127 Format Users

Rick Tapio · Apr 29, 2008

I am interested if anybody on this forum is actively using 127 format? I would love to know who you are.

I pulled my fathers old camera out & determined (with the help of some nice co-4X5 shooters) that it is a folding Zeh (no name) Goldi camera. I found some film from Freestyle & will be developing the first roll soon.

I know of the website www.onetwoseven.org.uk that has suggested developing times for the 127 Efke 100 B&W film, but thought I would ask here also.

I also have 3 rolls of B&W Ansco 127 film that is about 50 years old. Anybody had any experience developing such old film? I saw some threads for Ansco color film on this forum, but not B&W.

Rick Tapio

pentaxuser · Apr 29, 2008

As it is a U.K. site and you are asking about a 50 yr old film that sounds exclusively U.S. you may not have much luck with the site's founder's knowledge extending that far but I'd e-mail him and ask. I did and got a very quick and helpful answer. There might be someone on the site who does know.

pentaxuser

David William White · Apr 29, 2008

Two years ago when my mother-in-law died, someone handed me her old Brownie 127 and a bag of unused film. As best we could figure, both the camera and the film were from the '60's. The film was labelled 'Gevaert Safety Film'. No ASA rating, but I presumed it to be daylight 50 speed. I shot three rolls under sunny conditions. I developed the first roll in Rodinal 1+25 for 8 minutes but the negatives were quite thin. The second roll went for 12 minutes. The scene imaged well, but there was a lot of base fog. The negatives were thick and the contrast was really low because of the fog in the highlights. The negatives were still printable using a #5 filter, however. I ended up scanning a couple of prints and working them further in pshop and I managed to get a nice 12x12 print. Not optimum, but it all worked.

So if you've got only three rolls, I'd blow one doing a couple of clip tests to find an acceptable development time.

DBP · Apr 29, 2008

I use a Yashica 44 and a Vest Pocket Kodak from time to time.

Ian Grant · Apr 29, 2008

I have the data for processing 50 year old Ansco film here in Turkey, it was published in the UK at the time .

What Ansco film is it, actually the book is under my glass of Coke as I write . . . . . .

Ian

Rick Tapio · Apr 29, 2008

I just went & got the rolls to look at them & there is not much to go on. All that is written on the rolls is ANSCO ALL WEATHER.

spoolman · Apr 29, 2008

old 127 film

Hi Rick:I've got a Yashica 44 and a Kodak Vollenda 127 Made In Germany.I recently picked up a number of Ansco All weather film rolls in 620 and it is/or was rated at ASA 125.Try a test roll and rate it at half the posted ASA,around 64 and process it or have it processed in Kodak HC-110 @ 7 to 8 minutes @ 68 degrees F.I find HC-110 has a anti-foggant as part of it's formulation.So you don't have to add a separate restrainer,such as Potassium Bromide or Benzotriazole(Edwal's Liquid Orthazite).

If you process the film yourself,try no agitation for 30 seconds,then 5 to 10 seconds every 30.stop,fix and wash as per your preferences and it should produce fairly usable negs.

Good Luck,

Doug

John Shriver · Apr 29, 2008

I have a Vest Pocket Kodak Special, f/7.7, focusing model. The leather covering is failing, but the glass in great shape, and the bellows don't leak. You get a huge negative for such a small camera. Rather limited set of shutter speeds. I have a stock of elderly Verichrome Pan that still works at EI 50. I also have a 100 foot roll of Portra 160NC, which I load in old paper/spools, and get lovely color pictures -- grainless.

I also have a Foth Derby, which I replaced the shutter curtains on. The shutter has incredible recoil, holding the camera so it doesn't shake itself silly is a challenge. All that for a 3x4cm half frame negative -- microscopically larger than a 35mm negative -- not worth the trouble.

I also have a Tokyo Optical Primo Jr. I just don't get on well with TLR's, but it's mighty sharp like most Topcor lenses.

Tom Hoskinson · Apr 29, 2008

I have a Baby Rollei and several other 127 rollfilm cameras that I shoot with. I shoot a lot of Efke 100 127 rollfilm and develop it in Pyrocat-MC.

Rick Tapio · Apr 29, 2008

I was thinking about using HC110 anyway, so knowing about the anti-foggant nails that decision down. Thanks for the advice! I can post results if there are any.

Rick Tapio

k_jupiter · Apr 30, 2008

Several years ago I played a lot with my Yashica 44. Efke film got too expensive. I did re-roll some APX100 120 after cutting it down on my lathe with a sharp knife. That worked OK but re-rolling it is a lot of bother. I also have some Portra 160 and some Konica 160 color in long rolls. That works, I have a local place that will process it for me... but really, for all the trouble, I have enough 120 cameras lying around to keep me busy for a long time.

Not that I am getting rid of the Yashica. What a nice camera.

tim in san jose

tac · Apr 30, 2008

I have a new-to-me Gray Baby Rollei and a dozen rolls of Efke R100 supposed to be delivered today.

