OT: anyone use 127 film?

[KoNickon]

You guys are inspiring me. I have but have never used a Primo Jr. (made by Topcon; same camera as the Sawyers, I think). Very high on the cuteness scale. My dad had one and I had to get one too. Needs a shutter overhaul. It seems as though there is more 127 film available now than there was, say, 5 years ago. The Kodak stuff B&H sells -- must be respooled, yes? I am certain they don't sell it anymore.

 

[Silva Lining]

Retrophotographic sells 127 film and some more besides

http://www.retrophotographic.com/macofilms.htm

I've always got good service from these guys.

 

[RJBender]

Is anyone using cameras using 127 film? A bit off topic from rangefinders (though some 127 cameras may be rangefinders) but we're talking classic cameras and still non-main stream photography (which is digital and SLR film.) Where do you get your film? What camera are you using it in? Is it worth the hassle? (I'm looking at buying a box of old cameras which contains a Sawyers TLR.)

I don't think so, Frank. When I make superslides, I use a 55mm lens on my Mamiya C330 and cut the film down to 44mm X 44mm with a Mamiya superslide cutter.

Do you have an enlarger carrier for the 44mm square format?

I have a Tower 44B and a Yashica 44. They're cool to look at but not practical, IMO.
Both have 60mm lenses.

R.J.

 

[RJBender]

BTW, KEH has a Mamiya super slide cutter for $29. (See Mamiya M645>Accessories>Miscellaneous)

R.J.

There's a manual I scanned and uploaded a few years ago HERE.

 

[Wayne R. Scott]

I don't think so, Frank. When I make superslides, I use a 55mm lens on my Mamiya C330 and cut the film down to 44mm X 44mm with a Mamiya superslide cutter.

R.J.

Two questions for you R.J. Which one do you think is heavier to carry around on a walk-about; the Mamiya C330 or the Sawyer? This is the more important question; is the Mamiya C330 a Chick Magnet?

Wayne

 

[RJBender]

Two questions for you R.J. Which one do you think is heavier to carry around on a walk-about; the Mamiya C330 or the Sawyer? This is the more important question; is the Mamiya C330 a Chick Magnet?

Wayne

Wayne, Frank didn't say that the weight of the camera would be an issue. I didn't think about the "chick magnet" factor. The Mamiya does have the word "professional" on the front of the camera body. Maybe a 'blad with a 60mm lens is a stronger chick magnet. 😛

R.J.

 

[RJBender]

If you want a Rolleiflex smaller than the baby Rollei, there's always the Rollei Mini Digi.

R.J.

 

[rxmd]

Is it possible to scan superslides using a 35mm slide scanner? I just got a Minolta Scan Dual off eBay and I'm thinking of looking into a 127 film TLR.

Philipp

 

[FrankS]

Another question: any way of converting the Sawyers to 35mm?

 

[RJBender]

Is it possible to scan superslides using a 35mm slide scanner? I just got a Minolta Scan Dual off eBay and I'm thinking of looking into a 127 film TLR.

Philipp

It's a 44mm X 44mm transparency. I'm not familiar with the Minolta Scan Dual.

R.J.

 

[RJBender]

Another question: any way of converting the Sawyers to 35mm?

If you showed a Rolleikin to a really good machinist, maybe he could fabricate something similiar.

You could always use it as a prop when taking photos of your kids. It is a cute little camera.

If you don't mind me asking, what other cameras are in the box, Frank? 😕

R.J.

 

[rxmd]

Hi RJ,

is it? I thought the film was only 4 cm wide to begin with.

Philipp

 

[FrankS]

If you showed a Rolleikin to a really good machinist, maybe he could fabricate something similiar.

You could always use it as a prop when taking photos of your kids. It is a cute little camera.

If you don't mind me asking, what other cameras are in the box, Frank? 😕

R.J.

There's a Zeiss Nettar (folding 6x6), a Graflex SLR sheet film camera, an early Yashica tlr, and whatever else I can pick out of a pile of Polaroids. (I'll keep my eye open for the polaroid model with manual lens.) No idea yet if anything works.

 

[RJBender]

Hi RJ,

is it? I thought the film was only 4 cm wide to begin with.

Philipp

Phil,

I measured the roll of Verichrome that's in my Tower 44B and it's 46mm wide.

R.J.

 

[Wayne R. Scott]

Hmm, Frank is that Graflex SLR 4x5 by any chance?

Wayne

 

[FrankS]

No unfortunately, it looks like the smaller size.

 

[RJBender]

There's a Zeiss Nettar (folding 6x6), a Graflex SLR sheet film camera, an early Yashica tlr, and whatever else I can pick out of a pile of Polaroids. (I'll keep my eye open for the polaroid model with manual lens.) No idea yet if anything works.

That would be the 110B with the 127mm Rodenstock Yasrex.

R.J.

 

[Wayne R. Scott]

Or a 110A or a non-USA 185.

Wayne

 

[BILLC]

I think 127 film is 46mm, a size of bulk film that you can respool if you save your paper backing.
Bill

 

[wotalegend]

My first camera, a Brownie Starflash, was a 127 camera. It was given to me for Christmas in 1960 and I still have it, although it hasn't seen a film for well over 30 years. I also have a pre-war Kodak (Nagel) Vollenda which my father gave to my mother for a 21st birthday present in 1938. It is a folding camera in the classic pre-war style, but smaller than most. It has a Schneider-Kreuznach Radionar 5cm/f3.5 lens in a Compur shutter. Unfortunately no rangefinder but scale focus isn't too difficult with this size. It takes 16 3x4cm images but the distance between the flanges of the spool is 47mm. It too hasn't had a film in it for about 20 years. I thought 127 film was gone for ever, but now thanks to the resource of RFF, the Vollenda may get another workout.