This method only works on some 620 cameras. Using fingernail clippers as you suggest only decreases the diameter of the flange. The problem with many 620 cameras like the Kodak Medalist, Chevron, Super SIx-20, and others is that the overall length of 620 is shorter than 120 and even if you decrease the diameter, the length is still a problem. if you have a camera where a fingernail clipper trimmed plastic spool works, then great! But it is important to know this will not work on all 620 cameras. If you do this and find that the spool is difficult to get in, do not force it. Even if you manage to wedge it in there, it will not spin freely and you can damage the camera.
Thank you for making such an informative, easy to fallow, and concise video. I just found this Kodak Special Six-20 in my dear departed grandfathers basement and I’m very excited to try it out.
I know for fact that 620 film was available at least through 1975as it was commonly available at the camera/electronics section of any Fred Meyer store in the Northwest..
I got me a Kodak Junior 620 with a N°0 Kodon shutter a few time ago. Honestly I'm not much of an expert in photography, but I love collecting vintage stuff and once I own one I basically put myself on it to learn how to use it 102%. I unscrewed the lens and disassembled the sights, I gave them such a cleaning that just looking through them makes your head spin. Now that they're spotless I can't wait to find some suitable targets to take pics of. My favourite would be to build me a motorcycle and move around taking pictures of early 1900s abandoned buildings, but I also wanna use it for special occasions
I'll have to grab a bad roll of film and do a video on how to re-spool. It is pretty easy unless you never did it before. I'll try to get one done over the next couple weeks
If you don't develop your own film make sure your lab sends back the 620 spool. I'm not sure how the modified spool takes as a take up spool (on the winding side) as the slots in the 120 are much bigger.
This works for a lot of kodaks that take 620, but it doesn't work for the higher end kodaks with automatic cocking, or with very tight tolerances. My medalists have a roller in them that automatically cocks the shutter as you wind the film, and it's expecting a very particular amount of distance to be traveled by the film as it rolls along. If that isn't met, it'll have at best poorly spaced negatives, and at worst it could damage the advance and shutter cocking mechanism. I know the medalist and monitor have this issue, and maybe the chevron. Also, the medalist has VERY tight tolerances inside, and it may not even hold a modified spool. It comes down to medalist. My medalist I can hold a plastic spool (again, taking into account the possibility of spacing and mechanism issues), but the II absolutely has to have metal only. Just a heads-up. Jason
I think every camera is very different when it comes to the 620 film being used in it. This is by far the simplest conversion from 120 to 620 there is and it happens to work in this camera. In some cases it's better to re-spool onto a 620 spool. And if you have the paper from a 620 then you could reuse that too. So your frames and numbers on the paper would all match up. Thanks!
The roller that controls the advance of the film is linked to the film itself, not the rollers that hold the spools. The Medalist are very delicate cameras. It even doesn't work with plastic 3D printed spools. Must have metal spools. Luckily, some Chinese companies do produce metal 120 spools that work well in a Medalist.
@@tvnshack The roller that controls the advance of the film is liked to the winding knob up top, and the spool as well. the silver spool expects to go a certain distance as the film travels by. If it doesn't, because the spool isn't the correct diameter, anything ranging from inconsistent film spacing to a jammed camera can result. I only use metal spools in my Medalists because they're far more consistent than the plastic ones (whether molded or 3d printed). So if you simply use the nail-clipper and sandpaper trick, you will probably not get a perfectly circular spool, and that will annoy the film counter. I've also had plastic spools get split by a Medalist II, and my other Medalist II won't even accept them; the tolerances are too tight. (I have 3 Medalists; 1 I and 2 IIs.) However, the Medalist is up there in the best Medium Format cameras ever made department. It's essentially a 4x5 lens shoehorned into a 2x3 camera... and the lens can JUST about cover a 5x7 negative. I shoot with mine regularly. I have quite a few vids on my channel about the Medalist; feel free to check them out. Jason
@@ganzonomy I've just used my 1944 (EE) Medalist 1 right today, actually! It looked to me that only the roller that is close to the winding spool - the one with the tiny spikes and the notice sticker telling NOT to touch it is responsible of controlling the advance. As I have many (12) Rolleiflex, I understand that it works the same. Mine is fitted with an additional knob on top of the winding knob that I was told is to adjust frame spacing. Anyways, it's hard for me to believe that the film advanced is linked to the spool only - as on an Ikonta 532/16 - and not on the the film itself. On my Ikonta 532/16, the frame spacing varies progressively as the diameter of the winding film gets bigger. This is why we get only 11 6x6 frames out of a 120 roll, whereas the Rollei packs 12. I have plenty of 620 spools, both plastic and metal. thanks.
