Hanoi on One Roll of Film & Rolleilfex 3.5F.

[@winamelo]

Another great video!! Thanks for posting

[@toddkorolphoto]

@@winamelo ✌️

[@FrançoisALBOT-k5q]

Does it makes me want to take street photos (as I'm ashy guy)? Yes! Does this video makes me want to schedule a trip to Hanoi? and does your way of photographying makes me want to use my tlr (yaschica -D)? Yes! And, 3 points go to Todd Korol! As usual, thanxs for your precious contents!

[@toddkorolphoto]

Thanks very much!

[@PoetryOf]

I bought a 3.5f because of you! And it’s my absolute fave camera!!!! I’ve had so many film cameras but the rolleiflex just does something for me that no other camera has. So, huge thanks to you and all your videos that showcase how incredible this camera is

[@toddkorolphoto]

That's great, I really love mine, they can't be beat!

[@kong4902]

I like the most at here 13:28 showing the two main functions of smart phone: watching short video(mostly I guess) and calling (do not forget to call your best friends)

[@toddkorolphoto]

How in the world would we live without phones! I could leave them behind ;-)

[@RinkVideo]

This is a great format.

[@toddkorolphoto]

Thanks for the note!

[@vietviet1310]

Vietnam is a beautiful country, nice to see you having fun here!

[@toddkorolphoto]

@@vietviet1310 it was fabulous! Thanks.

[@gordonshkurhan]

Hanoi is fabulous! I stayed in that old part of town when I went and it's really interesting and ripe for all sorts of shots. Great challenge, too. Isn't it always the way though, you know what you should have done after you look at the images but miss out in the moment. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.

[@toddkorolphoto]

Yes I really love that city.

[@billcubitt9456]

Hey Todd, I also had a great photographic visit to Hanoi and the old part of this city. The whole culture is like going back in time so shooting with film and only 12 exposures makes so much sense. Fun exercise to do and really force yourself to concentrate before hitting the shutter.

[@toddkorolphoto]

You'll have to show me some of your work from there, Cheers!

[@doriangasseling]

Nice one mate. I recently took my Rolleiflex to Japan, however had recently picked up a Fuji XPro2 and as a guy who normally shoots his M3 I found the Xpro excellent. Ended up shooting that a lot, still put probably six rolls through the Rollei though. What I wouldn't give for endless film and endless travel.

[@toddkorolphoto]

Indeed. Thanks so much for watching.

[@HIRO_A]

Excellent challenge 👍

[@toddkorolphoto]

Thanks for watching...

[@joseerazevedo]

Loved you your metering technique! Today people insist on metering everytime, looking for "precision" and that's ansolutely not necessary! Nice shots! Thanks for the video!

[@toddkorolphoto]

It really isn't, we are obsessed with perfection, and film has a ton of latitude. Thanks.

[@joseerazevedo]

@@toddkorolphoto exactly!

[@darrelltheriault5793]

It would seem to be a very challenging location to shoot. So much activity and so much of it is moving. Finding a subject and isolating or at least composing to the best advantage would be difficult, made even more so by the self imposed 12 shot, 1 lens limit. Great video, thanks Todd!

[@toddkorolphoto]

The biggest challenge is actually the language barrier, but I muddled through. ;-)

[@baolongao1095]

first, welcome to hanoi, i'm happy when see you have a good time in my country. And shooting medium format in hanoi is the best choice ever, i have an ricohflex- cheap and fun but it give to me so much beautiful memory in this place. Next time you go to hanoi or hochiminh city i recommended you to develop film on this place, we have many lab catch the vibe with very cheap price to developing film (about 2 dollar for 1 roll 35/120mm film)

[@toddkorolphoto]

@@baolongao1095 We are coming back, I will. Thank you.

[@LouZerr1]

This speaks to me. I regularly "shoot Like film". A "roll" of film with all auto settings off on y mirrorless. Single ISO, prime lens, etc,

[@toddkorolphoto]

Great way to work.

