Pentax 645N - 120 film in 220 magazine?

[Matus Kalisky]

Hello,

I have a very new owner of Pentax 645N.

I have just got an echo that it should be possible to use 120 films in 220 magazine with the Pentax 645N. Does anybody around have an experience?

 

[Matus Kalisky]

OK guys - over at Pentax forums I got an echo that this should be possible - so I went ahead and tried - here is my description:

So - when one takes out the back and looks between the latches that can be flipped out to load/remove the film spools - there is a little black plastic rectangular of size about 12 x 4 mm. On one of the long sides it has a small teeth. This little "thing" is attached by two small screws. One of these screws is slightly obscured by the steel teeth that holds the film insert attached to the camera. When I have bought the camera with the 220 magazine, the teeth was pointing towards the back of the camera (away from film plane) and was easy to overlook.

So - to find out how this should work I used 2 films to figure out (one would have been enough though)

1) with the "thing" in its original position (teeth pointing away from the film plane) I loaded one 120 film in the back and shot 20 exposures until the film went completely through the camera. Then the camera did a short winding attempt and showed "E" on the display, which I guess stands for Error.

2) Unscrewing the 2 small screws I turned the plastic "thing" such that the teeth was pointing towards the film plane. Loaded another film and shot exactly 16 frames. After that the camera wounds the rest of the film onto the reel and showed "End" on the display.

So - it seems that with the teeth pointing towards the film the camera (or towards the shutter when the magazine is mounted on the camera) expects 120 film. What remains to be checked is simply to shoot a film or two in this settings and see that everything is OK. I would guess everything will be fine

I do not expect a problem with the film pressure plate is this has a lot of space to move (much more than the one in my Roilleiflex T)

... now all of you will run to get those cheap 220 inserts ...

 

[2F/2F]

Not sure if it is exactly the same on the N, but with my M645 220 inserts, it works fine. The counter still thinks it is 220, however. The way the camera body knows it is 220 is because a little tab is screwed onto the side of the insert on which the advance handle is located. Two little screws hold the tab in place. If all you ever shoot is 120, the tab can be easily removed so that the handle will wind on through after your 15th shot, "thinking" that you have a 120 insert loaded.

However, instead of doing this, I would sell the 220 inserts to someone who would appreciate them (like me), and use the dough to get more 120 inserts. They are very reasonably priced, even at KEH, which usually runs significantly high.

 

[Jinxt]

I have a couple of Pentax 645 (non-n) cameras that I bought a while back with 3 of the 220 inserts and was wondering the same thing since I wanted to be able to shoot 120 as well and didn't want to purchase a 120 insert. It works perfectly fine for me as well and so I have designated one of the inserts for 120 and still shoot 220 in the others.

I also have the 70mm insert, 5 or 6 rolls of super expired Vericolor III and the viewfinder extension. None of which I will ever end up using but came with the package.

 

[anon12345]

I have the 645N w/220 insert. On the end of insert where the spool retainers flip up, there is a black plastic bar held in place with a single screw. I removed the screw, flipped the bar upside-down, and reinstalled it. My camera now sees the film as 16 exposures. In five more shots I will have finished my second roll of film with the insert in this configuration. So far, so good.

 

[dugrant153]

Hey folks, hope you don't mind me bumping this thread.

I just bought a 220 insert because they're going for SO much cheaper than 120 inserts... but now, nobody carries 220 film and ordering online to Canada is PROHIBITIVELY expensive!!!

So, I did this modification so I can use all my 220 inserts in 120 insert mode and just wanted to verify that people can confirm that there are no long term issues with this mod? Essentially, you buy either 120 or 220 insert and you can just switch it up depending on the way this black piece is directed?

Here are some images!


A shot of the black piece in question:

This insert is set to 220:

This insert is set to 120:

And obligatory shot of my Pentax 645!

 

[Bob-D659]

I bought a 645 a couple of months ago, it came with one of each inserts. As far as I could tell, the only difference in the 120 vs 220 inserts is the sticker on the closer knob. I even measured the pressure plate heights and spring tension, they were so close it wasn't funny. Both gave identical frame spacing as well. I traded the 120 insert for another 220 one and flipped the plastic bar, its performance is the same as the 120 one as well.

 

[cfclark]

Hey folks, hope you don't mind me bumping this thread.

I just bought a 220 insert because they're going for SO much cheaper than 120 inserts... but now, nobody carries 220 film and ordering online to Canada is PROHIBITIVELY expensive!!!

So, I did this modification so I can use all my 220 inserts in 120 insert mode and just wanted to verify that people can confirm that there are no long term issues with this mod? Essentially, you buy either 120 or 220 insert and you can just switch it up depending on the way this black piece is directed?

That is all you need to do as far as I know, and thanks for the photos--they make a handy tutorial. (And a nice 645, BTW!)