@@tvnshack On all 3 of my medalists, the film spacing is consistently spaced... even if one medalist has wider spacing than the others, within a particular roll, the spacing itself stays the same. It doesn't get wider as the film travels along from frame 1 to frame 8. It's based on the spool flanges as well as the film travel, but the flanges do play a role as well with the Medalist. Again, these are my observations with my 3 Medalists. I've never seen a medalist get wider spacing as the roll progresses.
I discovered that the Kodak Tourist will not take a 120 spool even after trimming as you show with the clippers and even sanding the edges down to make the ends thinner. The Tourist has metal bumpers in the film well itself, so the volume of 120 film will not fit as it’s too big. You would have to respool the film on a 620 spool (which I won’t do). But there are 620 cameras that will accept a 120 spool as you show, so thanks for the video!!
Very helpful. Thankyou! Now I have to wait for my purchase, a Vintage KODAK Brownie Six-20 Model E Box Camera to arrive from Etsy. Hope the 120 film adapts for it too. Cheers from Australia.
I'm using a Kodak brownie hawkeye. It's a lot of hype. But I have been successful using 120 film without modifying the spool at all. The takeup spool needs to be 620. But I've used no sandpaper or clippers. There's enough space for a 120, maybe if you just try it. Maybe you'll get lucky too.
I was about to ask if this trick would work in a Hawkeye as I just found and restored my great grandfathers flash model and want to use it. just wanted to say thanks :)
I think this will probably work in my Duoflex but I am concerned about getting the processor to return the take-up spool. I think you can still buy 620 spools so it might be good to stock up. On another topic I know it is possible to build delay circuits for the flash so that you can use modern electronic flashes but I wonder if the trigger mechanism in the camera can be altered so that the flash triggers late enough without a delay circuit. The problem is that I can't find any documentation of how the mechanism in the Duoflex works (or even pictures of the mechanism). If anyone has any tips on this or perhaps service manual I would really appreciate it.
For the spool, you need to ask your developer to return the 620 spool, or you're going to have to end up buying more spools. You could, in the dark, spool it onto a 120 spool and send that in. As far as the flash, I couldn't start to tell you anything about that. I know it has what's called an ASA bayonet flash socket. Hope that helps.
Ha ha great hack. I just came across a Brownie Six-20, shutter sticking but if I can clean and lube it I'll see if this trick works for that camera. Thanks!
You've missed the first frame because of the dumb way 1 is sometimes written in USA - as I. Arabic numeral 1 is never supposed to look like I. Great video with nice explanation.
Hi! This looks really cool and way easier than re-spooling the roll everytime. Someone else asked already, but can you re-use the clipped spool as a take-up spool or do you need a new 620 spool everytime? Thanks!
You can also buy 620 film from The Film Photography Project, Blue Moon Camera, B&H, and other sites. Film Photography Project and Film for Classics still roll fresh 620
Hey, I got a roll for my 1920 box camera and I realised it’s meant for loading on the left side, can I place it upside down? Or are the perforations only one side
It bugs me every time how the font on that #1 looks like a dashed line. I used to have to go wind back about every other roll the first few times I was using one of these!
Respooling the film is easier than this, and works in all cameras. Roll it onto a 620 spool, then roll it back onto a second spool, then the film is the right way around on the spool. Just have to be careful when you get to the end of the film as you roll.
