Anybody cut 120 into 2.25x3.25 sheets?

C

Calzone

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I have ten 2x3 Graphmatics, and I would like to fully exploit this resource, but sheet films are limited in choice and are too pricey to be cost feasible.

I own two really nice Baby Linhofs and the Graphmatics are smaller than the 120 roll backs. Also I want to shoot a lot so a smaller lighter more compact camera that is fast to reload is kinda important.

So the idea came up to cut 120 into 2.25x3.25 sheets to feed the 10 Graphmatics I own.

Also know that I have a rotary cutter. Anyone ever do this?

Cal
 
I'm not sure about the film being flat enough.

My gut says cutting 4x5 might yield better results (and keep the notches).

Wasteful yes. Make a couple of cutting jigs and a razor knife (and band aids) should do the trick.

B2 (;->
 
Matin makes a 'Multiple Slide Cutter' that works very well -- you feed the film through a slot and use the little guillotine cutter to cut the film. Should keep the film flat just fine as you cut it (can't say how it would be in the holders though). Only thing is that the window to measure the film only goes to 6x7cm. Maybe there's a way that you could figure out a method by which you could cut it to 6x8 / 6x9?

BTW I'm sure you've already looked, but Arista has cut film in that size, and I don't think the price is too crazy: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...0M_zKbK-2LoE675dmxJaF-93ak5ai_loaAor3EALw_wcB
 
Many thanks for the responses so far.

I have been looking at B&H, Freestyle, and PhotoWarehouse for their offerings.

Cal
 
I'm with Bill on this one, and it is something I have considered as well as I have a beautiful Crown Graphic that shoots 2.25 x 3.25.

I agree that the 120 film is cheap and readily available, but I would be very concerned with the curve from being on the 120 spool, and the thickness of the film. I have thought about cutting down 4x5 film and might go that direction if I have to, but for now I've acquired a few boxes of Ilford from Freestyle that should keep me shooting for a bit.

Best,
-Tim
 
Arista Ultra 100 and Ultra 400 sheet films are really good. This is what Bethanne shoots in her Busch Pressman (which came from the NYC RFF Fashion Show back in 2015.)

Phil Forrest
 
Timmyjoe said:
I'm with Bill on this one, and it is something I have considered as well as I have a beautiful Crown Graphic that shoots 2.25 x 3.25.

I agree that the 120 film is cheap and readily available, but I would be very concerned with the curve from being on the 120 spool, and the thickness of the film. I have thought about cutting down 4x5 film and might go that direction if I have to, but for now I've acquired a few boxes of Ilford from Freestyle that should keep me shooting for a bit.

Best,
-Tim
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Tim,

Thanks for the back-up. It makes sense to maintain flatness begin flat.

The exploration of possibilities as well as te limitations is not a bad thing.

Since I also have 4x5 and will be shooting it also going and standardizing 4x5 into 2x3 makes sense.

FWIW Photowarehouse has 4x5 hp5 in boxes of 100 for $109.95. This is cheap film.

I'm doing the legwork to shoot mucho film.

Many thanks.

Cal
 
Cutting down Fuji HRU XRAY film is the cheapest. An 8x10 sheet is 28 cents and you can get a lot of 2x3s from an 8x10 sheet.
 
Phil_F_NM said:
Arista Ultra 100 and Ultra 400 sheet films are really good. This is what Bethanne shoots in her Busch Pressman (which came from the NYC RFF Fashion Show back in 2015.)

Phil Forrest
Click to expand...

Phil,

This is wonderful news and makes me very happy.

For those that do not know about six years ago we had our Annual Camera Beauty Pagent.

I had found a Busch Pressman 2x3 at Housing Works for the price of $24.99.

As Moderator of the NYC Meet-Up I started an over the top campaign for a "Cheap" camera catagory.

These events can be pretty rowdy, don't forget this is a rude New York crowd, and pretty much the voting is by mob. Kind of a bare knuckles fighting and of course lots of trash talking, but a fun event.

The only rule strictly enforced is, "No biting."

So my nemisis was Sam who also found a camera at a thrift shop for precisely $24.99. His was a Voightlander 120 camera that had a Heliar lens. So I bought my camera in NYC and Sam bought his camera in the burbs where they have lower sales tax so I suffered the agony of defeat by a few pennies.

So I had intended to gift this trophy camera anyways and it went to Bethanne for a Nikon F3 HP that was gifted to her in her grandmother's will. So the mob voted, but some guys were heartbroken and wanted that Pressman very badly.

So the bonus for me is that bargain camera is being loved and used.

This year's Beauty Contest was cancelled due to Covid.

