Going back to my retail photo days of the late '60s - 620 and 120 were
identical except for the spool..  I'm trying to remember if the the drive
notches in the spools were same or if it was only the diameter of the shaft
that was different.

Have fun,

Gordon

Though I've never tried it, I've heard that 120 film can be rewound onto
620 spools. 620 spools, it turn, show up with some frequency on ebay.

I beleive that photo.net has a forum dedicated to Brownies.

On 4/12/2004 5:16 PM peter lang spake thus:

Yep, the film's the same size, just the spools are different.

Turns out there are several strategies for using 120 film in a camera made for
620, depending on the configuration of the spool chambers and such:

1. Just use 120 directly: some cheap 620 shooters have enough room to allow this.

2. Cut down the edges of the 120 spool so it will fit in the chamber.

3. Thin down the spool edges to make the spool fit lengthwise.

4. Both (2) and (3).

5. Respool the 120 film onto a 620 spool (obviously the most laborious, but
easily doable in either a darkroom or a changing bag).

Here's a site that summarizes these methods, with other related useful info:
http://www.staff.uiuc.edu/~b-wallen/BN_Photo/Kodak620.htm

You'd be surprised at the quality of the results you might get, owing to the
large size of the negative if nothing else. I've gotten some really wonderful
pictures out of the Kodak Vollenda 620 I got for about $10 on eBay. This is a
better camera then yours, with an actual focusable lens and a real shutter and
all, but I would still try the Brownie to see what it can do.

apr1304 from Lloyd Erlick,

In days gone by, there were little adapters that could be slipped over
the narrow tips inside the camera that went into the holes on the ends
of the spools. The adapter of course fit the ends of a 120 spool,
permitting 120 film to be run through the camera.

I never had any of these things and don't even remember if they had a
aprticular name.

I do remember using 620 film in a 120 camera (620 used to be cheap
stuff, and was commonly available at the corner drugstore -- this was
before there were convenience stores). Using 620 in a 120 camera was
much easier than the other way around. All you needed was any kind of
pointy tool like a screwdriver or awl. With the least possible care
the spool holes were enlarged, and poked about in such a way that the
camera could grab the thing and rotate it. I'm pretty sure the
'straight' parts of the spool holes were the same as 120, and only the
diameter of the 'round' part of the hole was smaller. Well, you could
do it if you were a teenager.

regards,
--le

The film is the same, the spool is different.  120 is adaptable, but
620 is still available, although costly. Try B&H, Film for Classics,
and others.

I, too have several 620 cameras in my collection of cheap (excuse me:
inexpensive) cameras, but it was only when I acquired a really nice
example of a Kodak Tourist II that I considered actually using one.  I
will eventually try and re-spool some 120, since I have a supply of
reels from some of my 620s.  But, first, I may actually spring for a
roll of 620, just to see if the camera is usable.

Give it a shot!  Cheers.

David

I have purchased 620 film for my Kodak Tourist from the following:

http://jandcphotography.com/page620.htm

You may want to try them. It is resized 120 film. It may be a bit
oversized for some cameras. Also some cameras may require the the
centerhole be shimmed smaller. Good luck.

Jim McClure