Shooting The Vest Pocket Kodak - Rera Pan 400 127 Film
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- Опубликовано: 7 сен 2024
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VPK (Vest Pocket Kodak)
I got sent this camera by a Friend to try out. Knowing nothing about the camera I soon learned it's remarkable history online.
I ordered a roll of ReraPan 400 Film from Nik & Trick and decided to blow the cobwebs off this little beauty and see what I get.
Loading the camera was a bag of fun but once it was loaded I went off down out local country park to my snaps. Developed the film and went off into the darkroom to make some prints.
Camera - Kodak Vest Pocket Camera
Film - Rera Pan 400
Development - Stand Development Rodinal. 10ml of Rodinal. 800 ml of water. Three inversions at first. Then stand for 30 minutes, once more inversion and another 30 minutes stand.
Thanks to my mate Jason for sending me the camera.
See www.ntphotoworks.co.uk for film stock.
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Can you imagine loading that film while out on the battle field. That would have been a battle in itself.
I did wonder that John! Cold too!
@@ShootFilmLikeaBoss Buy an early Leica. That'll keep you occupied loading film with the added risk of damaging the shutter if you mess up.! You have inspired me, as I also have a VP and one roll of 127, so I will shoot it and see. Mine has the top of the range Anastigmat lens, which was a lucky find. 127 was the beginner film for me on a Brownie back in 1959. There were numerous attempts to revive the format for more serious photography such as the Ensign Multex, which was marketed pre-war as a small camera that you didn't need to wait for 36 exposures to be complete, used just as you say the VP was, occasionally. The very first compact SLR was the Exakta using 127 followed by the Kine Exakta which used 35mm. There was another revival postwar for small TLR cameras shooting large format Superslides that fitted into a standard 35mm transparency mount, but it was all doomed by the 35mm revolution, and later efforts to get away from that were the small cassette formats such as 110 and disc film. You are giving 127 the one treatment it rarely got, which is enlargement, and your prints look great.
I believe you load much faster when your mate screams, "INCOMING...!!" in your left ear..... I have two of these, a 1913 regular VPK and a 1915 Autographic, with better lenses. One on the inside and another one on the front. You could buy a number of variations and finishes. I like my 1913 best and use it often. There is a great book, small hard cover, named, "VPK, the Vest Pocket Kodak & the First World War". It shows some real autographic photographs with the writing on them. I HIGHLY recommend it if you have one of these cameras. The Autographic version is also the one that went to Mt. Everest in 1924 or so with Mallory and Irvine and is still up there. It may prove if Mallory was the first to reach the summit before Sir Edmond Hillary. I find my 1913 VPK is adorable with all of the instructions in cast brass surrounding the lens. The 1-2-3-4 lens apertures are actually f11, f16, f22, f32. The camera is also cast and sheet aluminium. Nyms
John, I was wandering that as well, not an easy task to do when you are under a stress situation.
@@jmtubbs16396:58
In the 1920s, Kodak made special film for autographing. in between the backing paper and the film was a sort of carbon paper that when compressed by the stylus would allow you to etch the data in between the frames. On regular 120, 127, 620, etc there is no carbon paper type paper between the backing paper and the film. Also, the backing paper used in autographed film was much thicker so it was even less prone to lightly extend the paper we used today on 120.
A couple of years ago the photographer Eamonn McCabe made a three part series for the BBC called Britain in focus. A history of British photography from Fox Talbot to smartphones. One of the best general series on photography I've seen, there was a great section devoted to these cameras. They were indeed called the soldier's camera, and were even advertised as such. Newspapers of the day offered to buy pictures taken by soldiers. The famous photos of British German troops swapping cigarettes and playing football were taken on these, resulting in possession becoming a disciplinary offence for soldiers found with one. The generals and politicians didn't like the fact that they couldn't control such output, nothing changes. I'm not sure if this series is available online, however being the BBC, it's only a matter of time before it's repeated. Eamonn McCabe is a fabulous photo and a very decent human being. Mostly a sports photographer, he was present at the Heysel Stadium disaster in 1985 and took some of the defining pictures of that tragedy.
Thanks for that Stephen.
Job well done. You have a knack of getting these oldies produce decent photographs. Thanks.
Great content as always. There should be more film photography channels in RUclips doing dark room printing rather than scanning negs and post edits in Lightroom
You can check my channel out. Roger inspired me to start filming in the darkroom after the picture.
