The Czech Republic has not escaped pandemic-related restrictions, with the country entering a state of emergency and national lockdown fairly early in the crisis. Outings for daily exercise were permitted, and while Prague’s parks were busy, the city centre – usually thronged with tourists – was all but deserted for several weekends.

ILFORD FP4 PLUS has always been one of my favourite films, but in recent years I have shot little of it, preferring the higher speeds and grain of HP5 PLUS and Kodak Tri-X 400. I found a good excuse to load a roll recently though, when I had two new purchases to try out: a Nikkormat FT2 camera and a Nikkor 35mm f/2 AI-S lens.

My Nikkormat FT2 and Nikkor 35mm f/2 AI-S lens, Matthew Sandiford

I rarely shoot more than a few frames a day, but on this occasion, I used nearly a whole roll. Prague is an extremely photogenic city, not just for its obvious historic attractions and diversity of architecture, from baroque to brutalist, but also for its patterned cobbled pavements. ILFORD FP4 PLUS proved perfect for capturing the grey tones of the cobblestones in the old town, and the light was sufficient that I was not troubled by the lack of speed.

35mm is not a focal length I have used before, outside of compact cameras. I usually stick to a 50mm lens or sometimes 24mm. I found the 35mm to open up more scenes: narrow enough to present a neutral image, but with enough stretching of perspective to provide depth. As for the Nikkormat FT2, I bought it on a whim but quickly realised that I will use it often. My first camera, 25 years ago, was a Nikkormat FTN, and the FT2 shows the same solidity with a little more refinement.

In Wenceslas Square I was reminded of Josef Koudelka’s famous photograph during the 1968 Warsaw Pact invasion. Like many beautiful cities Prague suffers from over-tourism, but the eeriness of a city devoid of people was distinctly unnerving.

With care and good luck, life will soon return to our streets.

~ Matt

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3 responses to “5 Frames… Of Prague on ILFORD FP4 PLUS with my new Nikkormat FT2 (EI 125 / 35mm Format)”

  1. Castelli Daniel Avatar
    Castelli Daniel

    The Nikkormat & the 35 f/2.0 Nikkor is a solid kit. I used that combo during the (gasp!) mid 1970’s.
    It didn’t impose, just rendered scenes as you saw them. It was stolen when my car was broken into. Funny thing, the thief took the Nikkormat, but left my M2 w/a coll. Elmar. I’ve still got the Leica.

    1. I’ve been through a few cameras in the past 25 years, and now have an F2 and F3, but returning to the Nikkormat I found I lost nothing. With the 35mm lens, it is a combination I’m very happy with. There might be room for an M2 one day though 😀

  2. I just purchased two Nikkormat ft2’s well a Nikomat ft2 and a Nikkormat ft2 . Love at first shutter wind . And on one a Nikkor-O 35mm f/2 the other Nikkor-S 50mm f/1.4 .
    I have not tried the Ilford fp4 yet but from what I see it has good midtone greys .
    Thanks for the article

 

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