You can buy brand new GP3 100 in 620 roll film now. Just finished a roll in my camera, I paid $12.50 a roll. It’s quite a standard b&w film a bit like kentmere 100. It seems like Shanghai are making some old film sizes again, also got some 220 rolls. Not bad if you want to try out an old camera again for a bit of fun.
That's really cool to know! How much was the shipping from China? I see that some are selling on eBay for double the price. Just wondering. Thanks for the info!
Hi! I have an old Kodak Duo 620 canera, format - 6x4.5, BUT numeration of frames on the film is for 6x9 format. So it shoots just 8 photos but not 16 ((
With some 620 cameras you might be able to use a clipped 120 spool as a take up spool, but I know for example with mine I can't because the system that holds the take up spool is different than the feeding spool and a 120 spool moves around too much which risks tearing the film when you roll it up. It really depends on your camera!
Maybe a dumb question but I don't have a dark room or my own developing studio/kit. After shooting the film is on the metal 620 spool. How do I get it on a 120 so I can send the film off to be developed?
I work for a camera store and we often deal with this question. Just ask the sales representative to specify to the lab to give you back the 620 spool. We do this quite often and the spool always comes back.
Question. I own a kodak 620 but after trimming down my 120 film I found that the place where the film sits is significantlly smaller and when my roll goes in it just gets stuck. Basically my trimmed 120 roll still will not fit. Could this be tampering or am I doing something completely wrong
Some 620 cameras have such a tight tolerance that you would need to respell the film onto a 620 spool and go from there. It's more of a pain, but really no way around it. The Kodak Tourist cameras are really tight like that.
This will not work in a Brownie fiesta since the film width itself is different. You can order 127 film from a few different stores such as the Film Photography Project, B&H, and a few others. I've had good luck with the ReraPan film stocks.
Kodak made the 620 cameras so you would have to buy their patented 620 film. The film itself is the same, but the spools are different sizes. They were the Apple of their day. They made their money in film sales.
You are completely correct! I was just thinking larger format than the 35mm and Instamatic Film. This indeed is a Medium Format camera and film. Thanks for catching that!
@@sandrafigg821 hi, if you do a search for 120 film on Google or Amazon you will get the results for the 120 film. They will also have the ISO like 100, 400, etc.
I have STRUGGLED to find a vid about this camera thank you
Thanks for the detailed history of the 620 films and the Kodak "patent" trick to block competition.
I'm glad you enjoyed my little history lesson!
This method only works on some 620 cameras. Using fingernail clippers as you suggest only decreases the diameter of the flange. The problem with many 620 cameras like the Kodak Medalist, Chevron, Super SIx-20, and others is that the overall length of 620 is shorter than 120 and even if you decrease the diameter, the length is still a problem. if you have a camera where a fingernail clipper trimmed plastic spool works, then great! But it is important to know this will not work on all 620 cameras. If you do this and find that the spool is difficult to get in, do not force it. Even if you manage to wedge it in there, it will not spin freely and you can damage the camera.
Yes but to be fair he did mention that it doesn't work on all 620 cameras.
Thank you for making such an informative, easy to fallow, and concise video. I just found this Kodak Special Six-20 in my dear departed grandfathers basement and I’m very excited to try it out.
I know for fact that 620 film was available at least through 1975as it was commonly available at the camera/electronics section of any Fred Meyer store in the Northwest..
I got me a Kodak Junior 620 with a N°0 Kodon shutter a few time ago. Honestly I'm not much of an expert in photography, but I love collecting vintage stuff and once I own one I basically put myself on it to learn how to use it 102%. I unscrewed the lens and disassembled the sights, I gave them such a cleaning that just looking through them makes your head spin. Now that they're spotless I can't wait to find some suitable targets to take pics of. My favourite would be to build me a motorcycle and move around taking pictures of early 1900s abandoned buildings, but I also wanna use it for special occasions
That all sounds so great! I'm glad you are thinking about photography as a hobby. It's very rewarding.
Go for it ! Great idea.
And to think hat for many years, I have been using changing bags and respooling it. Thanks!
Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! 👏👏👏👏
Thanks for this video! The steps helped greatly to load the Agfa pb20 readyset
Useful! I just got an Argoflex 75mm box camera so now I can use 120 film even though there is 620 film available.
I always respool. The rims and cores are different enough that it makes the most sense. Easy to do if you practice with junk rolls.
do you have a tutorial you can recommend for that? When I've tried in the past the paper was bulking up
I'll have to grab a bad roll of film and do a video on how to re-spool. It is pretty easy unless you never did it before. I'll try to get one done over the next couple weeks
Great video! This hack worked PERFECTLY!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!
Thank you, that looks a lot like the camera my parents had growing up.
If you don't develop your own film make sure your lab sends back the 620 spool. I'm not sure how the modified spool takes as a take up spool (on the winding side) as the slots in the 120 are much bigger.
Thank you for an excellent instructional video.
You’re a life saver. Thank you so much!
This works for a lot of kodaks that take 620, but it doesn't work for the higher end kodaks with automatic cocking, or with very tight tolerances. My medalists have a roller in them that automatically cocks the shutter as you wind the film, and it's expecting a very particular amount of distance to be traveled by the film as it rolls along. If that isn't met, it'll have at best poorly spaced negatives, and at worst it could damage the advance and shutter cocking mechanism. I know the medalist and monitor have this issue, and maybe the chevron.
Also, the medalist has VERY tight tolerances inside, and it may not even hold a modified spool. It comes down to medalist. My medalist I can hold a plastic spool (again, taking into account the possibility of spacing and mechanism issues), but the II absolutely has to have metal only.
Just a heads-up.
Jason
I think every camera is very different when it comes to the 620 film being used in it. This is by far the simplest conversion from 120 to 620 there is and it happens to work in this camera. In some cases it's better to re-spool onto a 620 spool. And if you have the paper from a 620 then you could reuse that too. So your frames and numbers on the paper would all match up. Thanks!
The roller that controls the advance of the film is linked to the film itself, not the rollers that hold the spools. The Medalist are very delicate cameras. It even doesn't work with plastic 3D printed spools. Must have metal spools. Luckily, some Chinese companies do produce metal 120 spools that work well in a Medalist.
@@tvnshack The roller that controls the advance of the film is liked to the winding knob up top, and the spool as well. the silver spool expects to go a certain distance as the film travels by. If it doesn't, because the spool isn't the correct diameter, anything ranging from inconsistent film spacing to a jammed camera can result. I only use metal spools in my Medalists because they're far more consistent than the plastic ones (whether molded or 3d printed). So if you simply use the nail-clipper and sandpaper trick, you will probably not get a perfectly circular spool, and that will annoy the film counter.
I've also had plastic spools get split by a Medalist II, and my other Medalist II won't even accept them; the tolerances are too tight. (I have 3 Medalists; 1 I and 2 IIs.) However, the Medalist is up there in the best Medium Format cameras ever made department. It's essentially a 4x5 lens shoehorned into a 2x3 camera... and the lens can JUST about cover a 5x7 negative. I shoot with mine regularly. I have quite a few vids on my channel about the Medalist; feel free to check them out.
Jason
@@ganzonomy I've just used my 1944 (EE) Medalist 1 right today, actually! It looked to me that only the roller that is close to the winding spool - the one with the tiny spikes and the notice sticker telling NOT to touch it is responsible of controlling the advance. As I have many (12) Rolleiflex, I understand that it works the same. Mine is fitted with an additional knob on top of the winding knob that I was told is to adjust frame spacing. Anyways, it's hard for me to believe that the film advanced is linked to the spool only - as on an Ikonta 532/16 - and not on the the film itself. On my Ikonta 532/16, the frame spacing varies progressively as the diameter of the winding film gets bigger. This is why we get only 11 6x6 frames out of a 120 roll, whereas the Rollei packs 12. I have plenty of 620 spools, both plastic and metal. thanks.
