# 3 620 film questions.



## PlasticSpanner (Jul 27, 2006)

Is 620 film the same (or close enough) to 120 film and can I use it in a 120 camera? (or even 120 film in a 620 camera? )

Maybe one for the Darkroom but is C22 process compatible with C41?

Finally is film dated 11/78 likely to be duff even if it's been stored properly? (I was 6 when it expired! :shock: )

Yeah, I've been shopping on Ebay again!  I gotta find a new way to get these things into the house without my wife seeing them! :shock:


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## selmerdave (Jul 27, 2006)

620 film is the same film as 120, but the spool is a different size.  B&H has 620 rolls.

Not sure about the developing question.

Film from '78 if it has been frozen the whole time might have a fighting chance, if not I would think not.  Obviously, don't use it for your wedding.

Dave


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## terri (Jul 27, 2006)

How were you planning on developing this, Chris? You can find the spools and get images, but I don't think it will fit on a standard reel. :scratch:

And I'm pretty sure you can buy it fresh from places like J&C, if you want.


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## Torus34 (Jul 27, 2006)

Assuming you develop your own film and don't mind a bit of work, buy a couple of rolls of 620. Save the spools. You can then re-spool 120 on the 620 spools.

Film from 1978 [I was 44 back then] is probably not only duff [whatever that is], but also heavily fogged and not worth freezer space.


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## terri (Jul 27, 2006)

Torus34 said:
			
		

> Assuming you develop your pwn film and don't mind a bit of work, buy a couple of rolls of 620. Save the spools. You can then re-spool 120 on the 620 spools.
> 
> Film from 1978 [I was 44 back then] is probably not only duff [whatever that is], but also heavily fogged and not worth freezer space.


But how to get them in the tank, Jim? Somewhere along the road I was given the impression it's not going to load in a standard reel. You believe it will?


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## PlasticSpanner (Jul 27, 2006)

terri said:
			
		

> *How were you planning on developing this, Chris?* You can find the spools and get images, but I don't think it will fit on a standard reel. :scratch:
> 
> And I'm pretty sure you can buy it fresh from places like J&C, if you want.


 
I have an old, old, old Paterson Major II tank with an adjustable spiral that will do 120/620 film. (Or so it says on the tin! )

I'd just like to produce some images from some of the older cameras now in my collection rather than retire them permanently to a shelf!

I don't really expect the 620 film to be much good but will run it through my Kodak six-20 (or G.B Kershaw 110, hence the question) just to see how lucky I may be!


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## terri (Jul 27, 2006)

I'm totally envious. I have two cameras myself that want 620 film, and both are clean enough to make me believe I could get some decent images. I'm like you...I want to use the babies. :heart: I have extra 620 spools, so getting film doesn't dissuade me, it's just the idea that I have no workaround with these modern plastic reels and tank of mine. :x 

I wonder how easy or hard it would be to find an old tank....I wouldn't really know what to call it.


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## Mitica100 (Jul 27, 2006)

Any tank that uses 120 should be able to do 620. The film is the same width, just the spools are thinner (on 620).

There are also respooling directions on the web, just Google "respooling 620" and you'll find them. I have a link on my home computer but I'm away now and don't have access to it.


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## mysteryscribe (Jul 27, 2006)

Yes you can develop the film on 120 reels... 

I have a curtain system for my 120 tank and it works fire. But you are going to respool, you will have 120 film when you take it off anyway. 


Nobody waves a wand to change it in the camera. Still as everyone says it is the same size. The spools were just made to force you to use their film rather than the standard 120 from europe.. Big gold you know.

Then of course after they made a crap load of cameras for "their" film they discontinued it. Big Gold ya know.

I would like to have a kodak reflex but I'm not sure I want to respool film. I do it now and then for a duraflex pinhole I have but I hate it everytime.

By the way I have tried sanding, snipping and about everything else to use a 120 spool in 620 cameras it's just easier to respool it trust me on this one.


