Happy 127 Day!

Happy 127 Day!

I hope you're having a wonderful time making 127-format photos today.

©J. M. Golding, In the rush toward morning; northern California, USA; Yogi Bear 127 plastic camera, Ilford HP5+, http://www.jmgolding.com

Tomorrow is 127 Day!

Tomorrow (Saturday, January 27) is 127 Day! 

127 Film Photography will feature 127-format photographs made on January 27, 2018, in a special exhibition. You're invited to participate!

No fees, no competition, just a friendly virtual community joining together to make 127-format photos on January 27, 2018.

To show your work,

1. Take 127-format photographs on January 27, 2018.
2. Send one of your photographs from January 27 to 127 Film Photography. Please email one jpg file, 500 pixels wide, to 127filmformat ~at~ gmail.com, by February 27, 2018. (Hopefully this gives everyone enough time to get their film developed and scanned). The target date for publication of the exhibition is March 3, 2018.
3. In the subject line of your email, type "January 2018 127 Day."
4. In the body of the email, please include the copyright symbol, your name, the title of the photograph, location, camera and film types, and your website address (or other link to your work). In that order. Please follow this example:
   
   ©J. M. Golding, Friday morning, 8:13 a.m.; northern California, USA; Yogi Bear 127 plastic camera, Ilford HP5+, http://www.jmgolding.com

 All types of 127 film format are welcome, whether the film began its existence as 127, or you used 35 mm film in a 127 camera, or you respooled 46mm film, or you cut down 120 film to 127 size ... or maybe you have a technique that I don't know about yet - if so, please tell me so I can share it with others who love this format (with full credit to you, of course - or perhaps you'd like to write a short article for 127 Film Photography about it!). Photos made on 127 film in a different size camera are welcome too.

127 Film Photography will publish all photos received (as long as they are in 127 format and do not contain images of nudity, violence, or exploitation).

I look forward to seeing your 127 Day photos!

One week till January 127 Day!

January 127 Day is only a week away! It takes place on Saturday, January 27 (1/27).

127 Film Photography will feature 127-format photographs made on January 27, 2018, in a special exhibition. You're invited to participate!

No fees, no competition, just a friendly virtual community joining together to make 127-format photos on January 27, 2018.

To show your work,

1. Take 127-format photographs on January 27, 2018.
2. Send one of your photographs from January 27 to 127 Film Photography. Please email one jpg file, 500 pixels wide, to 127filmformat ~at~ gmail.com, by February 27, 2018. (Hopefully this gives everyone enough time to get their film developed and scanned). The target date for publication of the exhibition is March 3, 2018.
3. In the subject line of your email, type "January 2018 127 Day."
4. In the body of the email, please include the copyright symbol, your name, the title of the photograph, location, camera and film types, and your website address (or other link to your work). In that order. Please follow this example:
   
   ©J. M. Golding, untitled, northern California, USA, Yashica 44M, Ilford HP5+, http://www.jmgolding.com

All types of 127 film format are welcome, whether the film began its existence as 127, or you used 35 mm film in a 127 camera, or you respooled 46mm film, or you cut down 120 film to 127 size ... or maybe you have a technique that I don't know about yet - if so, please tell me so I can share it with others who love this format (with full credit to you, of course - or perhaps you'd like to write a short article for 127 Film Photography about it!). Photos made on 127 film in a different size camera are welcome too. 

127 Film Photography will publish all photos received (as long as they are in 127 format and do not contain images of nudity, violence, or exploitation).

I look forward to seeing your 127 Day photos!

Geeking Out on the Possible Origins of ReraPan

One of my favorite podcasts is Sunny 16. On last week’s episode, among other things, hosts Graeme and Rachel referred to a 127-format film that was made in a disused bicycle factory in Japan and was called something like Retropan. Of course I was intrigued!

I thought, that really sounds like ReraPan. As far as I know, ReraPan (a black and white negative film) is the only 127-format film currently being made* – that is, as you can buy it as rolls of film that are ready to pop into your camera and go (as compared to, say, bulk 46mm film). I knew it was from Japan, but I didn’t know much else. So I poked around the Interwebs to learn more. 

I knew (based on the film's labeling) that ReraPan is made by a company called Kawauso-shoten, so I started there. Of course, their website is almost entirely in Japanese, which I don't read, although it became clear to me that this was an online store devoted to analogue photography. I did find the page from which it's possible to buy ReraPan from them. They also sell a lot of other films. But despite using a lot of Google Translate, I didn't find anything about where ReraPan is manufactured. The "about this site" page describes Kawauso-shoten as part of EZOX Corporation, which (per Google Translate), "handles" products that include "photographic supplies, miscellaneous goods, bicycles and related products." Aha ... bicycles! Text on the page refers to a commitment to prevent analogue photography from becoming extinct and to enjoyment of what they term film culture.

