35mm film in Medium Format Camera

[mikeklensch]

Greetings all,

Has anyone tried using 35mm film in a medium format camera without using a dedicated 35mm back, and not using a Holga? I love the Holga effect where the image bleeds onto the sprocket holes of the film. And I would like to try this in a "higher end" camera like my RB67 or my TLR.

So... is there a way to secure the 35mm film canister so that it mates with the 120 film spool holders? (a way better than the foam tension Holga method).

Thanks for any ideas,
Mike

 

[Pinholemaster]

Mamiya made a 35mm panoramic holder for their Mamiya 7 system. Works great.

 

[Steve Smith]

Use a 120 take up spool and cut another one down to fit into the ends of the 35mm spool. Rewind in a film changing bag or (very) darkroom.

Steve.

 

[mikeklensch]

Thanks Steve,

I thought of this, but the 120 spools are too big in diameter to fit inside the ends of the 35mm canister. Is there a way you could suggest to decrease the 120 spool diameter? Could they be ground down some way?

Thanks,
Mike

Use a 120 take up spool and cut another one down to fit into the ends of the 35mm spool. Rewind in a film changing bag or (very) darkroom.

Steve.

 

[Steve Smith]

I thought of this, but the 120 spools are too big in diameter to fit inside the ends of the 35mm canister. Is there a way you could suggest to decrease the 120 spool diameter? Could they be ground down some way?

Have a look at this: http://www.geocities.com/brandonshahan/35mminbrownie2ab.html

A similar idea but using even bigger 116 size spools in an old box camera.

This method just uses a couple of wooden spacers to hold the 35mm roll in place.


Steve.

 

[k_jupiter]

Mike,

I have done the research on an rb67 back. I first thought... use the innards of my Yashica 635. I figuring out it's possible if you glue the take up reel to the idler part of the reel together, I started looking at 120 spools so I wouldn't destroy a perfectly good 635 135 adapter.

If you have a lathe, it's easy. turn a cylinder the width of the 120 spool. place the turned cylinder in a chuck driven by the head stock and drill a hole the diameter of the spool shaft in the end of the cylinder using a tailstock mounted chuck and bit. Then slice off 2 of these sections, 1/4 inch thick, of this cylinder and split them in half. Place both over the spool leaving enough room in the center section of the spool for 135 film. Glue the split parts together to capture the 135 film in the center of the spool. Make another for the take up spool.

Now... get a roll of 135 film, you know, 100 feet long. Put the first empty spool on your take up side of your rb back. Thread the 135 film onto the spool in complete darkness. Advance the back 11 shots., Heck make it 12 for comfort. Take the spool off, put it on the other side of the back and feed the thread as if it were 120 film. Take the other empty modified spool and put it on the take up side of the film back. Thread the film on the the spool, advance one crank, then close up the film holder. Put it on the camera, take your 10 24mmx70mm shots, and advance the film until it comes off the original spool. Unload the back in dark please. Load film onto the development reel of your choice.

Process film at this point.


Simple, eh?

tim in san jose

 

[pauliej]

I have seen where others (in F295.org, Flickr, etc) have suggested taking 120 backing paper and taping the film and rolling into the spool. Just like 120 film, it's just smaller. I dont know if your back will have any issues if the 35mm film is slightly thicker or not. This method would probably work better than NOT using the backing paper, just taping the film to a 120 spool and loading up in the darkroom. Seems a lot easier to throw it into a Holga.

Of course, this would help if you are developing the film yourself, not sending out to a lab.

I hope this helps you.

Paul

 

[David William White]

I just respool

I just lay out 3 or 4 used 120 rolls on my darkroom table (safelight off) and then tape down 35mm and wind them back up. Only takes a few minutes. Nothing special required.

 

[mikeklensch]

Wow... thank you all for the replies. You all have some great ideas... I especially like the ones regarding taping the 35mm film to 120 paper. Seems like an elegant solution.

I also posted this question to another forum and got some equally creative ideas. They also included shaving down a 120 spool to fit inside of the canister, and also just using wooden dowels that fit in the canister and cutting them to the length of a 120 spool. But one reply was from a fellow that does exactly what I'm looking to do, and he used the plastic tube from a Bic Biro pen to perfectly fit inside the 35mm canister, and then cut it to the correct size. I thought that was brilliant. And he used this set-up on an RB and a TLR... just like I want to do. He posted his results and the images are beautiful. So I'll probably give this a try, as well as experimenting with whittling down a 120 spool.

Thanks so much again. You all are a great wealth of knowledge

Mike

 

[GM Bennett]

I was browsing through Flickr's RB67 pics and came across this, which is no doubt the mod Mike's referring to. Very cool!

