I shot the Area 51 Raid 2019 on a Pentax 67 using Portra 160, and it was (almost) the perfect camera for the job. Film has a way of making moments special. Shooting 6×7 and having only 10 frames per roll turns every shot into a conscious decision. The framing, metering, and intended message must be carefully considered to maximize each roll’s utility, and this extra effort is visible in the results.

Film also carries less inherent risk in an environment like the Raid. As an Air Force veteran, I’m all too familiar with the hazards of military and civilian lasers, and their potential impact on a DSLR sensor. With all the uncertainty surrounding the event, from a largely unregulated “festival” to threats of militia action from Rachel, NV residents, the possibility of catching a stray beam seemed high. Rather than risk my Nikon D850’s sensor, I got the best of all worlds with the Pentax. A stray laser can only ruin one frame of film at the worst, and the incredible images made with the 105mm f/2.4 lens speak for themselves.

Unfortunately, the Pentax 67 is not without its faults. Loading film is incredibly fiddly and the TTL meter all but gives up after sunset, which prevented me from getting many night shots despite plentiful artificial light. I also had to be extremely careful to keep dust out of the camera, which was especially important given the huge clouds kicked up by Raiders driving on miles of dirt roads.

I’d never used Portra 160 before this project, but I eventually settled on it due to its legendary flexibility and pleasing color palette, which was especially well suited to desert landscapes and Raid portraiture. Other contenders like Provia 100F seemed too risky in situations where I had to rely on the TTL meter to get a relatively fast shot off.

While I wasn’t sure how the project would turn out, the results have given the Pentax 67 a priority spot in my camera bag”

~ Cameron

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9 responses to “5 Frames… At Raid Area 51 on Kodak Portra 160 (EI 100 / 120 format / Pentax 67)”

  1. Great shots! Such an awesome camera.

  2. Wow, hope you get there!

  3. Super job. The two closer portraits really show off the unique rendering of that 105/2.4 lens, while the other images tell more of the story. I kick myself for selling off my Pentax 67 with the 105/2.4 and 55/4 lenses, some filters, and the wooden grip, but take comfort in all the wonderful film photography tools I still keep around.

  4. Sat Kartar S Khalsa Avatar
    Sat Kartar S Khalsa

    Why not carry a hand held meter for the evening photos?

    1. I wasn’t used to working with such an insensitive meter so I didn’t expect to need one. I assumed it was at least as sensitive as my Bronica ETR’s AE prism, which I have no trouble shooting at night, but now I know that camera had a particularly good TTL system for its time. The Pentax is very accurate but not particularly versatile. I always carry a secondary meter now when I shoot it.

  5. I ask myself why is there a guy in pajamas in the desert and is drinking schnapps…
    That picture seems to have another story then the other 4.

    1. “Raid Area 51” should say it all 😉

  6. FIne article. Striking images. I’ve been eyeing up the Pentax for a while, this makes it even more tempting.

 

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