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When I first started getting into photography in college, Neopan Acros 100 was one of the black and white films that my teacher recommended. Over the years, I tried out a ton of other black and white films, but there was always something special about Neopan Acros 100. It had such beautiful contrast, extreme sharpness, detail in the shadows and a true blackness that I always look for in black and white film. When I discovered that they were discontinuing it in 2018, I was devastated. I had taken Neopan Acros 100 with me all over the world; Paris, England, Scotland and all over the United States. It had become my go-to black and white film. I was super grateful though when Fujifilm announced that they’d be releasing a new version of the film in 2020, Neopan Acros 100 II. They have it available in 35 mm and 120, thankfully! These days, I’ve almost entirely switched to color film, but I finally decided to try it out and see if it lived up to the original version. I was planning a trip to Paris last year and decided it would be fun to re-enact my camera set-up from my first trip to Paris back in 2010 when I used the original Neopan Acros 100. I packed up my Canon Rebel K2 and Holga GCFN and a few rolls of Neopan Acros 100 II and even visited Versailles again, twelve years later, to test out the new version of the film using the same camera and location. I even made a YouTube video about our trip to Versailles and my thoughts on Neopan Acros 100 I vs. II, so make sure to give it a watch! :) I’ve included examples at the bottom of this post with Neopan Across 100 version I and then Neopan Acros 100 version II, in both 35 mm and 120 formats. I also took a roll of 120 Neopan Across 100 II to Kauai in 2022, so you’ll see a few Holga photos from our trip there too. :)

THOUGHTS ON NEOPAN ACROS I vs. NEOPAN ACROS II

I’m definitely thrilled that Fujfilm brought back a newer version of the Neopan Acros 100 film, but I’ll forever miss the original version. While the contrast and tones of the new version are beautiful and remind me of the original version, I find that there is some loss of detail in the shadows and highlights. It just doesn’t seem to perform as well in low light. I used to be able to pull more detail during scanning while still getting those dark blacks and bright whites. But still, it remains one of my favorite black and white films, with great sharpness and that classic black and white film vibe. There’s something so special about the tones, bringing nostalgia and a timelessness to the images that I find hard to replicate with other black and white films.

I still particularly love using Neopan Across 100 with the Holga, especially if I’m in a bright environment. I still haven’t found a film as sharp as Neopan Acros. I’m able to blow up my images on a massive scale, even when I take the images with a camera that isn’t that great. It’s really an incredible film, whether you use the new version or the old one.

WHERE TO BUY NEOPAN ACROS 100 FILM

NEOPAN ACROS 100 35mm II (new version)

Amazon

eBay

NEOPAN ACROS 100 120 II (new version)

Amazon

eBay

If you’re interested in trying out the original version, just know that it can get a bit pricey since it was discontinued. But you can still find it on eBay, just always make sure you’re buying from a reputable seller with good ratings!

NEOPAN ACROS 100 35mm I (original version)

eBay

NEOPAN ACROS 100 120 I (original version)

eBay

Feel free to leave any questions or comments below! Thanks so much for stopping by! And don’t forget to stop by my Amazon storefront for more camera/film recommendations. :)

<3 Myles Katherine

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EXAMPLE PHOTOS:

2010 | NEOPAN ACROS 100 35 MM I (original version) | CANON REBEL K2

2022 | NEOPAN ACROS 100 35 MM II (new version) | CANON REBEL K2

2010-2012 NEOPAN ACROS 100 I (original version) 120 FILM | HOLGA GCFN

2022 NEOPAN ACROS 100 II (new version) 120 FILM | HOLGA GCFN

This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links.

I feel like I say this a lot, but I’m obsessed with the Canon Rebel K2. So much so that when my sister asked if she could borrow mine for our family trip to Italy, I had a brief freak out and then somehow convinced her to buy her own instead! It’s only $30-60 so it didn’t really make sense that I was stressing out so much about something happening to mine, except for the fact that it was my very first film camera and changed the whole trajectory of my life (no big deal). The first photographs I ever developed in the darkroom were taken with my Canon Rebel K2 and I’ve been a photographer ever since! I suppose I have quite the sentimental attachment to it that I wasn’t fully aware of until my sister’s inquiry.

I don’t typically bring my Canon Rebel K2 with me on trips because I have so many other cameras that are technically “better”, but I recently took it with me to Italy and France. On my first trip to Paris in 2010, I used my Canon Rebel K2 and Neopan Acros 100 film. I’m still in love with those photos so I decided to recreate that same camera set-up during my recent trip. I brought a few rolls of Neopan Acros 100 (version II - they don’t make the original version of this film anymore) and once again, this camera delivered. I think it’s going to be hard to leave this camera at home when I go on future trips - there’s just something special about it.

The Canon Rebel K2 has all of the features you’d want in a travel camera: a SUPER lightweight body, automatic and manual settings, a flash, a multiple exposure feature and an option for a zoom lens ( I use the 28-90mm f/5.6 kit lens). It’s also incredibly inconspicuous and is great for street photography. I’m quite a shy person, so the idea of bothering someone or making them upset with me if I took their photo would be my nightmare, so the fact that this camera doesn’t stand out or look expensive or distracting is a positive feature in my book.

I’ve included a few of my favorite photographs from 2010, followed by a few of my favorites from my recent trip. I still think that there’s something beautiful about the original version of the Neopan Acros 100 film - it seems sharper and better at capturing detail in the highlights and shadows. The new version of the film is still beautiful but just doesn’t seem to bring that same moodiness that I loved so much in the original version. I’d love to know your thoughts and if you notice a difference in the two films!

If you love this camera as much as I do, make sure to check out my YouTube video and review for the Canon Rebel K2 below, or you can purchase your own:

Purchase a Canon Rebel K2 on KEH Camera

Purchase a Canon Rebel K2 on eBay!

Purchase a Canon Rebel K2 on Amazon!

FILM RECOMMENDATIONS:

Neopan Acros 100 35mm B&W film

Kodak Gold 200 35mm film

Lomography 100 35mm film

If you found this post helpful or if you’d like to see more of my work, I’d love it if you considered signing up for my Patreon! For as little as $1 a month, you’ll get early access to all of my YouTube videos, plus tons of photos that I don’t post anywhere else. Depending on which tier you choose, you could also receive seasonal prints and/or discounts! I always use all of the proceeds towards cameras, film & processing. Find out more here!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

<3 Myles Katherine