What Best 135 to 120 Film Adapter?

RedSun · Jan 2, 2020

It seems there have been several 135 to 120 film adapters. Some use FAK 135. I just wonder if they make any difference.

This is for Bronica ETR-Si. But I figure since this is for 120 film back, the adapters can be used in any 6 cm film backs 6x4.5, 6x6 and 6x7 formats.

Any experience is appreciated.

Jeremy Mudd · Jan 2, 2020

I'm not certain if there is a "best" one, as they are fairly simple and uncomplicated. This is the one that I purchased a few years back and its worked great for me in my RB67 220 back:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/35mm-to-12...599350?hash=item3aef8562b6:g:chIAAOSwol5YzsJw

Notice that I said "220" back - the counter allows me to keep track of the 16-17 shots I get on a roll of 35mm film, and the 220 back is also designed with the film plane for a single thickness of film versus film plus backing paper.

Here's an example from that set-up.

Bikerider · Jan 2, 2020

Adapter for what - you are not very clear.

Jeremy Mudd · Jan 2, 2020

Seems pretty clear to me. He's asking about using 135 film in a 120 camera. Maybe I just inferred that from his mention of the FAK 135 or I'm good at reading minds.

abruzzi · Jan 2, 2020

Jeremy Mudd said:
Notice that I said "220" back - the counter allows me to keep track of the 16-17 shots I get on a roll of 35mm film, and the 220 back is also designed with the film plane for a single thickness of film versus film plus backing paper.

Fortunately, 220 film backs have gotten cheap. But the bigger problem for the OP is that the ETRSi is a 6x4.5 camera that runs the film vertically from top to bottom. So running 35mm through a 120 or 220 back is not going to give you panorama, but rather portrait frame of about 45mmx24mm (not counting the sprockets) or 45mmx35mm (counting the sprockets.)

Jeremy Mudd · Jan 2, 2020

abruzzi said:
Fortunately, 220 film backs have gotten cheap. But the bigger problem for the OP is that the ETRSi is a 6x4.5 camera that runs the film vertically from top to bottom. So running 35mm through a 120 or 220 back is not going to give you panorama, but rather portrait frame of about 45mmx24mm (not counting the sprockets) or 45mmx35mm (counting the sprockets.)

That's true. I had the same conversation awhile back with a friend who wanted to use one in his Mamiya 645 ProTL. Good Point.

MattKing · Jan 2, 2020

Bikerider said:
Adapter for what - you are not very clear.

I too initially read the title as referring to a strange sort of beast - an "adapter" that would allow use of 120 film in a 135 film camera, rather than 135 film in a 120 camera.
But I guessed that the OP probably meant the reverse.
You can certainly use those adapters in 6x4.5 cameras - just be prepared to use the camera turned to the appropriate orientation.

RedSun · Jan 2, 2020

I forgot about that. But I can use it in my GS-1 that used 6x7 film back. Or the 6x6 SQ.

abruzzi · Jan 2, 2020

Yeah, on a 6x7 you’ll be beyond XPan wide. I’m tempted to try on on my Pentax 67.

Jeremy Mudd · Jan 2, 2020

I cut a 0.5mm black PP plastic mask that sits on my RB67 ground class that helps see only the exposed area between the sprocket holes. It helps immensely with composition and takes the guesswork out of getting what you want in the final finished frame.

Since I purchased my GX617 I've used the adapter less and less, but still use it from time to time.

xya · Jan 2, 2020

bought one on ebay for my mamiya rb67 recently. it works nicely.

some picture results

mamiya rb 67, 50mm, kodak gold, scan canon 9000f II raw scan with some dust, calais, quartier mollien

same photo scanned with a lomo digitaliza, the scanner doesn't make a white balance

mamiya rb 67, 50mm, kodak gold, scan canon 9000f II raw scan with some dust, calais, quartier mollien

mamiya rb 67, 50mm, kodak gold, scan canon 9000f II raw scan with some dust, calais, quartier mollien

you get nice panoramic photos for less than $20 investment...

RedSun · Jan 2, 2020

With the above two examples adapters, when you finish the last frame, how do you rewind or remove the film?

I see some adapter has the 35mm canister on the take-up side. But the above two do not have. I can take the film in the film back and rewind in a change bag. Or I could wait until development time and load the film directly to the reel. Hope it is not messy since 36 frame 35mm film can be long. I still get a change tent.

abruzzi · Jan 2, 2020

yeah, that kit pictured above will require that you open the back in the dark, pull the film off the takeup, then load it on the developing reel. You might simplify by opening the back in the dark, cutting the film off the cassette, then loading the film from the end first. You would have the same process if you used a 120 spool as the takeup. Some of the kits you can buy two of and load an empty cassette in the takeup, so you can remove the cassette from your back in the light and then later load the film in your developing reel as you usually would.

This brings up a point to remember. Since you need to use a camera geared advance (instead of the red window) those cameras are almost always designed to automatically feed past the leader on the 120 paper (or 220 paper). That means it will waste quite a bit of 35mm film as the mechanism thinks its forwarding to the beginning of the film. The trick I've seen is to have a premeasured film leader, tape it to the beginning of the fresh film, and spool it into the cassette with the fresh film. then attach the other end to the take up spool, so when you do the initial advance you only advance past the leader and a few inches of the fresh film.

moto-uno · Jan 2, 2020

And , keep in mind , as has been mentioned earlier , in an Etrsi the 135W is the back that takes advantage of the panorama potential with 135 film. And baby , those things are dear ! Peter

RedSun · Jan 2, 2020

abruzzi said:
This brings up a point to remember. Since you need to use a camera geared advance (instead of the red window) those cameras are almost always designed to automatically feed past the leader on the 120 paper (or 220 paper). That means it will waste quite a bit of 35mm film as the mechanism thinks its forwarding to the beginning of the film. The trick I've seen is to have a premeasured film leader, tape it to the beginning of the fresh film, and spool it into the cassette with the fresh film. then attach the other end to the take up spool, so when you do the initial advance you only advance past the leader and a few inches of the fresh film.

