120 film lining up at the arrow - why?

[RaymondC]

<p>I loaded my first ever 120 film today :) Good feeling. My curious question is that why line it up at the arrow? The first frame might be off but after each wind of the lever don't you get a fresh frame and a fresh frame and a fresh frame .....</p>

<p>Cheers.</p>

[Jochen_S]

<p>It might be more than 1 frame and since your camera counts them automatically - otherwise it wouldn't need the lining up - it will let you crank infinitly after the usal number are done. - So if you take the first 2 shots on backing paper you'll waste the 11th and 12th too. - There is no such thing as 35mm's 37th frame in 120 MF.</p>

[Ed_Ingold]

A Rolleiflex measures film advance with a toothed wheel. Most MF cameras count turns. An Hasselblad has a cam which

compensates for the growing diameter of the take up spool.

 

You line up on the arrow in order to start past the leading edge of the film where it is taped to the backing paper or leader

(220). You don't want to start too far into the roll as to not run off the trailing end. Half a frame is a wasted frame.

 

A Rolleiflex also senses the thickness where the film is taped. You don't have to line up the arrow. Rollie's are full of

surprises.

[paul ron]

<p>The camera is designed to take up the leader to the begining of the film where it is taped to the backing paper. They make the leader long enough to avoid exposing the film when loading it. If you align the arrow, you will start exactly at the first frame with no wasted film frames.</p>

<p> </p>

[Ed_Ingold]

<p>With an Hasselblad, I usually start the film a little past the arrow (1/4"). The leading end of the film is usually damaged where it is gripped by the processor (or fed into the core of the processing reel). This gives a little more room to trim the film, and have it stay flat for printing or scanning. There's still half a frame or more space at the trailing end.</p>

[david_smith35]

<p><em>An </em>Hasselblad?</p>

[RaymondC]

<p>Thanks all. Impatient so I developed my first roll the same day as the shoot, all came back fine. Oh, RB67 Mamiya. I did go to a gallery and saw a Hasselblad felt like a toy in comparison haha. </p>

[glen_h]

<p>Many 120 cameras use a little window to read numbers on the paper. This automatically lines up with the actual film.</p>

<p>I have found that it is usual for the tail to be longer than the head, that is, more film past the last exposure than before the first. I usually try to load the tank starting with the tail, for that reason. </p>