I develop old B/W films, stored at room temperature for 12 years+, by shooting at 1/2 box speed, process in d76 1:1 for 1.3x nominal time with the addition of 0.3cc per 120 roll of 1% benzotriazole solution in isopropyl alcohol. Works like a charm

JPD · May 6, 2008

I have a Rolleiflex 4x4 from 1938 that I sometimes use. I wish Efke 25 (or 50) was available in 127.

elekm · May 7, 2008

I've used a number of 127 cameras, including mostly folders. I've used Efke, Maco and Adox. All curl very badly, so I load the film backward onto the spool, which seems to help a bit.

I recently picked up a 127 camera that had a Kodak Verichrome Pan in it. I processed it in D-76, and nearly all of the images were usable. I would reckon that the shots were from the 1950s.

See the photos here.

Chazzy · May 7, 2008

Don't tempt me, guys--I would need to pick up a new negative carrier. Are all 127 cameras 4x4, or are there rectangular formats too?

Dan Fromm · May 7, 2008

Chas, visit http://www.onetwoseven.org.uk/

Fotoguy20d · May 7, 2008

Chazzy said:
Are all 127 cameras 4x4, or are there rectangular formats too?

I have an Ihagee Parvola that shoots 6x4.5 on 127. Last time I used it (around 15 years ago), Kodak still made color 127 film. Last month I picked up a Parvola on e-bay that takes 3x4 photos on 127.

Dan

Marc Akemann · May 7, 2008

I have a Cragstan Zen-99 with a fixed 70mm f/11 Kowa Prominar lens. I can get either 4x4 or 4x6 (cm) images from it. I just picked up a similar Light Super with a 70mm Uera Light Optical Works lens. These two cameras are identical in design (except that the Light Super has a flash sync connection while the Zen-99 doesn't) and are basically toy cameras from the early 60's but are made of metal rather than plastic. I'm part of a local group called the Ann Arbor Area Crappy Camera Club (A3C3) for which these cameras clearly qualify. Pure fun. http://www.crappycameraclub.org/index.html http://www.flickr.com/groups/krappy/

The Zen-99 is currently loaded with Ektachrome 100 purchased from B&H in NY.

Marc

dynachrome · May 7, 2008

I also have a Yashica 44. All of my film is Efke. Some is labeled Jessops but all of it is in the freezer. I have some stainless steel (Nikor?) 127 reels as well as Paterson reels/tanks which could be used. I find the Efke film a little curly and not terribly fine grained but with some care nice results can be obtained. I have some Kodak Imagelink HQ which was cut down to 127 for me a while ago. I might try a roll while the weather is good.

Clay2 · May 7, 2008

There is a group in Calgary, Alberta , Canada that bought an abandoned
film factory and put it back into production. They ship world-wide from a
warehouse in Idaho U.S.A.. Fresh 127 and chemicals.

http://frugalphotographer.com

Also try:

http://filmforclassics.com

/Clay

Marc Akemann · May 7, 2008

Clay2 said:
There is a group in Calgary, Alberta , Canada that bought an abandoned
film factory and put it back into production. They ship world-wide from a
warehouse in Idaho U.S.A.. Fresh 127 and chemicals.

http://frugalphotographer.com

Also try:

http://filmforclassics.com

/Clay

Thanks for those links, Clay.

Marc

k_jupiter · May 7, 2008

Clay2 said:
There is a group in Calgary, Alberta , Canada that bought an abandoned
film factory and put it back into production. They ship world-wide from a
warehouse in Idaho U.S.A.. Fresh 127 and chemicals.

http://frugalphotographer.com

Also try:

http://filmforclassics.com

/Clay

Yes, we have no 127 film, we have no 127 film today.

tim in san jose

filmamigo · May 8, 2008

I just started shooting 127 in a Coronet stereo (3D) camera. It takes a pair of 4x4 images at once. The viewfinder is binocular style.

When I got the camera, I thought I'd never be able to find film. Turns out that the camera store closest to my house actually stocks C-41 colour and black & white 127!!

Anyone in Toronto should check out Film Plus. Their price for 127 is reasonable. Macophot UP 100plus B&W is 5 bucks, Macophot UCN 200 colour is 10 bucks.

I had it developed at Toronto Image Works, and scanned it myself.

The printed Holmes cards are fantastic! The 4x4 neg size really maximizes what you can get from a meniscus lens...

Greg_E · May 8, 2008

It really is too bad this format kind of died. I had a little baby Yashica TLR in 127 that would make a cool camera to throw in my briefcase everyday. Actually if it was more popular I'd go find myself an nice Rollei to carry around.

Dan Fromm · May 8, 2008

Greg, I, um, feel your pain. Or perhaps you feel mine. Here I sit with a Sawyer's Mk. IV all set to shoot superslides to use, where possible, in slide shows with 24x36ers shot with my Nikons and there's no more 127 reversal film. Sorry, I'm not up to trimming 120 and attaching backing paper and and and.

Someone mentioned Film for Classics earlier in this thread. I once bought some 127 Ektachrome from them. The'd attached the film to the wrong end of the backing paper. Arrrrgh!

127 Format Users

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