Kosmo Foto Agent Shadow 400 (35mm film) Review & Photos

Agent Shadow is a panchromatic black-and-white film, available in 35mm format from Kosmo Foto. With a box speed of ISO 400, it is perfect for shooting portraits or street photography. However, it is also flexible enough to shoot in low-light conditions; it is pushable to ISO 3200 (and beyond).

Key Features Of Kosmo Foto Agent Shadow 400

Pros

• Fantastic box art and theme
• Affordable price
• Embrace your inner Film Noir detective!

Cons

• It appears to be out of stock with Kosmo!
• Despite cool packaging, it is not a new film stock

They call him Shadow, Agent Shadow

Agent Shadow is your perfect backup partner for pulling an all-night stake out or exploring the dark underbelly of the city after dark. To achieve the full Film-Noir effect for your after-dark escapades, you need to dabble in the dark arts of “film pushing”.

Film pushing involves intentionally underexposing film and then compensating for this later, during development. This is done by metering your photos for a higher ISO rating, in this case at ISO 800 or above. Correspondingly, you would typically then develop the film for longer in the chemicals.

When the sun goes down, adjust your camera metering to 800-3200 (6400 if you feel brave!) and take to the streets. When you have tailed your target and completed your twilight mission, return to your laboratory and develop your film accordingly. Pushing the film, like any other film, will increase contrast. The light areas will become lighter, and the shadows will darken slightly. The film will also have increased grain. Continuing with the Film Noir theme, think of this as adding a gritty atmosphere for those low-light street scenes capturing shady clandestine meetings!

History of Kosmo Foto

Kosmo Foto is an analogue photography blog and film brand based in London. Founded by Stephen Dowling, a New Zealander who has been living in London since the mid-1990s. Stephen started up his own camera and film photography blog in 2012, originally under the name Zorki Photo. Over time the blog grew, spurred on by support from the film photography community (both seasoned analogue veterans and the new generation of film shooters). In 2017 Kosmo Foto became a film brand with the launch of Mono 100 35mm film. In 2019 a 120 version of Mono was also released. The box and cannister art was heavily influenced by the Cold War Space Race and Soviet, a throwback to Stephen’s love of old USSR cameras.

The Agent Shadow Kickstarter (2021)

Kosmo Foto’s second film, Agent Shadow, was launched in 2021 through a highly successful Kickstarter campaign. The campaign raised over £41,000 over its 40 days of running time, far exceeding its initial goal of £37,500. The Kickstarter offered various rewards, including rolls of Agent Shadow film, and even a custom-painted reconditioned 1950s-era Soviet FED-2 rangefinder.

The striking box art was created by designer My Mate Does Art. Interestingly, there is also an illustrated companion graphic novella titled “The 36 Frames” that was included with the Agent Shadow Box reward tiers. The novella story follows the titular character’s late-night dash through a nameless city, pursued by mysterious foes. The novella and accompanying boxes of 35mm film were supplied in a special gift box designed to look like a briefcase (just like the one featured in the story!).

Has Agent Shadow entered retirement?

It appears that this film is out of stock on Kosmo photo at the time of writing (Halloween 2024). Does this mean our favourite Agent is taking a well-deserved retirement? Perhaps he is just on vacation, incognito, on a far-off beach. Either way, his status is uncertain and listed as MIA.

Exposing the undercover agent – what emulsion inside the can?

If you like to honour our Agent’s secret identity, scroll on. If you want to peek behind the curtain (or I guess, inside the 35mm can) click below to open the casefile.

Shooting In The Historic Highgate cemetery , London

Highgate Cemetery is a Victorian burial site, nestled on the slopes of Highgate Hill in northern London. It is a historic site renowned for its stunning architecture, lush greenery, and many famous residents. This space is the final resting place of famous figures like Karl Marx, Douglas Adams, and George Michael. Highgate Cemetery is divided into several distinct areas, each with its own unique character. The West Cemetery is the oldest part of the site and contains many historic graves and monuments. Notable areas include the circular Circle of Lebanon, a circular path lined with cedar trees, and the Egyptian Avenue. With its winding paths, towering trees, and intricate tombs, Highgate offers a serene escape from the busy city noise.

My impressions of Agent Shadow

I opted to shoot at box speed for my first roll, on my Zenit-E with Mir-1b 37mm lens. I do plan to make a second shoot at Highgate over the coming weeks. Stay tuned for that update!

The images have nice contrast, considering the overcast, subdued autumn light. The tonal range is smooth, passing from clean whites to deep blacks with a smooth transition through the greys. The grain isn’t as noticeable as I was expecting, considering the ISO 400!

I metered for the midtones, to retain the shadow detail and prevent them from blocking out. I got some lens flare from my Mir-1b, even with a hood and cloudy skies!

I developed in BelliniFoto Eco-Film (Xtol) at 1:2 ratio for 13 minutes, using inversion agitation in a Patterson tank. Scanned using my Sony A7iii and Tamrom 90mm Macro 1:1.

Example photos I have taken on Agent Shadow

Finally, here are the shots from taken on Agent Shadow on my beloved Zenit-E. Enjoy!