[@wotajared]

+1 for the format! I love the "One roll in the city" and would refer to "One roll" Hasselblad in Tokyo video by Paul del Rosario as the one that got this challenge in mind earlier on my photography. Medium format has that thing to it and I also travelled to Asia, HK and Philippines; finally with my Fuji 6x9 last year. It's a photography mission, challenge if we compare it to the convenience of 35mm film and digital that I always wanted to do since I did medium format. It is however nowadays resource intensive (expensive) and makes it being selective with the film. I find that "shoot to print" makes for a good cull by just asking myself "Do I want/like/see this shot as a large print?" On retrospective, somehow I feel my B&W work was stronger than the color. I resonate on your self critique, as a RF shooter I've had both good and bad surprises on people appearing in my lens and frameline blindspot. With time, I get a different perspective and better rating on my shots, and what I just mentioned about BW vs Color just rebalances by finding that the color shots grow on me. Overall really nice photography, I find Asian urban scenes quite difficult to photograph. The bean ones are nice and you can write off the rest as an expression of the mess that real life scenes are. At first I thought it even was E6 film being featured, with that cooler and contrastier look. I was very tempted to use a week accumulated PTO to head out somewhere Asia for just 10 days this upcoming March. BUT, one blinks... The film fridge is almost empty, the attractive plane fare is gone; What I actually have is a couple weekend trips to European capitals and a lot of photography from my aforementioned trip to go through, as well as B&W to print in the darkroom. Your vid was a good reminder that I just wanna do some editing of the scans and just send all the color scans to be printed 10x15cm.

[@toddkorolphoto]

@@wotajared I will have to check out that Tokyo video. Thanks for the note!

[@wolfganggerlach1868]

Great and very interesting! Nice light and colors in your images. I like all your 12 photos because together they give me a story of Hanoi. However, with 12 photos it is too limited and I think 2 rolls would be better to cover one day. Kind regards from Sweden!

[@toddkorolphoto]

Yes when you start to put them all together it paints a photo of the city. Thanks.

[@JohnKorvell]

As a long time street photographer, I shoot digital like I am limited to 12 or 24 exposures - very economically. Shots and set ups are done with my eyes first when I am in such a subject rich environment as you were. Miss "the" shot? But 10 more are coming right at you. I'm envious of your travels, Todd. Look forward to more from Asia!!

[@toddkorolphoto]

Thanks for watching, and more coming, we are going back to Asia for 3 months at the end of the year.

[@apb_london]

I spent the month of November 2024 in Hanoi and up Sapa way / trekking. As you found, there is so much activity in Vietnam it would be very difficult with a fixed focal length not to have too much going on in the photo. Also, so many colours mean that you have to work the colours to avoid distracting backgrounds. Whereas I am primarily an analog photographer (for over 50 years), I was glad that I’d taken a small Sony digital camera with variable focal length lens. With apprehension I’d left my Rollie at home. I think it was the correct decision - I could crop in camera and concentrate on the subject. I was travelling with hand-baggage sized rucksacks and did not have the luxury of multiple cameras!

[@toddkorolphoto]

Hey we were there at the same time. Yes it get's harder and harder to travel with a lot of gear, I am really traveling and working with a small kit these days.

[@xinsaneartist93x]

Great video friend!! :)

[@toddkorolphoto]

Really glad you liked it, and thanks for watching.

[@ducgerard2361]

I ve been several times in Hanoi. the best time is during the rainy season. you get really incredible colours... I m a little bit disapointed I don t see any photo.of the Doumer Bridge over the river . .. this bridge built by the french is famous!... One question... I ve the same Rolleiflex but my meter is out of order... I would like to know if your meter works?.... that s the problem with the old Rolleiflex

[@toddkorolphoto]

Yes my meter works, they are hard to get fixed now. We went on a two day trip from Hanoi and were supposed to come back, we were going to visit the bridge then, but some other circumstances happened and we were unable to return to the city. Next time.

