Edited by author 10-15-2009 05:15 AM
Thanks for the various suggestions about setting up a darkroom in the bathroom - I'll have to give it some thought. Though I would be a bit worried about dog hairs. The dogs are not allowed in there, but the hair gets everywhere! When I previously had a darkroom, no dogs lived in the house. Given a choice between dogs and a darkroom, I'd have to plump for the dogs. But to have both would be nice. We shall see! Meanwhile I could start by developing film again. I still have a changing bag but keeping solutions at the right temperature would be a problem, especially in Winter. I used to use a special heater for keeping developing dishes or solutions warm, but in the UK electrical points in bathrooms, other than shaver points, are a no-no.

Regarding polyester film, I've never developed any so I don't know how the curling would be. Although the coating and the base come from Agfa-Gevaert, I suspect the cutting and packaging may have been done in the Efke factory, as they are equipped to deal with 127 film, and the spools appear similar. Or maybe they just bought the spools from Efke. The Maco outfit, who are behind the Rollei films, seem to source stuff from all over the place, no doubt of necessity.

But when it comes to Efke's own emulsions, the trouble is that their machinery is now well over 50 years old, which may be why there is what sometimes appears to be a quality control problem. So that's why I'm hoping the Rollei film will prove more robust all round. Further down the line, there has been talk of a Rollei film in ISO 800 speed, but I'm not clear if this is colour or monochrome. But for many 127 cameras (Baby Rollei's and the like excepted) that would probably be too fast. A film around ISO 400 though, would be useful for the Winter months. Fingers crossed!

I've got 21 Rolls of efke 100, 127 B&W film, from Batch 510605 Use by date June 2010 [that's the batch which left the the backing paper images on the film; plus I've got 29 rolls of Batch 710617 Use by date April 2010 which, apparently, doesn't leave the backing paper images on the film. I haven't used the efke because it is so "curly". It used to take me a very frustrating and sweaty hour in my darkroom, to load a single film onto a stainless steel spool. All rolls of film have been kept double wrapped in the vegetable compartment of my refrigerator.

I'd be happy to trade them for around 10 rolls of Rollei 80S, if it is easier to load onto a spool. I have two 127 cameras, a Grey Baby Rollei, and a Baby Brownie and would I am sure I would use the cameras if only the efke wasn't so curly and difficult to load.

In the meantime I have ordered a Holga Pinhole camera which takes 35mm film. At least, I know I can load that into my Patterson tank!!

I used my bathtub in a similar manner in the early 1980s. The bathroom had a window with wooden surrounds. I sealed the window with medium density fibre board [MDF] coated with black felt. I stapled the felt to the MDF, and put a handle on the MDF so that I could easily pull the "blackout" from the window. The bathroom door was easily sealed with weather foam. I was even able to put a darkroom red light in the light fitting of the bathroom. Only trouble was that the whole thing had to be dismantled if I wanted to have a shower - which, being Australian, I do daily!!

Pete, there's ALways a way to have a darkroom. I once used a piece of plywood on the bathroom tub with extensions to get it to a good operating height. Trays at the faucet end and enlarger at the furthest point away from the faucets. Even had the enlarger on the sink once cause I had lots of counter space. Make the plywood with bolts and nuts so you can knock it all down later. Obviously I was not married....

Edited by author 10-14-2009 04:32 AM
That's good news and I wish you well with your printing.

I've still got a 127 carrier for my ancient Vivitar enlarger but since I moved I've not got anywhere suitable to set it up, which is a shame.

There is a new black & white film available in 127 called Rollei 80S, coated on a polyester base by Agfa-Gevaert in Belgium. It would probably be a bit more robust than the Efke fim. It's basically an aviation film and can be go in the UK from Ag Photographic in Birmingham.

http://www.ag-photographic.co.uk/rollei-80s-film-new-167-c.asp

I must be the luckiest guy in the world cause a 127 negative carrier for the B-22 Omega enlarger came up on eBay and I got it for $17 USD. So we're in the enlarging business and can start printing all the negatives I've been making...
Nice forum....