Cal
 
Makina II HRU Handheld by Nokton48, on Flickr

6.5x9cm FUJI HRU shot in a 30s vintage Plaubel Makina II. 1/200 sec F6 yellow Plaubel filter. My property was once a huge apple orchard. Here is one of the original still alive in my backyard.

This is usuable for silver or art processes. Certainly good enough to test equipment and gain practice
 
I'm not familiar with 2x3 sheet sizes, but if it is the same width as 120, and 2x3 Grafmatics have septums like their bigger brother, then just loading it into the septum and cutting it with a razor blade would be the simplest thing.

The cheapest 4x5 film you can get is ortho. Photowarehouse has some really cheap 4x5 ortho film. Sounds like you are experienced enough to deal with that. And there is the xray film Nokton mentioned.

I can't give you any advice beyond that since I don't know what your images look like.

Hope that helps you.
 
PRJ said:
I'm not familiar with 2x3 sheet sizes, but if it is the same width as 120, and 2x3 Grafmatics have septums like their bigger brother, then just loading it into the septum and cutting it with a razor blade would be the simplest thing.

The cheapest 4x5 film you can get is ortho. Photowarehouse has some really cheap 4x5 ortho film. Sounds like you are experienced enough to deal with that. And there is the xray film Nokton mentioned.

I can't give you any advice beyond that since I don't know what your images look like.

Hope that helps you.
Click to expand...

PRJ,

Thanks for your response.

Dan mentions cutting down 8x10 sheets for even more savings.

At this point I don't know what my images are going to look like either. Sheet films are new to me, and because of my soon upcoming retirement I will be eculating up in formats.

I shoot a good amount of 120 roll film, and I will be building out a darkroom soon. I already have a Besselar 23 C and glass, but the last time I wet printed was back in art school where I was a really good printer.

At this point I'm trying to develop a strategy to be able to shoot medium format as if like 135 meaning shooting lots of images and scalling down the costs so I can sustain the practice.

Cal
 
IMO, as an owner of a Linhof 70 that I have mostly stopped using but shoot a lot of 2x3 with multiple Century Graphics, this is a bad idea. Best to accept what you can get from 120 in the Linhof holders, which are good. I have a 6x9 holder that works with my Linhof 70 that was my favorite, though hard to compose accurately since the camera is not really designed for 6x9.

PS: I have my Linhof 70 "Super Set" as I like to call it in the case. Personally I shoot my Linhof Master Technika much more often (but tend to hike with lighter cams).
 
Corran said:
IMO, as an owner of a Linhof 70 that I have mostly stopped using but shoot a lot of 2x3 with multiple Century Graphics, this is a bad idea. Best to accept what you can get from 120 in the Linhof holders, which are good. I have a 6x9 holder that works with my Linhof 70 that was my favorite, though hard to compose accurately since the camera is not really designed for 6x9.

PS: I have my Linhof 70 "Super Set" as I like to call it in the case. Personally I shoot my Linhof Master Technika much more often (but tend to hike with lighter cams).
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C,

The bane of Medium Format is reloading. I tend to carry two cameras to help stop missing shots.

Graphmatics gets me around this difficulty.

My alternative is use Linhof CINE's but that requires 70mm double perf film. I have three 15 foot reels, and CINE's in 645. 6x7, and 6x9 for my baby Linhof's for a good amount of flexibility.

Although Baby Linhof's are heavy they are lighter and less bulky than two cameras.

Cal
 
There is a B&H like warehouse right down the road from the Ilford plant in the UK. They have helped me get 2x3 HP5+ and FP4+

The Arista 2x3 is not a bad price either 125 & 400.

Prolly works out to under 5 cents a shot with Fuji XRAY
 
Calzone said:
The bane of Medium Format is reloading. I tend to carry two cameras to help stop missing shots.

Graphmatics gets me around this diffuculty.
Click to expand...

I can kinda understand this, if you are carrying like half a dozen Grafmatics, but on the other hand, a couple of 120 backs and you are in the same territory. The 120 holders will be admittedly heavier.

I use Grafmatics for 4x5 for this reason, but never have I wanted to deal with 2x3 sheet film personally.

How many 2x3 Grafmatics do you have and/or plan to carry? Of course I think you shoot different subjects than me. I used to carry two 120 holders when I shot my Linhof 70 - one with color and one with b&w. That is my personal main issue with normal 120 cameras - what if I want to shoot just one color shot on the day? Typical for me with 4x5 to carry 2-6 color sheets only, but 12-24 black and white.

Anyway, good luck on whatever you choose. I tend to carry multiple Century Graphics myself when shooting (landscape usually). One is a custom sawed-off camera with a permanent 38mm lens, the other can take 65mm, 105mm, and 180mm. Or sometimes I use one camera w/ 80mm and that one is rangefinder-coupled.
 
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