@@tvnshack On all 3 of my medalists, the film spacing is consistently spaced... even if one medalist has wider spacing than the others, within a particular roll, the spacing itself stays the same. It doesn't get wider as the film travels along from frame 1 to frame 8. It's based on the spool flanges as well as the film travel, but the flanges do play a role as well with the Medalist. Again, these are my observations with my 3 Medalists. I've never seen a medalist get wider spacing as the roll progresses.
I discovered that the Kodak Tourist will not take a 120 spool even after trimming as you show with the clippers and even sanding the edges down to make the ends thinner. The Tourist has metal bumpers in the film well itself, so the volume of 120 film will not fit as it’s too big. You would have to respool the film on a 620 spool (which I won’t do). But there are 620 cameras that will accept a 120 spool as you show, so thanks for the video!!
do you know if the Kodak tourist 2 suffers this same problem?
Very helpful. Thankyou! Now I have to wait for my purchase, a Vintage KODAK Brownie Six-20 Model E Box Camera to arrive from Etsy. Hope the 120 film adapts for it too. Cheers from Australia.
Have fun!
I'm using a Kodak brownie hawkeye. It's a lot of hype. But I have been successful using 120 film without modifying the spool at all. The takeup spool needs to be 620. But I've used no sandpaper or clippers. There's enough space for a 120, maybe if you just try it. Maybe you'll get lucky too.
I was about to ask if this trick would work in a Hawkeye as I just found and restored my great grandfathers flash model and want to use it. just wanted to say thanks :)
But you need to get back the spool too, thanks Will the developer give you back, will they accept that 620 spool for 120 film? Thanks
@@Leik2487you can ask nicely for the spool. They may understand if you show your camera to them and they may give it to you.
Thank you so much! This was super helpful!
Brilliant video, thanks very much. 👍
xD got my first roll of 120 today and missed the first frame as well thought one would look like this “1” not “l”
I know. Totally catches you off guard.
Yes, this is tragic.
I think this will probably work in my Duoflex but I am concerned about getting the processor to return the take-up spool. I think you can still buy 620 spools so it might be good to stock up.
On another topic I know it is possible to build delay circuits for the flash so that you can use modern electronic flashes but I wonder if the trigger mechanism in the camera can be altered so that the flash triggers late enough without a delay circuit. The problem is that I can't find any documentation of how the mechanism in the Duoflex works (or even pictures of the mechanism). If anyone has any tips on this or perhaps service manual I would really appreciate it.
For the spool, you need to ask your developer to return the 620 spool, or you're going to have to end up buying more spools. You could, in the dark, spool it onto a 120 spool and send that in. As far as the flash, I couldn't start to tell you anything about that. I know it has what's called an ASA bayonet flash socket. Hope that helps.
Ha ha great hack. I just came across a Brownie Six-20, shutter sticking but if I can clean and lube it I'll see if this trick works for that camera. Thanks!
You've missed the first frame because of the dumb way 1 is sometimes written in USA - as I. Arabic numeral 1 is never supposed to look like I.
Great video with nice explanation.
Hi! This looks really cool and way easier than re-spooling the roll everytime. Someone else asked already, but can you re-use the clipped spool as a take-up spool or do you need a new 620 spool everytime? Thanks!
the hole on the end of the 120 spool is larger so it may or may not turn right on the take up knob
I watched this video to make sure that little dash was the 1 lol thank you
Thanks for the tip
No problem! Thanks for watching.
You can also buy 620 film from The Film Photography Project, Blue Moon Camera, B&H, and other sites. Film Photography Project and Film for Classics still roll fresh 620
Thanks for the info! I'm glad 620 can still be found. Makes life easier for sure.
Got a Kodak duaflex 2! Do you think this method will work with this camera?
Hey, I got a roll for my 1920 box camera and I realised it’s meant for loading on the left side, can I place it upside down? Or are the perforations only one side
If you want to get to the reason you came here for jump to 3:00
you were lucky to have camera accepting this way.
This is really cool. Thanks for the visual of the loading process as well. How is the photo quality? Thanks!
Nice
Thanks
Can this applied to kodak medalist 1
Do you have any experience with the Kodak Brownie Hawkeye Camera? Thanks!
