My New Sidekick: The Kodak Ektar H35 Half-Frame Camera

Film prices have fluctuated, causing some anxiety for working and hobbyist photographers. I constantly feel pressure to reserve all my stock for weddings and clients, stealing a fraction of joy from the hobbyist photographer within me.

To remedy that joy-stealing feeling, I bought the Kodak Ektar H35 half-frame on a whim, and it’s one of the luckiest whimsical purchases I’ve made. Beyond the perk of 36 images turning into 72 (or more), I find myself mining new creativity.

Let’s be honest, the dual frames turn out really freakin’ cute. It kills two birds with one stone; hell, it knocks out maybe three or four birds.

The perspective shifts with a split frame. I feel inspired by matching moments together and finding new story storytelling methods. A portrait of my partner in front of some flowers, then a close-up of those flowers. A clear blue sky, then two hands were holding over the terrain. My cutie mama giggled over her breakfast in tandem with a top-down shot.

It’s a less technical venture.

This camera is for the quick snaps of a day you want to immerse fully. The half-frame camera is a level up from point-and-shoots. It’s pure fun, a toy-like experience. It feels like a toy in my hand; it’s easy to forget it’s a real film camera.

But that's the beauty of the shooting experience; it's not an arm wrestle for who has the best gear. The sheer joy of snapping cute pictures of friends and family during anything from weekday picnics to long road trips. The split imagery might not be as crispy as a Contax T3 or as clean as a Fujifilm camera, but it holds its own unique flare. It's time to feel comfortable getting experimental like a kid again!

Mixing Business with Pleasure

The next step was testing whether this bad boy would be a good fit for client shoots. My sweet friends Sarah and John are expecting, and they told me they weren’t thinking of doing maternity photos. So naturally, I burst into their home and forced a photoshoot upon them. It was a super sunny day out, so I tested this point-and-shoot’s capabilities, and I have to say, everything came out balanced!

With the digital and separate roll of Portra 400 I shot, the half-frame photos added a bit of spice to their gallery. The experiment inspired confidence, which led me to grab a couple of snaps at other client projects. Capturing hugs, surrounding nature, and little smooches at a couples shoot uncovers a little sparkle.

Movement, in-between moments, details. I feel more freedom to waste a few shots on the in-between moments instead of savoring for the ‘it’ moments. Then, of course, you get your scans back and end up loving the ‘throwaways’ just as much, if not more. This added dimension is well worth the $50 price tag.