Analog Therapy/Film Test: Contax 137 MA Quartz – Zeiss Glass – Kentmere Pan 200.
Before I get to the film, there is a matter of the camera.
…is my personal favorite SLR. A claim I do not make lightly since there are other SLRs I rather like. Had quite a few of them. But when things got out of hand and it came time to thin the SLR herd this is a camera that was going nowhere. Never once thought of selling it. Why? I am glad I imagined you asked. While covered in great detail in the linked review, it comes down to sentimental and practical variables.
Sentimental
- I picked up a copy with tattered leather (very common) for nearly nothing.
- At first, I stripped it down to bare metal and it was a good looking camera, but slippery as a bar of soap.
- Then for less than $20 I ordered a new skin and after a few minutes I now had an even better looking camera on my hands.
Practical
- Even before dressing it up with a skin I quickly realized this was a very capable camera. So much so that it knocked my favorite SLR at that time off of its pedestal.
- Gave access to top tier Zeiss glass as well as very good and reasonably priced Yashica and third party glass.
Truth be told in this case the Zeiss lens stayed plastered to the front of the 137 so I eventually let go of the other lenses. Perfectly good lenses, but I never used them. There is nothing wrong with them. It is just that the Zeiss lens is so good.
Update: After this evening’s performance and given the ridiculously inexpensive Yashica lenses (think low 2 digit prices), I have purchased another copy of the Yashica 135mm f/2.8 above and a Yashica 28mm f/2.8 to replace the Soligor lens above. Lens tests will be done when they arrive.
Fitting. This is a film camera so good that I had no reservations about letting go of far more expensive film cameras. It is as capable as any of them.
On to the test roll.
I have used Kentmere films before.
I liked them both.
Not as contrasty and pin sharp as other B&W films I typically favor, but what drew me to them was their affordable price. Add to that the promise of improved contrast with 120 films,…
…and I would count them as a success.
On my recent visit to my local camera shop, Venu…
…recommended I try this new Kentmere film. He shared that this new Kentmere Pan 200 was sharper than their previous films. Count me in.
Bought a roll of 35mm and 120. This is about the 35mm variant.
Given the current ills of the world, I was overdue for a bit of analog therapy, so I struck out to a local “downtown” area. (Quotes are an obnoxious side effect of my being from NY and living in NYC for a few years. In person I do air quotes. Can’t be helped.) Ran through the roll in no time. And as a bonus once I got home I confirmed that I got some images as well.
Cool. Developed at home using Cinestill df96 and scanned with my trusty Epson V600. Here are all images save one missed focus pic I left out with thoughts afterward.
Thoughts.
…this film is cuss word awesome.
I had no nits to pick with Kentmere’s 100 and 400 films but this 200 variant is better to my eyes. As sharp as 100 and more consistent than the 400. I definitely will be buying it again.
Well done, Kentmere.
-ELW
Eric L. Woods 
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