from 2007 and onwards — like the 5D mark II, but not the 5D classic. The 5D classic support only the pf2 format. However, cameras that support pf3 also support the pf2 format.
On the Canon 5D I have installed the following picture styles at the moment:
- Fuji Velvia
- Kodak Portra 160
- BW_5
And on the Canon 5D mark II, I have these:
- Fulji Velvia
- Kodachrome 25
- BW_5
They are all from the 158 pack I mentioned.
Just to make it clear; the picture styles installed on the Camera only affects the JPG images. It does not affect RAW images, so if you want to actually get any effect, you have to shoot JPG (you can shot both RAW + JPG) — or apply them in post using Canons software.
The pictures
Well, sadly, the 1-hour photo lab seems to be out of fashion, so I just have to wait to get the pictures back. I was told it could take up to 3 weeks.
For the digital photos; I was not that happy with them. Not from the 5D or the 350D. Which can mean only one of two things: I’m a bad photographer, or it’s the equipment. So, obviously, I’m still looking at Leica M-series online.
I might share the images once I get them back from the lab. I still have faith in them.
Then I will probably also show the comparison with the pictures I took with the Canon 5D from the same location and with the same settings.