Sunday, February 7, 2021

Yashica MAT-124G with Wolfman


The Yashica Mat-124G is my favorite TLR medium format cameras. It's super simple to use, I love the 6x6 ratio (square) & it has a working but simple light meter. It's build sturdy.

I took the Yashica out for the first time in quite a while. Covid-19 significantly dampened my film and street photography in 2020. However, I decided to start shooting film regularly starting this January. I have plenty of 120 film on hand both fresh and expired, but wanted to try a roll of Wolfman 120 purchased during a recent trip to Roberts Camera in downtown Indianapolis. The film is distributed by the Film Photography Project store. The film is rated ASA 100 so I needed a fairly bright day. Also, the battery for the light meter needed to be replaced. The camera takes a specialty-type battery (PX625). A downside is that this battery is air activated lasting only a few months. Literally, every time I take this camera out a new battery is needed. The upside is you don't need the battery for the camera to work ... only the meter. You can always use an external light meter, use Sunny 16 or just guess at the exposure.

I shot the roll on the near south side of Indianapolis on a bright but very overcast day. The camera only shoots 12 shots in 6x6 so it goes fast. I did also shoot a roll of Ilford Delta 100 while I was out.

I didn't have any of the developing chemicals recommended by the FPP for the Wolfman film so I learned online that the film could be developed like ORWO UN54. This film can be developed using Ilford Ilfotec DD-X (which I have) in a 1+4 ration for 9 minutes at 20C. That's what I used. I'm happy with the results. 

The film is crisp with lots of contrast with the day's conditions. Some shots