620 film is back in town (at least in Germany)

The german mail (and web) order retailer Fotoimpex is now selling Efke R100 b/w film on 'trimmed' 120 spools which will fit in any camera made for 620 film. They suggest to open their sealed packages and to insert the film in low light only since the trimmed flanges don't protect the film against light streaks as good as the original 620 spool flanges.

 

http://www.fotoimpex.de/news/news.html

 

They also have an english version of their website but the info about 620 film is not included yet.

 

Prices are around 5 EUR per roll.

Here in the U.S., J&C (http://www.jandcphoto.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=29), B&H (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=breadCrumb&A=search&Q=&ci=336), & Film For Classics (http://www.filmforclassics.com/) sell 620 film.

I trim my own

Winfried, you report that trimmed 120 spools "will fit in any camera made for 620 film."

 

Are you sure? I ask because I have some rollholders for 620 film that won't take up on a trimmed 120 spool.

 

Cheers,

 

Dan

There is a description with photos about <a href="http://www.zianet.com/connealy/vintagecameras/120in620/">trimming 120 film</a> for use in 620 cameras on my web site.

"Winfried, you report that trimmed 120 spools "will fit in any camera made for 620 film."

Are you sure? I ask because I have some rollholders for 620 film that won't take up on a trimmed 120 spool. "

 

There are some cameras that will not take a trimmed 120 spool,unless you sand down the ends,to reduce the overall length of

the spool.These are mostly(all?) late model Kodak 620 cameras.It took Kodak a while to get the tolerances close enough that you had to use a 620 spool.Although I have trimmed and sanded 120 spools to fit these cameras,I find it easier to re-roll on 620 spools and film transport is much smoother.

 

for early Kodak's and all other mfgr. 620 cameras,just trimming the edge of the spool with a nail clipper will work fine.

I was just citing from the Fotoimpex website. But as I am reading your comments I remember that 620 spools are a tad shorter than 120 spools, or, in other words, there might be incompatibility in some cases. Many old cameras have spring-loaded spool holders, maybe this reduces the possible problems.

Fotoimpex being based in Europe(Germany?) would be correct,that all

European mfgr.ed 620 cameras will take a trimmed 120 spool- some will take either spool,no trimming involved-

 

it's Kodak,which is (or was) in the film business,and not the camera business,where problems arise.

"it's Kodak,which is (or was) in the film business,and not the camera business,where problems arise."

 

Huh?

 

 

tim in san jose (owner of several Kodak cameras (some actually really fine like the 1940's/50's Retina) including the Kodak 6-20)

The J&C resized film (620 fit made from 120) is trimmed both for diameter and length -- there's only 1/10 inch (2.5 mm) difference between the 120 and 620, accounted for by the thicker flange on the 120 spool. J&C reports they're unaware of any camera they won't fit, though they can't be certain it will fit absolutely every camera that takes 620; they have tested it in tight cameras like a Tourist and found it works well, though it can be used on the takeup side in only a fraction of cameras that will accept it for supply.

 

Winfried, when I read the thread header, I was hoping you were going to tell me Efke was making new 620 spools, as they do with 127 -- I'd buy and shoot some Efke film just to encourage that behavior, especially since it would almost certainly be a dollar or so per roll cheaper than the resized film (J&C appear to charge around $2/roll for trimming).

 

As things stand now, my Kodak Reflex II works very well with 120 supply trimmed only for diameter (which I do at loading time with heavy nail clippers) and a 620 takeup spool; for B&W, it's not a problem because I do my own. My Ansco Pioneer, conversely, is too tight for the longer spools, and since I have a bunch of 620 spools, I've respooled the film I've shot in it. It's just not worth it to me to pay $5/roll for trimmed J&C Pro 100 or Efke 100 when I can trim or respool TMY for under $4/roll.

I have about 20 Kodak cameras from an 1893-#5 to a 50's tourist and I use them all- many are 620's. My point is Kodak was selling cameras in order to sell film, -film being the main product- it's a consumable with better margins. The 620's were an attempt to make cameras that only took Kodak Film,They tried this with 828 cameras also, then along came the argus brick,and the rest is history(35mm).

 

The problem I was refering to is,Kodak finally got it right and did make some cameras that will really only work right with 620 film spools. The Tourist is an example -very tight fit- you have to do a lot of work in a 120 spool to get it to fit,Target brownie 620 box camera is another one-imo easier to re-spool for these.

 

btw- my favorite is the signet 35, kind of a lousy shutter

but a killer ektar lens

OK- now I have to go develope some Film from my Ansco Sure-Flash-

 

Dektol 1:8 , 6 min-

 

wish me luck

This is getting a little off topic-

 

but in case anyone's interested- negs are a little cooked-

I think about 5 min. would be about right at sunny 16?,11?

whatever these box cameras are drilled at.