Lomography LomoChrome Metropolis (120 film) Review & Photos

Lomography LomoChrome Metropolis 120 is a colour negative film known for its unique aesthetic. Its specially formulated chemistry is honed to produce desaturated, high-contrast photos with a strong grain structure. This gives the film a nostalgic, cinematic look that is perfect for capturing the timeless feel of old-time movies or photobooks.

Lomography Metropolis is also a good choice for photographers who want to shoot in a variety of lighting conditions. The film can handle both bright and low-light situations thanks to its ISO range of 100-400.

The LomoChrome Metropolis is built for exploring the urban jungle in all of its grit and beauty

Key Features Of Lomography LomoChrome Metropolis

Pros

• ISO 100-400 is very versatile
• Unique, cinematic aesthetic

Cons

• If you want colours that are true-to-life, this is not the film for you
• High contrast can be challenging to control in strong light

In July 2019, Lomography made an announcement about their creation and the upcoming debut of a new film. The first new colour negative film to join the market in the previous five years. In just three days, they achieved their Kickstarter goal of Metropolis its $100,000 goal. Almost immediately, production on the film began in preparation for its 2020 premiere.

This film comes with a unique chemical formula specifically developed by Lomography, which desaturates colours, mutes tones, and makes contrast pop. This adds a touch of drama and vintage charm to the photographs.

Metropolis’ ISO rating is prefixed with “XR”, standing for “eXtended Range”. Simply put, the film allows you to metre and shoot at various speeds all on a single roll without any changes in development process! The box for LomoChrome Metropolis indicates a film speed from ISO 100 to 400, and an impressive 3-stop range.

Even more interestingly, the amount of desaturation and strength of contrast vary with speed (apparently)! In general, photos shot at ISO 100 will look more like typical colour negative film. Shooting at higher ISO will produce images with more contrast and general desaturation, but reds will pop more.

Vintage Vibes – Shooting an old car graveyard on a Kodak Duaflex II

I was keen to try some colour film in my Kodak Duaflex II, after a successful test roll of Shanghai GP3 produced some lovely images!

One summer afternoon, I headed off to one of my favourite car graveyards. I had picked up a roll of Lomography Metropolis, and was eager to try it out! I waited until sunset, hoping to enjoy the golden hour light. The collection of cars lies in a small woodland, so it is not the brightest of locations as the sun begins to sink. Factoring in the limitations of the Kodak Duaflex II (i.e fixed aperture and shutter speed), I metered this film ISO 400.

My Impressions of Lomography Metropolis

I LOVE the grungy look of these photos! Certainly the look of the photos is very different from the bright colours typical of most colour film. Without a doubt, they have a very cinematic feel. In a post-apocalyptic, bleak way (which fits the abandoned cars I was shooting).

The greens are muted, with lovely dark emeralds in the shadows and pastel greens in the highlights. The shadows do end up quite dark, which adds to the moody vibes.

Despite being shot during the Golden Hour, these photos have a very cool tone overall. Perhaps this is due to the cars being mainly in shade. There us a warm peach colour in the brighter areas, probably the last rays of sun peaking in over the treeline. The oranges of the Mini and Bedford van pop wonderfully!

Example Photos I Have Taken on Lomography LomoChrome Metropolis

Here are the shots from my Lomography Metropolis photo session. Enjoy!