# What size film reel is this???



## BPpark

I am preparing to sell some old Nikkor stainless steel tanks and reels, but I have one reel that I've never used and can't identify. I inherited it from my dad, who used it in the 1940s. It's three-inches high with an interior dimension of 67 cm or a hair over 2-5/8 inches. I poked around on Google and could find no reference to a roll film of this size. I doubt if I'm going to get any takers for this particular reel, but I would at least like to know how to describe it. Does anyone have a clue?


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## Advanced Photo

Describe it by the measurements.
They are made to accommodate a variety of roll sizes.

If you like you can also let people know it's linear capacity in feet, inches, and mm.


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## BPpark

Thanks, but I don't understand. I have used 120 and 35mm reels in the darkroom, and they are made so that the film winds around the hub and follows the spiral of the top and bottom edges. If this is an all-purpose reel for a variety of roll sizes, how does the user keep the film from collapsing on itself in the tank?


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## Advanced Photo

The length is the variable measurement, not the width. The width is 6cm or what used to be called 2 1/4.

I think you mean it is 67mm or 6.7 cm not 67cm.


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## Ysarex

That's a 120 reel. (70mm film).

Joe


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## alexis.alvarez

It's a 120 reel.


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## petrochemist

Ysarex said:


> That's a 120 reel. (70mm film).
> 
> Joe


+1
Also suitable for 220, as it's the same film on a different spool.


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## Advanced Photo

At 67cm?


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## Ysarex

petrochemist said:


> Ysarex said:
> 
> 
> 
> That's a 120 reel. (70mm film).
> 
> Joe
> 
> 
> 
> +1
> Also suitable for 220, as it's the same film on a different spool.
Click to expand...


A 220 roll of film is longer and won't fit on a 120 reel -- half the roll would be hanging out of the reel with the reel loaded. A 220 reel has a much tighter wind.

Joe


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## BPpark

Advanced Photo said:


> At 67cm?



Sorry, that was a typo; I meant 67 mm.


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## BPpark

I'm sorry folks, but this isn't a 120 reel. I have a 120 reel and it's 6 cm (2-1/4); it fits 120 film perfectly, and I have used it for such.   This reel, which I have never used, is for a wider film, nominally 7 cm. Did Kodak or others make a 7 cm roll film for still cameras? (I don't believe this reel was intended to process movie film--it's made for a 3.5-inch wide developing tank and can't hold a film strip of more than a few feet in length.)


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## Ysarex

BPpark said:


> I'm sorry folks, but this isn't a 120 reel. I have a 120 reel and it's 6 cm (2-1/4); it fits 120 film perfectly, and I have used it for such.   This reel, which I have never used, is for a wider film, nominally 7 cm. Did Kodak or others make a 7 cm roll film for still cameras? (I don't believe this reel was intended to process movie film--it's made for a 3.5-inch wide developing tank and can't hold a film strip of more than a few feet in length.)



New to me then -- no clue.

Joe


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## john.margetts

Bronica used to make a 70mm film back for the ETRs cameras so I imagine this is for 70mm film.


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## webestang64

This list might help.

The History of Kodak Roll Films


Or here.....

Film format - Wikipedia


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## vintagesnaps

Could it be old enough that it held film larger than 120? I have old cameras that took film like 116 that was larger (longer spool). The early numbering by Kodak doesn't seem to have any method to the madness! lol and I can't think of the site that lists all kind of early Kodak film sizes and the years in use. if I do I'll post it.


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## vintagesnaps

That's the site!! should've known who would know that.

I could see if any of my 116 box cameras (that I just got for the art deco style to display) still have the spool and measure.


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## petrochemist

vintagesnaps said:


> The early numbering by Kodak doesn't seem to have any method to the madness!



Looking at the History link above there is an obvious method to roll film numbers all the way up to 130 the numbers are purely the order they are first released in.
The method isn't useful to work out which film is which but it's there.