@@JohnTomasella just subbed John.
I just started uploading a bunch of darkroom videos as well. Shameless plug....Chris
You can also shoot fuji instax mini film in this camera 1 frame at a time if you use a dark bag to load, then use the original instax camera to ejecet the frame with the lens covered
By the time you loaded camera and started to snap ,the 'Huns' would have invaded your Trench and taken you prisoner !
I agree Peter, but the old Barnack Leicas were awkward too. My first camera was a Zenith C in 1958 which was a baseloader.
Peter, how is the Chemo going?
Also stay safe at this time and let your family help you.
I am having to do this as I am a 74 year old, and I know you are 84 and are compromised because of rectal cancer which my partner has.
Stay safe dear boy. We all love yoi
I had the same thought 😅
@@neilpiper9889 Neil --- Only 82 ! but yes -- went out all alone for my 'One Permitted Exercise' with a film Minolta X-700 various lenses and Cokin Filters and just processed the Agfa Color Pro 200 C41 fillum ! ( Good Negs! ) Had CHEMO Number 4 at Southend Hospital Friday --- so far no nasty symptoms --- My Photography keeps my mind ACTIVE --
@@theoldfilmbloke I went out today with my Kiev 6c with a 90mm 2.8 lens and Foma 100 film. I will finish the roll tomorrow.
I'm glad to see you keeping you are spirits up with photography.
Ha ha always make me laugh Pete with your witty comments. And thanks Neil for your contribution
They're a pain to load especially if the film loading door is broken as mine is. In which case one uses Gaffers Tape. Soldiers sure had a lot of patience. Nice video, thanks.
Really like the fact that you take us with you on the walk /photographing part. Even more in confinement times.
It's such a joy to see this camera work so brilliantly, especially considering its age! The simplest of the machines survive the longest.
Indeed, I doubt we could salvage something from our current cameras in 100 years (beside the precious metal)
Well, at least you got your protein for the day.
I have one of these cameras. 127 film is available from analogue wonderland. I can process at home so I am going to give it a go. Thanks for the video. Pre war Leicas loaded like this. They were called Barnack Bastards.
My guess is that Barnack was more than a little inspired by the Kodak West Pockets.
Hi Roger I believe the autographic function requires a special film that isn't made anymore. Great video as always, keep up the good work!
Cheers Nathan
Exactly. Stopped producing in 30s.
I was given one of these for xmass. I have cleaned the lens, it is a singal element lens. Also lube the shutter bearings as they were a little stick & the shutter would not always fire. The only thing i need to do now is repair the bellows. I should be getting some thick artist paint I can patch up the meany holes with tomorow. Once I confirm it is light tight I will order some film for it & take it out on a shoot round my local town. From the pictures you did get it looks like a suprisingly good camera.
Would be pretty cool to take it back to some WWI treanches & take photos of them with it.
Stylus pen 1912! 100years before Apple or Samsung or.....placed it on the market. :-)
Just what I thought.
This is fantastic to see and a great presentation. We still have my grandfather's VPK with his service number scratched on it and his album of 1917 and 1918 photographs from Salisbury Plain and the River Somme. Now I understand why one photograph has Villers-Brett (Villers-Bretonneux) written on it and another 6" how (250 mm howitzer). Under ideal conditions it took great photos - one of his on the Hindenburg Line has an officer standing on a massive dugout with a discarded shell casing at his feet. One time I zoomed into a digital scan as I thought I saw some writing. Sure enough someone had written SAFE 11 FD COY on the steps - ie the 11th Field Company had checked the dugouts for booby traps and it was safe to enter. I took one of his pictures to Stonehenge and the guide showed stones that were on the ground in 1917 and restored upright in the 1920s. The Australians did practice attacks on Stonehenge with live fire and grenades, but that's another story. Great work!
Thats amazing Bill. I'd love to see if you ever put them online.
Ive been looking forward to this vid for a while.......And it didn't disappoint :-) Really like the tree reflection print too :-)
Thanks for the education on it
@@ShootFilmLikeaBoss My pleasure bud :-)
Another great movie. Very good photos for such an old camera. I look forward to the next. Regards
Thanks for supporting Nik & Trick, super guys for all film requirements. I bought 127 film from them and had it sent to Cape Town 🇿🇦
Hats off for this video mate.
