Dear CHG CANON,
Thanks for this film set, but more importantly for sharing your skill and knowledge over many topics. I appreciate your cheerful responses to those of us who are not always our optimal selves. More than from any other responder, I’ve forwarded, saved, and printed out more from you.

I bought my first 35m camera, a Mamiya-Sekor w/fixed approx 40mm lens, with my first pay check in June 1969. After dropping it, I paid $82 to repair my $126 camera. The guys at the Quantico base photo lab said Nikon was the most rugged camera, and since I didn’t expect my clumsiness to change, I’ve stuck with that brand ever since.

But, as you frequently illustrate, the image is the object and skill can get a craftsman there with different tools.

Thanks again for taking the time to write clearly and concisely on technical topics.

I came by some Fuji Superia 800 in boxes marked as expired from November 2002. This film stock was discontinued by Fuji in 2016. Thinking back, I don't know that I've ever shot ISO-800 film before, definitely not anything faster. Below are some evening shots around Margie's Candies in the Bucktown neighborhood of Chicago.

Margie's Candies by Paul Sager, on Flickr


The original Margie’s opened as the Security Sweet Shop in 1921, founded by Greek immigrant Peter George Poulos, who soon handed the business to his son George. Built in 1911, the building at the corner of Western and Armitage has also housed banks, with vaults and safe-deposit boxes still in the property's lower level. Chicago mobster Al Capone allegedly patronized the sweet shop during its early years.

Margie's Candies


The 1920s were the boom years for the Chicago's hot dog stands as a fixed venture, often no more than a shack with a ledge for ordering and serving.

Jr's Red Hots


Stands populated Jewish and Italian enclaves on Chicago's West and South Sides, serving a cheap meal on a bun that was especially welcome during the Depression and has become emblematic of the city itself.

Redhot Ranch


By the summer of 2005, nearly all the city's hot dog stands were touting the salad-on-a-bun “Chicago style” dog. The two partners of Redhot Ranch wanted to reintroduce the city to the original Chicago dog often referred to as the “Depression dog”, a minimalist hotdog served with mustard, relish, onion, sport peppers and fresh-cut fries.

Redhot Ranch


I really like the rich saturation of Fuji Superia, and especially the look of shooting at 1-stop faster than the box speed, at ISO-400, if the Superia 800 could be bought fresh. I also added another +1 stop as expired film, shooting at an effective ISO-200 for all these images.

Camera - EOS 1v with an EF 16-35mm f/4L IS.

Bucktown Sunset


The ice cream parlor became Margie’s Candies in 1933, when George renamed the store after his wife, whom he had met at the shop when they were both younger.

Margie's Candies


The store has hosted celebrities like the Beatles, musician Liz Phair and "allegedly" the infamous Chicago mobster Al Capone. Peter Poulos took over from his grandparents in 1995.

Margie's Candies


These images are sized to fill your wide-screen display. Try using <F11> to maximize your browser window for the full effect. If the images overshoot your display, such as a laptop, just click on the image or the URL link and they'll resize to your screen from the host Flickr site. You can click a bit further into the image details on the Flickr page, if desired. EXIF data is available from the host Flickr pages as well. On the Flickr site, use your <L>key for Large and the <F11> for the full-screen.