35mm to 120 Converters

Montaggio · Nov 3, 2017

Has anyone tried the plastic 35mm to 120 spool adapters? I see that Japan Camera Hunter website has them. Also some on eBay. Wondering how well they work, how you attach to takeup spool side and how you rewind the 35mm after exposing. Looking at trying in my ETRSi.

pentaxuser · Nov 3, 2017

I'd be interested to know how they work.Perhaps you can explain? Thanks

pentaxuser

Sirius Glass · Nov 3, 2017

There is a hard to find device that Hasselblad sold that would allow someone to load a 35mm roll into a Hasselblad and take long vertical 35mm negatives. I would be interested in building/buying and playing with a device like that.

mweintraub · Nov 3, 2017

I made my own by hacking away at a 120 spool. I'm sure the 3D printed ones would be better.

Montaggio · Nov 3, 2017

Yes, and Bronica has film backs that take 35mm in medium format backs. But these adapters look to be basically cylindrical plastic pieces that are the diameter of a roll of 120. One snaps onto each end of a 35mm roll of film. The 3 pieces snapped together end up being the exact dimensions of a roll of 120, with the 120 "keyhole" ends. Presumably the full thing snaps in where a roll would normally go - and I guess you pull the film out, around the back - and then put the 35mm leader into the centre of a 120 take up spool. I guess if you get the alignment right, it must track squarely for exposure. I'm thinking upyou then guesstimate the position in the viewfinder and, when roll is done, either open back in darkness and put film directly onto a developing reel - or somehow roll it back into the 35mm cassette in the dark?

Sirius Glass · Nov 3, 2017

I would need two devices, one for each end of the roll and then either advance it into another cassette or rewind it in the dark.

RalphLambrecht · Nov 3, 2017

Montaggio said:
Yes, and Bronica has film backs that take 35mm in medium format backs. But these adapters look to be basically cylindrical plastic pieces that are the diameter of a roll of 120. One snaps onto each end of a 35mm roll of film. The 3 pieces snapped together end up being the exact dimensions of a roll of 120, with the 120 "keyhole" ends. Presumably the full thing snaps in where a roll would normally go - and I guess you pull the film out, around the back - and then put the 35mm leader into the centre of a 120 take up spool. I guess if you get the alignment right, it must track squarely for exposure. I'm thinking upyou then guesstimate the position in the viewfinder and, when roll is done, either open back in darkness and put film directly onto a developing reel - or somehow roll it back into the 35mm cassette in the dark?

Why not just use 120 film and only use the part of the negative you want? You can make a mask for the viewfinder to aid composing.

Montaggio · Nov 3, 2017

Partly just because it looks like fun - partly because it should also expose the full width, including the outside perforated tracks.

itsdoable · Nov 3, 2017

Years(!!) ago I built my own from 120 spools to run 35mm Kodachrome through a Pentax 6x7 - like as a cheap xpan. I only built one set, ran the film into another cassette (so you could change film it in day light), and rewound back afterwards in a dark bag to send it off for processing.

Richard Man · Nov 3, 2017

It's a lot of fun. You can have 135mm pano with sprocket holes. Sadly, the Hasselblad is not so great because it's vertical pano unless you turn the camera sideway, which means using a prism instead of WLF...

Sirius Glass · Nov 3, 2017

RalphLambrecht said:
Why not just use 120 film and only use the part of the negative you want? You can make a mask for the viewfinder to aid composing.

Because if I get motivated to do it, I might be fun for a week or two.

Richard Man said:
It's a lot of fun. You can have 135mm pano with sprocket holes. Sadly, the Hasselblad is not so great because it's vertical pano unless you turn the camera sideway, which means using a prism instead of WLF...

Exactly what is wrong with a prism other than it gets rid of that pesky right left reversal problem.

Richard Man · Nov 3, 2017

Sirius Glass said:
Exactly what is wrong with a prism other than it gets rid of that pesky right left reversal problem.

Nothing wrong with a prism (I use a PM5 "as needed") except that it's heavier and your camera is sideway.

Down Under · Nov 3, 2017

Rolleiflexes and Rolleicords had an accessory 35mm kit with an insert and gearing spools etc, to enable the cameras to shoot 35mm film. Earlier (pre 1950) Rolleis could also be converted using a full 35mm back, I have one of these which I found very cheaply at a deceased estate. It works perfectly on all Rolleis, even my 2.8E2.

