23 frames / A Whole Roll of Fujifilm Superia 400 in a Vivitar Ultra Wide & Slim – #FullRollFriday – by Charles Higham

By Charles Higham

No doubt like many, I’ve taken the enforced opportunity to tidy up photographic equipment and general detritus. There’s an embarrassing number of old film compacts, SLRs and lenses stuffed in plastic boxes under the bed, as well as a jumble of prints and negatives left in old shoe boxes and carrier bags. I don’t do my own developing so I’ve also got a stack of CDs of scanned photos from film processors going back quite a few years too.

Back in March 2016 I posted about a Vivitar Ultra Wide and Slim camera (VUWS for short) that I’d modified, and the photos I used were from a roll of Ilford HP5.  The VUWS was a cheap toy camera from the 1990s with fixed focus, fixed aperture and one shutter speed (approx 1/125). It has an unusually wide angle 22mm plastic lens which is known for producing images with a distinctive look, including wacky flare effects. A few weeks after writing that post I shot some colour film with it. At the time I normally bought multi-packs of Fujifilm Superia 400, and I’ve come across the CD with exposures from the VUWS I shot in late March 2016.  I’d used a 24 frame film roll. In fact, it’s best not to use a 36 frame film with this camera because the winding tension towards the end of the roll might break the plastic mechanism, it’s that flimsy.

Looking at these shots again, I think the Fujifilm with its punchy colours and contrast is well suited to the camera. I’ve uploaded all the images unedited so these show what you can expect. All shots taken in Hastings and Oxford.

You can find more articles I have written for 35mmc here
More articles featuring the VUWS here
And more #FullRollFriday articles here

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Comments

Alan Withington on 23 frames / A Whole Roll of Fujifilm Superia 400 in a Vivitar Ultra Wide & Slim – #FullRollFriday – by Charles Higham

Comment posted: 12/06/2020

These are great thank you! I especially like the Sunnyside Oxford photo, that is just fun and popping, what the UWS is probably best at. I re-read your article on modding a UWS which I enjoyed more second time round. It got me thinking how for myself and many other photographers, cameras seem to increasingly have to be either distinctive by great quality or 'heavy on character' regardless of quality. The character thing seems to be forgiving of a trashy side too. The trouble I'm finding now is that all the mediocre cameras in the middle don't seem worth putting film through any more. I've a cupboard full of them needing thinning out.
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Charles Higham replied:

Comment posted: 12/06/2020

Thanks Alan. The characterful shots produced by the VUWS is what makes it so fun, but I know what you mean about mediocre film cameras and whether it's worth the expense of putting film through them. There are cartloads of adequate plastic compacts from the last several decades. I still can't resist it though. I think it's the promise of discovering the unexpectedly good ones. A few months ago I tried a Canon Sure Shot Z90W because its zoom lens started at a decently wide 28mm, and you could switch flash off permanently. I was impressed by the image quality and will use it again.

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Rock on 23 frames / A Whole Roll of Fujifilm Superia 400 in a Vivitar Ultra Wide & Slim – #FullRollFriday – by Charles Higham

Comment posted: 12/06/2020

Love the blue lifeboat building at Hastings shot.
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Charles Higham on 23 frames / A Whole Roll of Fujifilm Superia 400 in a Vivitar Ultra Wide & Slim – #FullRollFriday – by Charles Higham

Comment posted: 12/06/2020

Thanks Rock. I like that one too.
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Khürt Louis Williams on 23 frames / A Whole Roll of Fujifilm Superia 400 in a Vivitar Ultra Wide & Slim – #FullRollFriday – by Charles Higham

Comment posted: 15/06/2020

I love the look of these images especially the very fist and last scan and the Sunnyside Oxford building. I think I’ll have to try a roll of Fujifilm Superia 400l
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Charles Higham on 23 frames / A Whole Roll of Fujifilm Superia 400 in a Vivitar Ultra Wide & Slim – #FullRollFriday – by Charles Higham

Comment posted: 15/06/2020

Thanks Khurt. Fujifilm Superia 400 worked well with this little VUWS, although I recommend shooting on a sunny day.
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Sroyon on 23 frames / A Whole Roll of Fujifilm Superia 400 in a Vivitar Ultra Wide & Slim – #FullRollFriday – by Charles Higham

Comment posted: 17/06/2020

Great photos, you're really getting the most out of the ultra-wide angle on this two-element(!) plastic lens! I don't think I'd seen your earlier post about this camera and I love the BnW ones too. You are making me want to buy one ehehehe.
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Charles Higham on 23 frames / A Whole Roll of Fujifilm Superia 400 in a Vivitar Ultra Wide & Slim – #FullRollFriday – by Charles Higham

Comment posted: 17/06/2020

Thanks Sroyon, I enjoyed using the VUWS. It's a tiny camera - just a plastic box with a lens and filmwinder. But it can come up with some interesting shots. If you see one going cheap I recommend trying one out.
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Fujifilm Superia 400 in a Pentax ES II - Island in the Net on 23 frames / A Whole Roll of Fujifilm Superia 400 in a Vivitar Ultra Wide & Slim – #FullRollFriday – by Charles Higham

Comment posted: 19/06/2020

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