120 film in a 220 Cartridge - Mamiya 645

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b16a2

Guest
Hiya!

Well, I've finally taken the plunge to get into Medium Format photography, and bought a Mamiya 645 last week. In a fit of passion and excitement, I loaded Ilford HP5 120 into a 220 cartridge, and am about 6 exposures into the roll.

I thought of this after the fact, and did a bit of reading, and have found that what I've done can damage both the shutter, and a spring of some kind.

I am wondering how I am best in dealing with what I have done. Is there a way to preserve what's already on the film, and extract the cartridge, or is the film a write-off, and I'll need to remove the cartridge and manually wnd the film off of it? Or contrary to popular belief, can I continue through the roll, and after 15 exposures, try to feel the roll complete onto the other feeder?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Dumb rookie mistake, but I was just so eager to get shooting! :(

Thanks!

Evan
 
I'd just take it out, stuff the film, no point in knacking the carrier to save one roll, although quite what use 220 roll film carriers are these days is open to debate.
 
Definitely don't shoot any more - remove the film back from the camera, put it in your changing bag, and remove the roll from the film back there - just take out both spools from the insert, close the film back, then spool all the film onto one or other of the reels, seal that reel with some tape until you're ready to develop it. Might just salvage your first few shots with the camera. And if you have screwed the 220 film insert, not to worry, they're about as much use as a chocolate teapot these days anyway, due to lack of availability of film.
 
Heya! Thanks to both of you! I've followed your recommendations, and logically, I think I will have retained my first couple of shots as you said BigYin. Thanks!

Curiously, what's the difference between the 120 and 220 inserts? I've compared them side by side, and they look exactly the same.

Sorry for the n00b question, I've just kind of jumped into Medium Format with both feet first.

Many thanks for your help!
 
b16a2 said:
Curiously, what's the difference between the 120 and 220 inserts? I've compared them side by side, and they look exactly the same.

!
Click to expand...

No idea, my Bronica backs have a 120/220 selector so take both, it must be something to do with the pressure plate or something, I can't imagine what bone head at Mamiya decided there'd be different inserts for 120/220.
TBH I don't think its much of an issue since 220 became so hard to come by.
 
b16a2 said:
Heya! Thanks to both of you! I've followed your recommendations, and logically, I think I will have retained my first couple of shots as you said BigYin. Thanks!

Curiously, what's the difference between the 120 and 220 inserts? I've compared them side by side, and they look exactly the same.
Sorry for the n00b question, I've just kind of jumped into Medium Format with both feet first.

Many thanks for your help!
Click to expand...

I'm not sure - on the Bronica ETRSi - the 120 and 220 film backs have 2 main differences -

1) the film counter goes to 15 on the 120 backs, but to 30 on the 220.

2) I think the pressure plate is set slightly different on the 220, to reflect the thinner nature of film only, rather than film + backing paper. (In case you didn't realise, 220 film is the same film stock as 120, just twice as much of it, and to make room on the spool for the extra film, the film is wound with a paper header and tail, but no backing paper over the actual film itself - that's why you can't use 220 film in cameras like the Holga with a window in the rear plate of the camera, and also you wouldn't know how far to wind the film on!)
 
The ETRS is the same ??
Different carriers for 120 & 220...

ish, that's a bugger......almost..
 
joxby said:
The ETRS is the same ??
Different carriers for 120 & 220...

ish, that's a bugger......almost..
Click to expand...

Would be, if I was shooting weddings on 220, but 120 and 15 shots is quite enough for me on MF :)

I'd pretty much thought 220 was dead and burried to be honest, then I found that Portra was still available. Though seeing as 5 rolls of 220 cost more than 10 rolls of 120 (Portra New 160 -220x5 £42.95, 120x5x2 £37.90), you're paying for the convenience of not having to reload the film back as often.
 
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