122 film?

[elisewin]

hello all,
I am in the process of buying a folding pocket kodak but i'd also like to put my hands on some 122 film to make the camera in "perfect" working condition (as it is meant to be a present). Does anyone know where I can purchase it?
Many thanks

Elisa

 

[CRhymer]

http://www.centralcamera.com/Film/Film-for-Older-Cameras/Type-122-Black-White-Film/

Cheers,
Clarence

 

[elisewin]

thanks!
...does anyone know if there is a place in the UK?!?

 

[jasonhall]

Are you sure you don't want to find a folder that uses 120 film instead?

 

[CRhymer]

Hello Elisa,

I don't know if you are aware of the actual size of the film (3 1/4" x 5 1/2", if I recall correctly). I don't know of any other source. Some people (me included) re-spool their own obsolete formats from cut down cirkut film or aerial film, which is difficult to find and only available in large, expensive rolls. This is a big project. It is also a bit tricky to develop the film, although it can be done by see-sawing it through the chemicals. It is a large enough format to make decent contact prints. One can use paper negatives cut to size, or orthochromatic film in single sheets cut to size under an appropriate safe-light, or panchromatic sheet film in the dark - also a lot of work. It depends on the recipient of the gift. Would they be happy doing all this? If they have a darkroom and enjoy a challenge, it could be a lot of fun.

Just some thoughts.

Cheers,
Clarence

 

[DannL]

At this very moment I am in the process of converting a Kodak 3-A Pocket Folding Camera to use the 120 film roll. It should be a piece of cake. I'll post the final results if everything is successful.

 

[elisewin]

wow!
thanks to all for your help. DannL, let me know how it goes and...good luck!

 

[mhcfires]

I have six rolls of the stuff, VP122. It is old, Kodak stopped making it in the early 70's. A Nikor reel for 122 film recently went on ebay for well over $100. NO WAY was I going to spend that much money for a reel. I have been developing it by the see-saw method. It works, but is a PITA. I'm going to try and modify a Unicolor plastic reel to take the film, it is about 90mm wide. Another project for the future.

 

[Martin Reed]

122 is a very interesting format, because it was the one designed to produce 'postcard' size prints by contact. My grandparents used theirs until the film ran out, one online source cites 1971. If any extra large roll film format deserved to be resurrected this is possibly the one. How much support would there be for a facility which was geared up to make up these discontinued formats? As we're talking about stimulating film use at all levels, maybe getting film into antique roll cameras would be a positive move?

 

[athanasius80]

If we were to resurrect 116 and 122, that would get a lot of old folders clicking away again!

 

[spoolman]

122 film

Atanasius 80:If anyone can convince a film manufacturer to produce 116 and 122 size films I'll take 20 rolls of each,if its B&W.The 122 alone will feed my 3 3a cameras:A 3A autographic,3A Special and a Folmer and Schwing 3A SLR.

Doug

 

[Martin Reed]

I hadn't been aware that Central Camera actually stock 122, although from the price it looks like they're being made on a 1-off basis. If a certain amount of streamlining was made, possibly using inkjet techniques to print backing paper, developing methods of slitting etc, probably these formats could be pulled down in price.

 

[CRhymer]

Hello Martin,

I don't know if Central Camera actually stocks it. I will give them a call. Film for Classics cuts and spools it, but they no longer sell to the public. Central and B&H distribute for them, but B&H does not handle the 122. I could use a few extra 122 and 103 spools. Backing paper would be nice too, but I make my own from Exeter Paper - Glossy Black. At $37.00 US per roll of film, plus shipping to Canada, work-arounds are very attractive. On the other hand, it is nice that someone is still has it on offer.

Cheers,
Clarence

 

[elisewin]

thank you guys for all the infos. I will let you know if I find something!

 

[John Shriver]

The Film for Classics 122 is probably microfilm these days. Interesting to process to moderate contrast.

TMY-2 in 122 would be just amazing. I'd be glad to have it in 116 and 616, however I was lucky enough to get a 100 foot roll of 70mm Tri-X, so I can make my own TX116 and TX616.

I suspect the big bugaboo is getting spools made. At least the patents have expired.

 

[CRhymer]

The Film for Classics 122 is probably microfilm these days. Interesting to process to moderate contrast.

TMY-2 in 122 would be just amazing. I'd be glad to have it in 116 and 616, however I was lucky enough to get a 100 foot roll of 70mm Tri-X, so I can make my own TX116 and TX616.


I suspect the big bugaboo is getting spools made. At least the patents have expired.

You may be right about it being microfilm, but I wonder why you might think that.

Would you settle for HP5+ ?

I am sure I can make the spools, but I am not too keen on marketing them. The wooden cores are dead simple, but the die for the ends is a job of work.

Cheers,
Clarence

 

[spoolman]

122 film

I found a company in the GTA that does relatively small runs of anything plastic and they produce the injection molds for whatever you want produced.I was going to see how much it would cost to produce 116,616 and 122 spools in plastic but I've been preoccupied with other issues.Maybe someone could look into this method of re-producing the spools.I know plastic is not the original material used but if it allows otherwise perfectly good but unuseable cameras to be used, why not?,

 

[CRhymer]

Why not indeed! I am not sure if the ends of the spools can be made thin enough in plastic to allow them to fit all cameras. It may not be a problem, but I have had some problems with 120 plastic spools in some old (made for 120) cameras. I don't recall offhand which cameras, or whose film it was - perhaps other than Kodak, Ilford or Fuji. I don't personally need a large number of any one type, but the idea has merit.

Cheers,
Clarence

 

[Martin Reed]

Perhaps a little film width could be sacrificed to enable the plastic flanges to be thicker. Also maybe another approach could be to have a modular system, a flange + spindle which was trimmed to necessary length & paired with another, being joined in the middle with a central plug. This could maybe service a number of formats, and the components required would be only 2 pieces.

 

[CRhymer]

Hello Martin,

Slightly smaller film width will most likely work in most cameras. However, the Exeter paper I use for backing needs all the width available to ride properly on the curved back of the #4 Panoram (size 103 spool). This paper does not have the exact characteristics of regular backing paper. If I understand you correctly, the modular system could work for a number of film sizes, but the ends of some obsolete spools have different diameters, such as fit the Graflex roll film backs in the #'s 53 and 51, IIRC. There would have to be accommodation for the tops (backing paper leaders) to be inserted in a slot in the middle of the spool, but I am sure that could be sorted out.

Cheers,
Clarence

 

[Martin Reed]

There isn't actually an essential need for a slot, is there? It probably helps to center the paper, but a small piece of adhesive tape should do the job just as well if the paper is lined up properly.

 

[pgtips]

620 alone would be a godsend (it's all but identical to 120, I can't see why it stopped), no more spool changes in the darkroom.