Has anyone come across an Omega 127 negative carrier for the B-22 enlarger? I'm adding 127 print making to my darkroom and I've been trying to fabricate a 127 negative holder by inserting a mask of some kind within the 6x6 negative carrier but thought I'd try to find the Omega version of the real thing.
Any suggestions on making a mask?
thanks,
Robert

rjyoung67@gmail.com

Edited by author 09-15-2009 12:08 PM
Seems like you can get slightly outdated Maco 127 colour negative film at significant discounts from Maco Direct.

http://macodirect.de/negativ-film-maco-c-416_427_119.html

----- Original Message -----
From: "QT - Frank E" > however if I shoot colour I don't know what my next steps would
> be
> who develops this non-standard size
> and can you get the negatives scanned
> I currently can scan 35mm and 120 on my Epson V500
> but don't have a holder for 127
>
Frank

Congratulations on the Exacta - one of the best 127 cameras ever made. I usually shoot B/W, but I used a roll of MacoColor with blue flashnulbs in a Gevalux - you can see the results at
http://www.secalis.co.uk/P127/Gevalux/GevaluxR.html

I sent the film away to be processed - I used
http://www.spectrumimaging.co.uk/photo.htm in the UK. Any large laboratory who process 120 film should be able to do it (ask them first), but I doubt if anyone will print it for you. I scanned the negs with an Epson 2880 - I cut an aperture in some card and taped the film to it. Getting the colour right was very tricky.
I've given up scanning negatives now as it was too slow - I use my Canon 40D and a macro lens to photograph them and process them in Photoshop.
Brian

< replied-to message removed by QT >

Have you checked the shutter for holes?

I have been using some Maco colour negative film this summer, and tried developing it myself, using a Tetenal kit (I bought this with the film, from the Macodirect.de website). I found it really easy. There are three solutions to make up; a developer, a combined bleach and fix in one solution, lots of water rinses, then finally a stabiliser. Only the developer is really critical for temperature. I don't have a thermostatted waterbath; just used my washing-up bowl and the same thermometer I use for B/W developing. The standard process is at 38 °C, but there's an alternative set of times at 30 °, which gives slightly longer times, and I used those. Also, the kit is intended for rotary processing, as you'd do with a Jobo machine. That means continuous agitation; I guessed one inversion every half-minute, and that gave reasonable results.

I made my own film holders for my scanner (an Epson 4870) out of card. I usually have to have a couple of goes lining the film up, and getting a new preview to check it's straight. I always scan one frame at a time, so 127 is only a bit slower than any other format.

Good luck!

just acquired a 1930's vintage Exakta VP camera which Google tells me uses 127 film.
the camera seems to work fine so I thought I would put a few rolls through it

additional on line searching has shown me several sites where I can purchase the film on line
have done some B&W developing in the past so if I shoot B&W I should be ok

however if I shoot colour I don't know what my next steps would be
who develops this non-standard size
and can you get the negatives scanned
I currently can scan 35mm and 120 on my Epson V500
but don't have a holder for 127

any input would be appreciated

by the way I am located in Toronto Canada
am mainly a digital shooter but like to play with film occassionally

thx
Frank

Thanks Brian!

----- Original Message -----
From: "QT - Graham Lockyear"> I am considering the possibility of applying a simple pressure
> plate so that I can really determine the best quality of the
> lens. Idealy I need the original design drawings for the lens
> assembly. Can you help?
>
> Regards, Graham Lockyear Cambridgeshire UK.

Graham

A meniscus lens has a curved focus plane, so it will be impossible to get the film in focus right accross a flat film frame. In fact, a slight curl in the film can help the focus, at least in one direction. This was why Instamatic cameras with a simple lens gave such good results, the cartridge did not have a pressure plate. Later simple plastic 120 and 127 cameras had a slightly curved film path which compensated for the spherical field of focus in one direction.

Brian
http://www.secalis.co.uk/P127/P127a.html

Sorry. The camera is a Kodak No2 cartridge Hawkeye model B.

Graham Lockyear.

I have a very clean example of the above box camera which of course is of 120 film 6x9cm format. Having run one Fuji Velvia film through it the results are quite amazing for a meniscus lens. No noteable vignetting, no light flare or light leakage. The lens is giving high sharpness in some areas and a lot less in others. I believe this is due to the lack of a film pressure plate to hold the floppy 6x9cm flat, otherwise the lens is obviously very good for a cheap box camera circa 1927/30. Can anyone point me to where I can get some detailed info on the lens, focal length, aperture size etc?
I am considering the possibility of applying a simple pressure plate so that I can really determine the best quality of the lens. Idealy I need the original design drawings for the lens assembly. Can you help?
 
Regards, Graham Lockyear Cambridgeshire UK.