Good Friday lunch

5 Frames of Kodak Double XX 5222 on a Pentax Espio 24EW in Madrid

By Nick Orloff

I’m sure that I’m no different from most photographers when I travel – I always take far more gear than I end up using. In February had a 10 day work trip, with a couple of days of leisure, to the USA, and took my Nikon FA, 3 lenses and assorted ‘vital’ accessories. I used one lens. Maybe one of the filters. Didn’t use the speedlight. And I keep packing tripods & monopods that never seem to leave my luggage.

In April, my wife & I travelled to Madrid & London to visit our son and his girlfriend, I decided to take JUST ONE CAMERA.

Near Plaza Mayor
Near Plaza Mayor

Before I get to the camera, film & destination, a bit about how I’m travelling with film these days …. Like lots of things in the online analogue world, there are as many opinions & and as much ‘expert advice’ as you can shake a stick at. There is an excellent article on Silvergrain Classics by Lina Bessonova on damage to films thanks to the new CT scanners replacing the older x-ray machines at airports. And it you’re a watcher not a reader, here’s the YouTube version.

The other side of this coin are all the posts and comments along the lines of “my film went through 27 x-rays and 12 CT scanners and it’s fine”.

Am I an expert? No. I’m going defer to Lina’s advice.

Do I care if my films suffer even a ‘little bit’ of damage? Of course I do! My current strategy is to buy film, and have it posted to my first destination, and either have it developed before I leave, or on the last day, post it to a local lab. We were due to arrive in Madrid late on the day before Good Friday, and fearing delayed flight and small retailers closing early the night before a national holiday, I ordered a few rolls of Carmencita’s Kodak Double XX 5222 to be delivered to our hotel in time for our arrival.

I’ve been shooting mainly Ilford HP5 the last few months, but picked the Double XX for its inky & rich blacks and the tonal range, and – probably the best reason – I felt like a change.

There are two point & shoots in my collection – a Ricoh R1 that I’ve since new (mid 90s) and a Pentax Espio 24EW that I bought a few months ago. The Ricoh is a bit too point & shoot for me, with no real controls to play with (I suppose that’s the point of a point & shoot), although it’s small enough to fit in a trouser pocket and has a cool panoramic mode (which it does by masking part of the frame).

The Espio, for me, offers a little more: 24mm to 105mm zoom, although the lens seems very soft at 105; exposure compensation; ability to turn the flash off (even if the camera thinks it should be on); redeye reduction; and a diopter on the viewfinder.

The camera was released in 2003, right at the end of the film era, and would have been one of Pentax’s last models in the Espio range that started almost two decades earlier in 1986. The lens has 7 elements in 5 groups, the aperture ranges from f/4.9 to f/12 and the shutter from 2 seconds to 1/400, along with a Bulb mode (I haven’t played with that yet), autofocus with focus lock, portrait mode, it reads DX codes, while there’s no manual ISO setting it does have exposure compensation of +/- 2 stops and date mode (I’ve not used that either).

I was attracted to it for the 24mm as I’ve been shooting a bit at this focal length, thanks to a 24mm f/2 Nikon AI-S lens I picked up last year .. the focal length is wide, and you’ve got to get close for a decent image, but it’s not ‘crazy wide’ like 21mm or 17mm.

It is an easy camera to travel with – fits comfortably in a jacket pocket, easy to use, and it’s other appeal is that it doesn’t look ‘serious’ – I doubt anyone noticed it.

It was our second visit to Madrid, and this time the weather was nothing special (overcast with a bit of rain), but I find it an achingly beautiful city, absolutely walkable, full of amazing food, and this time with the added attraction of Easter parades.

Watching the Easter parade
Watching the Easter parade
A rainy afternoon in Madrid
A rainy afternoon in Madrid

And the film? Double XX is a Kodak motion picture film that needs to be re-rolled into 35mm cassettes. Carmencita do it, Cinestill do it, and there any number of other small suppliers also offering it. It was used to make feature films like Raging Bull, Manhattan, and Schlinder’s List.

I really like the results – great blacks, a good tonal range through the greys. And plenty of grain without it being overpowering.

