127 film in a Holga or other Toy Camera

Does anyone know, or has anyone, used 127 film in a "new" Holga or other Toy

Camera.

 

If so, can you please sharee what you did to use 127 film in the camera?

 

Thanks...

 

Robin

So I haven't used it, but I have to ask why. 127 film is fairly pricey, why use it in a Holga? What benefit does it have over say 120 film? I can see using 135 film since you get the added details of the sprocket holes. If you want to go ahead and do it, you could take a wine cork and just cut some shims out that would hold the 127 spool. The take up the film on a 120 spool. In a darkroom, just rewind onto the 127 spool. I do something similar for 135.

There are 127 cameras available at low prices if you wanted to shoot 127.

frankly and honestly I cannot see any justification for the Holga or the cultic following. When 6 x 6 and 6 x 9 folding cammeras are easily purchased and they often have real lenses ansd shutters.

EDven the old Brownie Hawkeys is superior to the Holga.

 

case in point: an american, in the era of all the cheap tols from China and Hong Kong realized that all the Locking pliers sold here in the usa were basically garbage.

On a trip to the far east, He noticed a display of Peterson Lock Joint Pliesrs in a store window. he was surprised to see quality tools in the land of juny tools.

when he asked the store owner the man replied

" only americans would buy somethings that does not work properly"

Many cameras originally designed for 127 were basically toy cameras. The problem is that even the cheapest cameras of the 1950s and 1960s had much better construction and lens quality than Holga. Unless you have say, a stockpile of 127 film then your question doesnt make much sense. It would be more profitable to sell your 127 film to people desparately seeking it for their 127 cameras, and buy 120 film at $2 a roll off of B&H.

I have some 127 cameras...some quite good like the Yashica44...and some pretty crappy. The problem with 127 is the only film available, Efke 100, is not very good and, as others pointed out, a bit pricey. The last 5 or 6 rolls I've bought were badly fogged, with the markings from the backing paper showing on the negatives. They obviously saw some serious x-rays between Croatia and L.A. What I have been doing is rolling 35mm onto recycled spools and paper in the darkroom. It is not all that difficult and I get two loads from a roll of film. The image shoots through the sprocket holes, which is a cool effect. Since 127 cameras are so cheap, you can get a dozen of them for the price of one Holga, and get a lot attention when you use them. Now, if you are trying to use 127 in a Holga, for whatever reason, you could spool it onto recycled 120 paper in the dark, but it would sure be a lot easier just to pick up a cheap 127 camera on eBay. Many of them don't even fetch the opening bid of a buck.

Apparently there is a <a href="http://www.frugalphotographer.com/cat127.htm">Canadian Manufacturer</a> of 127 color film. I found this via Google, and haven't ever tried their product.

I need a stainless steel 127 reel. Does anybody know where I can definitely get one via mail order or the Web in the United States? I'm anxious to once again use my Baby Rolleiflex. I have a Patterson plastic reel, which is adjustable, but I hate it because of film jams.

[[frankly and honestly I cannot see any justification for the Holga or the cultic following]]

 

Your inability to see the draw of the Holga in no way reflects on the legitimate and powerful work being done with them. Your argument that other cameras are "better" is hollow and completely off-topic.

 

I cannot see any justification for your comment.

Holga cameras take Holga photographs. That is their appeal. Sure, there are "better" cameras, and even worse ones, and certainly a lot of cheaper ones, but none of them will take a Holga photograph. I personally do not have any interest in 4X5 field cameras, but I'd not put down the folks who are quite enthusiastic about them...and make great images using them.

when I was youger there were many 120 6 x 6 folding cameras and now they sell for the " holga" price.

I carefully read the holga manual ( like one would read about freaks)

and i see the problems being SO great that, in my mind at least,

the serious problems out weigh everything else.

1) poorly fitting parts and light leaks 2) crappy fraguile plastic 3) reports of scratches from poorly finished film path.

ok so it's a toy with a plastic lens and cheap shutter, thats Ok.

but shoddy workmanship? too much.

 

off topic? the whole concept of the holga should be off topic.

Pinhole cameras I CAN see, home-made cameras.

camerqas that use non-photgraphic lenses -- all ok.

doing crazy things with photo chems also ok,

the Holga now seenms to be gradually moving in a better direction with

some models with a glass lens and a built-in flash,

just use a better grade of crappy plastic.

I am far from a "leica zeiss. $4000.00 camera purist, but there should

be some reasonable limits.

Maybe Holga should have it's own Catagory? No I think it is the cornerstone of the Alt Camera world. Infact there is a new problem with Holgas, They seem to have gotten better QC and the light leaks tend to be things of the past along with sharper lenses.

 

My 2 cents worth

 

I made an adaptor to shoot 120 film in my 616 camera so I se no reason that you could not make a few extenders to make the 127 fit in a 120 camera.I just cut and glewed wood dowls cut to mate with the 120 spools a little Gorilla glue and I carved the ends with a knife to fit the wind catches. Next time I will use Balsa wood because it is softer and easyer to work.

 

Just remember you will not be able to use the red window to see the numbers so you will have to measure turns to see where your frames will be and use that.

 

Larry

I?m sorry that I did not get a chance to reply earlier, but to answer several points above.

 

1. Yes I do have some 127 film lying about for no good reason.

2. I thought it would be fun to try using it.

3. Personally, on this forum, I find people are quite intolerant of other peoples preferences and interests. I once wrote on another forum, unrelated to photography: ?Let us all have our interests and rejoice that people have such diverse preferences, for reason that do not have to be logically explained, nor justified?.

4. What the harm anyway?

<i>frankly and honestly I cannot see any justification for the Holga or the cultic following. When 6 x 6 and 6 x 9 folding cammeras are easily purchased and they often have real lenses ansd shutters. EDven the old Brownie Hawkeys is superior to the Holga.</i><p>

Generally speaking, most Holga users are rather disappointed when they get a new Holga that has a sharp lens and doesn't distort things. People don't shoot Holgas because they're good in any traditional sense.