How To Shoot 120 Film in a Brownie Camera

[MegaCamerageek]

Ive got a bunch of 120 film cameras, from that era.

[Chnwee]

do you think it would fit in a six 20 model E ?

[ChuckHoskins]

Very, very helpful. Thanks for making this.

[hipapotomus]

Also, would you normally do this in a blacked out dark room? Do I need to get him a film changing bag?

and... :OD how do I know if I am buying the right 120 film?

This is so exciting but I have much to learn. Thanks in advance if you have time

x

[hipapotomus]

Hello, thanks for sharing this video, it is very helpful.

My just bought a flash B for my Dad from the charity shop and I want to make sure I have everything he needs for it.

If you have time to answer my questions I would be grateful.

After watching this I am confused. There is a spool in the camera I have here but I assumed two were needed and I ordered another 620 but you only used one 620. If the 120 film fits in the camera as you did in the vid' why does it need to be re spooled?

[zuantuba]

where can I get the 620 spool?

[inashiri]

oh my gosh, thanks!

[fairywingsful]

What type of plant is that in the back ground?

[claraj09]

Thanks de. Mom shot our childhood in the 50's with her Brownie. When I found one in great condition at a yard sale in the 70's for 50 cents, I bought it for the eldest, who was still young enough that this was his first serious toy! I was shooting with a Mamiya 645 at the time and just automatically loaded his new toy with one of my rolls. Didn't even check to see what type film the camera required, just look like it would fit. And it did.

The 7 yr old, and the next son got some great pics.

[artbybradley]

@claraj09 very cool! you found out the same way i did!

i just thought it looked like it would fit, and ...wala! it did. glad you got it working, and the kids are enjoying it :)

[woodpusher900]

sadly not all brownies can fit 120, even on the top compartment. ;P Kodak discovered this when it came out (that 120 films could fit) so only the earlier models of Brownies can fit. bastards forcing us to buy 620 !

[artbybradley]

Respond to this video...  yup. they're always trying to screw us! ;)

[ArthurJS123]

I am not sure why people go through the effort of respooling. With this camera, loading 120 is SO easy. You just need to ask for the 620 spool back. With other 620 cameras, all you need to do is cut down and sand the 120 spool with the film on, and same deal, ask for the 620 spool back. It isn't that hard.

[ArthurJS123]

Helpful video- thank you! I have seen f/11 as a possible aperture as well for this camera. The shutter is slow as molasses. Just shot my 1st roll this weekend. Empty 620 spools are a bit challenging to find, and expensive when you do. I shot 160 VC as well! Dying to try some Portra in it.

[ArthurJS123]

Why did my window, for the first exposure, go to 2? I am using 160 VC. Is there a countdown to the 1st exposure? I only saw an arrow, and then kept winding, and ended up with 2 in the red window. Thanks, Arthur

[lalalaina4life]

he's right. I just loaded my Hawkeye with 120mm film without modifying it first. Thanks for

the tip man. 

[artbybradley]

LoL!! relax! this is just a stupid video on the internet. no need to be offended by anything anyone says, let alone a sarcastic reply to your obvious question.

You said that it was unclear in the video, yet it is explained clearly in the first 10-15 seconds. i just couldn't understand the miscommunication, but then again...i'm no professional i'm being serious). i just do this stuff for fun, and i figured this out by mistake.

i'm not sure how many types of brownie can do this. i have only ...

[terrianns]

So you can fit a 120 roll's spool into the top of the brownie without needing to modify the spool or re-spool onto a 620 spool? If that's the case, it's quite unclear in the video.

[artbybradley]

@terrianns is this a joke?

which part was unlear? the part where i say, "you CAN shoot 120 film in a brownie without respooling". or was it the part where i unwrap a roll of kodak 120 film, and proceed to insert it into the camera unmodified...oh, or perhaps...oh nevermind.

[terrianns]

@artbybradley Well that was uncalled for. Everything I've seen thus far insists that you either need to file down a 120 roll to fit it into a Hawkeye or respool the 120 film onto a 620 spool first - no one had made mention that the 120 spool would fit into the top slot as long as you had a 620 spool on the bottom to "catch" the film. Your video didn't make that particularly clear so I thought I'd give you that feedback - your sarcastic response was rude & unnecessary.

[artbybradley]

@terrianns ...tried it with the hawkeye model, so that's the only one i know works for sure. no one else mentions this method, because they don't know about it (which is why i made the video to help people out).