 

[paxette]

Is there a way you could suggest to decrease the 120 spool diameter? Could they be ground down some way?

I cut a 120 spool down and glue a popsicle stick into the end, like this. The film gets wound onto a spare 35mm canister.

Because I did this for the holga I never bothered with the other end but, I suspect if you cut another 120 end off and made another blade with a groove in it for the other end of the film canister it just might work.

hope this helps

 

[mikeklensch]

Yet another awesome idea. Thank you so much,... it does help

Mike

 

[max_ebb]

If you're using an RB67 back, you'll need to use the paper from a roll of film if you want the frame counter to work, because the little wheel that drives the frame counter is at the outer edge of the frame. Obviously, having the frame counter work isn't critical though.

 

[accozzaglia]

Hi. I'm fairly new to medium, and this is something I'd like to try. I have a Pentax 645, and I noticed in the manual (and looking, of course, at the 120 and 220 backs) that there are two "contacts" on the plate. I didn't find out in the manual how they are relevant to camera operation.

If 35mm were loaded, not touching either contact, does it basically mean the camera assumes the back is empty? If so, is there a workaround? thanks.

 

[Tyro Prate]

Hello. I am new to all of this kind of thing, and I have what may be a dumb question. I recently started using 35mm film in an old Brownie I have. I don't develop my own photos, so how do you get the lab to develop them with the sprocket holes?

Thanks.

 

[pauliej]

Tyro, you should tell your lab to print the photos so the sprocket holes will show. If they just run thru their machine, they wont show the holes. This may add to printing cost at your lab. They need to print using medium format mask (or something), I dont know exactly how they do it for these. If you check on the Flickr.com or Squarefrog.com web sites and look for Sprocket holes they will describe it much better than I do. And, be SURE to tell them to hand cut the negatives (if you want them cut) as they will NOT be the standard 24x36mm image size.

http://www.flickr.com/groups/holga135/discuss/72157603581821777/

I hope this helps you. And Welcome to the APUG group!

Paul

 

[pgomena]

Rollei used to make a 35mm adapter for its TLRs. Rolleikin was its name, I believe. Not all camera models would accept the adapter. They used to turn up at photo swap meets once in a while, so they are available somewhere. Such an adapter may be too perfect for the effect you seek.

Peter Gomena

 

[k_jupiter]

Rollei used to make a 35mm adapter for its TLRs. Rolleikin was its name, I believe. Not all camera models would accept the adapter. They used to turn up at photo swap meets once in a while, so they are available somewhere. Such an adapter may be too perfect for the effect you seek.

Peter Gomena

That adapter is like the Yashica 635 adapter and it has a mask that keeps the sprocket holes from being exposed. It gives you 24x35 (or so) mm images.

The nice thing about the Yashica is the 80mm lens makes a nice portrait lens.

tim in san jose

 

[sjperry]

I regularly use a Rollekin adapter on my Rolleiflex 2.8E. I shoot 35mm for things I sell on ebay (it's a business with me). The adapter works very well - it is thoroughly professional. As someone else pointed out different Rolleikins were used with different Rollei's so make sure you get one that works with your camera.

 

[Tomchy]

Check out this easy tutorial that I followed.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dfluff/338685642/

Here's a photo I shot using this technique.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/253/535709774_f10397d539_o.jpg

 

[Xax]

i did it really really easily.

just cut off an empty 120 spool with a saw, since it has spaces in it already, you just need to grind the sides a bit and et voila, you can put it into the 35mm can without a problem, i can use it like a 120 spool then, took me 5 minutes with a saw

 

[mabman]

Also, for about US$20 on eBay you can buy a 35mm adaptor kit for the Meopta Flexaret line of Czech TLRs - search for "flexaret 35mm" to see what I mean - the ones for the Flexaret V and higher come with 2 tabs for holding the 35mm spool in place, a modified take-up spool, and a part specific to the Flexarets, all in a carrying case. They're very common (EDIT: ...and, of course, after I post this I actually check, and there aren't any today Oh, well, worth keeping an eye out regardless).

Mine is on it's way - I also have a Flexaret, so this will serve its original intended purpose as well on occasion (the Flexarets designed to shoot 24mm square images on 35mm film natively in addition to 6x6 on 120 film).

 

[Anscojohn]

Take pictures with your high end MF. Develop and fix a couple frames of unexposed 35mm film. Make a sandwich with your image negative and the clear 35mm film and print them frames and all. Voila. Instant Holga with a one thousand dollar camera!

John, Mount Vernon, Virginia USA

 

[Q.G.]

And it's even easier when walking the digital (post-processing) route:

See what a fine BW film Kodak's Portra makes!