Hasselblad 120 film back

[vegas]

Hi guys, im wandering if is possible to load a 220 film in a 120 hasselblad film back and get nice results. has anybody tried..? maybe is not possible cos the plate is too tight, but ive noticed that tha back film holder is the same dimension. could anybody help me here. Thaks a lot

 

[sahe69]

Nope, it's not possible. The counter goes only up to 12 pics and will stop advancing after that. I suppose there could be also some (other) mechanical limitations.

 

[bigeye]

Yes, the A12 mechanically stops at 12.

You can shoot 120 in a 220 back (A24), though (11 frames; remember to stop @ "12").

- Charlie

 

[sevo]

The pressure plate would a bit too far back and slightly loose, so expect some loss of sharpness. At least theoretically - in practice most medium format lenses have a aperture sweet spot somewhere between 8 and 16, which would amply cover that slight focal error in DOF. More relevant is that you will only get 12 exposures, with a bit of margin overlap in some of the frames, and might be unable to fully unload it after the 12th exposure, short of opening it in a darkroom/dark bag (if you decide to try it, do not force anything).

 

[vegas]

Hello guys, yes, i see i didnt think bout the 12 frames counter, of course it wouldnt work. is just that wanted to save the money buying a new back thats all. Thanks a lot guys.

 

[Dwig]

Actually, it is/was possible to shoot 220 in the original style "12" backs, though not so with the "modern" (last 1/2 century) "A12" backs.

The method was a bit unreliable and involved careful loading, winding a "magic" number of turns to the first frame, reseting the counter then as normal and then resetting the counter again when you get to frame 12. You also had to insert a black plug into the hole behind the film reminder dial where you normally viewed the appearance of the "1" on the paper while loading. When done correctly you got 23 exposures on the roll. There were, I presume, some minor issues with film flatness as the pressure plate would leave an overly wide channel for the film.

 

[bananasplit]

Honestly you could but why would you do that?
A12 back fitted with 220 will allow you to shoot only 12 views out of 24. You may not want to wast half of your film.
You should go for a second hand A24 back. KEH has some for cheap...

Now concerning the lost of sharpness as mentioned earlier it is theoretical. As is also theoretical the lost of sharpness while using 120 film with A24 back. I experienced this and never found any lost. But its my personal experience.

Enjoy experiencing and let us know.

 

[scottwyden]

This thread makes me miss my Hassy :/

 

[Jamie123]

Hello guys, yes, i see i didnt think bout the 12 frames counter, of course it wouldnt work. is just that wanted to save the money buying a new back thats all. Thanks a lot guys.

Don't pay a lot of money for an A24 back. Hardly anybody wants them these days so they can be found for very little money. KEH has one for sale for $14 right now.

 

[Nokton48]

I guess I am an "hardly anybody". I have a deep freeze with a pretty decent amount of 220 film which I have stocked up on. 😉 And I own seven perfectly functional A24's.

You will need an (original) "Model 12" back, not the A12. It has a key on the side that can reset the film counter, after the first 12. You might lose the last frame, I wouldn't count on it. Model 12's are dirt cheap.

They also made a "rubber plug" for the Model 12, to use with 220. I have a few of them around. But alternatively, you can cover the "flip-down "cover" with black electrical tape, especially if you are not doing alot of this. Works fine.

 

[Jamie123]

I guess I am an "hardly anybody". I have a deep freeze with a pretty decent amount of 220 film which I have stocked up on. 😉 And I own seven perfectly functional A24's.

You will need an (original) "Model 12" back, not the A12. It has a key on the side that can reset the film counter, after the first 12. You might lose the last frame, I wouldn't count on it. Model 12's are dirt cheap.

They also made a "rubber plug" for the Model 12, to use with 220. I have a few of them around. But alternatively, you can cover the "flip-down "cover" with black electrical tape, especially if you are not doing alot of this. Works fine.

I think the reason why hardly anyone uses 220 film anymore is because there's no economic advantage in doing so. 220 film often costs more than twice the price of their 120 counterparts and processing is often also double. Nothing wrong with the film itself, though 🙂

I actually think it's even cheaper to buy an A24 back than an old c12 back.

 

[sevo]

Nothing wrong with the film itself, though 🙂

... other than that the middle frames frequently receive streaks or scratches in the development, as the film has to be twisted around a frame to fit it into many hanger type processors.