More and more film stocks are dying off with each passing year. While this might be bad news for those who love analogue photography, myself included, it’s also becoming a great opportunity for entrepreneurs looking to carve their own niche in the world of film photography.
Impossible, Lomography and Ferrania are just a few companies who have done just that, by either bringing back film from the dead or repurposing other film for the sake of still photography.
They’re not the only ones though. Bellamy Hunt of Japan Camera Hunter has announced an entirely new film stock called JCH StreetPan, a 400 ASA black and white film designed specifically for street photography.
After years of writing about film photography and sharing images shot on all sorts of film stocks tossed inside all sorts of cameras, Hunt has decided to toss his own hat into the ring.
StreetPan 400 has been over a year in the making, with Hunt saying he started to inquire about the possibility of making a 400 monochrome film, since his favorite, Neopan 400, was sent to the grave by Fujifilm.
The solution, as it appears, was to bring back an old line of surveillance film that was original made by AGFA. This means the film is not only a re-spooled version of a current film, it’s a specialized film stock that has been off the market and is being brought back from the dead.
Originally designed with fine grain and a high speed for surveillance cameras, StreetPan 400 is a great option for all kinds of photography. In looking through the sample photos, seen below, it bears a striking resemblance to Kodak’s TMAX 400, a film still available today.
StreetPan 400 is said to be ready to ship in May or June of 2016. Pre-orders can currently be made on Japan Camera Hunter’s store, where a 10-pack of the film will set you back ¥9,750 (roughly $88).
Hunt is hoping to sell smaller batches once production is up and running.
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