 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
| PhotoKB HomeDiscussion Groups Digital Photography Digital PhotoDSLR CamerasZLR CamerasPoint & Shoot CamerasFilm Photography 35 mmLarge FormatMedium formatDarkroomFilm and LabsOther EquipmentPhoto Technique Nature PhotographyPeople PhotographyTechnique GeneralGeneral Photo Topics General TopicsAustralian PhotographyUK PhotographyDirectoryPhoto Clubs |
Photo Forum / Film Photography / Medium format / May 2007Dallmeyer 1/4 plate roll-film back (help a noob!)
Got grandpa's old SLR here, intend to use it this weekend. It's a quarter-plate camera with a 120 roll-film back, and I'm hoping for some help. Last time I used it was about 20 years ago, and I developed the roll myself. But I seem to have forgotten everything I learnt since then. It's a very ancient cube, about six inches (15 cm) on each side with a lens out the front, a view-finder on the top, of the sort that you poke your nose into a hood to see what's going on, and a back that either takes 1/4 plates, or the roll-film adaptor. And it really is an SLR. Hit the shutter and the mirror goes "whop" as it gets out of the way and the two blinds go "zhoop" as they go past the back plate. Shutter speed is simply how far apart the the two blinds are. The 120 roll-film back takes 6x9 negs. So, questions: am I right to assume that I roll the film so that the exposed side is on the inside? Given the mechanism I could do it either way. This camera is obviously intended for people that know what they're doing! (Back in the 30s or whatever - can anyone give me rough date based on this description?) There's a little red window onto the film back: will this give the right number at the right time? I assume I'll get 8 shots out of a standard 120 roll. I guess my real worry is that the frame markings on modern film won't match up to the 6x9 frames. ISTR that when I used it last it came up with 1, 1A, 2, 2A, etc. And that then I played extra- safe and only exposed 1, 3, 5... Other notes: the lens is a bellows arrangement.  Signature"Checking identity papers is a complete waste of time. If anyone can be counted on to have valid papers, it will be the terrorists". > It's a very ancient cube, about six inches (15 cm) on each Update: eBay tells me it's a "Special Press Reflex": http://tinyurl.com/yqthj6 which goes to: http://cgi.ebay.com/DALLMEYER-Special-Press-Reflex-camera-w-backs-case_W0QQitemZ 170114431902QQihZ007QQcategoryZ11720QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem Signature"Checking identity papers is a complete waste of time. If anyone can be counted on to have valid papers, it will be the terrorists". >> It's a very ancient cube, about six inches (15 cm) on each > > Update: eBay tells me it's a "Special Press Reflex": > > http://tinyurl.com/yqthj6 Wow. I've always wanted a camera like that. Lovely. Check out the paparazi scene (at the start of the wedding) near the end of "It Happened One Night" to see dozens of them in action. Roll the film so that the markings on the paper leader face the red window on the back, and the film itself faces into the camera. The numbers should be in the right positions. David J. Littleboy davidjl@gol.com Tokyo, Japan > Got grandpa's old SLR here, intend to use it this weekend. > [quoted text clipped - 35 lines] > > Other notes: the lens is a bellows arrangement. Mary - Dunno the camera, but for what it's worth... When you load the 120 roll of film, you will typically see one side of the paper backing black and the other side with printing. The black side will have the film such that it should be facing the lens when loaded. The print side faces away from the lens and will be towards your "little red window". After loading the film and closing the camera, wind the film until the number "1" shows in that "little red window". Thereafter, just line the next number in the window for the next exposure. Dollars to donuts you don't have a double exposure prevention feature with the camera, so you have to keep track so as to avoid multiple exposures on the same frame. What I do is to advance the film to the next number just before taking the next exposure...this system works for me. Not to worry about matching up the frames...the 120 film format has something like four sequences of numbers on the paper backing - one each for 6x4.5,, 6x6, 6x7, and 6x9. The sequences are separated from each other and the "little red window" aligned so as to reveal the correct sequence for that camera - in your case, for 6x9 images. > Not to worry about matching up the frames...the 120 film format has > something like four sequences of numbers on the paper backing - one each for > 6x4.5,, 6x6, 6x7, and 6x9. The sequences are separated from each other and > the "little red window" aligned so as to reveal the correct sequence for > that camera - in your case, for 6x9 images. It varies. I've just looked at some old Vericolor III backing paper and the numbers are for 6 x 4.5 (two columns), 6 x 6 (two columns) and 6 x 9 (three columns). Annoyingly, my 6 x 9 back has two windows that both show the 6 x 4.5 frame numbers so I have to expose on alternate frames. SignatureMatthew Winn [If replying by mail remove the "r" from "urk"] > It varies. I've just looked at some old Vericolor III backing paper > and the numbers are for 6 x 4.5 (two columns), 6 x 6 (two columns) and > 6 x 9 (three columns). Annoyingly, my 6 x 9 back has two windows that > both show the 6 x 4.5 frame numbers so I have to expose on alternate > frames. What's the offset of the 6x9 markings? ISTR last time I used this thing I was ultra-cautious and ended up exposing every other frame, worried that I might be seeing the 6 x 4.5 marks. And ISTR that the marks went 1, 1A, 2, 2A... is that right? What I could really do with is an image of the back of some roll film so I could see for myself, I guess. I'll re-phrase my first question. When I wind the film on to the take-up spool, does the exposed side go on the inside? I assume so, though it should be said that there's nothing in the mechanism to stop you doing it the other way. And is it 8 shots per roll? Thanks for the