Cutting down 105mm microfilm, anyone want 122? What's the exact size of that?

MCB18 · Wednesday at 10:17 PM

Hi all! I found sone large, 105mm rolls of microfilm online, and a friend of mine has been testing it and gotten good results. It’s pretty slow, 12-ish ISO, but extrenely fine grain and the contrast is actually reasonable. I was planning on making a slitter for it, capable of cutting 70mm and 61mm strips (which as a byproduct would also cut 35mm and 44mm strips, as well as 9mm Minox film if I use both the blades at once).

However, I remembered that there were a couple of folks here interested in 122 film, so though I wasn’t personally planning on using 122, I thought I’d see if anyone else had any interest in this film in 122, and have exact measurements for it. Nearest I can find is that it’s 89mm, is that correct? I can’t roll 122 film myself but I could probably make bulk rolls if anyone wanted.

Hunter_Compton · 2025-08-07T12:23:03-0400

Checking some negatives and original rolls of Kodak Verichrome Pan I have, the film itself is 92mm wide and the backing paper is 94mm wide.

MCB18 · 2025-08-07T15:18:31-0400

Hunter_Compton said:
Checking some negatives and original rolls of Kodak Verichrome Pan I have, the film itself is 92mm wide and the backing paper is 94mm wide.

I was told by someone that rolls it that 89mm is what they use, both when cutting and when they get NDT film. I might go with that size as it would give me a 16mm strip that might actually be useful to someone else.

Hunter_Compton · 2025-08-07T18:29:09-0400

It would probably be fine, I'm just giving you original dimensions since that's what you asked for

MCB18 · 2025-08-07T21:08:59-0400

Hunter_Compton said:
It would probably be fine, I'm just giving you original dimensions since that's what you asked for

I appreciate that, thank you. I’ll ask for an 89mm blade to be added to the slitter, worst case I just don’t end up using it. I believe that it will fit on a 122 reel for developing, but I’m not sure as I’ve never seen one measured with precision. I do recall seeing 90mm reels on eBay, but never bought one because I didn’t know what they were for.

Hunter_Compton · 2025-08-07T21:47:29-0400

The one I made was for a Paterson tank, by splitting the reel and pinning it onto the agitator column, but it was pinned at 92mm to fit the film I had to develop.

MCB18 · 2025-08-07T22:08:07-0400

Hunter_Compton said:
The one I made was for a Paterson tank, by splitting the reel and pinning it onto the agitator column, but it was pinned at 92mm to fit the film I had to develop.

I’m pretty sure it would still work? Not sure though.

Hunter_Compton · 2025-08-07T22:10:57-0400

Given that the Paterson ribs on the reel are only about 2-3mm tall, I would expect the 89mm film would fall out. Not the worst thing to adjust it to fit though.

I can't say I would actually buy any film slit to that width though, I have plenty of roll film 5" and 9.5" wide. The slitter itself would be more useful to me if offered as a product.

nosmok · 2025-08-07T22:17:46-0400

I made a 122 developing reel by cutting a 120 reel in half, and jamming the halves onto a fat dowel (yes, the 122 and 120 film strips are the same length, even though the 122 is much wider. Only 5 exposures per roll for 122). The spacing is slightly adjustable with this method. Once you get it right you can epoxy or tape or screw it together and shave the dowel to length for a double 120 tank.

MCB18 · 2025-08-07T22:19:56-0400

Hunter_Compton said:
Given that the Paterson ribs on the reel are only about 2-3mm tall, I would expect the 89mm film would fall out. Not the worst thing to adjust it to fit though.

I can't say I would actually buy any film slit to that width though, I have plenty of roll film 5" and 9.5" wide. The slitter itself would be more useful to me if offered as a product.

