One thing not often mentioned about MF film, types 120 and 220 is not their image characteristics but their "packaging" and "psysical design".
What I am talking about is their wrapping which differs from manufacturer unlike type 135 which is set on the almost perfect plastic/metal canister.
Its really easy to fog and destroy a 120/220 roll when being careless or unlucky when loading and unloading.
Things that make it easier:
1. Cross slits on the top and bottom of the plastic roll in which the film winds. Not all manufacturers use it and a single slit makes it a bit more difficult to attach the film to the camera back. One of the reasons I stopped using Tri-X as the ones that I've used had one slit in contrast to the cross slit that Ilford uses.
2. Sticky tape. Having a self-adhesive on the tape that holds the film together when its exposed is much better than having to lick it each time. Licking for one thing feels silly, its much slower and plus sometimes it doesn't work. I recently got some Ilford film that didn't stick immediately and had to leave them on the table before I throw them inside the special Manfrotto pouch, which is trouble when you are shooting on the street and not at the studio. Fuji color film I have used uses self-adhesive tape and feels so much better and faster.
3. Containers. 135 uses containers, why doesn't all 120/220 also use them, especially since they are much more needed. Some manufacturers use them, like Adox and Rollei and they are perfect for sensitive film which fogs and unrolls easilly. Plus it makes it faster and saves you from all that garbage of the paper box and foil wrap, which in a studio fills a bucket on the street fills your pocket or the floor. Why, can't developers offer, let's say, boxes of 10, 50 or 100 rolls in plastic containers? I wanted to buy some but have to order from abroad and they were not available when I did.
4. The protruding edge of the 120/220 paper that inserts inside the middle slit of the plastic roll when you load it in the camera, sometimes its too short and makes it hard to quickly finish the job.
I can't think of something else as for one I am new to photography and especially medium format, but I feel there is much that can be done to make 120/220 packaging design faster, safer and more convenient.
How about a certain design (which I can't think of the moment) that makes it impossible to unwind or fog the film? It would make professionals that use lots of it, on the street or studio much happier as they wouldn't need to slow down and take special care of it, unlike 135.
I mentioned four things that are available and some products have, how about more companies use those designs?
What I am talking about is their wrapping which differs from manufacturer unlike type 135 which is set on the almost perfect plastic/metal canister.
Its really easy to fog and destroy a 120/220 roll when being careless or unlucky when loading and unloading.
Things that make it easier:
1. Cross slits on the top and bottom of the plastic roll in which the film winds. Not all manufacturers use it and a single slit makes it a bit more difficult to attach the film to the camera back. One of the reasons I stopped using Tri-X as the ones that I've used had one slit in contrast to the cross slit that Ilford uses.
2. Sticky tape. Having a self-adhesive on the tape that holds the film together when its exposed is much better than having to lick it each time. Licking for one thing feels silly, its much slower and plus sometimes it doesn't work. I recently got some Ilford film that didn't stick immediately and had to leave them on the table before I throw them inside the special Manfrotto pouch, which is trouble when you are shooting on the street and not at the studio. Fuji color film I have used uses self-adhesive tape and feels so much better and faster.
3. Containers. 135 uses containers, why doesn't all 120/220 also use them, especially since they are much more needed. Some manufacturers use them, like Adox and Rollei and they are perfect for sensitive film which fogs and unrolls easilly. Plus it makes it faster and saves you from all that garbage of the paper box and foil wrap, which in a studio fills a bucket on the street fills your pocket or the floor. Why, can't developers offer, let's say, boxes of 10, 50 or 100 rolls in plastic containers? I wanted to buy some but have to order from abroad and they were not available when I did.
4. The protruding edge of the 120/220 paper that inserts inside the middle slit of the plastic roll when you load it in the camera, sometimes its too short and makes it hard to quickly finish the job.
I can't think of something else as for one I am new to photography and especially medium format, but I feel there is much that can be done to make 120/220 packaging design faster, safer and more convenient.
How about a certain design (which I can't think of the moment) that makes it impossible to unwind or fog the film? It would make professionals that use lots of it, on the street or studio much happier as they wouldn't need to slow down and take special care of it, unlike 135.
I mentioned four things that are available and some products have, how about more companies use those designs?
