Kodak Duaflex II with Rerolled 620 Film

I recently shot 2 rolls of 120 film I re-rolled onto 620 reels in my Kodak Duaflex II. The Duaflex II is a compact TLR (Twin Lens Reflex) with basic features. The one I have is in pretty good shape for it's age. The Duaflex takes 620 sized film which is available online from a few sellers (expired or re-rolled). FYI, I tried to "jam" 120 reels in the Duaflex but they don't fit easily. 

The basics on the Duaflex:

• 72mm f/8 lens
• Range focusing
• Aperture set with a slider under the taking lens at: f/8, f/11 & f/16
• Cash shoot with B mode via a sliding switch under the shutter release

I shot a roll of re-rolled Fomapan 400 & expired Kodak Portra 400UC. The Fomapan images came out a bit "gritty" & white marks that appears to be light leaks. I think this was because there was a lot of black flakes on the inside of the lens that I didn't originally notice (since cleaned) and I think I creased the film when I was re-rolling it causing what appears to be light leaks. The Portra came out without these effects.

Here are images:

Kodak Tourist (6x9 folder)

 

I recently shot a roll of Ilford Delta 400 through this Kodak Tourist. The camera takes 620 sized film, so I rerolled a reel of 120 onto a 620 core in a black bag. This is a 6x9 negative format folding camera with bellows. The camera is completely manual. There are a couple of versions, but the one I have has the T, B, I speed setting (unless you are shooting bulb it's really only 1 speed. The aperture range is an f/2.5 to 32. Pretty impressive for such an old camera.  

The nice thing about the camera is that you can easily hold / shoot it in both landscape and portrait format. When not in use it folds up into a very compact sized.

You get 8 shots out of a roll of film. I home developed the roll of Delta 400 with Ilford Ilfotec DD-X (my go-to B&W developer) at 1+4 for 8 minutes and scanned the negatives with my Epson V800. Here are a few images. 

35Film120 - My Film Only Instagram

I regularly use Instagram for my studio based portrait & beauty digital photography.  I use StevenBrokaw for this side of Instagram.  However, I shoot lots of film, but I don't put any of this work on my Instagram page.  Except for now!!

I recently launched a second account which is film photography related only.  I've named it 35Film120.  Why this name?  Honestly I couldn't think of anything catchy.  I'm under the impression the audience for film images is different than my studio work.  Therefore, a separate account.

The goal is to use 35Film120 for film photos using all types of cameras...and trust me, I have them plenty.  Although 35 & 120 is my preferred sized film I also shoot 110, 126, 620, Impossible Project. You get the idea.  I also intend to post behind the scenes, etc.  I'll try to include camera type and film stock used on each image.  

Already having fun posting recent photos.  I might occasionally post one from the archive as well!

Imperial Debonair

I picked up this fancy looking camera, an Imperial Debonair, online in a camera lot purchase.  Very 60's looking.  As a matter of fact it's the produced in the 60's by the Herbert Jones Company.  Before I had purchased this camera, I had never heard of the Herbert Jones Company.  

This beauty is an all plastic, Bakelite, camera which falls squarely in the "toy camera" range today.  Looks somewhat like a Kodak Brownie, and I suspect they were made as a competitor.  This is a 620 film camera.  This camera is all manual, and as a matter of fact there are no features to put your manual camera skills to test.  You just load a roll of 620 film, point and shoot.  

This is a rangefinder which makes it simple to use.  My camera had cracks in the case, but nothing a bit of gaffers tape couldn't fils.  I loaded a roll of 120 film rerolled onto a 620 spool that I purchased from The Film Photography Project store and got going.  After about 6 shots however the film must have slipped off the sprocket and jammed.  I was able to "slap" it back in place, but when I advanced the film it tore, and locked up.  I simply rerolled the film.  No reason to open the camera up in the dark and try to get it going again.

This is a fun little camera with a cool 60's vibe.  Very hipster.  Dig it.

Pretty distinct vignetting

Doing some use camera shopping

Oops

Imperial Debonair with Rerolled 620 Film

I bought this Imperial Debonair as part of a film camera lot on Ebay.  I don't recall how much it cost but doubt it was more than a couple of dollars.  An unusual looking camera somewhat similar to a Kodak Brownie.  The difference is there is a look through viewfinder.  This is a medium format camera that uses 620 film.  

