No.3 Folding Cartridge Kodak Camera, Model B4

[carmenloofah]

Just got of these beautiful cameras and I am going to try and make some film to fit...do you have any experience of doing this, did you make a roll or individual negative frames? Or if anyone knows if 122 roll film exists...thanks

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

http://www.filmforclassics.com/

 

[lensandleather]

Several resources are available to help in spooling your own film for popular, discontinued roll sizes.

The most variable part of the process is finding a source for bulk film that you can cut and reload. In better days, 70mm unperforated film was easy to get for 116/616 reloads, and aerial film in 5" to 9.5" sizes was fairly available as well. Lately, I've had to hunt for even outdated sources of these materials. If you want to feed your camera collection, this is simply something you will have to research and obtain on your own.

Given that you have a source for film, you will need a splitter for it, a spool supply, and backing paper (since the original papers do wear out).

For information about splitting film, search for "film splitter." For example, here in apug, search for postings by Donald Qualls describing his splitter ideas. I use a swing-arm paper cutter in the dark (with care!), first cutting a desired length from a reel of the bulk film, then setting up a guide jig on the cutter so that I can feed the length through, slice by slice, until I have separated a reloadable strip. THIS is the part of the operation where time=money, but if you do it for yourself, it is definitely a savings over the commercial costs.

For a source of spools, Dean Williams made a sort of sleeper announcement here that bears repeating:
(there was a url link here which no longer exists)
Dean's models are based on measurements from Kodak spools that I provided him, and I have used his spools as replacements that work perfectly. I recommend them! Contact him about prices as he makes these to order.

For instructions on making up backing papers (including the reload lengths that you'll need for the splitting operation above), see my article,Kodak paper lengths by film type.

While preparing your own film reloads involves investment and work on your part, it is very satisfying to load your old cameras with film using a process that is under your control, as long as the film sources hold out and you don't slice off a fingertip!

 

[carmenloofah]

thanks for this, it's great. I'm going to investigate over the weekend...

 

[Whiteymorange]

To help me avoid repeating myself, (there was a url link here which no longer exists)

 

[CRhymer]

Hello all,

This is quoted from their web site:

"Film For Classics Press Release

Film For Classics (F.F.C.) will discontinue direct sales as of January 1, 2009. Our products will still be offered at one of the following dealerships.

B&H Photo-Video, Inc
420 Ninth Ave.
New York, NY 10001
1 (212) 502-6200 Extension 71
1 (800) 972-5999 Extension 71
www.bhphotovideo.com

Central Camera Co., Inc
230 S. Wabash Ave.
Chicago, Il 60604
1 (800) 421-1899
www.centralcamera.com

Contact these dealers for offerings and prices, as not all dealers offer all of our products"


There is a bit more info about prepaid mailers on the site.

Clarence