Autumn in Gdynia

Here's the context: sometime mid-October, I'd purchased an analogue camera I needed to try out. I also wanted to compare two film stocks: Fujifilm 400 and Kodak Ultramax. I chose to go on two photowalks in Gdynia.

The camera in question was a Minolta XD-7. I was checking whether it had any hidden faults and if its electronics were in good shape. I'll elaborate on this in a separate post at some point as it's a story of its own.

Disclaimer: the photos from the first day are edited to bring out more oranges and reds than there was in reality. Also, there's some dodging and burning applied to most shots to keep them interesting. On the other hand, most of the photos taken on the second day are barely edited. The majority of them aren't up to my standards so I couldn't be bothered to waste too much time on them. Both film rolls suffer from underexposure, making some shots muddy in the shadows.

Fujifilm 400 on the Beach

On day one, I loaded a roll of Fujifilm 400 into the camera and went to see the Orłowo Cliff. It's a famous landmark in Gdynia. The weather was good, with a cloudless sky and a pleasant morning sun, so many other photographers were on site. I can't blame them; the conditions were great.

The colourful leaves, the blue sky (darkened using a polariser) and the sea created a pleasing colour harmony. I could not resist a few beach shots, ignoring the cliff or making it less significant in the photos.

It's hard to get an original angle on the cliff itself. Still, I made it the hero of some somewhat pleasing photos. In a few, I used the rocks at the seashore as foreground elements and shot from a low perspective, making the cliff appear to be towering over the scene.

A quick visit to the city centre and the marina yielded a few more random shots that concluded the roll of Fujifilm 400.

Overall, I am happy with the results. In sunny weather, the film accentuates yellows and reds in a way that lends itself to Autumn photography. I boosted them a little further in post. The colours turned out saturated and the grain, while definitely present, didn't hinder the editing.

Kodak Ultramax in the Woodland

The following morning, the weather wasn't as pleasant. The sky was overcast and there was no sun to provide the warm colours I'd captured the day before. I went to the forests of Kolibki, a district neighbouring Orłowo. I loaded a roll of Kodak Ultramax into the camera and went hiking.

I started with some woodland shots, hoping the emulsion would accentuate the warmer end of the colour spectrum. I think the effect was reasonable.

I climbed an observation tower to see the surroundings from a height. A bit of fine mist obscured the most distant areas but I could still see Sopot and parts of Gdańsk. The only thing I wish I'd done was to take a skylight filter with me. I don't normally use skylight filters but I think it would have been a good idea to slightly cut through the mist's blue tint.

On my way back to the car, I passed some sports and recreation installations, likely part of a nearby Adventure Park. Then I quickly reemerged from the forest and headed back to the car.

I saved a few shots for later. In Gdańsk, I went for a walk and finished the roll there. I took most of the photos around the Brzeźno Pier.

I wasn't disappointed with how my Ultramax photos turned out but I wasn't thrilled either. They were OK, but nothing to write home about. As with Fujifilm 400, the grain was present but unobtrusive and easy to edit. The colours were punchier on the yellow-red side of the spectrum. The cooler woodland setting didn't fit the film's character very well. When the sun came out though, the colours were again punchy and saturated.

Closing Words

I shot my two rolls of film in different conditions so it wasn't an apples-to-apples comparison. Whether they're the same film stock or not, they look similar enough to be considered equivalent. The grain structure is the same, not overly coarse and relatively easy to edit. The colour reproduction leans on the warmer side, with high saturation and punchy yellows, oranges and reds. Also, I underexposed many shots because my camera's shutter speeds were off. Both films handled this fine. Some deep shadow details were lost but images didn't go muddy except in a few severe cases. I'm quite happy with the exposure latitude.

My conclusion is that both Fujifilm 400 and Kodak Ultramax are good candidates for Autumn colour photography. They seem to prefer well-lit, warm conditions. Lots of sunlight and possibly the golden hour are when these film stocks should produce the best results. They're not the best for woodland photography in overcast weather.

I would say that this is a result very comparable to my Kodak Gold and Fujifilm 200 tests. All four film stocks are good for Autumn photography in sunny conditions, a little challenging otherwise. If I were to choose just one speed, I would likely stick with the faster one. The colour rendering is similar but the extra stop of sensitivity is beneficial in darker conditions.