Do you know the shutter speed and F stop for Kodak Jiffy 6 ?
Now that's a cool hack! I have a Kodak 620, I believe it's made in France, it has an Angenieux lens. Do you know if this will work on that one?
Hi, it should work!
It bugs me every time how the font on that #1 looks like a dashed line. I used to have to go wind back about every other roll the first few times I was using one of these!
Respooling the film is easier than this, and works in all cameras. Roll it onto a 620 spool, then roll it back onto a second spool, then the film is the right way around on the spool. Just have to be careful when you get to the end of the film as you roll.
You can buy brand new GP3 100 in 620 roll film now. Just finished a roll in my camera, I paid $12.50 a roll. It’s quite a standard b&w film a bit like kentmere 100. It seems like Shanghai are making some old film sizes again, also got some 220 rolls. Not bad if you want to try out an old camera again for a bit of fun.
That's really cool to know! How much was the shipping from China? I see that some are selling on eBay for double the price. Just wondering. Thanks for the info!
Hi! I have an old Kodak Duo 620 canera, format - 6x4.5, BUT numeration of frames on the film is for 6x9 format. So it shoots just 8 photos but not 16 ((
Very helpful thank you - can you re-use the clipped spool (the plastic one) as a take-up spool for a second roll of film?
Thanks.
With some 620 cameras you might be able to use a clipped 120 spool as a take up spool, but I know for example with mine I can't because the system that holds the take up spool is different than the feeding spool and a 120 spool moves around too much which risks tearing the film when you roll it up. It really depends on your camera!
Have this exact camera. This method did not work because the 120 roll is just fatter and binds in the spool.
Does it use batteries
god bless u
Maybe a dumb question but I don't have a dark room or my own developing studio/kit. After shooting the film is on the metal 620 spool. How do I get it on a 120 so I can send the film off to be developed?
I work for a camera store and we often deal with this question. Just ask the sales representative to specify to the lab to give you back the 620 spool. We do this quite often and the spool always comes back.
I missed the 1 as well! 😅
Question. I own a kodak 620 but after trimming down my 120 film I found that the place where the film sits is significantlly smaller and when my roll goes in it just gets stuck. Basically my trimmed 120 roll still will not fit. Could this be tampering or am I doing something completely wrong
Some 620 cameras have such a tight tolerance that you would need to respell the film onto a 620 spool and go from there. It's more of a pain, but really no way around it. The Kodak Tourist cameras are really tight like that.
Can we see the pix?
HI, I'm working on getting some pictures done for the channel. More to come. Thank you.
When I take the photos, is the photographic reel counter still valid or should we advance more?
should still be valid
hi, will this work for kodak brownie fiesta as well? is takes 127 film
This will not work in a Brownie fiesta since the film width itself is different. You can order 127 film from a few different stores such as the Film Photography Project, B&H, and a few others. I've had good luck with the ReraPan film stocks.
The Benefits An analog camera is that you don't have to charge it ;) it's a "grab and go"
I don’t understand why Kodak doesn’t write 1 instead of I. It can be misleading
Why would anyone want to use Kodak 620 cameras? Were there any better ones than 120’s?
Kodak made the 620 cameras so you would have to buy their patented 620 film. The film itself is the same, but the spools are different sizes. They were the Apple of their day. They made their money in film sales.
That is a medium format camera, not a large format camera.
You are completely correct! I was just thinking larger format than the 35mm and Instamatic Film. This indeed is a Medium Format camera and film. Thanks for catching that!
Actually i have one to sale
I don't know what to think, because I hear you say 120 film, but the box says 100. ?
Hi, the type of film is 120 and the speed of the film is 100 ISO. Thanks for watching!
@@LittleKodaks when one goes to buy it, where can they find the 120 on the box so they know they are getting 120?
@@sandrafigg821 hi, if you do a search for 120 film on Google or Amazon you will get the results for the 120 film. They will also have the ISO like 100, 400, etc.
That first frame is really bothering you, ain’t it? Lol
Yeah, not the easiest to see. I can't imagine when this was all you had to shoot with!