confused about red windows

[mich8261]

This summer I picked up what turned out to be a Frank Solida 6x4.5 folder. Before sending it off for a CLA I decided to put a roll of XP2 120 through. I was expecting to get 16 shots from that roll, but I only got 8. There must be something I did wrong.

When I first put in the roll, I wound it up until "1" appeared in the left window (the side where the film gets wound into the new spool). I took my first shot and then wound until "2" appeared in the left window. I kept doing this until after shot #8 when I the film was exhausted. I would have thought the windows would be lined up with the film as 6x4.5. Where did I go wrong?

Thanks

 

[bmattock]

I am not familiar with the Franka Solida, but it sounds like a classic problem of using the wrong red window. If you got 8 shots, that sounds suspiciously as if the red window you were using was for 6x9. Some cameras had masks and more than one red window on the back, so you could insert the mask you wished and then choose the appropriate red window. Just a guess, I could be wrong.

 

[mich8261]

thanks Bill, I wondered about that too, but both red windows are on the same plane. When I unrolled an old expired roll of 120, I saw that there are 3 sets of numbers 1 through 16 at the top, 1 through 12 in the middle and 1 through 8 at the bottom. The red windows on this camera are positioned at the bottom and that might just be because that's where the 6x4.5 numbers were back in the 30s or 40s when this camera first came out. As far as a mask, there does not seem to be anything that can be removed easily. There are two metal pieces screwed into place with tiny screws. If I were to remove those, I would probably end up with a 6x6. I'll see when I get the negatives back, what the spacing is between shots.

 

[bmattock]

thanks Bill, I wondered about that too, but both red windows are on the same plane. When I unrolled an old expired roll of 120, I saw that there are 3 sets of numbers 1 through 16 at the top, 1 through 12 in the middle and 1 through 8 at the bottom. The red windows on this camera are positioned at the bottom and that might just be because that's where the 6x4.5 numbers were back in the 30s or 40s when this camera first came out. As far as a mask, there does not seem to be anything that can be removed easily. There are two metal pieces screwed into place with tiny screws. If I were to remove those, I would probably end up with a 6x6. I'll see when I get the negatives back, what the spacing is between shots.

OK, I think I know this dance.

http://www.dantestella.com/technical/formats.html

The 6x4.5 format falls within the greater 120 family. "Brownie" film has existed since the 1890s and has a paper backing that runs the entire length of the film. The 6x4.5, which is half-frame brownie format appears to have made its entrance with the Zeiss Ikon model 521 Ikonta and the model 530 Super Ikonta A (1930s). When that camera came out, there were no numbers printed on the backing for 6x4.5 frames. You had two red windows. For shot one, you advanced the 1 to the first window. For frame 2, you advanced 1 to the second window, etc. Later Super Ikonta As (531) had a single red window in the back.

A friend of mine had an older Super Ikonta that had this same setup. No red window for 645, so two red windows on the 6x9 readout plane. Kind of ingenious, really.

 

[ZeissFan]

Think of it this way: You get two shots per number.

You should wind until "1" appears in the first window. Take your shot and then wind until "1" appears in the second window.

So, 1-1, 2-2, 3-3 and so on up to 8, which gives you 8x2 (16).

 

[mich8261]

thanks for the replies guys. I suspect that when I get the negs back there will be a blank frame between each shot.

Cheers.

 

[FallisPhoto]

Where did I go wrong?

Thanks

You open BOTH windows. Wind until 1 appears in the first window, then wind until 1 appears in the second window. Then wind until 2 appears in the first window, then wind until 2 appears in the second window. Repeat until you have gone through the roll.

There are two metal pieces screwed into place with tiny screws. If I were to remove those, I would probably end up with a 6x6. I'll see when I get the negatives back, what the spacing is between shots.

Unless you have one truely weird camera, you will have a 6x9 when you remove them (2 frames of 6x4.5 = one frame of 6x9).