Fifty Cameras/Fifty States Project
This was a dumb idea. I thought it would be fun to shoot film again, so I dusted off my grandfather’s 1954 Voigtlander Vitessa and I took it along on a trip to California in 2021. That got me thinking, what if I could refurbish some old film cameras and use a different one in each state? From that insight, The Fifty Cameras/50 States Project was born. I decided to embrace this project, warts and all. That means using an odd variety of cameras, some with light leaks or faulty shutters, a couple beauties, some old point-and-shoots, finicky Polaroids, and occasionally, grossly expired film. Thirty-two down, 18 states to go; perfection be damned.
Alabama
Polaroid One Step 2 (2019) | 106mm f/14.6 | Polaroid I-Type
Alaska
Rolleiflex 2.8F (1964) | Carl Zeiss Planar 80mm f/2.8 | Ilford HP5 Plus 400 @800
Arizona
Rapid Omega 100 (1975) | Super Omegon 90mm f/3.5 | Kodak Portra 400
Arkansas
Nikon FM (1977) | 50mm f/1.4 | Kodak Portra 400
California
Voigtlander Vitessa L (1954) | Color-Skopar 50mm f/2.8 | Ilford HP5 Plus 400
Colorado
Holga 120N (2010) | 60mm f/8 | Kodak Portra 400
Connecticut
Olympus Infinity Stylus Zoom (1993) | 35-70mm | Kodak Portra 400
Delaware
Canon A-1 (1981) | 55mm f/1.2 | Film Photography Project X2
Florida
Hasselblad 500cm (1975) | Carl Zeiss 120mm f/4 | Kodak Portra 400
Georgia
Olympus XA (1980) | 35mm f/2.8 | Flic Film Aurora 800
Idaho
Polaroid SX-70 (1972) | 116mm f/8 | Polaroid Color SX-70
Indiana
Lomography Sprocket Rocket (2022) | 30mm f/10.8 | Kodak UltraMax 400
Kansas
Pentax K1000 SE (1979) | 50mm f/1.7 | Cinestill 400D
Michigan
Bronica SQA (1982) | Zenzanon-PS 80mm F2.8 | Kodak Gold 200
Mississippi
Kodak FunSaver (2022) | 30mm f10 | Kodak Gold 800
Montana
Nikon F (1968) | Nikkor 28mm f/3.5 | Kodak Portra 800
Nebraska
Contax III (1936) | Carl Zeiss Biogon 3.5cm f/2.8 | Kodak ColorPlus 200
Nevada
Olympus OM-1 (1974) | Zuiko 28mm f/3.5 | Cinestill 800T
New Jersey
Chinon Genesis IV (1992) | 38-135mm | Kodak Portra 800
New Mexico
Mamiya C220 (1968) | Mamiya-Sekor 80mm f/2.8 | Fuji NPH 400
Oklahoma
Olympus Infinity Zoom 210 (1991) | 38-76mm | Fuji Superia X-tra 400
Oregon
Bronica ETRSi (1980s) | Zenzanon 75mm f/2.8 | Ilford Pan 50 Plus
South Carolina
Nikon F3 (1981) | Nikkor 105mm f/2.5 | Kodak Tri-X 400
Tennessee
Minolta Freedom Zoom 115 (2001) | 37.5-115mm | (Expired) Ilford FP4 Plus 125
Texas
Horizon Perfekt (2005) | Swing lens 28mm f/2.8 | Fuji Superia X-tra 400
Utah
Hasselblad XPan (1998) | 45mm f/4 | Ilford FP4 Plus 125
Virginia
Nikon F2 (1974) | Nikkor 24mm f/2.8 | Kentmere Pan 400
Washington
Olympus OM-2 (1979) | Zuiko 50mm f/1.8 | (Expired) Ilford SFX 200
West Virginia
Pentax ME SE (1976) | 50mm f/1.7 | LomoChrome Metropolis
Wisconsin
Minolta X-700 (1980s) | 50mm f/1.7 | CatLabs X Film 320 Pro
Wyoming
Yashica Electro 35 (1966) | 45mm f/1.7 | Orwo Wolfen NC500
