Fuji GX 680 I - 120 film and 220 backs/inserts

[Lukáš Laštovka]

Hi everyone! I just bought a Fuji GX680 I and it should arrive in about two weeks. I found out that the camera only comes with a 220 film magazine. Is there a way to use 120 film with it? I read on the internet that it is possible using a 120 film insert. Is this true? Can I just buy a 120 insert or do I need a whole new magazine? And how do I visually distinguish between a 120 and a 220 insert? Thanks for your help, Lukáš

 

[MattKing]

Hi everyone! I just bought a Fuji GX680 I and it should arrive in about two weeks. I found out that the camera only comes with a 220 film magazine. Is there a way to use 120 film with it? I read on the internet that it is possible using a 120 film insert. Is this true? Can I just buy a 120 insert or do I need a whole new magazine? And how do I visually distinguish between a 120 and a 220 insert? Thanks for your help, Lukáš

I Google translated it to English for you, to help you increase response. Hope that is okay.
If you need the original language as well, feel free to post it again in a subsequent post.
And I tweaked the thread title as well.
Good luck with your information search.

 

[pdccamerqs]

HI Lukáši,

Doufám, že ti to nevadí, ale přeložil jsem tvůj příspěvek do angličtiny.

I hope you don't mind, but I went ahead and translated your post into English.


Your original post:

Hi everyone! I just bought a Fuji GX680 I and it should arrive in about two weeks. I found out that the camera only comes with a 220 film magazine. Is there a way to use 120 film with it? I read on the internet that it is possible using a 120 film insert. Is this true? Can I just buy a 120 insert or do I need a whole new magazine? And how do I visually distinguish between a 120 and a 220 insert? Thanks for your help, Lukáš



My response:


It has been my experience with the GX 680-I cameras (I have two of them), that there are separate film backs for 120 and 220 film, but the film inserts or cassettes are interchangeable, working in both the 120 and 220 backs. I have never tried loading 120 film in a 220 back. I assume that there might be problems with film flatness and the electronic film counter on the 220 back if you used 120 film in the 220 back. Best, Paul

Translation:

Z mých zkušeností s fotoaparáty GX 680-I (mám dva) vyplývá, že pro filmy o velikosti 120 a 220 mm existují samostatné zadní strany, ale filmové vložky nebo kazety jsou zaměnitelné a fungují v obou formátech. Nikdy jsem se nepokoušel vložit film o velikosti 120 mm do zadní strany s 220 mm. Předpokládám, že pokud byste v zadní straně s 220 mm použili film o velikosti 120 mm, mohly by nastat problémy s plochostí filmu a elektronickým počítadlem filmu na zadní straně s 220 mm. S pozdravem, Paul

 

[Lukáš Laštovka]

HI Lukáši,

Doufám, že ti to nevadí, ale přeložil jsem tvůj příspěvek do angličtiny.

I hope you don't mind, but I went ahead and translated your post into English.


Your original post:

Hi everyone! I just bought a Fuji GX680 I and it should arrive in about two weeks. I found out that the camera only comes with a 220 film magazine. Is there a way to use 120 film with it? I read on the internet that it is possible using a 120 film insert. Is this true? Can I just buy a 120 insert or do I need a whole new magazine? And how do I visually distinguish between a 120 and a 220 insert? Thanks for your help, Lukáš



My response:


It has been my experience with the GX 680-I cameras (I have two of them), that there are separate film backs for 120 and 220 film, but the film inserts or cassettes are interchangeable, working in both the 120 and 220 backs. I have never tried loading 120 film in a 220 back. I assume that there might be problems with film flatness and the electronic film counter on the 220 back if you used 120 film in the 220 back. Best, Paul

Translation:

Z mých zkušeností s fotoaparáty GX 680-I (mám dva) vyplývá, že pro filmy o velikosti 120 a 220 mm existují samostatné zadní strany, ale filmové vložky nebo kazety jsou zaměnitelné a fungují v obou formátech. Nikdy jsem se nepokoušel vložit film o velikosti 120 mm do zadní strany s 220 mm. Předpokládám, že pokud byste v zadní straně s 220 mm použili film o velikosti 120 mm, mohly by nastat problémy s plochostí filmu a elektronickým počítadlem filmu na zadní straně s 220 mm. S pozdravem, Paul


View attachment 419808

Thank you for your answer. Do I understand it correctly then, that a 120 roll should serve the purpose and work in a 220 magazine?

 

[loccdor]

You need a 120 back for best results. The insert will not change anything. You can try loading 120 film into a 220, it will think you can take twice as many shots (the second half of the shots will be off the film). The motor may strain more with the thicker material. There may be a change in focus that you see if you shoot at shallow depth of field, but not a problem when stopped down.

 

[pdccamerqs]

Thank you for your answer. Do I understand it correctly then, that a 120 roll should serve the purpose and work in a 220 magazine?

No, I don't think so. While the inserts are all the same and will fit both the 120 and 220 magazines, I agree with locdor that you could have problems with exposure counting since the magazine's electronics will assume you have twice as much film and double the exposures per roll. Also, since the 220 film has no paper backing like 120 film, the 120 film will have a slightly different lens to film distance which could cause focus issues at large apertures. I would try to find a 120 back.

 

[sonora]

Wouldn't the pressure plate keep the film pressed forward at the correct film plane, no matter what thickness the film actually is? It's not like 120 film is all the same thickness anyway.
I think the only difference should be counting frames and possibly frame spacing (if the magazine calculates the advance by how far the take-up spool is rotated, it'll assume a 220 roll is narrower, leading to wider spacing on 120 film due to the extra thickness from the backing paper)

 

[loccdor]

It's a motor drive camera so if the plate presses too hard there might be a lot of friction in the system. I'd give it a try anyway and shoot a shallow DoF roll to see if focus is close enough.

 

[abruzzi]

Wouldn't the pressure plate keep the film pressed forward at the correct film plane, no matter what thickness the film actually is? It's not like 120 film is all the same thickness anyway.

That's my experience. Every system I've seen is a spring loaded pressure plate that pushes the film forward onto spacing rails at the top and bottom that the film drags along that holds the film at the correct distance. OTOH there is the possible issue that running thicker material (film + backing paper) through the passage could cause significantly more drag and cause jamming or premature wear on components. There are people who have claimed this issue on Pentax 645 cameras but I don't know if that is real or internet lore.

 

[OAPOli]

The pressure plate is 0.1mm closer to the film rails vs. a 120 back, and 120 film is ~0.2mm thick. Since the neutral "correct" position allows the film to float a little bit, effectively the strain is from a 0.05mm of compression from the pressure plate springs. Not too much. The film plane will be correct and maybe a bit flatter.

Hasselblad backs don't allow for the film to float like more modern cameras and the film advance feels fine.

 

[pdccamerqs]

Everything @abruzzi and @OAPOli say make perfect sense to me. Please report your findings and let us know how you make out! Best of luck!

Paul