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A Dream Recalled. Hasselblad Xpan, 45mm

Kodak Ektar 100 f/8 30s

 

Sydney Opera House from across Circular Quay, 20 minutes before sunrise.

 

Hasselblad Xpan remains a marvelous camera for travel, and a good match for the Leica TOOUG tripod. B-Mode on the Xpan is limited to 30 seconds maximum, so I usually calculate my exposure back from that. Forget Star trails, but usually good enough for most things that crop up on a trip.

 

For those who still travel with analog film in Australia, best be aware that security CT scanners are pretty much everywhere now and are definitely not film compatible, even with a lead bag. And the policy for visual and chemical inspection for film is no longer the case, no matter how polite the photographer: your film will be irradiated whether you carry-on or pack it in your luggage. I now purchase my film at my destination and post it before departure to the lab (in this case Ikigai in Melbourne). International destinations may still be OK (Japan is especially film-friendly) but be aware that the writing is well and truly on the wall and a sympathetic security inspection can no longer be relied upon…

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Uploaded on July 2, 2025
Taken on June 22, 2025