220 to 120?

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wupdigoj

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Hello. I have been offered some kodak portra 220 rolls very cheaply. The problem is I would like to use them in some cameras which only take 120. Is it possible (i.e. practical) to cut the rolls by the middle and reload then with paper?. Perhaps will be problematic to take them to develop in a commercial laboratory?.

Thanks

Javier
 
It depends upon the camera you have. It's been a long time since I've done this, but I seem to remember that when using 12 exposure backs on older Hasselblads such as the 500C and CM, you could shoot 12 exposures and then turn the key backward to reset the frame counter.
 
wupdigoj said:
Hello. I have been offered some kodak portra 220 rolls very cheaply. The problem is I would like to use them in some cameras which only take 120. Is it possible (i.e. practical) to cut the rolls by the middle and reload then with paper?. Perhaps will be problematic to take them to develop in a commercial laboratory?.

Thanks

Javier
Click to expand...

not at all

try to trade it for 120 film ;)
 
What about Holga 120N or 120WPC? the name shows that both are just for 120, i can't change backs of this type of cameras to take 220, so are those toys designed to take 220 as well?
I may end up to buy so cheap 220 film back, i've got one pack of 5 220 films [Kodak Porta C] free from one store in NY when i was there for vacation last October, so i don't know what i can do with this film.
 
TareqPhoto said:
What about Holga 120N or 120WPC? ... so are those toys designed to take 220 as well? ...
Click to expand...

No.

220 does not have a paper backing. To handle 220 a camera must have some from of film metering system to measure the film moved while winding and stop the wind at the appropriate point along with a mechanical frame counter. It must also have a proper pressure place designed to contact the naked film without scratching.

120 cameras can rely on the old ruby window film advance method and the paper backing means that the pressure plate doesn't need to be finely finished an supported on proper film quites.

There are very very very few cameras that were made for 120, but not 220, that can be tricked into handling 220 acceptably. The only one that I am familiar with were the very old Hasselblad 12 backs (not the A12 backs) that you had to manually advance to #1 while looking through a window on the back (flip up the film reminder dial). With these you could, with some luck and practice, wind to frame 1 by counting turns and then, after shooting 12 shots you reset the counter and shot 12 more. You had to plug the hole behind the film reminder dial to avoid light leaks and had to be certain not to wind after #12 without resetting the counter first. Frame spacing wasn't even but could be acceptable.
 
Dwig said:
No.

220 does not have a paper backing. To handle 220 a camera must have some from of film metering system to measure the film moved while winding and stop the wind at the appropriate point along with a mechanical frame counter. It must also have a proper pressure place designed to contact the naked film without scratching.

Thank you for all the responses. I think It can be done. Of course, I will use a backing paper from a 120 roll. The only camera I own which handle 220 is a bronica EC, but I don't use it much. I will use the 120 in an iskra, a flexaret and a ikonta. Thanks again

Javier
Click to expand...
 
wupdigoj said:
... I think It can be done. Of course, I will use a backing paper from a 120 roll. ...
Click to expand...

220 is twice as long as 120 so that will work only if you cut the 220 roll in half and tape one half to the paper from a 120 roll. Done this way you wouldn't actually be running 220 through a 120 camera. You would instead be making two 120 rolls out of one 220 roll.
 
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