For the doomsayers...
2strokebloke
10-18-2004, 04:18 PM
With all the excitement over better digital cameras, and film companies discontinuing formats and film types - it seem s very surprising that a format that has been dormant for practically a decade is experiencing a revival.
The 127 format introduced in the 1920s fell from popularity in the 1970s, and by the 1990s, was pretty much dead. Interestingly, since then the sale of 127 film has increased, and interest in the format has picked up enough to warrant the introduction of new 127 film!
No new cameras have been designed to use 127 film since about 1970, making this increase in use and interest seem very perplexing at first... however the format (officially known as small format) is larger than 35mm (miniature format) and smaller than 120 (medium format) - what this means is that your average 127 camera is about the size and weight of your average 35mm camera, but produces a negative much larger (generally 4X4 cm) than 35mm, but without the bulk and weight of a medium format camera - nevermind that a professional grade 127 TLR can be had for a fraction of the cost of it's 120 format counterpart. 127 cameras also produce brilliant, large slides, known as "super slides" they're much larger than 35mm slides (yeilding better detail), but they will fit into any conventional slide projector.
Aside fromt the practical edge 127 holds over rival formats, is nostalgia - when people found their father's or grandma's old camera but found out that film was no longer available - it created a market that hadn't existed back when 127 fell out of popularity.
It's certainly interesting with so many people predicting the end of traditional photography, and with interest falling in other formats, that such an unusual format is coming back strongly, defying the logic of all those "who know" that film belongs to history.
Perhaps it is because 127 has so much to offer? While 127 is a compromise, it offers what no other format, be it 120, 135, or digital, has to offer, big negatives in a tiny camera - this is what gives 127 a one up on digital as well.
The 127 format introduced in the 1920s fell from popularity in the 1970s, and by the 1990s, was pretty much dead. Interestingly, since then the sale of 127 film has increased, and interest in the format has picked up enough to warrant the introduction of new 127 film!
No new cameras have been designed to use 127 film since about 1970, making this increase in use and interest seem very perplexing at first... however the format (officially known as small format) is larger than 35mm (miniature format) and smaller than 120 (medium format) - what this means is that your average 127 camera is about the size and weight of your average 35mm camera, but produces a negative much larger (generally 4X4 cm) than 35mm, but without the bulk and weight of a medium format camera - nevermind that a professional grade 127 TLR can be had for a fraction of the cost of it's 120 format counterpart. 127 cameras also produce brilliant, large slides, known as "super slides" they're much larger than 35mm slides (yeilding better detail), but they will fit into any conventional slide projector.
Aside fromt the practical edge 127 holds over rival formats, is nostalgia - when people found their father's or grandma's old camera but found out that film was no longer available - it created a market that hadn't existed back when 127 fell out of popularity.
It's certainly interesting with so many people predicting the end of traditional photography, and with interest falling in other formats, that such an unusual format is coming back strongly, defying the logic of all those "who know" that film belongs to history.
Perhaps it is because 127 has so much to offer? While 127 is a compromise, it offers what no other format, be it 120, 135, or digital, has to offer, big negatives in a tiny camera - this is what gives 127 a one up on digital as well.
zzpza
10-19-2004, 03:58 AM
doesn't surprise me at all. i still use (ok, less frequently now than i used to) a 1950's russian clone of a leica iiif (35mm) and a german 120 tlr from the same era. you'll find a lot of digital users also have old 'simple' kit they use as well. and i use the word simple in the kindest possible sense, as they is nothing simple about their design or construction.
Moppie
10-19-2004, 04:52 AM
I would not be surprised if its not the only format to start becoming more popular.
When the first cars started showing up people claimed they would never replace horses, the the model T was produced and people said no one would ride horses anymore.
Today car manufactors are building models targeted at people who ride horses, the Volvo X70 for example, or the Range Rover.
The same thing on a smaller scale has occured with in the automotive world, fuel injection was supposed to spell the end of the carberattor. However you can still buy brand new carberattors, everything from a modern holly to an old Stromberg or SU, designs that date back to the 40s.
And of course its happened else where, you can still buy new propller powered planes, you can still buy brand new dot martix printers, Mettalica just re-released some of thier albums on vinyl records and you can still buy wooden funiture, infact its more popular than metal or fibreglass etc.
No matter how popular digital photography becomes (and lets be honest here, it is now the standard for proffesional and amature work) there will still be uses for film by hobbyists, enthusiasts and specialist work.
And its the enthusiasts market that will grow in the next 20 years.
Infact as digital becomes more popular and 35mm less so don't be surprised if more lesser known formats gather more interest.
When the first cars started showing up people claimed they would never replace horses, the the model T was produced and people said no one would ride horses anymore.
Today car manufactors are building models targeted at people who ride horses, the Volvo X70 for example, or the Range Rover.
The same thing on a smaller scale has occured with in the automotive world, fuel injection was supposed to spell the end of the carberattor. However you can still buy brand new carberattors, everything from a modern holly to an old Stromberg or SU, designs that date back to the 40s.
And of course its happened else where, you can still buy new propller powered planes, you can still buy brand new dot martix printers, Mettalica just re-released some of thier albums on vinyl records and you can still buy wooden funiture, infact its more popular than metal or fibreglass etc.
No matter how popular digital photography becomes (and lets be honest here, it is now the standard for proffesional and amature work) there will still be uses for film by hobbyists, enthusiasts and specialist work.
And its the enthusiasts market that will grow in the next 20 years.
Infact as digital becomes more popular and 35mm less so don't be surprised if more lesser known formats gather more interest.
2strokebloke
10-19-2004, 03:22 PM
Until recently I had always thought of 127 cameras as a novelty- I had a few in my collection because it looked cool to have "miniature" versions of a couple of my 120 cameras. But I've recently taken a few off my shelf for shooting with, and will probably get more since they are usually really cheap.
127 is also the smallest format where contact printing is practical, so that suits me just fine since I like to use archaic photographic processes for printing (where an enlarger doesn't give enough light for proper exposure).
127 is also the smallest format where contact printing is practical, so that suits me just fine since I like to use archaic photographic processes for printing (where an enlarger doesn't give enough light for proper exposure).
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