I knew nothing about the camera, or the company that sold them, Herbert George Co.  It looks cool however.  A very 50's, 60's look.  When purchased it was in rough shape.  Looks like it was either heavily used or just thrown around.  I cleaned it up as much as possible, and put it in my "to be used in the future" box.  

The challenge is unlike my Brownie, I couldn't fit a 120 roll in it.  There was a 620 spool already in the camera, but I didn't want to roll my own, and 620 film is either hard to find or expensive.  About a month ago, I placed an order with The Film Photography Project store and decided to buy a roll or 620 film.  This is rerolled Kodak 400TX 120 film. 

I loaded the camera up which is straight forward and easy to do.  Because of the cracks on the seams I sealed it up with black electrical tape.  After about 4 shots the winding knob was becoming very stiff and ultimately wouldn't turn.  Hmmm, I took it in a dark room and opened the camera up.  The spool had popped off the winder.  I snapped the spool back on and closed it up.  I took 2 more shots and the same thing happened again.  I repeated the open / close routine.  One more shot and the camera was toast.  I couldn't get it back on the winder, so I took the film out and rolled it up.  I think there were at least 2 more photos remaining.

So end result I took at least 5-6 shots that I think will come out.  The film tore slightly at that point (I noticed this when I rewound the film), so I doubt The Darkroom can process the film.  I'll send it in for processing soon and will report back.

Imperial Debonair

I'm shooting a found (don't remember where I got it) medium format Imperial Debonair. A retro looking plastic camera. Unlike a look down Kodak Brownie this camera has a look-thru viewfinder.  Shoots 620 sized film. This film size is hard to find. I bought a roll online from Film Photography Project store and loaded it up. After 5 shots the film jammed. I opened it up in a room with the lights off. The top spindle had popped off. I snapped it back on, and shot another photo.  Jammed again.  Opened it up, and put the spool back on.   Hopefully I can finish the roll.

Kodak Brownie Hawkeye Flash Camera - Really Old School

One of Kodak's famous consumer cameras was the Brownie Hawkeye.  I picked mine up a few years ago at Goodwill Outlet.  It looked rough around the edges, but guess what it works.  The Brownie Hawkeye was introduced in 1949 and produced until 1961.  Mine was made in 1951, so it's older than me.   Mine is a Hawkeye Flash version.  This version took a Kodak pin & screw flash attachment.  

The camera took 620 sized film which is hard to find, but you can roll your own.  Everything I read indicated that you couldn't use 120 sized film.  However, you can cut down the ends of a 120 film roll and get it to fit.  It's tight, but it worked.  I simply used a set of fingernail clippers to clip down the ends.

There are lots of websites on the Hawkeye camera that detail how to use it, how to load it, etc.  I couldn't find much on the actual camera specs.  However, physically, it has a look down viewfinder in-front of the top handle.  The image is reversed in the viewfinder which takes a bit of time to get used to.  It has a rotary shutter, but there is no other camera controls.  The only control was to pull up the grey knob on the opposite side of the shutter release and it converts the camera to bulb mode.  There is no adapter for a tripod, so you need to figure out another method to stabilize the camera during long exposures.  The lens is what's called a meniscus lens.  Here's a link if you want to read what a meniscus lens is.  

The camera produces a large 6x6 cm or 2.25x2.25 in square negative.  Loading the camera is a snap, and there are even instructions on the inside.  Very simple to open, just move the nob that's under the handle and the back pulls off.  Simply load the film, close it back up and you are good to go.  

I've only shot one roll of converted Ilford XP2 Super 400 120 film through it, but it was fun.  You sure get stares when you pull this out.  It's easy to use, no focusing, to aperture, speed, ASA, or anything else to adjust.  Just point & shoot.  Perfect for street photography.

Here is a photo from one of the parks in downtown Indianapolis during a bright but overcast day.  There appears to be an unusual pattern on the images.  Looks like something a pressure plate would create, but it doesn't have a pressure plate.  Still a cool, old school soft look.  It almost looks like it was taken 50 years ago!

So if you want to play with an old camera that's still fairly available and simple to use, get a Hawkeye flash.