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## Torus34 (Jul 27, 2006)

Terri;

120 and 620 are both 2 3/8 - 2 13/32  inch wide.


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## terri (Jul 27, 2006)

Torus34 said:
			
		

> Terri;
> 
> 120 and 620 are both 2 3/8 - 2 13/32 inch wide.


It is.....? Well then...._this is a banner day! _:cheer: 

I'm trying to recall where I read or how I heard that the stuff would not load....I'm guessing somebody confused the spool sizes with reel sizes....

Anyway, who cares? I get to play with a couple old cams now. I have an immaculate Duaflex III and an old Brownie 620.....possibly more, but those I know are very clean. 

!!!


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## Torus34 (Jul 28, 2006)

Go for it, Terri! It's loads more fun, not to mention cheaper, to use an old Kodak[TM] than it is to go out and buy a new soft-focus lens! Speaking of oldies [and (modestly) I do so with some authority, being one myself,] I derive a lot of satisfaction from street photography using a Fed, Zorky or Kiev rather than some super-gee-whiz-bang 21st Century camera designer's dream.

Now if only they would bring back orthochromatic film . . . [sigh]


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## ksmattfish (Jul 28, 2006)

terri said:
			
		

> I have no workaround with these modern plastic reels and tank of mine.



Ehem... *stainless steel*.


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## terri (Jul 28, 2006)

ksmattfish said:
			
		

> Ehem... *stainless steel*.


Bite me, punkin! :mrgreen: 

You have no appreciation for my clumsiness. I couldn't load that stainless reel under the bright lights of my darkroom class.


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## terri (Jul 28, 2006)

Torus34 said:
			
		

> Go for it, Terri! It's loads more fun, not to mention cheaper, to use an old Kodak[TM] than it is to go out and buy a new soft-focus lens! Speaking of oldies [and (modestly) I do so with some authority, being one myself,] I derive a lot of satisfaction from street photography using a Fed, Zorky or Kiev rather than some super-gee-whiz-bang 21st Century camera designer's dream.
> 
> Now if only they would bring back orthochromatic film . . . [sigh]


Oh, I'm absolutely excited to go shoot the 2 cameras I mentioned, and take a look at a couple more I have to make sure I'm not forgetting anyone. These 2 I know to be very clean. It will be fun to see what those old lenses give me - I do expect some softness, and if I'm lucky, maybe some true vignetting. We'll see. 

This is a closeup of the oldest camera I've shot with: 






 A Kodak No. 1 pocket. Worked beautifully, but there was a light leak and I'm sure those old bellows were the culprit. I've not invested any $ into replacement, since he's not a particularly practical camera anyway. But it was fun to shoot.


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## mysteryscribe (Jul 28, 2006)

send me the lens lol....


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## terri (Jul 28, 2006)

mysteryscribe said:
			
		

> send me the lens lol....


No!!  

I choose not to tell you what all I own, Charlie. They happen to look very cute on display, at home and at the arts fests.


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## stingray (Jul 28, 2006)

> Now if only they would bring back orthochromatic film . . . [sigh]


You can still get ortho film.. the company Maco makes it. it´s called Ort 25c. I´ve never used it but i´ve been told it´s very nice, sharp and fine, especially at 120/620!


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## Torus34 (Jul 28, 2006)

ty, Sr.


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## Jeff Canes (Aug 4, 2006)

J&C has 620 in both common color and B&W films but no specialty film. Also I do not think they sells direly to Europe. They are partnered with FotoImpex. http://www.fotoimpex.de/index.html



			
				stingray said:
			
		

> You can still get ortho film.. the company Maco makes it. it´s called Ort 25c. I´ve never used it but i´ve been told it´s very nice, sharp and fine, especially at 120/620!


 Yes you can get Ort 25c in 120 from J&C, i also got it (35mm) from Freestyle before but can not find it on there site now


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## JamesD (Aug 6, 2006)

You should try sticking 120 spools into any camera that is designated 620.  Don't force them, but give it a try. While many of them will not fit, many will.  Both of my vintage cameras (one of which is my beloved Argoflex E!) are nominally 620 cameras, but I've used 120 in both with no problems.

