Exploring the Ancient Wall Through Experimental Analogue Photography
35mm Film in Medium Format Camera – In the quiet pre-dawn hours, I ventured out to the Silchester Roman Wall—a place steeped in history and mystery. But this wasn’t just another early morning shoot. Armed with a roll of Kentmere Pan 400 35mm film, a Zenza Bronica medium format camera, and a handful of carefully placed adaptors, I set out to see what happens when formats collide.
Table of Contents
35mm Film in a Medium Format Camera? Yes.
You read that right.
This shoot was all about breaking the rules—using 35mm film inside a 6×4.5cm medium format body, specifically a Bronica ETRSi with a 75mm lens. With the right adaptors and a pinch of Black Magic (well, DIY ingenuity), I loaded the film cross-format, curious to see how the narrower frame would behave within a broader gate.
The result? A beautiful clash of grain, sprockets, and cinematic frame edges—a look that harks back to old contact prints and test rolls, but with far more artistic intent.
The Location: Silchester Roman Wall at 5:30 AM
Silchester (ancient Calleva Atrebatum) is one of my regular haunts and the perfect setting for this kind of analogue experiment. At 5:30am, it was utterly deserted—just the ancient stones, early light, and the faint rustle of waking wildlife.
Photographing Silchester’s Roman ruins in black-and-white grain gave the whole scene a timeless, otherworldly atmosphere. There’s something magical about capturing a 2,000-year-old wall using a camera system that’s already decades old itself.
Film Choice: Kentmere Pan 400
Kentmere Pan 400 is one of my go-to black-and-white films for creative experimentation. It delivers a classic grain structure, forgiving exposure latitude, and a tactile contrast that works beautifully with historic locations and low morning light.
Rated at box speed and stand developed for maximum tonal range, the negatives brought out incredible textures in the stonework and subtle gradients in the sky.
Why Do This?
The point of these experiments is to break habits and explore new visual languages. Shooting 35mm in medium format not only challenges your technical approach, but also refreshes how you compose, meter, and feel your way through a scene.
This kind of hybrid film photography is about embracing imperfection, welcoming the unknown, and seeing familiar places in unfamiliar ways.
13 Experimental Frames
I’ve posted the full series below—13 images straight from this morning’s experiment. No people, no distractions. Just old film, old stone, and new ideas.
Kentmere 400 35mm Black and White Film (24 Exposures)
Highly recommended and budget-friendly – Kentmere 35mm black and white film with fine grain and broad exposure latitude. Ideal for everyday shooting and beginners in analog photography.
2 in stock
Behind the Gear
- Camera: Zenza Bronica ETRSi
- Lens: Zenzanon 75mm f/2.8
- Film: Kentmere Pan 400 (35mm)
- Format Hack: 35mm loaded into 6×4.5cm via custom adaptors
- Development: Stand developed in Rodinal (1:25, 11.5 minutes)
- Location: Silchester Roman Wall, Hampshire, UK
- Time: 5:30 AM
Film Characteristics: Kentmere Pan 400 in Medium Format Hack
| Aspect | Details & Impact |
|---|---|
| ISO Rating | 400 – ideal for low-light dawn conditions |
| Grain Structure | Noticeable but pleasing grain adds texture and mood |
| Tonal Range | Broad midtones with gentle highlights and deep shadows |
| Contrast | Moderate contrast, controllable in development and printing |
| Sprocket Exposure | Visible sprocket holes add cinematic, experimental framing |
| Format Quirk | 35mm in 6×4.5cm gate gives unique, panoramic-like composition |
| Development Method | Stand development enhances tonal separation and shadow detail |
| Best Use Case | Moody landscapes, architectural textures, atmospheric early light scenes |
Final Thoughts
Photography doesn’t have to follow the rules. Sometimes the most rewarding results come from not knowing exactly what will happen. This early morning session was a reminder of that—and a quiet tribute to both analogue process and ancient landscape.
If you’re a fellow film shooter, historian, or creative experimenter, I’d love to hear your thoughts.
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