[@steveh1273]

Thanks for the cool scenes and camera in this video. How did you manage to get film across the world without ct and xray scan damage? I had to give up taking film by air.

[@toddkorolphoto]

I just had my film in a clear plastic ZipLock and asked for them to hand check. I did have to get it x-rayed once in Saigon.

[@eltinjones4542]

Nothing wrong with these shots, but that's me 📷👍

[@toddkorolphoto]

Many thanks!

[@montycraig5659]

Totally off topic here, but I am curious. What is the most popular brand of moped over there?

[@toddkorolphoto]

Saw a lot of Hondas. I like bikes as well ;-)

[@winamelo]

PS I’m looking for a medium yellow filter…bayII. Are used Rolleiflex filters on eBay ok? Any new options or are used filters okay? Appreciate any suggestions! Thanks

[@toddkorolphoto]

@@winamelo Yes as long as they don’t look all scratched up they’ll be fine.

[@williamotto2725]

@@toddkorolphotothanks!!

[@nguyenhoangvu9609]

Welcome to my home country:)

[@toddkorolphoto]

Thank you, really a wonderful place.

[@ScuffedBoards]

There are couple labs around when you shot that provide same-day dev & scan :D

[@toddkorolphoto]

If I would have stayed longer I would have looked for them but we were going pretty hard, next time when I have a bit more time.

[@zenonbillings9008]

Really nice Todd. many many years ago I bought a twin lens camera in Hong Kong when prices were really low. back in Toronto I sold it at a profit. I was just starting out in my design and foto business and needed to purchase 35 mm equipment, especially more lenses. Needless to say I do regret having sold the twin lens.

[@toddkorolphoto]

Yes they're wonderful, will never get ride of mine.

[@duongrkudo]

These look Vietnamese but not really specifically Ha Noi. Without caption, they might be somewhere else in Vietnam. Another Northern city for example.

[@TomNorthenscold]

I really enjoyed your video. I would have been happy with the photos from this roll. I don’t know how you’d get away from the messiness. That was the nature of the area.

[@toddkorolphoto]

Yes you have to embrace it and find a way to include it without it taking over.

[@terrywbreedlove]

I love Vietnam and really need to go back. I have to be honest I am not so happy with your framing and angles. And wished you would have made a portrait or two. Though I am excited to see more.

[@toddkorolphoto]

I did, just on some other rolls, the whole ideas was to show me starting to look with the first roll of film.

[@tanfilmphotography7066]

Cảm ơn bạn đã đến" Đất nước" hình chữ S này 🥰

[@toddkorolphoto]

Không có gì. Chúng tôi thực sự yêu thích nó.

[@casperghst42]

If you think honking is bad, then goto India and you'll discover a people who honk for everything and all the time. Interesting photos.

[@toddkorolphoto]

I've heard that about India, one day I'll go.

[@casperghst42]

@ worth visiting, but it’s loud. I need to get to Vietnam, looks interesting.

[@stephen_mcateer]

Always alarms me slightly to see you handling that nice Rollei without the strap round your neck.

[@toddkorolphoto]

I hang on to it like a baby ;-)

[@chrisloomis1489]

Todd : I went all over Vietnam but I was there 7 years ago , to marry ... and I spent months there , pre Covid. Your photo's are okay , I can tell you how to make them better but I know you already know how. Glad to see Vietnam has not changed too much.

[@toddkorolphoto]

Thanks, from a lot of people we talked to Vietnam still has its magic, although slowly changing, we loved it. Yes the photos are super average, but it was also me just landing and starting, you have to find the rhythm of the place. And part of the video was just that, me working and trying to find my groove, and at first, you take a lot of average photos. At least I sure do. ;-)

[@carbonejack]

Very interesting experiment. Would take a lot of discipline not to go nuts shooting everything because it's so different from western culture. Love the rollei experience.

[@toddkorolphoto]

Thanks, and yes the Rollei's are just a wonderful camera.

[@boulx]

avg photos / cool camera

[@toddkorolphoto]

I think I was first to say average photos ;-)