Rollei Archives

Rollei RPX100 black and white film

For those who enjoy shooting with Leica lenses at wide apertures, ISO 100 film remains a popular choice that offers greater convenience than ISO 400, particularly when using large apertures like f/0.95 or f/1.4. Furthermore, ISO 100 film can produce much finer image quality than ISO 400 film. The Rollei RPX film boasts a remarkably flat base, which allows for easy scanning without the need for flattening. This is a feature that I personally love.

However, while ISO 100 film is generally considered to be fine-grained, the grain may still be noticeable to some extent. Established brands such as Kodak, Ilford, and Fuji have invested considerable efforts in fine-grain technology. Nevertheless, the RPX film has several advantages: it is affordable, easy to develop, and has good tolerance. By contrast, many ISO 100 films have poor tolerance, particularly the Fuji Acros 135 and Ilford Pan 100. Rollei RPX, on the other hand, has a level of tolerance that is more commonly associated with ISO 400 films. The contrast of RPX 100 is also medium to high.

So why has Rollei resumed film production, offering various types of film including ISO 25, ISO 50, and ISO 100, all produced in Europe? According to the packaging of MACO PHOTO PRODUCTS, the company is located in Stapelfeld, Germany and is a subsidiary of Hans O. Mahn Gmbh & Co. KG, with a 36-year history of producing film. Interestingly, it comes from the same factory as Ilford and Kentmere in the UK, with only different formulations.

Rollei RPX100 ＋ leica m6 ＋ noctilux 50mm f/0.95 asph

Rollei RPX 100 is a traditional medium-speed black and white film.
This film is suitable for a wide range of photographic and scientific applications.
Particularly portrait and landscape photography, architecture and product photography.
The popularity of this film confirms its high quality.
It is a fine grain film that enables good sharpness and a broad tonal range with good contrast.

My experience with Rolleiflex 3.5 mx-evs (kodak black & white films)

Rolleiflex 3.5 mx-evs with kodak black & white films

rolleiflex 3.5 mx－evs black & white films

Rollei rpx 400 black and white film

Film photography has become increasingly popular due to the ability to choose from a variety of films to achieve unique tones, grain, and contrast. Many beginner black and white film photographers tend to prefer a high-contrast and bright approach, which can still yield impressive results. However, Rollei RPX400 takes a different approach by reducing contrast.

Rollei films have earned an excellent reputation within the same format, particularly for grain control and latitude. RPX400 has medium to low contrast, making it suitable for use in high-contrast environments such as sunny outdoor or indoor lighting. Thanks to its excellent latitude, RPX400 provides ample room for post-processing and contrast control.

RPX400 is an easy-to-develop film thanks to its excellent latitude, making it difficult to produce a bad image. However, to achieve more dramatic contrast, it’s important to carefully study the developing process. Additionally, dramatic lighting during shooting is also necessary, as the film cannot increase contrast on its own.

Among ISO 400 films, RPX is relatively fine-grained, and no significant noise can be detected whether overexposed or underexposed.

RPX400 is highly versatile when used with the Rollei 35 camera, as it can produce good results regardless of whether it is day or night. Nighttime shots are surprisingly clean and sharp, and even in strong sunlight, RPX400 can avoid unpleasant overexposed whites thanks to its low contrast.