Looking for the best 6x12 folder

doom_tiger · Jun 17, 2020

Looking for a camera like my Kodak Junior No.1-A that I can take landscape photos with on hikes. There are a lot of things I love about it, but ideally I think I want something with a wider/better lens. I just ordered a Kodak 3A because I saw someone post about putting a Super-Angulon 90mm lens in it pretty easily, but 122 format cameras seem a little big to me. Are there any other 6x12 folders I should be looking at?

Alex Varas · Jun 18, 2020

I have a Voigtlander Inos II 6,5x11 which I adapted to 120 film so it's not 6x12 but close

abruzzi · Jun 18, 2020

I've never seen/heard of a 6x12 folder--they're all 6x9 or smaller. I'd be curious to know if there are any cameras like that.

Dan Fromm · Jun 18, 2020

abruzzi said:
I've never seen/heard of a 6x12 folder--they're all 6x9 or smaller. I'd be curious to know if there are any cameras like that.

There aren't any 6x12 folders that accept 120 film but there are folders for larger sizes of roll film, now obsolete and unobtainable, with longer gates. I think that the OP wants to repurpose one of them.

To get an idea of cameras, look around in https://mgroleau.com/catalogues_kodak/

The joy of tinkering aside, this approach's one advantage over simply getting a 4x5 camera and a 6x12 roll holder to fit it is cost. 6x12 roll holders aren't that inexpensive.

xya · Jun 18, 2020

as there are no 6x12 folders, I got myself a cambo wide which is pretty small for a 4x5 camera. in the beginning I had a cheap chinese 6x12 back until I found a sinar vario back for a good price. to give you an idea http://www.oddcameras.com/cambo_wide_470.htm

grat · Jun 18, 2020

Apparently, a Kodak Six-16 can be modified to 6x12 (and 120 film).

https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/converting-a-116-and-616-kodak-camera-to-use-120-film.101753/

Kino · Jun 18, 2020

Maybe you can adapt this 3D printer design: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2894651

This one doesn't fold... https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3252136

Oren Grad · Jun 18, 2020

The Lomo Belair is a 6x12 folder. The camera comes with junky plastic lenses, though, so if you want better you'll need to adapt. (They did offer a couple of glass lenses as optional accessories, but those are long since sold out and are now hard to find.)

Dan Fromm · Jun 18, 2020

Oren, thanks for jogging my memory re the Lomo Belair. It is a strut type folder. I believe that lenses better than the original issue ones have been adapted to them.

I went to 6x12 with a 4x5 monorail view camera, didn't use a 4x5 Crown Graphic because the shortest lens I wanted to use won't work on one.

I have no experience with adapting the Lomo to take other lenses or with adapting a Folding Pocket Kodak of the right size either. That said, if I had to do an adaptation I'd start with an FPK because the camera's front standard rides on rails on a bed, just like a Graphic's. This means that if focusing on the ground glass is arranged -- some models of FPK allow this, but only before film is loaded -- any lens that will work on the camera at all can be used. And of course one can use the GG to make a focusing scale ... This is much harder to do with a strut camera like the Lomo.

xya · Jun 19, 2020

the lomo belair is a folder indeed, I forgot about it. the lenses are just usable, the automatic shutter isn't bad. I could never get my hands on one of those glass lenses. for more information have a look at this http://www.120folder.com/lomo_belair.htm . another solution would be a modified holgapan pinhole as shown here http://www.oddcameras.com/holgamods_612_pan.htm . it doesn't fold, but it's very light. the very old angulon has too much vignetting, but I bought a more modern one and will try later.

narsuitus · Jun 21, 2020

Dan Fromm said:
I went to 6x12 with a 4x5 monorail view camera, didn't use a 4x5 Crown Graphic because the shortest lens I wanted to use won't work on one.

Which lens did you want to use?

The reason I ask is that I am considering using my 4x5 monorail view camera with a 90m lens for a 6x12cm panoramic.

Dan Fromm · Jun 21, 2020

narsuitus said:
Which lens did you want to use?

The reason I ask is that I am considering using my 4x5 monorail view camera with a 90m lens for a 6x12cm panoramic.

35/4.5 Apo-Grandagon, 47/5.6 SA. Their flange-to-film distances are 43.2 mm and 51.6 mm, respectively. The 4x5 Crown Graphic's minimum extension is 52.4 mm.

Nearly all 4x5 monorails will focus a 90 mm lens. If yours, like mine, has a tripod mounting block that's usually positioned between the standards you may have to reposition it in front of the front standard or behind the rear standard to get a 90 and shorter lenses to work on it.

cayenne · Jun 25, 2020

I don't know about 6x12...except for the ONDU wooden pinhole camera I got that works great.

However, if you're willing to shell out a few bucks I can HIGHLY recommend the Shen-Hao. 6x16 MF 120 film camera!!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07ZM5S2DF

I'm shooting this with a NIKKOR-SW f/4.5 90mm lens....very cool images coming out of this beast.....

HTH,

cayenne

moto-uno · Aug 15, 2020

^ Just read the link and oh boy is that baby pricey (and no lens) .Peter

cayenne · Aug 16, 2020

moto-uno said:
^ Just read the link and oh boy is that baby pricey (and no lens) .Peter

Yeah...it's steep.

You can get them for a bit less if you trust ordering on eBay shipped from china or on the Chinese alibaba type sites, but I was quite wary of that.

I dunno why this camera is so $$, when the other Shen Hao view cameras, like 4x5, etc are actually what I'd consider quite reasonably priced, but for some reason this thing costs the moon.

But so far, it's a blast to use and great images so far.

HTH,

C

moto-uno · Aug 18, 2020

Money well spent if it's a blast to use . Peter

John Earley · Aug 23, 2020

I bought the Horseman 6x12 back to use with my Shen Hao 4x5 and I've been very happy with it. But to make the expense worthwhile I plan to construct a fixed focus camera body to use the back along with a 65mm Fuji lens and a viewfinder. I'll probably use aluminum but I haven't made a final decision and may resort to plastic.

Ray Van Nes · Aug 23, 2020

doom_tiger said:
Looking for a camera like my Kodak Junior No.1-A that I can take landscape photos with on hikes. There are a lot of things I love about it, but ideally I think I want something with a wider/better lens. I just ordered a Kodak 3A because I saw someone post about putting a Super-Angulon 90mm lens in it pretty easily, but 122 format cameras seem a little big to me. Are there any other 6x12 folders I should be looking at?

The closest thing are folders that were 6.5 x 11. They take a little work to make them compatible for 120. I recently acquired a Zeiss Ikonta 520/15 which is this format. when you make the mask you can make it more panoramic by how narrow you make the opening.

Looking for the best 6x12 folder

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