My new camera (Page 2): Your sensor could well exceed the resolution capabilities of the latest cameras. In fact, your camera will be capable of something about which modern cameras...

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Your sensor could well exceed the resolution capabilities of the latest cameras. In fact, your camera will be capable of something about which modern cameras can only dream.
--Bob

htbrown wrote:

I got myself a new camera. It may not have the IQ of the latest Nikon, but it's medium format and I only paid half a buck for it:

Richard Engelmann Loc: Boulder, Colorado

Search for 120 film on Amazon, and there are dozens of choices.

Pablo8 Loc: Nottingham UK.

turp77 wrote:

This camera does take 620 film. You are correct 120 and 620 are the same except for the spool. If he uses 120 he needs to respool it with a 620 spool.

In a 'previous life' I used to re-spool 620 films onto 120 spools for use in my camera. The 620 film was not as popular as 120 here in the UK, and shops had much short / outdated 620 film to sell off cheap. So, I bought. Doing my own processing, I had plenty of 120 spools in the darkroom.

Pablo8 Loc: Nottingham UK.

CO wrote:

It doesn't appear to be an SLR type camera. With the viewfinder high up on the camera like that would one need to compensate when framing up the shot?

Yes....It's called 'Parallax' ..... My Rolleiflex and Leica cameras suffered from the same affliction.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

One can purchase adapters for that, thus eliminating the need to re-spool.
--Bob

Pablo8 wrote:

In a 'previous life' I used to re-spool 620 films onto 120 spools for use in my camera. The 620 film was not as popular as 120 here in the UK, and shops had much short / outdated 620 film to sell off cheap. So, I bought. Doing my own processing, I had plenty of 120 spools in the darkroom.

htbrown Loc: San Francisco Bay Area

CO wrote:

What is the dial on top? Is that the film advance knob?

It doesn't appear to be an SLR type camera. With the viewfinder high up on the camera like that would one need to compensate when framing up the shot?

Yes it's the film advance. It has the little red window in back so you can read the frame number off the film's paper backing.

For most photos, the parallax between the viewfinder and the lens can be ignored. It's only relevant in tight framing and in shots too close for this camera to focus.

htbrown Loc: San Francisco Bay Area

When parallax is an issue, there's an easy way around it. Frame the shot on the tripod, and when you have everything just so, raise the center column by the distance between the viewfinder and the lens. For this camera, that's about 7 cm.

RichardSM Loc: Back in Texas

htbrown wrote:

I don't yet have any film for it. If someone knows where I can find a roll of film to fit, I'll give it a whirl.

You live in the Bay Area there’s plenty of camera stores just check around!

htbrown Loc: San Francisco Bay Area

Bigmike1 wrote:

Can you even find film for it these days? I have an old folding camera I bought in Germany more than 50 years ago now. It uses 120 roll film. I don't know if they even make that anymore. The last roll of film I bought was a 20 exposure roll of Kodacolor and it cost me $10.00.

At least 120/620 was widely used. I have another camera that uses 828 film. That was hard to find when I was using the camera. (It's essentially 35 mm film, but has one hole per frame instead of the row of sprocket holes on each edge.)

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

htbrown wrote:

I got myself a new camera. It may not have the IQ of the latest Nikon, but it's medium format and I only paid half a buck for it:

"Stompin' At The Savoy", I think that was a song my parents liked (actually I do too)?

Does it use 120 format film or the dreaded 620 no longer made junk.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

Bigmike1 wrote:

Can you even find film for it these days? I have an old folding camera I bought in Germany more than 50 years ago now. It uses 120 roll film. I don't know if they even make that anymore. The last roll of film I bought was a 20 exposure roll of Kodacolor and it cost me $10.00.

Yes, 120 and 135 (35mm) film are still made and sold, as well as sheet film in 4x5", 8x10", and many other sizes. You just have to search a bit.

CatMarley Loc: North Carolina

htbrown wrote:

I got myself a new camera. It may not have the IQ of the latest Nikon, but it's medium format and I only paid half a buck for it:

Looks like a real Pro rig!

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Ava'sPapa wrote:

Savoy...Savoy. Isn't that the company that outsold Nikon, Canon and Sony, 2 to 1 ? Good find.

I have one of those in a closet, somewhere! Wow.

Find a 120 to 620 film spool adapter and see if it still works. It's set up for ISO 125 negative film (Verichrome Pan, back in the day...).

Chuckwal Loc: Boynton Beach Florida

Works for me
chuck

dave_roe Loc: Rome Italy

I thought I was the only one to find such deals.......

Here is my new rig ...... even got it with a removal flash unit.

Built for both color and black and white with only a flip of a switch.