How to load 116/120 film?

[iPhoto17]

Well, I've decided with my bonus check coming next week that I'm going to buy some 116 and 120 film to try my old 1920's Brownie and 1930's Kodak, and if I can spare some extra money maybe some for my Dualflex 2. I have never used these old cameras for and they are in working condition, I'm just not sure if the bellows the Brownie and Kodak are still light proof, nor do I know how to load such film, are there any sort of like "practice spools/reels/film" that I can buy before I actually start using the real film? I really want to see how pictures come out through these old cameras.

 

[minicoop1985]

Before you do that, there's a quick way to check for light leaks. In a darker room, open the back, grab a flashlight, stare into the bellows from the back, and move the flashlight around. If you don't see any light, you should be OK.

Loading depends greatly, but it's fairly straightforward for the most part. First, take a look at the film and how it will sit in the camera. For the Kodak, you definitely want the backing up, film/emulsion down (facing into the bellows). You'll have to take a good look at the camera itself to figure out how it holds the film, but put the take up spool in the side that winds, and the film in the side that doesn't. Pull out the leader a little, then stick the tab on the end of the leader into the slot on the take up spool and wind it a little. Hang onto the leader to make sure it doesn't pop out. Make sure not to go too far, but there should be some length to play with. Close the back, then advance until you see the number in the window. Beware-sometimes the 1 looks more like | instead. I got that wrong on my first 120 roll... whoops. Advanced riiiight past the first exposure.

 

[compur]

Search YouTube for "loading 120 film"

 

[vintagesnaps]

You might find extra spools used pretty cheap, I suppose you could cut a strip of paper to practice with?? (since you'll be loading paper backed film anyway, might give you a feel for it). Besides ebay you could try Pittsburgh Camera Exchange, or maybe Pacific Rim Camera (not sure if they have small odds & ends or not), or the Columbus Camera Group. Or if you get film cheap enough you could just try a roll, I've done the same thing as 'Coop, you could advance it to #2 anyway if you want to make sure you didn't expose the first frame.

Don't remember if I mentioned FPP before, I think they have a video on how to load 120 film. http://www.filmphotographyproject on their site, they have a YouTube channel too.

I don't think 116 has been made in a long time, it would be really fogged so you might have to do an awfully long exposure to expose it long enough to get anything. However I've seen things about people adapting the 120 spools to fit, they cut circles out of foam (like old computer mouse pads, which might be too narrow for this), and place the circles at each end of each spool to hold it in place. Not sure how well it would work, and you'd have sprocket holes (edge of the film showing) in your images, which of course you could crop out but they can be kind of cool looking, just allow for that when you frame shots (that you may 'lose' part of the image you see in your viewfinder).

Film for Classics used to respool and sell odd sized film, but I don't think they sell direct anymore, you could try B&H or maybe Adorama, or I think Central Camera in Chicago carries it (odd sizes, but it's not cheap, and I can't remember if they did 116). Not sure either if anyplace can develop 116 unless you're doing your own. So I don't know, maybe the 116 camera will be shelf art and you could start with 120 and 620.

 

[limr]

You can also find camera manuals here: Free camera instruction manuals, camera instructions, free film camera user guide, camera manual, camera instruction manuals,* Canon camera manual, Nikon camera manual, Ricoh camera manuals, Sears Camera Manuals, camera instruction manual, replacemen
He's got manuals on just about everything.

Edit: Wow, that link looks really spammy! It's not, though, promise.

Here's the Kodak page: KODAK Camera Manuals

 

[iPhoto17]

Thanks for the answers everyone, how many exposures come in a typical 116/120 roll? I thought I had looked a couple years back and only saw there are only about 8-10 shots in a roll, and I'll take a look at the sties provided and see if I can also ship the film back to them for processing and get my prints mailed back to me

 

[limr]

Thanks for the answers everyone, how many exposures come in a typical 116/120 roll? I thought I had looked a couple years back and only saw there are only about 8-10 shots in a roll, and I'll take a look at the sties provided and see if I can also ship the film back to them for processing and get my prints mailed back to me

Depends on the format. A camera that takes 6x6 frames will give you 12 shots in a roll. Some cameras shoot larger - the Kodak might be a 6x9 so you'll get fewer. Some more modern cameras will shoot 6x4.5 and you'd get 15 from a roll.

But yeah, you've got fewer shots to work with so you try to make each one count. But medium-format is also quite addicting, I should warn you

Edit - Why did I think you had a Kodak? Anyway, I checked your other thread with the cameras in it and here's what I found for the Brownie: http://www.brownie-camera.com/56.shtml There's a link to the manual at the bottom of the page. Says it shoots 2.5 x 4.25.

 

[minicoop1985]

Good god is medium format addicting-she's right. Try it once and you might regret it after how much you'll be thinking about film and exposures and what looks good in 6x9 and what looks better in a square format... It's seriously an addiction.

 

[StoneNYC]

116 film cannot be bought new, two companies make 70mm film that you can re-spool to 116, and I have some and have re-spooled some rolls, but it's expensive, at cost it's about $45 per roll, I've listed some before on eBay and no one bought any, even if it's the only fresh stuff, I think the price is just too high for most people.

On the converse 120 is still made and can be gotten easily for about $5 per roll.

There's still a fair amount of it in 116 online on the bay, but as others have said it's fairly old. And then most labs won't be able to process 116 unless they use dip-dunk systems.

The labs exist, that won't be a problem, or you could learn to develop your own

It is addicting... Good luck!