Vintage Pics in your vintage threads!

[HTTK]

Really enjoyed all the pics in this topic. Hope more post. Here are a few pics
of myself dressed up in 20's-30's period(Harold Lloyd, Keaton, Chaplin type
character) for a silent 16mm black and white film I shot. The character's name
is Arthur. The fly swatter is part of the story. Still working with the look
but wanted to share these with you. Enjoy guys...

"Where's that Fly?"

"I think he flew away!"

"I was wrong."

Arthur and his dog Skip

 

[Wild Root]

Wow, not bad buddy! Say in the 3rd photo you almost look like Groucho Marx!

A look you might try out!

Root.

 

[wackyvorlon]

An interesting aside: If you're looking for a vintage 50's photographic emulsion that's still being produced, check out Efke film in 25 ASA(black and white). Brownie cameras are pretty cheap these days, too. That should give you a real 50's feel!

 

[Wild Root]

My box camera is a Ventura from the 30's. It takes 120 film and these are some of the photos I have taken with it.

Root.

PS. Sad thing, Kodak is said to have stopped making film for any camera! Digital is killing the film biz! So, if you find any 120 or any kind of film that can be used in vintage cameras, buy it!!!

Works for a real 30's to 40's look as well.

 

[BellyTank]

120 Roll film...and I digress...

'Root, don't worry, 120 roll film is still widely available and will be for a long time-
it's standard medium format pro photographer's film.
Professional photographers still use film cameras and digitals too.
120 roll film is used in medium format cameras which often have '645' as part of their model designation- 6x4.5cm aspect ratio/format.
Here's an excerpt that explains-

'All medium format cameras manufactured today use the 120 film format.
Medium format negatives can also be shot in a variety of aspect ratios, which differ depending on the camera or frame insert used. The most common aspect ratios are 6x6cm (square) and 6x4.5cm (rectangular). Other frequently used aspect ratios are 6x7cm, 6x9cm, and 6x17cm panoramic. The 6x4.5cm format is usually referred to as "645", with many cameras that use this ratio bearing "645" in their product name.'

Large format is like 5"x4" and bigger- sheet film.

I hope this gives you hope.

I have a few '30s 35mm cameras- here's one-

...it's a really cute little number- the Wirgin Edinex- made from the '30s to the '50s- only about 6" wide- with a telescoping lens-very compact for the time.
I need to fix the shutter, it seems to have become stuck.
People seem to think that 35mm is a relatively modern invention but it goes back to the '20s.

BT.

 

[wackyvorlon]

PS. Sad thing, Kodak is said to have stopped making film for any camera! Digital is killing the film biz! So, if you find any 120 or any kind of film that can be used in vintage cameras, buy it!!!

Fear not good sir! The rumours of Kodak's demise from the film business have, in fact, been severely over stated! Kodak continues to make a very broad range of film, in many formats. In fact, Kodak's T-max and Portra emulsions are extremely popular these days. What Kodak did drop, however, is their Advantix film line. This is really nothing to be surprised at, Kodak has been tinkering with new film formats and dropping them for decades. Anyone here remember disc film?

Frankly, advantix was never a very good idea to start with.

 

[Wild Root]

Oh YES! Good news for sure!

Good to know that I'll be able to get 120 for years to come!

Root.

 

[Scuffy]

MF is still around my friends!

I can attest to that guys! Kodak films are still very popular. Although I am saddened by the discontinuing of their Tech Pan film (in all sizes). I shoot primarily medium format films in my studio. Mainly Fuji Acros (nice crisp contrasty B&W film), Kodak Portra 160NC, Tri-X, and a few others. MF is still king in my books! Normally for business I shoot a Mamiya RZ67 but for fun I picked up an original Brownie earlier this year that I'm playing around with. I'll have to scan a few of the negs and post them soon. Fun stuff!

-Scuffy

 

[wackyvorlon]

I have a Mamiya C-2 TLR that I use. Most of my experience is with Ilford FP-4, though.

 

[Mycroft]

While we are on the subject of rare films and old cameras, does anyone know how good is a Minox?

 

[Scuffy]

Minox

Hmmmm.... I really can't tell ya off the top of my head. I've never worked with one. I do know the film is still available, I'll look up a couple places that I have bookmarked someplace and leave the links for ya. Being such a small frame/negative enlargements would only look good up to a certain point though.

Like I said, let me look around. I know I've got some suppliers bookmarked somewhere...

