What to do with all our 220 backs - conversions, ideas? (Kind of B&W related)

5stringdeath

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Now that 220 B&W films are pretty much unavailable, I'm interested in your ideas of what to do with all our various 220 backs. Ain't gonna be able to sell them, and I'd hate to see them all end up in landfills. Anyone know any fun ideas / conversions for them?

For me I have Bronica ETR backs and Rapid Omega backs. So these ideas may be particular to certain backs/manufacturers but I'd like to see what people think.
 
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David A. Goldfarb

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Shoot color in them!
 

Jeff Kubach

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I don't any 220 backs. I don't do color in medium format at least not anymore. The 220 backs are sure cheap though. I wish they would bring back B&W 220 film, then I would consider a 220 back.

Jeff
 
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5stringdeath

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David A. Goldfarb said:
Shoot color in them!
Click to expand...

yea, woops, I guess I forgot all about color film cause I never shoot color, hehe. Well maybe I'll just offload mine then. Unless anyone has any clues as to 220 B&W coming soon from anywhere. Freestyle has zero, my local camera shops have zero.
 

David A. Goldfarb

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The last 220 B&W film was TXP, and that's been discontinued, so unless Fuji decides to make an offering, it's not likely. I've asked Mirko about the possibility of Efke/Adox 220 and his response wasn't encouraging.
 

MattKing

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I've been experimenting with a bunch of Mamiya RB backs I received from Eric Rose. They include some 220 backs.

120 film seems to work well in them - as long as I remember to shoot 9 shots per roll.

Certainly solves any problems I might have with figuring where to put the 10th negative in my Printfile pages.
 
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5stringdeath

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From my understanding the pressure plates in many 220 backs function differently than 120 backs due to the 220 not having paper backing, thus the thickness at film plane is different. Given the cost of all film now, I don't know how much I'm willing to waste experimenting
 

David A. Goldfarb

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Fortunately my Bronica S2a backs are all switchable 12/24, and for Linhof all I have is a 220 insert for 6x7, which can be replaced with a 120 insert (of which I have several), so in the worst case, I end up with a useless 220 insert and a spare 6x7 housing at some point.
 

David A. Goldfarb

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Save some paper leaders and trailers to use as templates and slit aerial rollfilm to fit.
 

rpsawin

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I am going to weld them on my wife's Totota Tercel, along with my Ready Loads and Quick loads, and hopefully end up with an art car!

Bob
 

Sirius Glass

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I had one. It was the Mamiya C330 which can use 120 and 220 by rotating the back plate. I solved that problem by trading it in for a Hasselblad. I wanted to use 220 but I could not get the films I wanted in 220, so I never invested in a 220 back.

Steve
 

David A. Goldfarb

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rpsawin said:
I am going to weld them on my wife's Totota Tercel, along with my Ready Loads and Quick loads, and hopefully end up with an art car!

Bob
Click to expand...

Don't forget the film pack holders.
 

DWThomas

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I have less than $25 tied up in a 220 insert for my Bronica SQ-A, I'll just keep it in my miscellaneous trinkets and spares box -- who knows, a few years downstream, there might be Plus-X in 220 after demand has risen!
 

Q.G.

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I actually have a 220 back 'sitting pretty' on my desk.

Not really because it has no other use but as a desk ornament. But it perhaps might as well be because of just that anyway.

(The thing needs a new seal, but since i have very little use for my 220 backs, getting it back in working order gets postponed over and over again.)
 

RoNinHeart

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Posted wirelessly..

Has anyone converted a Rapid Omega to 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 sheet film? That might be use for the 220 backs.
 
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5stringdeath

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I was thinking of drilling a pinhole in the darkslide of my Bronica 220 back, making a shutter - but I'm not sure I can advance the film if its off a camera body.
 
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