Shooting 220 through a kiev 60

vangabriel · Dec 20, 2009

Hello, I have some 220 film that i want to shoot, but kiev 60s dont take 220. I searched all over and couldnt find anything about modding, or a trick. So i thought of my own trick, and I would like to know if you'd think it would work or mess stuff up... I was thinking that once i got to frame 12 on the counter, i would go into a darkroom (or a darkbag) and pop the back open just enough for the counter to start over. And since k60s can fire right after the counter is reset (no winding to get to frame 1), i would just have the first dot be frame 13 and the second be 14 etc. I just want to know what you all thought.

Ektagraphic · Dec 20, 2009

Does the film advanace lock up at the end of a 120 Roll.

vangabriel · Dec 20, 2009

No actually it doesn't, it keeps winding (to allow film to fully roll to take up spool) but you can still wind and fire. So i suppose i could just keep shooting, and count how many frames i have shot.

Leighgion · Dec 20, 2009

I don't know if that particular trick would work, but I can say there's another problem it doesn't address. Because of the lack of backing paper, 220 film requires a different pressure plate distance to hold the film flat. Cameras designed to take it have switches on the plate or different holder systems for 120 and 220.

You could ignore this of course, but things might not be as sharp as they'd otherwise be with 220.

Sirius Glass · Dec 20, 2009

Leighgion said:
I don't know if that particular trick would work, but I can say there's another problem it doesn't address. Because of the lack of backing paper, 220 film requires a different pressure plate distance to hold the film flat. Cameras designed to take it have switches on the plate or different holder systems for 120 and 220.

You could ignore this of course, but things might not be as sharp as they'd otherwise be with 220.

Or you could get scratches on the back of the film that will make the film hard to print.

Is there a red window on the 120 back to put a nice warm glow on every frame?

Ektagraphic · Dec 20, 2009

I guess it will not hurt to try it.

Dave Pritchard · Dec 20, 2009

My Kiev 6C has a pressure plate with two positions, marked 120 and 220. If I were trying this, I would use small blocks of foam between the pressure plate and the back, to force the pressure plate just a bit more toward the film plane.

OR

Just try it. Maybe it will work.

vangabriel · Dec 21, 2009

Your name threw me off dave pritchard, one of my old friends has the same exact name (spelling and all). But thank you for the advice on the foam blocks. There is 120 in my camera now so i have to wait a few days to try it out, but i will be sure to let you all know how it turns out!

2F/2F · Dec 21, 2009

I would stretch a piece of medium format backing paper across the pressure plate and tape the ends to the back door with gaffer tape, carry a changing bag with you, and try your trick. Of course, you will lose a healthy number of frames because you will have to advance the counter to number one. One test roll will tell you whether or not dragging the film across the fixed backing paper will cause any issues. If so, maybe you can get the piece of backing paper underneath the pressure plate somehow.

Personally, I would have the camera modified to remove the frame counter from the equation entirely, and just try to remember what frame I was on at all times.

vangabriel · Dec 21, 2009

The paper is a good idea. but how you said that you'd have to wind to frame 1, you dont, right when you shut the back of the camera, you can just shoot and wind. so i think it should work! thanks everybody, ill tell you how it goes

Bosaiya · Dec 21, 2009

On my Kiev 60 after the 12th frame the advance lever works freely (doesn't require shutter release) and uses shorter strokes. Nothing wrong with trying it out, but this has been a common subject over the years and the answer has generally been "Buy a 6c or some other camera."

moouers · Dec 21, 2009

Bosaiya said:
On my Kiev 60 after the 12th frame the advance lever works freely (doesn't require shutter release) and uses shorter strokes. Nothing wrong with trying it out, but this has been a common subject over the years and the answer has generally been "Buy a 6c or some other camera."

Or perhaps a cheaper option, if you don't want to buy a new camera or waste the 220 film, would be to see if you can find someone to trade their 120 film for your 220 film. Of course if you're just curious and want to see if it'll work then by all means try the suggestions above!

Bosaiya · Dec 22, 2009

moouers said:
Or perhaps a cheaper option, if you don't want to buy a new camera or waste the 220 film, would be to see if you can find someone to trade their 120 film for your 220 film. Of course if you're just curious and want to see if it'll work then by all means try the suggestions above!

I don't know about the rest of the folks on here but I for one cannot stand for any answer that so smacks of logic and reason. Give me rash and insensible, preferably with a swaggering dose of danger, maybe some power tools and a hot glue gun. It may end in total abject failure but at least I'll know I've lived!

That and it'll give me something to stick on the shelf next to all the other "permanently fixed" items.

rphenning · Dec 23, 2009

hi van

Shooting 220 through a kiev 60

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