Napa Valley in 120 Roll 1: Kodak Gold 200
May 25, 2026
I don't often travel with 120 cameras, just given the size and relative effort of shooting film versus a 35mm camera. I love the photos I can capture, though, and the intentionality of having fewer shots can actually be nice when I'm on a trip where photography isn't the primary goal. For a recent visit to wine country with some college friends, I decided to load up my trusty (if a tiny bit light-leaky) Yashica D and a few rolls of now expired 120 film (I really need to shoot medium format more often). In the process, I re-kindled a love for this camera and the process.
A TLR is a fantastic travel camera as far as medium format goes. It's relatively portable and easy to use, and I had forgotten just how much fun it was to shoot. Other than needing to bring along my light meter, it was pretty easy to just pick up and shoot. I did replace the ground glass a few years ago with a BrightScreen replacement, which upped the usability with a, well, brighter screen as well as more clear focusing guide. Next up for this camera is new light seals. I don't hate the leaks normally as they are fairly subtle, but I'd love to get that sorted.
This roll of Gold 200 was my warmup. I took a few shots at and around our Airbnb, and took this with me to the first few stops. I missed a few shot opportunities I would've otherwise taken at Clos du Val and Oakville Grocers because we were on a bit of a tight schedule, but I was relatively happy with what I shot. More to come.