various replies. Signature"Checking identity papers is a complete waste of time. If anyone can be counted on to have valid papers, it will be the terrorists". >> It varies. I've just looked at some old Vericolor III backing paper >> and the numbers are for 6 x 4.5 (two columns), 6 x 6 (two columns) and [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > > Thanks for the various replies. wups...goof on my part. Given Matthew's post, I went into the trash bin and rescued the paper backing of a 120 roll of Tmax100. There are - on the back - 2 (top) rows of numbers 1-16 (numbers about 4.75 centimeters apart), 2 (middle) rows of numbers 1-12 (about 6.5 cm apart), and 3 (bottom) rows of numbers 1-8 (about 9.25 cm apart). The multiple rows of the same sequence clearly support different locations of that "little red window" on the back of different cameras of the same image size. The 1-12 rows obviously support the 6x6 format. The 1-16 rows just as clearly support the 6x4.5 format. So look at the placement of that "little red window" on the back of your camera with the viewfinder uppermost. If that window is in the upper third of the back, you'll be using the first sequence of numbers and need to do as Matthew does...advance the film so only odd (1,3,5, etc) numbers appear in the window (assuming you have only one window rather the two that Matthew does). If that window on the other hand is on the bottom third of the back, then you'll be using the bottom sequence of numbers and can advance the film so each number appears in the window. The problem with terms like "inside" is that they tend to be ambiguous, the entire film being placed inside the camera. As I said in my previous post, one side of the backing paper at the onset is black and the other side has printing. When loading film, make sure that the side with printing will face that "little red window" because that's the side that will have the numbers. Doing that will make sure that the black side - the side with the film - will face the lens of the camera. > So look at the placement of that "little red window" on the back of your > camera with the viewfinder uppermost. If that window is in the upper > third of the back, you'll be using the first sequence of numbers and need > to do as Matthew does...advance the film so only odd (1,3,5, etc) numbers > appear in the window (assuming you have only one window rather the two That's the one. I've experimented with a bit of paper so I also have a rough idea how many turns of the winder it takes to advance a frame - so I feel fairly well prepared now. > printing. When loading film, make sure that the side with printing will > face that "little red window" because that's the side that will have the > numbers. Doing that will make sure that the black side - the side with > the film - will face the lens of the camera. Err, yeah, this is fairly obvious - it's how to wind the exposed film on to the take-up spool that I'm asking about. I'm assuming that it winds on so that the paper backing is on the outside, not the inside. But many thanks for digging through your trash on my behalf. Signature"Checking identity papers is a complete waste of time. If anyone can be counted on to have valid papers, it will be the terrorists". >> So look at the placement of that "little red window" on the back of your >> camera with the viewfinder uppermost. If that window is in the upper [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > > But many thanks for digging through your trash on my behalf. hmmm...now this is a puzzlement. Having secured the end of the backing paper to the take-up spool, you can usually turn that spool only in one direction...which direction ensures that the film side is protected from the light at the end of the roll. To get the film on the wrong side on the take-up spool implies winding that spool the "wrong way"...which cameras in my experience will not allow you to do. So try turning the wind-up spool and see if it allows turning in both clockwise and counter-wise directions...it should allow turning only in one direction. And if does allow only one direction, then you need not be concerned/careful. > light at the end of the roll. To get the film on the wrong side on the > take-up spool implies winding that spool the "wrong way"...which cameras > in my experience will not allow you to do. This one does! Thanks for all the replies. Now to see how the films have come out. Signature"Checking identity papers is a complete waste of time. If anyone can be counted on to have valid papers, it will be the terrorists". > Err, yeah, this is fairly obvious - it's how to wind the exposed film on > to the take-up spool that I'm asking about. I'm assuming that it winds > on so that the paper backing is on the outside, not the inside. Correct. > Got grandpa's old SLR here, intend to use it this weekend. > > It's a quarter-plate camera with a 120 roll-film back, > and I'm hoping for some help. Last time I used it was > about 20 years ago, and I developed the roll myself. snip> > The 120 roll-film back takes 6x9 negs. > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > the right number at the right time? I assume I'll get 8 shots > out of a standard 120 roll. From a 120 size roll of Kodak Portra 160: There are seven rows of numbers. The top two rows run from 1 to 16. The middle two rows are 1 to 12, and the bottom three rows are 1 to 8. As for loading the film, the printed side of the roll paper goes toward the red window. > So, questions: am I right to assume that I roll the film so > that the exposed side is on the inside? In case this hasn't been answered explicitly yet... The film + paper backing is rolled onto the takeup spool so that the _writing_ on the paper backing is on the outside as the film + paper rolls onto the takeup spool. This puts the film "on the inside". David J. Littleboy Tokyo, Japan |
Reply to this Message |
 Sign In
 Join
 My Latest Posts My Monitored Threads My Blog My Photo Gallery My Profile My Homepage Start New Thread Enable EMail Alerts Rate this Thread
|
©2008 Advenet LLC Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.