Will this 'superslide' idea work?

[asimrazakhan]

<p>I've been shooting 35mm color slide film for many years as an enjoyable hobby. My family also really enjoys the slide shows we have every now and then. </p>

<p>I feel that I have very professional results with my Pentax Limited lenses and Pentax gear. And often times I've thought about going up to Medium Format. The only thing that holds me back is that I wouldn't want to start collecting boxes of glass mounted 6x6 slides because of all the weight and bulk. So for this reason I've stuck with 35mm slides.</p>

<p>A few weeks ago I discovered 127 film and realized that I could shoot square superslides and project them with my 35mm Leica Pradovit P300 slide projector. But then I soon realized that 127 color slide film is very expensive and may not be easy to send out for developing. <br>

On the other hand 120 film is readily available, cheaper, has more variety, and easier to find a lab that will develop.</p>

<p>So I started searching for a 120 Medium Format solution. I thought that if I can come across a camera that is light in weight and not bulky, it could complement my 35mm system. </p>

<p>So how would this idea work to give me 4x4 film:<br>

-I could just get a Mamiya 645 Pro with a waist level finder which gives 15 or 16 photos per 120 roll.<br>

-I would use a 35mm f/3.5 and an 80mm f/2.8.<br>

*the 35mm f/3.5 would be a slight wide lens at 4x4.<br>

*the 80mm f/2.8 would be a short tele lens at 4x4. (i don't care too much for a standard lens)<br>

-I would just mask the screen in the viewfinder to correspond with 4x4. <br>

-When I get the roll developed, I would just have to crop the image to 4x4 using a superslide mount as a template.<br>

-The camera with back and both lenses would weight a total of 1700 grams (which is the same as my 35mm system). </p>

<p>So would this idea work? Has anyone tried something like this? I'm just concerned about the Mamiya 645 Pro having a bright enough screen with the waist level finder and the f/2.8 and f/3.5 lenses.</p>

<p> </p>

[AJG]

<p>The short answer is that it would work, but it would be very labor intensive. I once spent a couple of days trimming and mounting 120 slides to fit in a 35 mm projector, and I wouldn't have done it if I hadn't been paid...</p>

[BrianS1664879711]

<p>Once upon a time Mamiya made a film cutter that punched SuperSlide out of 120 film. I had one and it worked, but then I lost it or loaned it to somebody. That tool reduces some of the labor involved and gaives a more accurate square than scissors would.</p>

[BrianS1664879711]

<p>Check with Gepe to see if they still make SuperSlide holders. At one time they made both glass and glassless.</p>

[randall ellis]

<blockquote>

<p>That tool reduces some of the labor involved and gaives a more accurate square than scissors would.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Quite so! I have one and it's a very nice tool. You should be able to find them if you look around a bit and perhaps post a want ad here and there.</p>

<p>- Randy</p>

[jack_welsh]

<p>Gepe still makes the superslide mounts.</p>

[patrick_mont]

<p>Sounds good to me!</p>

[gerry b.]

<p>It can work very well. I have the Mamiya film cutter - KEH sometimes has them in stock - and use a Rolleicord with a 16 exposure adapter to shoot 120 transparencies. Mounting the slides without getting dust in the glass mounts is somewhat tricky, but quite possible using canned air or a rocket blower. One caution: I do not have experience with Leica projectors, but the ability to project superslides with Kodak projectors varies, some models project the slides fine, but there is vignetting with others.<br>

The projected slides are impressive, as they completely fill a square screen.</p>

[mischakoning]

<p>for what it's worth, Hasselblad made a filmback type "A16s" which had a film gate in superslide format. I think this would make cutting somewhat easier. I actually do have one of these but have never used it.</p>

[will_daniel1]

<p>It's too bad Kodak photofinishing bit the dust. Their lab in Rochester would take 120 or 620 6x6 color negative film and develop to a 2X2 slide, either at time of developing or as reprints from the negatives. It was a slick but expensive process, as I recall, and I used the service a lot.</p>

<p><img src="http://www.willdaniel.com/stuff/0104_0807_527.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="700" /></p>

<p>Scan of 2X2 slide made from 120 color film.</p>