220 film used in "special equipment"

David A. Goldfarb

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I tend to shoot a lot more 120 than 220, if only because more films that I like come that way and until now, only my Bronica backs were capable of handling 220, but I just got a new-to-me 220 insert for my Linhof 6x7 backs and picked up a Pro-Pack of TXP from Calumet and noticed the extra start line for "special equipment" that uses 220 film, as opposed to the start line for conventional cameras.

So what is this "special equipment"? Does it create a significant market for 220?
 

Alexander Ghaffari

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I never figured that out either, I always used the camera start line for my Mamiya backs and my rolls always turned out fine.
 

Chazzy

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I've always wondered about this myself. Maybe PE can enlighten us.
 

SuzanneR

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I figured out the hard way, that line for "special equipment" is for backs that load more automatically than a manual camera. For a little while I had a Mamiya 645AF, and I would load the film to that ""special equipment" line, and the camera and back would do the rest. My manual cameras... the Mamiya RZ, and the Mamiya 7 I use the "standard line" before I close up the back. And pull the film forward until the counter gets to "1"
 

Ian Grant

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The special equipment part is just because few people have 220 backs/film holders, meaning it's specialised and doesn't fit all 120 cameras.

Most photographers I know never used 220 film, and I'm talking about Industrial, Commercial, Advertising pro's, in fact it was usually a special order film size outside London in the UK.

Ian
 

fatboy22

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If I remember correctly special equipment early start line is for film backs like the calumet C2 roll back that fits on 4x5 view cameras. I got one when I bought my first 4x5 Crown Graphic. It was nice because I could slide it under the ground glass like a film holder. It has a really wierd film loading path. See attached pictures.

Jamie
 

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