Good video Roger, lovely to shoot that old camera
old cameras are the best. nice results!
Never thought I'd see a clumsier loading mechanism than the Leica III. Guess I was wrong!
Photos turned out really nice, good lens on that one.
Yes I was surprised at the sharpness and clean images.
I feel like this is easier than the Leica, at least with this you don’t have to deal with the sprockets.
It really hasn't changed that much. Lovely camera
Like Don McCullin's Nikon F, the vest pocket Autograph probably saved a few lives.
I'll have to Google that
Amazing: I love seeing old cameras still producing great results. You swallowed one fly, lol, here in Australia in the bush they are thicker than cream: You live in a beautiful area I must say, your so blessed:
Thanks Brian. Your Fly's out there are probably carrying baseball bats lol
@@ShootFilmLikeaBoss Lol..we once had one land at the airport and they put 60 gallons of Avgas in it before they realised it wasnt a plane...lol. I have one of these sitting a a display cabinet as well so I'm now tempted to get a film and put it through it.
Just keep telling yourself at 5:25, "Like loading a Barnack Leica." ;)
List price for Kodak A-127 Autographic film, as of 1914 or so, was twenty US cents for a roll. That camera sold for US$6 when introduced; it went up to US$10 by the time the run ended in 1926 -- that original price was about equivalent to US$150 in today's money.
Wow. Interesting to read!!
Not bad for an oldie. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Roger, another great video, nice to see 127 film is available again, think only Officers could afford to buy and use film at that time, looking forward to your next film😃
Love it! Please do another video with this 127 film camera. Take more portraits and closeups - let’s see how this old lens is going to perform
It's not my camera. Another time if I cross paths with one
Thanks for putting a bug in me, I'm now on a quest purchase another camera. :^0 (sorry i couldn't resist) I have passed on purchasing old foldups like that now I might purchase one. I generally collect newer fold ups that use 120 film. Thanks for the history lesson on the camera.
They are great compact cameras with good (but uncoated) glass lenses, producing frames much larger than 35mm film. Loading is fiddly but certainly not as awkward as you found it to be. Leaks may be light piping in from the spool ends or bellows may be pin-holed (check with a torch inside the camera in the dark - the inspection plate unscrews for cleaning). Cover the red window with black tape when not winding on to reduce fog. Anyone interested in 127 film and comfortable with bulk loaders should consider the annual Ilford ULF programme which includes bulk rolls of 127 black and white film. Usually: order in April/May - delivered in Aug.
Enjoyed this video. Thank you for taking us along.
Great video! That's a great little camera.
Great video. Awesome camera. Didn’t know you could still get film for it.
Bravo ... great results
Superb as usual, great to see a different type of camera, 👍
Love it. Great stuff. Lets see more after the lock down!
We are allowed out once a day for exercise.
Fantastic little camera! Enjoyed the video!
It' fun that you keep in all the goof ups, too (bugs in the mouth, difficulty loading film, etc.). Film photography on these older cameras is not always easy. I just shot my first roll of Rera Pan 400 127 film on a Kodak Baby Brownie Special a couple of days ago so it was nice to see you well your photos turned out.
I shoot a lot of 127 film, mostly in TLRs or the Exakta Vest Pocket SLR, but I did recently buy one of these cameras just for the experience and history. My understanding is the autograph feature worked on older low ISO/ASA films. I read it will not work on most modern films. Aside from the light leaks, I was really blown away by the quality of the photos, and with a simple meniscus lens. Thanks for a great video.
LoooooL! I just love the vid! Amaizing!
Ah, the stinging nettle. I've been tagged more times than I care to count.
What is the purpose? Just sting everyone
@@ShootFilmLikeaBoss Seriously. 😆
brilliant. I have one that I picked up for £5 a few weeks ago. You've given me incentive to get a film for it.
Brilliant video and very helpful
Not sure who's, but I've one of these that belonged to a deceased family member (a Great Grandparent?) and never thought the film was available, and the camera would languish for eternity. Saw somebody else on RUclips using 127 earlier today and was curious, so have had a hunt... Thank you for sharing this great video (and your sharp results) to confirm this _is_ what I need! 😃
Film is pressure sensitive (as in all film).
No need to expose it after writing on it.
In fact the shorter you can keep the window open the better.