There's a discussion on Photrio that includes some well-informed speculation about ReraPan's origins. One post offered a link to an APUG page that looked as if it could be informative, but the link was broken, and searches failed to turn it up on Photrio.

However, Wikipedia offered a partial answer. Now I realize that Wikipedia is not a definitive source of truth, and the article was clearly outdated, but it was interesting to read this: "In August 2014, Maco announced that they would be selling black-and-white 127 film under the ReraPan brand. This film is manufactured in Japan by EZOX Corporation, who are better known for manufacturing agricultural equipment and bicycles." Bicycles!

The possibility comes up in the Photrio discussion that EZOX may be assembling rolls of film made by another company. This is consistent with the labeling on the film cans, which says "assembled" in Japan, as well as the actual wording of the Wikipedia article, which says that Maco was selling ReraPan, not making it (and indeed, ReraPan is available on the Maco Direct website ... as are many other films). One person who posted noticed that the development instructions for ReraPan are the same as the instructions for Rollei RPX100. 

To further complicate things, a recent discussion on Photo Net suggests that Rollei's films, in turn, are made by Agfa Gevaert in Belgium. Wikipedia describes Maco as a "supplier" (although not manufacturer) of Agfa films, among other things, and goes on to say that most of Maco's films are sold under the Rollei label. Nik & Trick Photo Services describes Rollei 400S film as being made in Belgium by Agfa Gevaert. Their description of Rollei RPX100 (the film that's apparently most similar to ReraPan) doesn't include this text, but the page is shown as being in "Rollei," "Agfa," and "Maco" categories. I couldn't find any reference to Rollei, Agfa, Maco, or ReraPan films on Agfa's website (other than Aviphot aerial films). 

So ... ReraPan's origins aren't completely clear. But it seems reasonable to speculate that it might be something like rebranded Rollei RPX100, made in Belgium by Agfa Gevaert (in bulk) and assembled (as roll film) in Japan by EZOX  ... in a disused bicycle factory.

In any case, it's a very beautiful film, as you can see from these examples (as well as many in the 127 Day exhibitions on this very site), and a joy to use! I hope it stays in production for a very, very long time.

*Sadly, it appears that ReraChrome color transparency film is no longer being made.

127 Day Online Exhibition - December 7, 2017

Welcome to 127 Film Photography's 127 Day online exhibition! The images below were created by artists across three continents, all photographing in 127 format on December 7, 2017.

Join us for the next 127 Day, coming up soon on January 27, 2018! If you'd like to be reminded of 127 Day and the submission deadline, please use the "Follow 127 Film Photography by email" link to the right. You'll receive not only reminders, but also posts about all things 127. Or email your request to me at 127filmformat ~ at ~ gmail.com, and I'll gladly add you to the 127 Day email list.

©2017 Mike Maguire; 14th Street; Washington, DC, USA; Detrola KW camera; ReraPan 100

©2017 Terry Byrne; Night; New Jersey, USA; Primo Jr., Ilford HP5+

©2017  K. Inagaki, A morning after heavy snow in Hokkaido, Japan; Baby Rolleiflex; Rerapan 100

©2017 James Tappin, It was that sort of day; Rutherford Appleton Lab, Oxfordshire, England; Yashica 44, Pan 400 (= HP5+ cut down professionally)

©2017 Slim Blanks, untitled; Chicago, IL, USA; Exakta VP type B; Gevaert Superchrome, expired 1949

©2017 J. M. Golding, This is how you return; northern California, USA; Kodak Brownie Fiesta; Kodak Verichrome Pan, expired 1975

Tomorrow is the deadline to submit for the December 127 Day online exhibition

Tomorrow, Sunday, January 7, is the deadline to submit your 127-format photo taken on December 7, 2017. Please remember to email one photo, as described here. Photos will be published in an online exhibition right here at 127 Film Photography.

©2017 J. M. Golding, One of the places I've never seen; northern California; Yashica 44LM; HP5+; http://www.jmgolding.com

I'm looking forward to seeing your 127 Day photos!

Cuppa joe by Eben Ostby

©Eben Ostby; Whitehouse Beacon II with inner (periskop doublet) lens reversed; Ansco All-Weather Pan, expired 1963.