Film sources for slitting to Minox format?

I've just ordered a Minox B, several cassettes of film, and a developing tank. The cost of film, however, reinforces my existing desire to slit my own.

I've seen many slitters that convert 35 mm (two strips and discard the perfs) or 16 mm (one central strip, discard perfs), but I don't recall seeing any that do the really economical thing: cut five or six Minox strips out of a 120 roll, to get 10 or 12 loads (after cutting the length in half). Is this because of the difficulty of threading the 120 film into a slitter in the dark, or because there's some physical reason 120 film won't work in the Minox cassette or camera?

I had several slitters made for me, 2 for 120 film. It is possible to slit 16mm and/or Minox film from 120. I slit in a changing back. If you leave just 10mm of 120 film unslit, introduce it into the slitter, close it and then begin to pull, it is easy. With 3D printing and Exacto knife standard blades you can build slitters to your need. As you said, half of a slit fits into a Minox cassette.

I'm not at home at the moment, but I will be back next week and I can post some photos.

I've used the 15+ mm offcut from making 127 from 120 to reload Minolta 16 format cassettes, works great -- but I'm well aware Minox is a different animal from Minolta 16, and wasn't sure how sensitive it is to film base thickness (120 is very slightly thicker base than 35mm, AFAIK). I have (my own design) a 120/127 and 120/3x16 mm slitter that I 3D printed, and if I get my printer going again I could print another blade plate for it that cuts Minox. I'd start it on the paper leader and pull the whole roll through onto another spool, that would help keep things neat.

I've read that Minox cameras are critical on film width, which is where I'd be concerned with a 3D printed slitter. I've sent an email inquiry to Jimmy Li who at least used to make some very nice rolling shear slitters.

I cut 35mm bulk film down instead of film out of cassettes, but obviously cutting down from 120 would be more economical.

The dude from subclub (xkaes? on here) sells slitters in whatever size you want. The biggest issue shooting Minox is getting the cassettes. In the past I've bought them in bulk off Ebay. I think someone sells them (Bluemoon?). You can use either the old metal or the newer plastic ones in the B. The plastic ones are easier to reload but they only hold 36. Metal ones hold 50. Metal ones don't work in the later models.

Thickness shouldn't be an issue. Thinner films will have less space between frames due to the way Minox spaces frames. The width though is important. I can't remember all the measurements I've taken but you should probably limit the width to 9.2mm. Some of the older films were slightly wider IIRC, up to 9.5mm. I made one years ago that is 9.3.

The Jimmy Li slitters shear the film with rollers, rather than using blades; they've got a reputation for precision and durability -- but I've known about Sub Club for a long time, too (I already had years of shooting Minolta 16 when the Web became easily accessible).

Blue Moon sells only loaded cassettes, as far as I've seen -- they claim they're all new cassettes from Minox directly. I ordered four rolls of film, so I'll get four cassettes and their coffin cases -- and, after developing, an opportunity to measure the strip they load. I'll dig on eBay for a couple metal cassettes once I've got the details covered (especially ways to scan and/or print the negatives) -- I don't foresee a lot of need for 50 exposure rolls, but having the option would be good. A full length strip from 120 is a little longer than a 50 roll, if I'm counting correctly (roundly half an inch per frame -- 11 mm plus 2-3 gutter between -- gives 12 inches for 24, 18 for 36, and 25 for 50, but of course you need a couple inches extra at each end for loading the cassette and keeping the tail under control).

What I've read is that nominal film width is 9.2 mm, and some cassettes have more tolerance for over-width film strips than others.

And of course, being able to shoot the finest grained films available for only a couple bucks a load vs. above $15 for a roll for Fomapan is one of the reasons I've kept after getting a Minox.

No response from Jimmy Li at the address I found for him, it's been rather a long time since the post I found and he might not be making slitters any more. I'll get one from Goat Hill instead.

Related question: has anyone got examples of XP2 Super from a Minox? I've enjoyed it a lot in 35 mm, and it lets me shoot at EI 800 (which is conveniently about the full sun limit for a Minox B with 1/1000 and the 3 stop ND filter, but allows hand holdable bright indoor shots), and it certainly seems to do a good job supressing grain with the dye clouds and silver grains together (bleach bypass processing). Also makes the C-41 process a great deal more forgiving; 10% error in time or equivalent in temperature hardly matters (no crossovers or color shifts).

If you've got access to a 3D printer or a friend with one, you could try this.

This version of my film slitter is entirely untested but I've previously printed a variant of this slitter for for doing 120 -> 3x16mm for my minolta 16 and used it successfully. This version requires 7 safety razor blades, two M4 nuts, and two 60ish mm long M4 bolts to assemble.

Thanks, I have an Ender 3 but I haven't heated it up in a couple years -- I was going to convert to direct drive extrusion and then got pulled another direction. I actually have my own designed slitter for 127/16 mm or three 16 mm from 120, and I could pretty easily make another blade plate (assuming FreeCAD will open files I saved 3-4 years ago -- I understand that software has undergone major changes). I've never tested it with film, however. Since my budget has been improving a little recently, I'll probably buy one from Goat Hill -- the prices are reasonable and I won't be gated by having to fix my printer and order new filament before I can slit...

thinkbrown said:

If you've got access to a 3D printer or a friend with one, you could try this.

