Analogue Wonderland is one of the best destinations for passionate film photographers everywhere. Starting in the UK in 2018, the company’s mission is to make film photography as fun and accessible as possible for everyone, offering a selection of cameras, darkroom kits, merchandise, chemicals, and an in-house film lab (WonderLab) for developing, scanning, and printing.
Analogue Wonderland is this month celebrating its 5th birthday, and switching things up, is giving us all a present. Analogue Wonderland will be releasing a very limited edition 35mm black and white film – WonderPan 400. This film will be solely available through Analogue Wonderland's online store, and with just 1,000 rolls being produced, it's a prime opportunity to own a little part of film history.
The film is technically not entirely new, and is actually based on an existing mystery black-and-white emulsion, which has only been described as a "best-selling black-and-white film, produced in partnership with one of the top film manufacturers", so film buffs might recognize it instantly.
However, there is a twist! While the base film emulsion is designed to be shot at ISO 100, WonderPan 400 has been specially crafted to encourage shooting at a higher ISO to get more experimental, fun, and unconventional results. Analogue Wonderland says WonderPan 400 should produce monochrome images with strong contrast, dark blacks, and moderate grain in the midrange tones.
Paul McKay, co-founder of Analogue Wonderland describes the decision to label the film at a higher ISO below:
"We have chosen to release WonderPan as a 400-speed film because we love the look when shot in this way, and we want to initiate a conversation about pushing film with folks who might not have considered it before. We want to explore the pros and cons of shooting a film at higher ISO, the aesthetic output, and what it means when you get to development and scanning the roll."
Above: Sample images shot using WonderPan 400 film
Analogue Wonderland has also come up with a fun and surprisingly extensive backstory for the film, which is based on the tagline 'Grain Never Tasted So Good', and revolves around collecting the right ingredients to cook up a great film.
Customers will be able to purchase WonderPan 400 directly from Analogue Wonderland's website, will cost £8 per roll and there will be an enforced 10 roll limit per customer. If you are a Club AW member then there will be discounts available on the new film and development. The expected launch date is late in June, but you can sign up for stock notifications to be the first in line to buy it on launch.
Find out more about the best 35mm films in our guide. If you are looking for a new camera to shoot it on, see our guide for the best film cameras to recapture the magic.
