I started using the Rollei Retro 80s film negative about 1 month ago, attempting to find and switch to a Fomapan 100 alternative. Plus that I have heard good things about this Rollei film, and seen some fine examples online, from others who shoot and process this film with good results. So I bought a few rolls, even split some for my Minox 8×11 cameras, and I went away for my holiday.
Now, I am not that proficient with film, not as much as I’d like, so I would assume any bad results are of my own fault, and not the fault of the film or camera used. It happened in the past, and I guess it will happen again. So, to be honest, I expected something different from this film; I do not know exactly what, but something different. All 5 frames here were shot with a Nikon FM3A, processed in Rodinal Spezial 1+31 and scanned.
Jet engine, Sinsheim Technik Museum
Civilian Junkers transport plane, Lufthansa
M4 Sherman tank
Dawn of aviation, indoors no flash
Diesel railroad motor
Definitely putting the Fomapan 100 in a tight spot, but not a completely different film, in my view. A bit grainier perhaps, when generally compared, but still in the same neighbourhood, as it were. And I guess a bit more hard to nail those highlights, but this (again) could very well be my own fault. Tones are a bit more defined and the blacks somewhat tricky, than those similar from Foma film. I may be wrong here, of course, but I am still trying to understand this Rollei 80s thing. Perhaps with time, I’ll come to better results.