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## petrochemist

Ysarex said:


> petrochemist said:
> 
> 
> 
> Also suitable for 220, as it's the same film on a different spool.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A 220 roll of film is longer and won't fit on a 120 reel -- half the roll would be hanging out of the reel with the reel loaded. A 220 reel has a much tighter wind.
> 
> Joe
Click to expand...


Sorry I meant 620 . 
If it's a little wider than 120 would a 130 be the right film? (2 7/8" is about 73mm)


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## BPpark

petrochemist said:


> Ysarex said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> petrochemist said:
> 
> 
> 
> Also suitable for 220, as it's the same film on a different spool.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A 220 roll of film is longer and won't fit on a 120 reel -- half the roll would be hanging out of the reel with the reel loaded. A 220 reel has a much tighter wind.
> 
> Joe
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Sorry I meant 620 .
> If it's a little wider than 120 would a 130 be the right film? (2 7/8" is about 73mm)
Click to expand...



The C2/130 film is the closest thing on the history chart, but at 73 mm it would be too wide for this reel.


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## BPpark

vintagesnaps said:


> That's the site!! should've known who would know that.
> 
> I could see if any of my 116 box cameras (that I just got for the art deco style to display) still have the spool and measure.


 The history chart says 116 was 2-1/4 by 4-1/4; I have seen negatives of that size. Very strange. But that film wouldn't go on this reel.


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## Advanced Photo

I use binary film now and it's whatever size I want it to be.


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## john.margetts

It is for 70 mm film as I mentioned earlier. see: 
  keh.com/shop/bronica-etr-etrs-etrsi-70mm-663569.html[ /URL]

Can't make the link work!


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## Alexr25

Yep it's a reel for 70mm film, there is no way it could load a 120 film as that is only 61mm to 63mm wide. 
Just to keep photographers confused 70mm film was approximately 65mm wide but when used for movies it was printed onto 70mm stock hence the name 70mm film.


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## BPpark

john.margetts said:


> It is for 70 mm film as I mentioned earlier. see:
> keh.com/shop/bronica-etr-etrs-etrsi-70mm-663569.html[ /URL]
> 
> Can't make the link work!





Thanks. I don't doubt it, but this has me wondering what my dad was doing with this reel in his 1940s darkroom. He never had such a camera!


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## smithdan

well BP,  went to my junk box and found two film reels that would hold rollfilm that fits that reel.  They are both the same length, just larger.  The bigger wooden one is 116 and the thinner metal one 616.  These are Kodak #'s.






The cameras that they fit, at least the ones I have are a mid to late 20's autographic, the Brownie box and that handsome folder probably from the 30's to early 40's.









..so quite likely your dad would have processed this film size either from one of his own cameras or from one of his friends.


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## BPpark

Very interesting. From what I've read, 116 and 616 film produced negative images that were 2-1/2 by 4-1/4. If the film left a 1/4-inch margin above and below the image, then that's what I have, a reel for 116/616 film!  And speaking of folding cameras, I still have a Bee-Bee similar to that Kodak model, with Compur Rapid shutter and Zeiss Tessar lens. Still can't bear to part with it.


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## smithdan

Exactly BP.  Here's a pack of negs from that camera processed Sep 8, 1939.   This was my father in laws camera.  Just for fun, I included the unedited scan with a bit missing along the right edge because of my scanner mask is sized for 120.

There are how to's on the internet to alter 116/616 cameras to fit 120 without any permanent damage.  Imagine the great time you would have shooting a roll with that BeeBee.  The Kodak awaits the same adventure as soon as I treat it to a new bellows.


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## BPpark

Alas, I never had a roll film back for the Bee-Bee, only for the discontinued Kodak film packs or individual sheets.


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## vintagesnaps

I have the same box Brownie in the picture that you posted, Dan. I was thinking it was 116 or 616. I think I read too about adapting a 120 spool to fit those cameras but haven't tried it, but I should do that sometime. I enjoyed seeing the photos you posted.

Great find BP having a reel for that size film. Do you have a tank that will work with it? Hope you can use it.


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