At the El Rastro market
At the El Rastro market

Will I try to carry just one camera next time I travel? I’d like to say I will, but I like the morning decision making of “what’s going in the camera bag/jacket pocket today?” and the regret when I get home of “why did I take that bloody tripod/speedlight?”. But I can safely say the Espio will be joining me on a few more travel adventures.

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About The Author

By Nick Orloff
Lots of film, plenty of digital, incurable GAS and a list of unfinished photography projects that could keep me busy for the next 10 years.
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Comments

Ibraar Hussain on 5 Frames of Kodak Double XX 5222 on a Pentax Espio 24EW in Madrid

Comment posted: 25/06/2024

Thanks for the essay man.
Kodak double X is now my favourite film
I’ve never had any issues with X-rays and don’t even bother taking extra precautions
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Nick Orloff replied:

Comment posted: 25/06/2024

I'm not a nervous photographer Ibraar, but I am a nervous traveller ... I like to 'take precautions'. Regardless of how you roll through security, Double XX is a great film.

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Brett replied:

Comment posted: 25/06/2024

I leave me film cameras at home when I travel internationally these days but back in the day I used to protect my film with a lead film bag. I guess that would get airport security very upset these days.

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Nick Orloff replied:

Comment posted: 25/06/2024

Brett, I've just bought one of these bags - a Domke - but not used it yet .. perhaps it'll make a good subject for a future post.

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JC on 5 Frames of Kodak Double XX 5222 on a Pentax Espio 24EW in Madrid

Comment posted: 25/06/2024

Hi Nick,
very nice pictures here. The Espio did a very good job, but the Kodak Double xx too. My favourites are the shot at the Easter Parade and the rainy aftenoon pic.
I should unpack my Espio 145m again.
Cheers, Jens
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Nick Orloff replied:

Comment posted: 25/06/2024

Thanks Jens. I bought the EW24 for it's 24mm width, but from what I've seen most of the Espio range are great cameras.

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Eric Norris on 5 Frames of Kodak Double XX 5222 on a Pentax Espio 24EW in Madrid

Comment posted: 25/06/2024

The EW24 is indeed a very good point-and-shoot. I found one at an estate sale last year, and I’ve put a lot of film through it since. The 24mm end of the zoom range is probably the best feature (interesting that the camera defaults to 35mm when you turn it on) and other than trying it out a couple of times I never go to the telephoto end.

Your article reminds me that I have a few rolls of Double X in my film fridge that I need to shoot.

Great pics! What’s with the spotted cow-inspired overcoats?
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Nick Orloff replied:

Comment posted: 25/06/2024

Eric, I searched for hours to try to find a way to have the camera default to 24mm ... as I'm sure you know, it can't be done. The cow raincoats were a family group (I'm guessing) walking in front of me - if that's not a subject for a street photo, what is!

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Christof Rampitsch on 5 Frames of Kodak Double XX 5222 on a Pentax Espio 24EW in Madrid

Comment posted: 25/06/2024

I always try to bring as much gear as possible - especially the tripod(s). What if there was a beautiful waterfall, and you left the ND filters at home? Or a subject that would look great with that 21mm lens you never use? Or any number of other unforeseens?! I'd rather have it an not need it. Yeah, I do often wonder if it's worth the extra load, but the grass is always greener on the other side!
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Nick Orloff replied:

Comment posted: 25/06/2024

Christof, I think I'm stating to setlle on somewhere inbetween 'taking everything' and 'just one camera & lens. We're travelling again in a couple of months and i'm already thinking about what to take ... and considering buying another - but much smaller than I already have - travel tripod.

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Huss on 5 Frames of Kodak Double XX 5222 on a Pentax Espio 24EW in Madrid

Comment posted: 26/06/2024

Excellent! I also use the Espio 24EW. I like how it has different AF modes and in the VF it shows the distance - in pictograms - selected.
I basically only use the camera at the 24 or default 35mm settings. Was your film DX coded by Carmencita? The Espio 24EW has an unusual default non DX film speed setting of ISO 25 - most cameras the default is ISO 100.
Super camera, tiny, takes just one little CR2 battery, perfect for travelling.
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Nick Orloff replied:

Comment posted: 26/06/2024

Hi Huss, Yes, DX coded by Carmencita - I didn't know the default ISO was 25, thank you for that useful nugget of information.

