Nice Surprise! Tacoma with Fuji Presto 400 B&W Film (Abandoned Films 14b)

Classic B&W Film

My Indiana friend, Jim Grey, sent me some 3-packs of a type of Fuji film I had never used before, Presto 400. This was the Japanese name for their Neopan 400 Professional, a high-speed, black and white negative film with an ISO speed of 400. I read that Fuji originally aimed this product at sports and documentary photography. Sadly, Fuji discontinued it in 2013.

This film reached me via one of the handy connectivity functions that the internet can provide (sometimes). A fellow in North Carolina wrote to Hamish Gill of 35MMC.com that he wanted to donate some film to help fund the web page. But there was a minor problem. The film was in North Carolina, and Hamish was in the United Kingdom. Hamish emailed some of his regular US contacts, and, by amazing coincidence, Jim Grey was heading to North Carolina on business in a week. Jim went to see the donor and found a refrigerator full of film that had been imported from Japan. I do not know the details, but Jim sent half the film to Hamish and distributed the rest in USA. Jim generously sent some packs to me.

Tacoma, Washington

I like Tacoma! The waterfront is full of interesting industrial and railroad subject matter. On a rainy-drizzly day, I wandered around the waterfront with Presto in my Pentax MG camera. I set the exposure index at 320. Click any picture to see more details.

BNSF rail yard from East D Street (50mm ƒ/2 Pentax-A lens)

Turntable, BNSF rail yard

BNSF rail yard (50mm ƒ/2 Pentax-A lens)

East D Street view south (toning as a result of scanning as RGB full color; 135mm ƒ/3.5 Pentax-M lens)

Berg scaffolding company (35mm ƒ/2.8 Pentax-A lens)

Berg scaffolding company (35mm ƒ/2.8 Pentax-A lens)

Crossing tracks, J Street (35mm ƒ/2.8 Pentax-A lens)

Rail cars, J Street (50mm ƒ/2 Pentax-A lens)

Wood warehouse, East D Street, from under the 11th Street bridge

East D Street from the 11th Street bridge (35mm ƒ/2.8 Pentax-A lens)

This Presto 400, I love it! It is grainy, like 1970s and 1980s Kodak Tri-X (pre T-grain technology). This Presto has a gritty sharpness to it. I hate to use the term "sharp"because it has become a semi-useless buzzword among internet photo posters ("Is my lens sharp enough?"). But I am referring to contrast and edge distinction. Regardless of nomenclature, I plan to use more Presto in the future. Thanks, again, Jim! 

This is Abandoned Films no. 14b. I used Presto earlier this year when I took portraits at the Not My Presidents Day protest. Please use the search button if you are interested in other long-lost films. 

Another milestone: this is Urban Decay's 800th post.

Not My Presidents Day Protest with Presto 400 film (Oly 19)

Last Monday, May 26, 2025, the USA celebrated Memorial Day to commemorate fallen service members. Many died in action to help maintain the federal form of government that we now enjoy. We all benefit from their ultimate sacrifices.

I thought it was appropriate to show pictures from the "Not My Presidents Day" protest that was held at the Washington State Capitol on February 27, 2025. That these people can gather and express their feeling and beliefs is a key element of our form of government. Will we be able to continue protesting in the months ahead? When will the repression start? It has already begun on some university campuses.

Read the posters and signs below and consider what they are saying. The people in individual or group portraits gave me permission to take their pictures.

The Olympia State Capitol

SNAP refers to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

Oozing into Gilead

The Handmaid's Tale is a horrifying allegory of a totalitarian state (The Republic of Gilead) where white women become breeding machines for the ruling class. "The novel explores themes of powerless women in a patriarchal society, loss of female agency and individuality, suppression of reproductive rights, and the various means by which women resist and try to gain individuality and independence." (from Wikipedia).

"It Takes All of Us to Make the USA" 

Checking out Truth (Fraud) Social?

The protesters were vocal and energetic, but largely mellow. No fire bombs or torching buildings. 

I took these phortographs on discontinued Fuji Presto 400 film, the same emulsion as Neopan 400 Professional. The camera was my little Pentax MG with a 50mm ƒ/2 Pentax-A lens. My Indiana friend, Jim Grey, sent me some boxes of this superb film. Based on limited experience, I think it resembles the classic older style of Tri-X. I will write about Presto in more detail in a later article. Thanks for the film, Jim!

This is Abandoned Films no. 14 and Oly no. 19.