C-2's are sharp cameras! I love them! I had looked at actually buying one off my buddy who was selling his collection a couple years back. Wish I would have.

Scuffy

 

[Wild Root]

620.

Kodak used to make the brownie. It took 620 and I was told that they stopped making 620 film in the 1980's.

So, is there any other film brand that makes 620?

Root.

 

[BellyTank]

120 film for 620..

'Root- 620 is now a 'specialty' film but you can get it.
I also know that you can use normal 120 film in place of 620 but you have to re-roll it or something- I'll look into it.

I have an old Mamiya Twin too guys! Join the club huh?

BT.

 

[wackyvorlon]

620 is virtually identical to 120, it's just slightly wider. There are numerous websites that describe how to modify the 120 spool to make up the extra width. There are some models of brownie that will take 120, I forget the specific models - I have one around here somewhere

 

[Wild Root]

Boy, you guys know your stuff! I'm glad you all are here!

Root.

 

[Scuffy]

Brownie

I was almost positive that mine Brownie takes 120. It even has the label advertising Kodak film on the inside of the body! Nifty stuff.

My first vice when it comes to vintage camera gear would have to be Weston light meters. I love them! I've got 5 of the Master II models. Four are from the NJ manufacturer in both finishes (the black and the "hammered" look as I call it) and 1 from the UK plant. They just "feel" right in my hands- they actually have weight to them. Comfortable to work with and the best part is the fact that they don't need batteries and they are just as accurate as the meter on my Canon Elan7E!

Now ya got me excited guys! Who else shoots with an older camera or just collects them? Jim, what about you?

 

[The Wingnut]

I'm using a Rollei 35 right now.

 

[gandydancer]

I was almost positive that mine Brownie takes 120. It even has the label advertising Kodak film on the inside of the body! Nifty stuff.

My first vice when it comes to vintage camera gear would have to be Weston light meters. I love them! I've got 5 of the Master II models. Four are from the NJ manufacturer in both finishes (the black and the "hammered" look as I call it) and 1 from the UK plant. They just "feel" right in my hands- they actually have weight to them. Comfortable to work with and the best part is the fact that they don't need batteries and they are just as accurate as the meter on my Canon Elan7E!

Now ya got me excited guys! Who else shoots with an older camera or just collects them? Jim, what about you?

The Brownie has been around a long long time. They did originally take 120. The 600 series films came out in the early 30's, previously to that Kodak used standard 100 series film sizes. Throughout the 1930's and 40's if you bought a Kodak, you had to use Kodak film. When the patent ran out then others made that size to.

6xx spools are slightly longer and slightly smaller in diameter than 1xx spools. They are close enough so that a camera can easily be designed to use both interchangably, but very few were. Kodak claimed that the new film allowed cameras to be smaller for the same size negative. The 6xx originally was anounced as having 6 exposures per roll rather than the 8 exposures of the 1xx films, hence the 6xx designation. However, I do not think any 6 exposure rolls were ever actually produced. The original 6xx spools were metal, changed to a wood core during WWII, and then went to plastic.

Most of the cheaper 620 cameras can use 120 by simply turning down the spool flanges a bit, one company sells film with the flanges alread turned down in a lathe for about $3/roll. The expensive ones like the Medalist and Chevron require machining of the camera. As the end of the film spool fits into a machined slot that is too small for the 120 spool. 620 film is also still produced by a couple of Eastern European film companies and can be obtained mail order for about $5-6 a roll. B&H Photo lists it on their website.

If you have one of those neat old big negative cameras that use 116, 616, 122, etc. film you can get film from Central Camera in Chicago, but it is custom spooled and cost $30+ a roll. Kind of expensive to use for snapshots, but nice to run through your classic camera maybe once a year just for nostalgia's sake.

 

[wackyvorlon]

My first vice when it comes to vintage camera gear would have to be Weston light meters. I love them! I've got 5 of the Master II models.

I have a Norwood Director myself. Although, it's an incedence meter, and the white dome has been crushed. Need to find a place to repair it.

 

[HTTK]

You guys do know your film talk. I have a box camera around here that takes 120 film. It's a Ansco Shur-Shot Jr. But I'm having trouble getting the "cartridge" out of the back of the camera to load in some 120 film. Don't know what the trouble is. :cry: Anyone have one or now how to get that cart out?

EDIT: Here is the camera to see what it looks like.