Kodak No.2A adapted to 120 film

<p>I bought a Kodak No.2A Autographic folding Brownie from the 1920s at a flea market in Arnhem earlier this year. For €30 it wasn't particularly cheap for a camera that uses the obsolete 116 format film. (and it was missing the Autographic Stylus...like they all do)...<br>

<br /><img src="http://www.flibweb.nl/flibweb/cpg143/albums/userpics/10001/Kodak2a.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="800" /><br /><br />I cleaned and lubricated the shutter with minimal fuss. Cleaned the brass tags. And I did a google search to see how hard it would be to modify it to 120 film. <br /><br />I found this:<br /><a href="http://mconnealy.com/vintagecameras/kodak1a/page2.html">http://mconnealy.com/vintagecameras/kodak1a/page2.html</a><br>

<br />It looked like a pretty easy solution with no permanent damage to the camera. Luckily the camera came with a 116 spool. And I had plenty of plasticard, foam, electrical tape and other bits lying around to make the spacers, the feeding "cassette" and the frame mask. <br>

<br />An hour of arts&crafts later and I was ready to feed a roll of film through it. I loaded it up with Rollei Superpan 200 and took the car down to the "Ice Rink"<br>

The way the conversion works is that it shows the 6x4.5cm frame numbers on the backing paper of the 120 film. In order to get the frame spacing right I started the first frame at about 2 and a half frames in the red window. I needed to advance 2.5 frames for every photo to get 6 6x11cm exposures. It actually worked quite well. <br>

There were some slight issues with focus, this might be due to film flatness issues (and possible a little camera shake). <br /><br /><br /></p>

<p>1. At a comfortable 8 degrees Celsius...there is a distinct lack of ice. <br>

<img src="http://www.flibweb.nl/flibweb/cpg143/albums/userpics/10001/K2A01.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="555" /></p>

<p>2. Left-overs from the heavy rain the night before<br>

<img src="http://www.flibweb.nl/flibweb/cpg143/albums/userpics/10001/K2A02.jpg" alt="" width="555" height="1024" /></p>

<p>3. Heading towards the "Roestelberg" <br>

<img src="http://www.flibweb.nl/flibweb/cpg143/albums/userpics/10001/K2A03.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>4. Short focus distance of 2.5 meters...looks a little off. <br>

<img src="http://www.flibweb.nl/flibweb/cpg143/albums/userpics/10001/K2A04.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="555" /></p>

<p>5. From the top of the dune, looking towards "Bos & Hei". Most of the trees were cleared away a few years ago to restore the park to its former state. It still looks like a war zone. <br>

<img src="http://www.flibweb.nl/flibweb/cpg143/albums/userpics/10001/K2A05.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>6. Another close-focus shot, with added camera shake. <br>

<img src="http://www.flibweb.nl/flibweb/cpg143/albums/userpics/10001/K2A06.jpg" alt="" width="555" height="1024" /></p>

<p>Most photos were taken at 1/50th and f/16, in the darker spots I used 1/25th and f/11 ...at least I assume the 1 to 4 on the aperture indicators are f/11, f/16, f/22 and f/32.<br>

All in all, I'm quite pleased with the results. Not bad for a 100 Year old meniscus lens. Next time I'll probably do a slight modification to the film frame mask to make it a little more flat and have less influence on the focus. </p>

<p>Well it still looks the business to me, and the inclusion of the film edges make it even better. You have done a good job bringing it back to life!</p>

<p>Another successful reanimation, Dr. van Nooij!</p>

<p>Like them all, but the first one grabbed my eye.</p>

<p>Well, there wasn't anything particularly broken about the camera to begin with.</p>

You did a great Job here. I have one of these too and I have alway meant to do what you have successfully

done. For the primary reason of getting these super wide panorama shots. I have somewhere a guide to

counting frames using Kodak 120 films . I think it was a huge success ! I have also lately experienced

camera shake in MF and will now try faster film to over come the situation.

<p>Crikey the quality of the lens is great those are realy great photos<br>

ive deliberately avoided 116 cameras this old as i thought the lenses wouldn't be very good<br>

i was wrong gives me more to work with this is great news to me<br>

iv just converted a Kodak vintage art deco model c f4.5 616 to 120 i chose it because it was one that Peter Lerro Snr recommended in his article it was real easy to do<br>

I did it slightly different on the supply spool from Peter Lerro I was able to bend the springs in a bit and they hold the 120 film perfectly I made adapters like Peter did on the take up spool for a 120 spool and superglued plastic strips on the film gate I cant wait to use it <br>

If your out there Peter thanks for putting your article together<br>

i wasn't realy interested in the realy old cameras like yours but after seeing the quality of these photos im going to get some to convert to use with their original lenses <br>

Mike Conneleys photos on your link are realy great<br>

its nice to see cameras like this being used<br>

the lesson ive learned from your photos and Mikes is to convert the realy old cameras too <br>

many thanks for your post you have made my day with photos like this<br>

regards Andrew</p>

<p> </p>

<p>thought id add this<br /> Reference.................. Peter A Lerro Sr August 10 2008 revised October 1 2008<br /> Film advance chart for a 616 camera loaded with 120 rollfilm<br /> exp no...... film no<br /> 1.............. 3<br /> 2.............. 5 1/2<br /> 3.............. 8<br /> 4 ..............10 1/2<br /> 5.............. 13<br /> 6.............. 15 1/2<br /> hope this is of use<br /> regards Andrew</p>

<p>I have had great results with meniscus lenses in most early 20th century Kodak folding and box cameras. Better than with 1950s equivalents.<br />The slight front focussing you see with this current setup in the No.2A as probably due to the plasticard film mask I used is still a little too thick. I'll probably go with just scotch tape to hold the mask in place inside the film frame window next time.<br>

<br />The frame advance sequence you've posted is the same thing I did, except I started half a frame earlier. Both ways leave enough space at both ends of the film strip though.</p>

 

<p>you've certainly gave me an interest in early cameras<br>

I think I got too hung up on more modern lenses in general as ive just completed a collection of large format lenses for my 5x4 camera all newer lenses and have been lost in research<br>

I forgot whats important in photography like taking pictures<br>

ive a few 120 folders too id got to the point that if it wasn't a tessar or xpress I didn't want to know then I converted my first 616 and am planning on more which will now include early cameras too the results from your 2a impressed me I wouldn't have given a camera like yours a second glance but that's now changed<br>

its easy to get lost in lens reviews and just assume pre 1930 stuff isn't worth using<br>

I came up with my own film advance chart <br>

the first exposure comes at 2 on the film<br>

then 4.4 7 9.5 12 14.5 <br>

Peters yours and mine all work<br>

I look forward to getting some early cameras to use with their original lenses ive found a few with no lenses too<br>

id like to fit no 0 Schneider ,topcor,Fuji or horse man lenses in them this misses the point of using the early lenses but it will bring these lens less cameras into use with modern lenses<br>

post some more photos some time id like to see them<br>

regards Andrew</p>

 

<p>You can also buy old (but not too old) 116 film on eBay. From the 1970's, it usually works just fine.</p>