I wouldn’t trust that old seal too much, and not at all with 400 speed film.
Special autographic film was used back then, but in theory it should work with modern film too.
Only it might be more resilient to accidental creasing and pressure.
Edit: neil piper just been doing a bit of research.
It turns out I was probably wrong and Roger right.
It still does need special backing paper though.
Normal backing paper does not become sufficiently transparent by pressure alone.
Maybe if you could fill a pen with something greasy, but not too greasy, like glycerin or glycol, or something else that would make the backing paper locally more transparent.
Then, it could work with regular backing paper.
Does it work with just pressure?
neil piper just been doing a bit of research.
It turns out I was probably wrong and Roger right.
It still does need special backing paper though.
Normal backing paper does not become sufficiently transparent by pressure alone.
Maybe if you could fill a pen with something greasy, but not too greasy, like glycerin or glycol, or something else that would make the backing paper locally more transparent.
Then, it could work with regular backing paper.
Wow it’s amazing
Those came came out extremely well! Damn I hate those nettles. Fell into a patch of them as a kid. Great video.
Horrid aren't they
@@ShootFilmLikeaBoss I could feel the stinging for months. Especially when I got wet. Horrible worthless plant!
Amazing what you can do with you talent.
Cheers Rick
Love the work you do. Really enjoyed this war time camera. Also, very much dig the jingle.
This was really interesting! I recently saw the Eamon McCabe documentary on RUclips and was really interested by these cameras, so this was really fun to see one at work. There's also an interesting story from history where people have searched for decades for the vest pocket camera that belonged to George Mallory on mount Everest in the hope that it might have images of him on the summit. But it's still never been found.
As always I find your videos really interesting and really dynamic. I would love to have a darkroom rather than DSLR scanning but I just don't have the space.
Great video was impressed by the results you got for such an old camera. I have picked up one of these recently. The photographer Frank Hurley also used one of these cameras on Ernest Shackleton's Endurance Expedition 1914 to 1916 where the ship was trapped and crushed in the ice. Hurley used the VPK and other cameras to document the expedition.
Thanks for the info!
Hey, what a fantastic video. Keep up the great work! I look forward to your next video.
Your Videos are so helpful!While stuck at home i will learn how to developing film and all that jazz,so i watch your videos for inspiration.
Please reviewing the Cinestill Df96 Monobath,it would be great!
Greeetings from Germany,Vera:)
I'm currently in the process of trying to find one of these for when I cover WW1 with my Year 6 class. I'd love to be able to show them some photos taken with a camera from the time!
this camera took some great images for its age holy crap
Great quality from such and old camera, I have a couple of 127 cameras but virtually impossible to get film for them.
Analogue wonderland also mentioned on this thread. Have a look on ebay also
Omg you can still get 127 film?
All my brownies and my crappy plastic Ilford TLR are screaming for film!
I see these cameras often in auctions but often they are in terrible shape and the stylus is missing, the one you have seems pretty good.
Finally the printed photos looks also nice.
All film is pressure sensitive. Mechanical pressure makes a latent image. If you handle the film roughly when loading it onto the spool, you may see crescents where you crimped the film. Film instructions and photo books talked about this. The backing paper is very dense and opaque. The stylus would not make it thin enough to let light through. Just hold it up to the light after removing the film to see. No, there was no carbon paper. The autographic paper had the frames spaced differently. There was a blank space between frames that corresponded to the autographic window. Your modern film would not have that extra space. If you skip the next frame, you might be able to see your marks.
So no carbon paper then. Interesting. Yes I have seen that arcing on my own negs in the past. Thanks for your input 🙂
Lovely stuff. A couple of days ago my mother found an old camera in a battered box in one of her cupboards, and it turned out to be a Canadian-built VPK Model B. Weird. No idea where it came from, but some ancestor or other I suppose. Can't wait to have a go on it now ... you've got some great results there.
That's amazing David. Might be worth having a dig to find where it came from over time.
I saw one in the thrift store for 50 I should buy it and resale it
Always an adventure. Hopefully the authorities won't spot the camera in your pocket when you're out for your daily exercise....otherwise its a court marshal for you my son.
Stay safe ;-)
Why? are you not allowed to go out with cameras in the UK at the moment? I'm from down under and a guy at work said they have your military out patrolling making sure people stay at home..I dont watch the news so wouldnt know if its true or not.