The one flaw is the Rollei TLRs then have to be used sideways for horizontals so they are best for portraits and close ups of pots of pretty flowers etc. Landscape shooters would be most annoyed.

An old friend has converted (with much effort and even a little blood) a 616 folding camera into a nifty 35mm shooter. Like others, he enjoys the visible sprocket holes as part of his images. Everything he has shot with this home made gadget has been mostly out of focus except for the infinity shots, and otherwise quite terrible, but we haven't the heart to tell him, he is so proud of those images and his efforts.

Like Sirius Glass (#11), I use mine one or two times a year for the fun of it. As a play thing, fine. For serious work, no thanks.

Posted entirely Without Prejudice, just sayin'...

apoglass · Nov 3, 2017

The extremely rare Hasselblad A2035 (vertical 35mm) factory magazine is a custom made item of which only three were supposedly ever made (for one customer "ellison-cobra" in 1987 for $3,000 each). If price is no object, your timing is incredible, as one of the three is currently [Nov. 3, 2017] for sale from that customer on the big auction site (#362142537580).

On the other hand, a nice Rolleikin 2 adapter for a Rolleiflex is quite affordable.

Richard Man · Nov 4, 2017

ozmoose said:
...
An old friend has converted (with much effort and even a little blood) a 616 folding camera into a nifty 35mm shooter. Like others, he enjoys the visible sprocket holes as part of his images. Everything he has shot with this home made gadget has been mostly out of focus except for the infinity shots, and otherwise quite terrible, but we haven't the heart to tell him, he is so proud of those images and his efforts.

Write up an Artist Statement and show them to art galleries. This is what differentiates a photographer from an artist

AgX · Nov 4, 2017

Montaggio said:
But these adapters look to be basically cylindrical plastic pieces that are the diameter of a roll of 120. One snaps onto each end of a 35mm roll of film. The 3 pieces snapped together end up being the exact dimensions of a roll of 120, with the 120 "keyhole" ends.

But this is only part of the story.
For true use you would need a means to keep the film in the focal plane: there is no guidance for the film rebates and the pressure plate is too far off.

k.hendrik · Nov 4, 2017

easy peasy Home made & suitable for every 120 spool and all camera's.

paul ron · Nov 4, 2017

this link works to amazons adapter

https://www.amazon.com/Kodak-camera-adapters-Canon-Nikon/dp/B071CJH46S

k.hendrik · Nov 4, 2017

in the same time you're horsing around with the link I cut two old 120 spools AND for free

Sirius Glass · Nov 4, 2017

paul ron said:
get them from amazon! mocheesier....

https://www.amazon.com/Kodak-camera-adapters-Canon-Nikon/dp/B071CJH46SS

.

paul ron said:
https://www.amazon.com/Kodak-camera-adapters-Canon-Nikon/dp/B071CJH46SS

Neither work.

Chan Tran · Nov 4, 2017

Why would you want to do that? The result is poorer than using a 35mm camera which can be bought much less expensive. Medium format lenses don't tend to have as high resolution as the 35mm counterpart.

paul ron · Nov 4, 2017

i got it working now... go try again?

https://www.amazon.com/Kodak-camera-adapters-Canon-Nikon/dp/B071CJH46S

amazon has it for $13

AgX · Nov 4, 2017

Chan Tran said:
Why would you want to do that? The result is poorer than using a 35mm camera which can be bought much less expensive. Medium format lenses don't tend to have as high resolution as the 35mm counterpart.

By employing such adapter on a plain MF camera one can yield much higher aspect ratio than with a plain 35mm camera.

k.hendrik · Nov 4, 2017

paul ron said:
i got it working now... go try again?

https://www.amazon.com/Kodak-camera-adapters-Canon-Nikon/dp/B071CJH46S

amazon has it for $13

You're maybe related to this guy Jeffrey P. Bezos?

paul ron · Nov 4, 2017

k.hendrik said:
You're maybe related to this guy Jeffrey P. Bezos?

noooo... no jefferys in my family but i did shake hands with bill gates in 1978. does that make any difference?

35mm to 120 Converters

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