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Daniel Castelli on 5 Frames of Kodak Double XX 5222 on a Pentax Espio 24EW in Madrid

Comment posted: 28/06/2024

First, good shots. The trip was a success! Second, CT scanners + film = ruined film. We need to insist, in a polite manner for hand inspection at security checkpoints. Third, light travel vs heavy travel: I have worked hard over the past few years to overcome the fear I will miss The Shot Of A Lifetime if I don’t pack my ________ (fill in the blank)!
I carry a Leitz-Minolta CL w/the superb 35mm Voigtlander Ultron. The back-up is the Olympus XA we bought a zillion years ago. I carry a small Domke canvas bag that holds the two cameras and still is light enough for all day travel. The thing I share with people who are interested is that this kit fits ME. I know my style and the type of photos I like to take. It is not for anyone else. Maybe it’s a flash of self-realization that I’m happy with what I use.
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Nick Orloff replied:

Comment posted: 28/06/2024

Daniel, Thanks - I'm happy with the images, but it's always great when someone (who's not an immediate family member) likes them too. And I agree with you 110% - the gear that works for me, for the type of images I want to make, is not necessarily the gear that works for anyone else.

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Paul Quellin on 5 Frames of Kodak Double XX 5222 on a Pentax Espio 24EW in Madrid

Comment posted: 28/06/2024

Hi Nick
Enjoyable article, thank you. I have a little Espio I have up for sale at the moment, only because there just isn't any more space, but it works a treat.

The link to Lina Bessonova's Youtube channel caused me some concern. I had already watched Lina's discussion on film and airport screening equipment and I was utterly dismayed by some of what was said. To my eternal shame, I have been working with such equipment since the mid eighties and I have done some of my own tests from time to time. Lina made several claims which in my view are factually inaccurate. None of the evidence referred to was actually shown at any point in the video I saw. No images showing 'fogging' were presented, no images with obvious CT induced marking etc. Factoring in the UK's probably over ambitious headlong charge into CT based technologies for cabin baggage, we have ended up with a very confused situation with a mix of technologies across the piece. Some airports are still operating conventional dual view x-ray for your cabin baggage and will be for some time to come as they're not all required to go to CT . Others have either completed the legally required roll out or have fallen short of the deadline date and have both systems.

We do need a sensible debate, photographers need to understand how tightly regulated this area is and the brutal history behind that. Airports need to understand film and how it has returned. I still meet people in the 'industry' who have no idea that film is still around, let alone that it might be experiencing significant growth. In the meantime if the airport you are using has conventional x-ray for your cabin baggage, most films should be fine (I can provide evidence if anyone wants to see it). If CT is in use (and it usually is for your hold baggage), it may also be fine, but manufacturers won't underwrite film safety. Any doubts, then your policy of forwarding it by post is safer, but if you are going overseas, the post will typically be screened by x-ray. Of course if you are traveling on big long haul journeys, then the airline is going to provide your film with more radiation than the airport, but nobody wants to open that debate.

Thanks Nick and keep enjoying the Espio
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Nick Orloff replied:

Comment posted: 28/06/2024

hi Paul, Thanks for your comments. I feel " Airports need to understand film and how it has returned" isn't going to happen - yes there are more of us shooting film than a decade ago but, without any facts to justify this comment, I'd say we're a very very small percentage of people who fly, meaning they don't need to accomodate us. On a recent trip to the USA I put my 5 or 6 rolls of film in a clear ziplock plastic bag and, asked, always with a big smile, "would you mind hand checking this for me?" for 100% sucess at 7 airports. The fact that, as an Australian I sound like a tourist might have helped. Wouldn't have worked in Australia, and probably not at Heathrow or Gatwick. I take your point about popst being x-rayed, but I try to order in the country I'm going to to reduce the likelihood.

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