This version of my film slitter is entirely untested but I've previously printed a variant of this slitter for for doing 120 -> 3x16mm for my minolta 16 and used it successfully. This version requires 7 safety razor blades, two M4 nuts, and two 60ish mm long M4 bolts to assemble.

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Update: this (probably) isn't it. The nominal width I'd set for 120 film was 61mm and while this was fine with my old creality printer it doesn't work with my more accurate Prusa. If your printer runs slightly oversize you may have some luck, but it's too tight if your printer is accurate.

thinkbrown said:

Update: this (probably) isn't it. The nominal width I'd set for 120 film was 61mm and while this was fine with my old creality printer it doesn't work with my more accurate Prusa. If your printer runs slightly oversize you may have some luck, but it's too tight if your printer is accurate.

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I've got one on the way from Goat Hill -- the "Al Spoil" which seems to be adjustable (claim is it'll cut any film to any format, and the seller, our @xkaes , doesn't ask what formats you're cutting or need to wind up with). FWIW, there are adjustments in the slicer that can make your Ender 3 as accurate as your Prusa. Whether it can be precise is a separate question, but if the belt tensions are correct, it ought to do okay.

Jimmy Li still frequently posts on Instagram about his slitters as he makes them. He seems to be mostly (only) making versions with cutting blades instead of rollers now. https://www.instagram.com/minox_riga_user/

Is anyone interested in the odd length of 16mm film left over from slitting 120 down to 127 size I would be happy to give it away. It annoys me to have the left over film and no use for it! I use a Camerhack slitter, just started with it and so far very pleased. FWIW Camerhack have a variety of other slitters (including Minox I think) but that knowledge won't help me find a use for my leftovers.

Cheers Jo

That strip from 120 will make two reloads of about 18 frames for a Minolta 16 or Mamiya 16 compatible camera. Obviously, you need to buy a Kiev 30 (which will put a 13x17 frame on that film -- that's effectively 1/4 of a 35 mm frame). It's got a fully manual shutter, focusing triplet f/2.8 lens. IMO, it's the best Minolta-compatible camera out there, combining the compactness of a Minolta 16 II with the large image area, focusing lens and wider shutter speed range of the MGs.

mzjo said:

Is anyone interested in the odd length of 16mm film left over from slitting 120 down to 127 size I would be happy to give it away. It annoys me to have the left over film and no use for it! I use a Camerhack slitter, just started with it and so far very pleased. FWIW Camerhack have a variety of other slitters (including Minox I think) but that knowledge won't help me find a use for my leftovers.

Cheers Jo

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GOATHILL makes slitters that cut 120, 65mm or 70mm film into 127 PLUS either Minox or 16mm/110 at the same time.

Donald Qualls said:

Obviously, you need to buy a Kiev 30 (which will put a 13x17 frame on that film -- that's effectively 1/4 of a 35 mm frame). It's got a fully manual shutter, focusing triplet f/2.8 lens. IMO, it's the best Minolta-compatible camera out there,

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You're right. The Kiev 30 is a winner, but the Kiev 30M is almost as good. It just lacks the exposure guide on the body and lacks a PC connection. Then there are the Kiev 30 models -- which comes in various colors -- and add FOUR shutter speeds instead of only three.

Fortunately you can use Minolta 16 type cassettes in the Kiev cameras, but you won't get as many exposures as you would if you used a Kiev cassette because the Minolta cassettes can't hold as much film.

xkaes said:

You're right. The Kiev 30 is a winner, but the Kiev 30M is almost as good. It just lacks the exposure guide on the body and lacks a PC connection. Then there are the Kiev 30 models -- which comes in various colors -- and add FOUR shutter speeds instead of only three.

Fortunately you can use Minolta 16 type cassettes in the Kiev cameras, but you won't get as many exposures as you would if you used a Kiev cassette because the Minolta cassettes can't hold as much film.

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With modern thin-base films, it's quite practical to get 30 frames (even at 13x17, that's only about 26-27 inches) in a Minolta cassette. The supply chamber is the same, so if you can roll it tight enough for a Kiev cassette, you can do the same for a Minolta cassette. The smaller drive fork and takeup drum in the Kiev isn't (in my experience) critical unless you're using a thicker base film.

With microfilm being super thin, you can get a lot of film into a 16mm or 110 camera. The problem is the film exposure counter -- which will "run out" before the film does.

xkaes said:

With microfilm being super thin, you can get a lot of film into a 16mm or 110 camera. The problem is the film exposure counter -- which will "run out" before the film does.

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Well, and with a turns counting system like all the non-sprocket subminis I've seen, you'll get narrowing frame spacing due to the very thin film building up less radius as you advance. I've shot 30+ frames in a Minolta and it works fine, you just don't have any idea how much film you have left after you pass 20 (or 30 on a Kiev 30/30M/303).

I've solved that problem now, though; 50 frames in a Minox B is almost exactly the same length as 120, so slit six rolls from one, load four in the old metal cassettes, and I have enough film for a vacation in a shirt pocket.