TLR help needed.

[duelinthedeep]

i bought this old kodak tlr a couple of days ago.
i've been reading about it(since i knew nothing about them)and after i had it i read that 620 film is no longer made.....
my tlr, obviously takes 620 film....
would 120 film work for my camera?
also, i need to know if there is any way i can clean the viewfinder type of thing on top..?
is there any links on how to use them and thier vocab,i'm in dire need.

any advise or suggestions would help a whole lot.


thanks.

[Ads]

[Paul Ron]

B&H can get you 620 film but take a look at this before you buy since you can respool 120 as a DIY project... http://www.inficad.com/~gstewart/respool.htm

Which camera do you have?

[duelinthedeep]

B&H can get you 620 film but take a look at this before you buy since you can respool 120 as a DIY project... http://www.inficad.com/~gstewart/respool.htm

Which camera do you have?

620 film is pretty expensive, for me at least.
thanks,Paul Ron,for the link.

i thought i had to save up for a week before the tlr can be put to use!


its a Kodak Reflex.....i think,at least thats what it says on the top.
is there any certain way to clean these cameras?
i want to clean the "viewfinder". i'm not sure if its that or the mirror inside thats dirty?

[Paul Ron]

from the picture I see on the net, it looks like you can take off the chimney viewfinder the same way a Yashicamat's comes off. Are there 4 screws, one in each corner of the chimney?

If the mirror is bad I can make you a new one easy enough, just e-mail me.

[duelinthedeep]

well i'm not sure if it does have the screws but i gotta take a look.

how can you make a new mirror for it?
i'll probably have you make one and teach me because i would really like to know.

[fadingaway1986]

I have done the respooling thing. It is pretty easy to do...

i ended up throwing mine out though, cause it sat around for too long

Just remember you need TWO 620 spools... One should be with the camera & you need one to respool the film to. I got one off ebay when I bought my camera

[fadingaway1986]

This might be of some help to you though

[fadingaway1986]

i know, how about i actually paste the link!

http://cgi.ebay.com/620-FILM-CAMERAS...QQcmdZViewItem

[duelinthedeep]

wow...thanks for the link.
i do have one 620 spool with the camera but i wanna get a few more to have spare film in my camera bag.


what i really wanna know is how Paul Ron makes them mirrors
i'll probably email him......

[Paul Ron]

I don't make mirrors I just cut it out of a sheet of first surface mirror. Give me the exact size and I'll cut it for you. E-me?

[Jeff Canes]

For what I have read 120 sometimes work in 620 cameras, just depends on particular camera. Try it with door open and be careful. First try loading with a 120 spindle on the take up side. If that does not work use a 620 on the take up. Then try loading 120 roll. I repeat be careful. Also you could re-roll the film yourself.

[duelinthedeep]

For what I have read 120 sometimes work in 620 cameras, just depends on particular camera. Try it with door open and be careful. First try loading with a 120 spindle on the take up side. If that does not work use a 620 on the take up. Then try loading 120 roll. I repeat be careful. Also you could re-roll the film yourself.

i've read up on it and i think i'd rather play it save and respool 120 film onto 620 spools. i'm sure if i try testing the 120 first it'll not work because i seem to screw things up alot.

from the picture I see on the net, it looks like you can take off the chimney viewfinder the same way a Yashicamat's comes off. Are there 4 screws, one in each corner of the chimney?

i found there was four screws running from the top holding the chimney down. i also see there are these two pins with little springs on them(to make the whole chimney itself pop-up)would i have to take these off?
i see that that's the only way to get to the screws so probably taking them off will do.........

[duelinthedeep]

ok so i took off the chimney and i found out the mirror was quite dirty...
i cleaned it and that went smooth....the mirror is actually clean now...
i also cleaned the viewfinder glass and that also went smooth.....
overall the image was sharper by 50% i would say.....

then after i put one part of the chimney on, all i had to do was to put two more "flaps"(not the little doors that open to the sides but the ones that open to the front and back of the camera) and that itself took me about one hour....

one of the springs that opens the flaps broke....
i just put it all back together and i'll probably think of
something better to add than some lame little springs.
i'll probably get some beefed up springs from somewhere and
replace the little ones that are currently holding up the chimney.

also, the mirror is a polygon-ish shape......and its pretty long.
so to get the size of that i'll probably include angles,since it has a wierd cut but i wont be needing another mirror cause that one is pretty clean now.

but if any of you have an idea for the springs or have seen a tlr that has a better mechanism let me know plz!
i'm running out of ideas.

thanks

[Paul Ron]

To get the angles correct all you have to do is measure the top n bottom widths and the center height. To make the geometric construction, make a perpendicular then mark off half the dimentions of your top n bottom fromt the center perpendicular, now connect the sides and wha la you have it.

Springs broke? That is weird, the entire chimney should have come off as one unit, screen and all. What kind of springs are they I may have some in my box of junk or maybe spring wire you can fashion your own from?

[duelinthedeep]

the springs are pretty small and seem to be so old they all wanna break.
i cant really explain but i'll try to get pictures of the springs up when i can..

the mirror seemed like it was hard to take out.
i had enough with the spring breaking so i didnt take out the mirror.
its clean,though.