Why do 24-exposure rolls of 135 still exist?

I shoot 8 EXP 6x9 and 35mm, 36 exp regardless because of lab cost being equal. I only shot 24 once (27 actually) with a Fuji Quicksnap marine. A miniproject itself, but I wish those disposables came in 36 (39-40) exposures instead, just for efficency!

I'd say my sweet spot would be around 20 shots. Allows having lots of frames and doesn't cut short as 8.
 
24 is more of an appropriate "portion size" for me. It's also what the retailers around here stock. I actually used quite a few of the 20 shot rolls when they were around.
 
There use to be 12 exp for a short time. It was a weekend roll for those who wanted to see results fast. Or for those who do not have a darkroom & scissors or Leica Knife.

Now we have SD cards-progress
 
If he price of the film and developing were one third less, I'd totally jump on board. I have one 35mm camera and there's nothing like having half a roll of Neopan 1600 in there when you want to switch to Velvia. (I midroll rewind a lot. I'd like to avoid this.)
 
From the reponses so far I get the impression the question should have been "why 36 exp are the only one found?".
 
philbed said:
I always use 24 exposure roll. It's easier to contact a full roll on a 8x10 paper sheet.
I put the negative in a negative page which holds seven 35mm strips of 4 frames, 28 frames total.
Contact prints on 8"x10" paper. Same paper size as my 120 negative contacts.
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Good point. You can't fit 36 or more 35mm frames on a single contact printed 8" x 10" proof sheet.

Chris
 
Ronald M said:
There use to be 12 exp for a short time.
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I've seen 135-12 in Japan in the 1990s - I don't know whether it was part of the half-format niche that was rather peculiar to Japan, or whether that came along the fast turnaround instant lab culture of the nineties (where any Tokyo suburb seemed cluttered with more 1/2 hour turnaround minilabs than all Germany).
 
Why do 24-exposure rolls of 135 still exist? Because they are being manufactured faster than they can be used up. Simple!! Any other questions?
 
sevo said:
I've seen 135-12 in Japan in the 1990s - I don't know whether it was part of the half-format niche that was rather peculiar to Japan, or whether that came along the fast turnaround instant lab culture of the nineties (where any Tokyo suburb seemed cluttered with more 1/2 hour turnaround minilabs than all Germany).
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The half framed thing must have been something in Japan. Fuji 6x9 sport a 4exp half-120 selection -- supposedly niche but well enough spread to become a permanent fixture of a camera.

12exp does seem more niche but perhaps quite a bit was produced towards consumers, look for some expired ferrania and there were quite a bit 12 exp rolls.




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When I roll my own b/w I do a few rolls of 20 frames. When I go out with a special purpose with b/w I want to shoot the film and get it developed as soon as I can, so I don't want to get in a spot where I run out of subjects and I still have film left. So I won't waste it.
 
I like 36 and if a roll needs to be finished right away, I test something: lens, lighting, DOF, etc.
 
FWIW, I only shoot 24s. One of the pleasures of bulk loading, in fact, is that I can do even fewer. I like to shoot Eggleston-style, just one or two tries at a shot and you're done. It's hard for me to get through 36!
 
24 is great when trialling a new to me emulsion and also when someone is thoughtful enough to buy a half brick of film for me and doesn't know the difference between 24 and 36. Otherwise I always buy 36 and like the savings from the larger quantity. (Economies of scale).
 
I always buy 24 exp rolls instead of 36 exp rolls. The main reason is due to my height: I'm only 5'3" and when I carry the developed negatives to the dryer at the darkroom I use, they drag on the floor if I use a 36 exp roll. This is a no-no. When I use a 24 exp roll, I can hold one end of the film in my hand with my arm stretched above my head, and the wet, freshly developed negatives won't touch the floor when I walk over to the dryer.
 
I definitely remember 12 shot rolls in the mid 2000s. I used them for quickie test rolls when getting the GIII and Mamiya fixed up and ready.
 
I prefer 24 or 12 exposure rolls for use with my half frame cameras. I get bored easily having to go through a 72 frames roll with them.
 
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