I’m having this slitter made custom for this type of film, unfortunately a universal film slitter is way out of budget. There is a product that will do exactly what I need, but it’s $4,000…

Hunter_Compton · 2025-08-07T22:20:45-0400

nosmok said:
I made a 122 developing reel by cutting a 120 reel in half, and jamming the halves onto a fat dowel (yes, the 122 and 120 film strips are the same length, even though the 122 is much wider. Only 5 exposures per roll for 122). The spacing is slightly adjustable with this method. Once you get it right you can epoxy or tape or screw it together and shave the dowel to length for a double 120 tank.

The Verichrome Pan rolls Kodak was making before it was finally discontinued in 1974 were six exposures. Catalogs of the 1910s and 20s reference 10, 6 and 2 exposure rolls all being common when the cameras were new. No mention of 5 exposure rolls.

MCB18 · 2025-08-07T22:33:16-0400

Hunter_Compton said:
I can't say I would actually buy any film slit to that width though, I have plenty of roll film 5" and 9.5" wide. The slitter itself would be more useful to me if offered as a product.

This is the slitter that I would like to get, but it is unfortunately way out of reach.

Labelmate Complete Off-line Slitting Package SLIT-200-DELUXE - Shop De

Labelmate Complete Off-line Slitting Package SLIT-200-DELUXE - Complete Off-line Slitting Package, 3 blades. Number of Blades: 3 Max. Media Width: 10” (254mm)

cardboardcore.com

nosmok · 2025-08-08T03:30:24-0400

Hunter_Compton said:
The Verichrome Pan rolls Kodak was making before it was finally discontinued in 1974 were six exposures. Catalogs of the 1910s and 20s reference 10, 6 and 2 exposure rolls all being common when the cameras were new. No mention of 5 exposure rolls.

Well, this wouldn't be the first time I've been mistaken. Doing the math, a 6 exposure 122 roll has 84cm of nominal film frame; a 120 roll has 72cm. It's been a while since I shot 122, probably I just let the last frame hang outside the reel. A 220 reel could be repurposed in a similar way to get the whole 122 roll in, but a metal central spindle and welding or soldering might be needed since the center is smaller.

nosmok · 2025-08-08T03:32:59-0400

MCB18 said:
Hi all! I found sone large, 105mm rolls of microfilm online, and a friend of mine has been testing it and gotten good results. It’s pretty slow, 12-ish ISO, but extrenely fine grain and the contrast is actually reasonable. I was planning on making a slitter for it, capable of cutting 70mm and 61mm strips (which as a byproduct would also cut 35mm and 44mm strips, as well as 9mm Minox film if I use both the blades at once).

However, I remembered that there were a couple of folks here interested in 122 film, so though I wasn’t personally planning on using 122, I thought I’d see if anyone else had any interest in this film in 122, and have exact measurements for it. Nearest I can find is that it’s 89mm, is that correct? I can’t roll 122 film myself but I could probably make bulk rolls if anyone wanted.

By the way, I would be interested in some of the 122 microfilm if you get this off the ground.

Taurabon · 2025-08-08T04:37:39-0400

Hunter_Compton said:
The Verichrome Pan rolls Kodak was making before it was finally discontinued in 1974 were six exposures. Catalogs of the 1910s and 20s reference 10, 6 and 2 exposure rolls all being common when the cameras were new. No mention of 5 exposure rolls.

I recall that 122 roll film was discontinued in 1971. Its expiration date may have been 1974.
The Autographic-era 6-exposure 122 roll film I developed the other day was about 38 inches long.

MCB18 · 2025-08-08T10:14:42-0400

nosmok said:
By the way, I would be interested in some of the 122 microfilm if you get this off the ground.

I’ll let you know how it goes. If things go well I can probably sell bulk lengths relatively cheap, but I probably won’t be able to spool it on spools myself unless I find a good way to mark the paper. Best I can do currently is sharpie and I don’t know how that will affect any film rolled in it.

If anyone is willing to spot me a 122 spool with some backing paper as a reference, I can potentially make a test roll to see if the marker would affect the film in the long term.

Cutting down 105mm microfilm, anyone want 122? What's the exact size of that?

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency