# 120 in bulk?



## nealjpage (Dec 9, 2005)

I'm beginning to think that close to $3.00 for a roll of 120 film is out of line.  Is there as source for bulk 120 film and a loader?  Or has that gone the way of the dodo?


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## santino (Dec 9, 2005)

at first IMO 120 isn't expensive at all, at second I don't think there is something like bulk loading 120 film (correct me if I'm wrong).


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## photoboy15 (Dec 9, 2005)

Ive never heard of a 120 bulk loader.


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## Mitica100 (Dec 10, 2005)

120 film cannot be bulk loaded due to its paper backing.


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## nealjpage (Dec 10, 2005)

I dunno.  Maybe I'm just cheap.  But I think that $2.50 for 8 (or 12, depending on your camera) frames is a bit expensive, especially when you can get 36 exposures of 35mm for the same price.  It's even cheaper if you want to go with color 35mm film in 36 exposure rolls...Reguardless, people have been cheap (like me) for years.  Certainly at some point in the past 100 years someone has come up with a bulk loading device for paper backed film.  Or is it time for me to start tinkering around and invent one myself?


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## photoboy15 (Dec 10, 2005)

The precision of getting the film on the paper so that it tracks right is very hard. Plus you would have to get 120 in bulk.


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## hobbes28 (Dec 10, 2005)

The reason behind the price difference is the same as the price difference between a DSLR with and without a full frame sensor....You're paying for more surface area on each frame.


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## santino (Dec 10, 2005)

and you have to keep in mind that 120 film uses the same amount of material like 35mm film with 24 exposures (even a bit more as far as I know) and 35mm is much more expensive and you get worse quality, when it comes to 120 film you just have to think twice before you shoot - that results in better pics IMO


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## usayit (Dec 10, 2005)

A couple of times I ended up striking a good deal on 120 film that was close to their expiration date.  I haven't noticed any loss in quality.


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## Dave_D (Dec 10, 2005)

I buy it in bulk off of ebay as long as its' expiration date is within a year or not expired at all and the price is right. I also make sure the seller is a distributor that is cleaning out old stock rather than just an individual. It is MORE likely to have been refridgerated. I have done bulk film loading, but after getting such good deals off of the bay and not having gotten a bad roll yet; bulk loading yourself is not worth the hassles. The price per roll all depends on what type of film you are talking about in the first place. If you were to say it is velvia then that is a great price and so on.


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## nealjpage (Dec 10, 2005)

What did you use to roll it, Dave?  And where did you find long rolls of 120?


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## Dave_D (Dec 10, 2005)

I bought An Xpan b&w 9inch by 125 foot roll and made up a jig with razor blades and a paper cutter to slice it and cut it. Same with the paper backing. I also do my own processing after I shoot it. The worst part of it all is that it has to be done in complete darkness. This particular film won't even tolorate a safelite. It is tough to go only by feel in the dark when wearing latex gloves to avoid the finger prints and not cut yourself in the whole process. All of the rolling was done by hand for 120 size. I only use this film for 4x5 sheet format in my view camera now.


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## Dave_D (Dec 10, 2005)

CORRECTION: the film I mentioned is not Xpan, it is Plus-X B&W


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