@@catey62 No army but some police in some areas use drones at beauty spots to find walkers then upload them to RUclips to point out the "non-essential" travel.
As we are allowed out to do exercise once a day I would not be surprised to find some police not considering taking some photos a valid form of exercise! In fact when I simply go for a walk (not being particularly athletic) I have to make it look like I'm trying to power walk or something ;)
Rossi fan👍
Stinging Nettles are not fun lol. I would for sure recommend avoiding them.
I actually got one of these, bought at a photo market. I bought it for its age and to display, never used a film in it as i though 127 film was unavailable. Tempted to get a film and try it out. thanks for sharing.
To use the “autographic” feature of the camera, special autographic film had to be used which, unfortunately, is no longer produced.
Yes it has some carbon backing I believe which I found out later
Great video the images you got are impressive. I just bought one without the autographic feature. I look forward to trying it out!
I got one of these cameras for christmass, I should restor it.
If you can! Just don't throw it or turn it into a lamp!
@@ShootFilmLikeaBoss Been doing research into fixing the bellows. Would not do that. Hate it when people damage vintage computers, also collect them.
Thanks! Fun video :-)
Thanks for watching
a vest pocket kodak for every soldier and a war would never have taken place...
A fly! hilarious.
omfg this is brilliant thanks lol
Back in the day... Kodak produced an autographic film that permitted scribing the film with the provided stylus. Doesn't work on modern film sadly
I think it was a carbon back that would etch onto the film
Its believed that as many as a quarter of the Australian troops at Gallipoli had one of these cameras.
Wow. There must be so many negatives laying around from those cameras. Pictures no one has seen
If there still there I buy and resale it
Have you used df96 monobath come still with this film yet? I’ve got a role of 127 rerapan 400 and would like to know if it’s going to work? It’s not on the massive development chart and not on cinestills list…ugh.
I used the monolith once and didn't work great for me from what I can remember. Try the times for D76, which is close to D96. But thats just clutching at straws!
Could the stylus still work with modern film?
Think how hard it was in WW1 For a Soldier loading that under fire.
I imagine it was already loaded with film and sparingly used
Does anybody know if it's possible to shoot colour 127 film on this camera? I've heard you have to cover the back or something?
I'm not sure George.
Anyone know where I can get a bellows replacement? I have one from a gift from family, but the bellows are very leaky. Would love to bring it back to life if there are suggestions!
I don't know mate. Sorry...
I can’t say I’ve don’t it myself but I’ve heard of people painting bellows with a thin layer of a product called Plasti Dip (it’s a product meant to add grip to tolls). I don’t know that I’d trust it to start on a family heirloom but might be worth experimenting with on a different camera and seeing how it works!
If the light leaks are due to pinholes in the bellows, you can fix them by painting with black fabric paint. If the bellows are beyond repair, you can get replacement bellows on e*ay relatively cheap. You can look up the exact part number for the bellows for your camera at this resource: brucevarner.com/KodakBellowsInfo.html
I bought it today in goodwill for $8, the shutter is not stable and only at shutter speed 25.
At least you can shoot it still 🙂
Has got Aperture numbers, 1,2,3,4, just a strange American system - kodak.3106.net/index.php?p=213
You need special Autographic film to be able to write through the back. They haven't made it for nearly a century...
Don't know if you already watch this BBC documentary about ww1 photography, its so good!
ruclips.net/video/x04hlqfRgec/видео.html
Kind regards, Vinny.
Love the Jimmie Johnson hat! Nascar fan and film photographer! Sub from me!
I got that at Daytona back in 2007.
@@ShootFilmLikeaBoss Jealous. I really want to go to the 500 one day.
How do you focus on this thing?
It's a fixed lens. No focusing.
@@ShootFilmLikeaBoss i see, so the only way to get clear images is to move our feet. Right? And 1 last question, is it possible to remove the lens from the body itself and reinstall it again later? Thanks in advance.
@@gleh86 I gave back after I shot the video. I'm sure the lens can be removed. It has aperture markings as Portrait, Midrange, Landscape etc. But only a fixed focus.
@@ShootFilmLikeaBoss noted. Thank you for the reply
I wish the pictures of the war weren't so bad and out of focus.
I created a group for 127 film users on Facebook, and I added your video ... facebook.com/groups/127filmshooters/