Another way to use your brownie (if you don't have a hawkeye), is to respool, or just buy respooled film from B&H camera. they have both color and B&W film. i think it's about $6 a roll last time i checked.

[terrianns]

@artbybradley Thanks again for the response and the direct message you sent - I'm glad it was a case of misunderstanding that caused each of us to take the comments the wrong way. I'm seeing rolls at ~ $11-14 on B&H now for respooled 120/620 film.

[arktrux]

i got an ilford 120mm but its in the 3rd shoot and is so hard to wind the flm again, any idea what happened, i pressume i cant open the camera

[jmoney9625]

how did you get the 120 film to fit in at the top of the camera??

[artbybradley]

@jmoney9625 just pull the spring outward, and slide the roll in.

[artbybradley]

honestly i don't know. the only thing i can recommend is to try it!

does it take 620 film or 127 film? either way, if this method doesn't work, you can always purchase re-spooled film from B&H photo online.

[GameAndWatchZL65]

why not just buy 620 film from BH Photo for like $7? lol

[artbybradley]

@GameAndWatchZL65  because it isn't 620 film. it is 120 film that has been re-spooled onto a 620 spool. this IS an alternative to the method i have shown, but requires a darkroom, and more work (or you could buy from B&H).

B&H sells their "620" film for $10 to $12 a roll vs. $3.50 for a roll of 120 (or less if you buy expired film).

i feel that the brownie is sort of a toy camera, so i wouldn't waste expensive film in it...but to each his/her own :)

[Jphilipson]

@GameAndWatchZL65 you can get 120 film for a $1 new...

[chopshopcamera]

@GameAndWatchZL65

Because it costs $7 bucks.

Normally, on the supply side of a brownie there is a tab which protrudes away from the supply roll and into the slots to hold the back. The camera in this video does not have that tab (or it has been clipped away) which is why the author is able to load a standard 120 into the 620 supply side.

Had this been a stock brownie, he'd have to respool or clip the tab.

[jhumada]

are you post to do this in a dark rooom?

[artbybradley]

@jhumada no. you can load it as you would normal film. but, just like normal film, try not to do it in direct sunlight

[chopshopcamera]

@artbybradley Given that it looks like, per your vid, that the brownie has a metal turn knob for the take-up reel, I'm guessing your brownie came stock without a tab on the supply side to prevent 120 spools from fitting in.

I've refurbished several brownies with plastic turn knobs which I believe are later models. You cannot put a 120 spool into those cameras without clipping the tab off.

[tolofish83]

You think i could do that with my argus argoflex seventy five?

[artbybradley]

@tolofish83

i think that the argoflex requires both spools to be 620. so, it would not be possible unless you spooled some 120 film onto a 620 spool in a darkroom.

[pinkguitargal10]

i love the brownie camera before cause it only costs 1$ i saw it on almanac 2011 i'm 17 so i think i didn't exist that time!

[TheIndoorFllyer1]

Will this work with 616?

[artbybradley]

@TheIndoorFllyer1 no. you would need to do a search online for 616 film, or search for a way to respool or modify 120 film in order to fit.

[relientk5s7y]

could i do this same thing with a six-16 brownie target?

[artbybradley]

@relientk5s7y no. you would need to do a search online for 616 film, or search for a way to respool or modify 120 film in order to fit.

[nickmetroid]

so 120 film will fit 620 brownie cameras or did you modify the film/wind the 120 film onto a 620 spool? I'm told by my college tutors that using 120 in 620 cameras will jam the camera and the only way to do it is have two 620 spools, wind the 120 film onto the 620 spool then load as normal or trim the film.

[artbybradley]

@nickmetroid

i have heard that it depends on the model. this particular model (the brownie hawkeye flash) does not require re-spooling. however, other models may be different. i have only used this model so far.

[artbybradley]

after you take the last shot....just keep turning (advancing) the roll until you see or feel that it is completely unwound.

open the camera.

remove the roll from the camera, fold the end of the paper under, and stick the little paper tab to keep the roll from opening.

make sure you ask the lab to return your 620 spool after processing.

[samroesch]

How to you unload this film? Do you take the whole camera into the lab, or use a bag, or just take it out?

[artbybradley]

@samroesch just make sure you have wound the film completely (finished the roll), then simply open the camera and remove the roll.

close the roll by licking or sticking the tape around the roll after folding the leader (tapered end) under itself. then just take the roll in for developing.

[KevinJonasIsWayCool]

I almost bought one of these, I should have.