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Fujifilm 35mm Film Hardcase holders

These film hardcases are nearly perfect. They hold 10 rolls of film in the most efficiently compact manner possible. The gathered density of so much film is surprisingly hefty. This is the feeling of handling Potential Energy.

Two film hardcases hold 20 rolls of film in a space that is not much bigger than a small SLR.

Two film hardcases are far more manageable than dealing with 20 individual plastic canisters of film.

They take up far less space than 20 plastic canisters would in your camera bag. One hardcase will fit neatly into a coat pocket.

The main thing is this: Keep a few of these stocked full in the fridge. Grab one when you are on your way out the door. This is one of those rare items that will actually improve a small part of your life through it’s dutiful fulfillment of the basic desire to carry more film than you think you might need for the day.

Unlike the 120 verison, Fujifilm Film hardcases can still be found at major camera stores like Bic and Yodobashi. For those of you outside Japan, they can be purchased at Japan Exposures.

1-5 star rating: TEN STARS

If you shoot enough on the street you might just end up photographing a magazine editor, and it’s also possible that he had already heard about you through a mutual friend, and one thing leads to another and you’ll be asked to bring a portfolio in sometime. The (Japanese) Photo Scene in Tokyo is certainly well connected, and you never know when or how you’ll make a new contact. As of publication “Look at me Look at you” is not yet scheduled to be exhibited. However, one’s chances of getting published are considerably raised if the work is backed by a show in Tokyo.

In case you are not familiar with magazines like Nippon Camera and Asahi Camera, these are monthly 350+ page periodicals which have been around for decades. The May issue of Nippon Camera features 8 photographers, myself included. Roughly speaking, that’s about 96 people getting a chance to have a few pages of work published in one year. Factor in Asahi Camera and we’re near 200. Once you start including the other magazines like (off the top of my head) Photographica, Photokon, Life With Camera, Camera Biyori, Camera Magazine, Love Camera, Mama’s Camera, SNAP, not to mention all the gear-centered publications or the nature and train photography magazines, we’re taking about hundreds if not more than 1000 people who are getting published every year. This is without trying to estimate how many folks get work printed in each of those magazine’s monthly photo contest sections.

Believe this: Japan is where Published Photography thrives unlike any other place on earth.

Nothing like the validation of print!

Many thanks to Nippon Camera for this experience.
And thanks to Yuna for both the translation and being in the picture above it.

It’s spring, which means it was about time for my Leica’s semi-annual catastrophic breakdown. I knew the 1/1000 shutter speed was messed up, but something about the 40,000 yen estimate to fix that one speed made me think I’d just keep it under 500 for the time being.

Then the electrical system went weird with the camera constantly keeping the meter on as long as it was not set explicitly to “OFF”. It took 2 sets of batteries until I realized this.

Then no less than 2 hours into my (12 hour*) trip to Shiga (5 days total), the shutter said “OK DONE NOW” just outside Atami, and that quote looks like this as a picture:

Fortunately I had also stashed a Big Mini into my camera bag, and luckily my girlfriend didn’t mind swapping her FE2** for the Big Mini, and awesomely she asked to trade for keeps*** so now I have a smooth little SLR and the Leica sat in my overnight bag all week.

THIS REMINDS ME OF SOMETHING I READ ON A FORUM ONCE:
and it went a little like this:

“When you go out shooting, take a Leica and a Nikon. That way when one breaks you’ll still have the Nikon”

OH SNAP! SORRY GERMANY.

Pictures of the trip will be on my site soon.

* The amazing Seishun 18 Kippu is something I’ll blog about in the near future. Short version: If you have the time and and a travel partner, this ticket is a great way to see Japan.

** Ok, actually I was the one who bought the FE2 for her in the first place

***So maybe technically they were both mine anyways… And she prefers the Big Mini to an SLR so we are all winners. Except for my Leica. And my “Save for a Summicron Lens fund”.