Respooling is not difficult if you've done it a couple of times.  However, something to keep in mind is that the film is taped at the "leader" end.  I've found that it's easiest to simply tape the trailer end, and reverse the roll.  When you get to the original tape, just peel it off,  I peel off the paper, fold it over, and stick it to the film, it's easier than peeling it off the film.  The roll will read "Exposed" when you load it into the camera, and look almost like a frest roll when you take it out.  Take some masking tape to reseal it, and mark it with an X so you know it's been exposed.

And, as previously mentioned, it's identical with 120 film, except that the spool the film comes on is smaller for 620.  You will have no problem getting it onto a 120 reel.

Why, you might be asking, do I know anything about respooling if my (beloved!) Argoflex takes 120-sized spools?  Well, I foolishly disregarded advice to try this when I got the camera, and decided that I was going to simply respool.  It was a nightmare at first, but then I got pretty good at it.  Then, one day, I mistakenly loaded a roll on a 120 spool (or perhaps stuck in a 120 takeup-spool, I don't quite recall).  Once I realized it, I was shocked, amazed, and annoyed.  Also, I seem to recall reading two other facts somewhere:  some cameras will accept a 120 spool on one end but not the other; and Kodak cameras are the likliest to accept only 620 spools, since 620 was their brainchild.  Other brands wished to maintain compatibility with established standards.

As for the marking with the X if the film is reverse-spooled:  It takes only one roll that's been double-exposed.  Also, I believe the leader and trailer end of the paper are different lengths. I always matched them up and placed the end of the film in the same place on both, to make sure that the film would be on frame 1 when the camera said it was.  It's hard to say, because it's been a while, and I did it in the dark.


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## mysteryscribe (Aug 6, 2006)

to expand on that many of my old cameras will take 120 on the supply side but take up had to be 620 because the take up knob will not fit in the larger holes of the 120 spool just make sure they give you your roll back and you dont have a problem.


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## Luke_H (Aug 15, 2006)

Just as an FYI since I've already 'amazed' a few people by showing them this.. Terri, if you're using Patterson (or patterson style) plastic reels, they probably snap apart and widen to develop 126 and 120 films respectively.

Depending on what 620 camera I'm using, I either:

-Leave 120 film unmodified
-Use scissors to trim the plastic spool edges
-Trim edges and sand the spool
-Reroll 120 onto a metal 620 spool

It just depends.. 120 film is in all ways identical to 620.  Length, width, and numerical markings on the backing.


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## terri (Aug 15, 2006)

Yeppers, my plastic reels have developed many a roll of 120 film for me just in that fashion. 

hmmm, I already have 3-4 metal 620 spools still secure in the cams they came in. I've not thought to make a mental note if they were on the take up side or not. I'll try a roll of 120 film on the supply side just to see if the spool fits. If not, I can get some from J&C. 

Really, the one I'm most interested to shoot now is the Duaflex, it's very clean. 

God, I need more hours in a day!


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## Soocom1 (Aug 15, 2006)

Everyone missed one point here... 
C22 id DEFINITELY different from C-41. Diff. process. So that film will have to be developed by someone who has those chemicals. 
In addition, believe it or not, Kodak still makes 620 film. As someone who has been down that path, have fun with it, but make sure you re-spool any film tightly. Loose film respolled will in fact fogg quite badly.


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## PlasticSpanner (Aug 15, 2006)

Some great advice here from everyone!  Many, many thanks.:thumbup: 

& thanks Soocom1 for the dev answer. Since I'm developing myself and don't have c22 chems (or intend to buy them for just one film!) I'll leave the old 620 film alone. Something else to sit on the shelf for the wife to dust! 

Just messing with an old polaroid camera with 699 film at the moment but the next project is 120 re-spooled or maybe Kodak 620 film. Just need something good to shoot!


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