Since the 35mm film stays inside the 120 film back, all the winding should follow the 120 or 220 film operation. So I would think we need to tape the leaders. Then I think we can use regular 120/220 take-up spool reel. All this work can be done in the light.

RedSun · Jan 2, 2020

moto-uno said:
And , keep in mind , as has been mentioned earlier , in an Etrsi the 135W is the back that takes advantage of the panorama potential with 135 film. And baby , those things are dear ! Peter

I'm not looking for that. I have the 135 W film back anyhow. Like to use all the sprocket hole area. Also like to feel into the 6x7 film back. Bronica never made the 135 W back for its GS-1 film back.

The Bronica 135 W is worth the $$.

Jeremy Mudd · Jan 3, 2020

abruzzi said:
yeah, that kit pictured above will require that you open the back in the dark, pull the film off the takeup, then load it on the developing reel. You might simplify by opening the back in the dark, cutting the film off the cassette, then loading the film from the end first. You would have the same process if you used a 120 spool as the takeup. Some of the kits you can buy two of and load an empty cassette in the takeup, so you can remove the cassette from your back in the light and then later load the film in your developing reel as you usually would.

That's correct - I just remove the back from my RB67 when done and put it in my bag, and later at home I open it in the dark and directly load the film into the reel to develop it. I actually have two 220 backs and adapter kits so if I am ever shooting a LOT I have the ability to shoot two rolls in one outing, although that rarely happens. I also do have a dark bag in the pack that I always have in my car, so I could also open the back and spool the 35mm back into the canister if needed.

I haven't tried rolling it from canister to canister so that the back could be unloaded in daylight. It seems easy enough provided that you tape the leader to the little bit of film you've left in the empty canister. The only drawback to that I could see is that often my last shot is on the very last bit of the roll, and that would get wasted if I opened the back in daylight to retrieve it.

RedSun · Jan 3, 2020

Jeremy Mudd said:
I haven't tried rolling it from canister to canister so that the back could be unloaded in daylight. It seems easy enough provided that you tape the leader to the little bit of film you've left in the empty canister. The only drawback to that I could see is that often my last shot is on the very last bit of the roll, and that would get wasted if I opened the back in daylight to retrieve it.

For the canister to canister, I can think of more than one way to do it. Some kit has an adapter that replaces the 120 spool. When you wind the film, it pulls film into the take-up canister. If you do open the back in daylight, you waste the last one or two frames.

For the same canister to canister, you can open it in dark, remove the end of the film and wind the film inside the take-up canister, then load to reel when you get home. This can be easily done on-site with the bag. Then you can load the 2nd roll of film in the same back.

If we do not use the take-up canister, but standard 120 spool, then we have the choices to rewind the film back to its 35mm canister, or onto the develop reel. I probably want to rewind the film back to the 35mm canister. This is how it is done with 35mm film camera.

Tony-S · Jan 3, 2020

RedSun said:
I forgot about that. But I can use it in my GS-1 that used 6x7 film back. Or the 6x6 SQ.

Here's what I do with my GS-1 and 220 6x7 back.

Snake River Overlook, Grand Teton National Park by Tony, on Flickr

And the process for doing so.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/digi-film/sets/72157627480665766/

RedSun · Jan 3, 2020

very nice

If we develop the film by self, will any areas near the edge not fully developed? That is the areas where the film is loaded onto the developing reels. This is only relevant with the entire sprocket hole area exposed.

abruzzi · Jan 3, 2020

It should develop right to the edge with metal spools and Patterson-type plastic spools. I sometimes use Kodak plastic strips (often called lasagna strips. You roll the film together with the strip, and wavy bits on the edge space the film away from the strip, but the areas where they touch leave undeveloped, unfixed dots along the edge. So I wouldn’t use those if you intent is to capture all the way to the edge of the film.

xya · Jan 3, 2020

RedSun said:
very nice

If we develop the film by self, will any areas near the edge not fully developed? That is the areas where the film is loaded onto the developing reels. This is only relevant with the entire sprocket hole area exposed.

no, no problem with my jobo reels. it is all nicely developped.

RedSun · Jan 3, 2020

That actually makes sense. Jobo reels have full contact at the edges. But the metal reels have radial wire contacts at various places. But I guess the differences are small. But can still generate some effects.

I'll probably use Jobo reels.

Also need an extra focus screen and draw the focus lines. Or tape it, whatever method.

abruzzi · Jan 3, 2020

I noticed that there is a Chinese seller that makes GS-1 compatible focus screens new. I’d probably try to score one with a ruler and a knife edge to create a 135W type screen. The screen on my ETRSi has the 135N and 135W frame lines, and it’s not too distracting, even when shooting full 6x4.5.

RedSun · Jan 3, 2020

abruzzi said:
I noticed that there is a Chinese seller that makes GS-1 compatible focus screens new. I’d probably try to score one with a ruler and a knife edge to create a 135W type screen. The screen on my ETRSi has the 135N and 135W frame lines, and it’s not too distracting, even when shooting full 6x4.5.

I have the stock ETR 135 focus screen. But I also have have another screen with very deep 135 grid lines. Not sure if it is custom made or so.

The screens are very expensive now. Do not want to ruin one.

What Best 135 to 120 Film Adapter?

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