Loading 120 Film

I just purchased a Kiev 88 with two film magazines. I have ordered a manual. But until it arrives, I don't know how to how far to advance the film in the magazine before taking my first picture. Currently I advance till I see the #2 in the peep-hole on the back of the magazine. I never see #1 go past. Is there a starting point?

 

<p>

 

Thanks,

I have the same system you describe and I load the film until I see #1 appear in the peep-hole. I have never had any difficulties in this regard. Perhaps you wind to fast at first?. Without knowing what film(s) you are using I can't make any other suggestions.

 

<p>

 

 

Good luck,

 

<p>

 

A. T. Seliotis

I used to have a Kiev 88, and you are, in fact, supposed to wind until the 'one's' appear in the window. With TMax 100, I seem to remember it being two one's, above each other, but they're going by sideways, so they look more like a short dotted line. With the backs I had (most Kiev backs, I hear) you could just about get 13 full exposures on a roll of 120, depending on what brand of film you used. With TMax 100, the 13th frame was usually cut off a little at the top, so you can compose in the bottom part of the viewfinder and crop it yourself later. With Fuji NPS 160, I usually got a full 13 frames with a little to spare. It's worth a try, just don't shoot anything irreplaceable on that 13th frame.