Anyone out there shoot 127?

[IloveTLRs]

I'm wondering if there are any 127 ("small format") shooters out there. The other day I was perusing one of my favorite haunts when I came across a Yashica 44 for around $80. It looked to be in very nice condition and even had a spool in it.

It seems a shame to have such a nice camera just sitting there (plus I love TLRs as the name states) so I've been looking at my options. I found a tank & reel (Paterson?) that fits 35mm, 127 and 120 so developing at home seems to be okay.This website (in Japanese w/photos) details cutting 120 down to size, or even using 35mm (specially altered.)

Anyone else out there done this, or do they just buy the film already done?

 

[Aurum]

I just buy the film at the moment, as a) its available, and b) I don't have to mess about slitting and remarking.

As I live in the UK, the two that are available with the least effort are the Efke R100 B&W, and Maco branded C41.

In the US, if you go to Frugalphotographer, you can pick up the Bluefire C41 material. I don't use this as shipping costs make it a little uneconomic.

If of course you want to use a specific manufacturers emulsion, or E6 materials, you are going to need to slit and respool

 

[Mike Wilde]

I know that David William White respools 35mm onto 127 spools, as he has a gaggle of neat shots I have seen of his taken with image extending thorigh the sprocket area.

 

[Trask]

I've just purchased a Yashica 44, only because I bought some 127 film that I thought (via the ePay photo) was 620. So now I have to buy a new tank and reel. Onward and upward.

 

[Chazzy]

I don't think that my Jobo reel will handle 127, but it would be nice to be able to use 127 to make super-slides—they blow 35mm slides out of the water when projected. But is there any slide emulsion left in 127, and are the super-slide mounts still available?

 

[Aurum]

I don't think that my Jobo reel will handle 127, but it would be nice to be able to use 127 to make super-slides—they blow 35mm slides out of the water when projected. But is there any slide emulsion left in 127, and are the super-slide mounts still available?

Speedgraphic in the UK has Gepe superslides available for £12.30 for 20.
B&H stock them in the US Here

And of course Frugal photographer

 

[Chazzy]

Thanks very much. Maybe somebody somewhere in the world cuts down 120 slide film to 127? Or I might be a lot better off just shooting 120 and figuring out where the edges of a super-slide image would fall.

 

[Removed Account]

I've just purchased a Yashica 44, only because I bought some 127 film that I thought (via the ePay photo) was 620. So now I have to buy a new tank and reel. Onward and upward.

I'm pretty sure that the standard Patterson-type plastic reels, the ones which are adjustable for 35mm and 120, will also take 127 film on the "middle" expansion notch. If you use that type of developing tank system then you can save yourself some money on buying a new setup.

On another note, I like your style! By some film, then you HAVE to get a camera that fits it!

 

[Aurum]

I'm pretty sure that the standard Patterson-type plastic reels, the ones which are adjustable for 35mm and 120, will also take 127 film on the "middle" expansion notch. If you use that type of developing tank system then you can save yourself some money on buying a new setup.

On another note, I like your style! By some film, then you HAVE to get a camera that fits it!

I'm not that bad, but the availability of the Efke material just gave me an excuse shall we say

 

[Ektagraphic]

I have thought about trying it as I have my great grandmothers 127 Ektachromes....B&H Sells Portra slit to 127

 

[IloveTLRs]

I'm pretty sure that the standard Patterson-type plastic reels, the ones which are adjustable for 35mm and 120, will also take 127 film on the "middle" expansion notch.

If the Paterson tanks are those with white reels and a red top then yes, they do. The smallest setting is 35mm, the middle is 127 and the largest is 120. I purchased a tank with two adjustable reels over the weekend, along with the Yashica 44 and a local DPE shop sold me some 127 spools.

I managed to cut a roll of 120 down to 127 and run it through the camera. If you're thinking of cutting the film yourself with scissors or an exakto knife - DON'T. It is a major pain in the A (unless I just suck at it.)

I first tried cutting the film by scoring it still on the reel. It proved to be time consuming, and if the film isn't cut straight you'll have trouble respooling it and getting it onto the reel to develop. I also tried cutting it with scissors in the dark room, but that also was time consuming and inefficient (if the film is too wide it will bunch up when respooling and jam the tank reel, if it's too slim it will cut into the frame area.)

Goathill (?) makes cheap film slitters and I'm thinking of either buying one, or trying to make one myself. I've seen two basic designs: one is just a simple box with razor blades- pull the film through and it cuts it down for you.Tthe other is using a (working or non-working) 120/620 camera and setting up blades inside the film chamber. Set up the blade(s)s, insert the film, close the back and start advancing. The film is cut as you advance and the advantage is that it can be done in daylight.

I quickly shot a few pictures so they weren't anything exciting, but they proved that the camera works, and if a TLR that fits in your hand isn't cool, I dunno what is. Call me stupid for sacrificing two rolls of film and $200 over the weekend, but I'm going to keep on trying until I can get a system down.

 

[McFortner]

I have a few 127 cameras I have loaded with 35mm film. My Brownie Reflex Synchro and Ansco Cadet Reflex takes pictures that are just a little longer than the standard 35mm negative. I need to buy some 127 for them for the backing paper, but I don't have the money right now, so I only have one roll of backing paper in 127.

Michael

 

[fschifano]

I'm pretty sure that the standard Patterson-type plastic reels, the ones which are adjustable for 35mm and 120, will also take 127 film on the "middle" expansion notch. If you use that type of developing tank system then you can save yourself some money on buying a new setup.

Correct. The Patterson style reels will accommodate 127 film easily.

 

[Brac]

In the US Dwain Coufal Photography offer cut down colour slide film on 127 spools. It's not cheap but if you provide your own spools that reduces the price a bit.

http://photosbydwain.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=21_25&products_id=49

The good news is that Maco in Germany have promised a new 127 slide film shortly, which presumably will be from a Fuji or Kodak emulsion. Meanwhile they have introduced a new black & white 80 ISO film in 127, which is coated by the surviving Belgian bit of Agfa-Gevaert. It is basically an aviation type film, which means it is very fine grain. I've recently bought some rolls direct from Maco, but have yet to use it.

The colour print film Maco are offering in 127 is now slightly outdated, but should be OK for some time yet, partricularly if you keep it in the freezer.

 

[Fotoguy20d]

35mm film in a 127 camera? How do I do that? Just this weekend, I realized that the Compur shutter on an old 3x4 Parvola I have is still working. It actually misfires every time and when re-cocked does what it's supposed to do, and even times out fairly well. Now I want to try it out. For backing paper, will 828 backing paper work? Might it be easy enough to cut down some 120 backing paper? How do I make sure not to overlap frames - just wing it and be conservative?
Thanks,
Dan

FYI, B&H does have Efke100, Porta 160 and Velvia in 127 - see this search

 

[Jeff Canes]

--The good news is that Maco in Germany have promised a new 127 slide film shortly--

Rollei Crossbird in 127
http://macodirect.de/rollei-crossbird-p-1784.html?language=en

 

[bdilgard]

I have tried to roll some 35mm onto my used Efke 127 spools and backing paper but had trouble keeping it straight on the roll. It would also buckle when I advanced the roll doing interesting things to focus. If you can find it, you can also use 46mm "school film".

http://www.flickr.com/photos/playbassfishing/sets/72157622456269485/ has some examples of Efke 100 and Konica 160 shot in a Yaschica 44.