Interesting, no I don't know. But it sounds like they did! Mine definitely doesn't have a slider to cover the red windows, and there's no suggestion that anything is missing, no holes where a slider might go or anything. Does yours say 520 imprinted on the back left hadn't side? Just 520, nothing else? no 520/xx?

I'm not usually a fan of 645 for the same reasons - it's not a major step up from 35mm as you say. But I enjoyed this one, and for the age and size and convenience I was pretty impressed with the results! How easy is it to mod a 116 for 120? I haven't tried that yet!

​@@the120ist Mod a 116/616 for 120 For the film spool there are 3D printed adapters on the market. The key topic is that the film rails of the 116/616 camera are to wide, so the film gate height has to be reduced. What I found in the web that some glue new rails into, but I have also seen that complete new frame insert out of metal, plastic,... got inserted *). Sure, without changing the image plane. Having not yet a 520/15 in hands, I am not sure which way I would go. *) Some 6x9 Ikontas had such an insert and viewfinder frame lines from factory to do 6x9 or 6x6. BTW: At moment I "convert" a very small bellows 9x12 from ~1926 with a new back (without changing the base camera at all) that can then take a modern 9x12/4x5 film holder and a new focusing screen in modded film holder. So to say is this a an adapter only. The base idea of this adapter build (in aluminum) was sold in US some when in past. The image plane changes, but with anyhow required ground glass focusing is this no issue. Why I did this? Simple answer: Originally needed metal film holders are hard to get / expensive and often in bad state.

Ooh that Graflex should be a lovely camera. I haven't tried one of those! Right - 220 is a double length version of 120. No one makes it any more, and to use it accurately your camera usually needs a setting for 220. This is not just to allow the frame counter to go up to 24, but also because in order to get the film length on the same size spool, they did away with the backing paper for most of the roll. So the start and the end of the roll has backing paper, but no backing paper covering the bulk of the film and therefore you can't use it in cameras with red windows in the back. So, overall, not something you're likely to encounter much these days, until someone starts making it again!

A special moment! I love that she has taken on my countdown. You could only barely hear it in the video, I tried to boost the sound, but from watching me and from me taking thousands of photos of her, she now starts every photo with "ok ready? 3, 2, 1... click"! Proud moment!

I have a Welta here. Needs some attention, which I keep meaning to find time to do! I have so many cameras that are about 75%... All I need is about another five hours in every day. Is that too much to ask??

I would say give it another chance! I confess I have a bit of a fear of using cameras like this for my "normal" photography - ie travel, family etc., because the complication of using it discourages me from putting it to use on stuff like that. I have previously taken folders like this out for banal and innocuous photo walks, taking photos of nothing, and I come back disappointed. But I used this one for a little while, got more comfortable with it, and I recently took it to a wedding and I was thrilled with the results! Only got maybe 9/16 good shots, the rest I messed up, but the good ones were soooo good! Definitely worth the extra effort.

@ I admit I’ve used it only sparingly. I did think the images were good. I’m not thrilled with the framing up the shot using that simple frame viewfinder, but I could probably learn to appreciate it for what it is. It’s quite small when folded up, and that’s just crazy to think it’s possible for a 6x9 shooter. Will absolutely fit in a pocket. I’ll make a resolution to put it to more use in the new year.

The hidden gems of the film photography world!

All good questions, and I'm afraid I don't know the full answer to some of them. Bellini are an Italian chemicals company, you can find their website here: www.bellinifoto.it There is an option to see it in English. Not sure how much env info they have on there. I can tell you that the developer is just a standard paper developer, so you could choose which one you use based on its required disposal method. Fixer is just standard fixer, and as you're developing to completion it's sort of an optional step. In theory there shouldn't be any chems left in the paper which need fixing. I have been using fixer, just out of safety and habit, but technically it shouldn't be a necessary step. The two chemicals unique to this process (actually not unique to this process, but different from standard paper developing) are the clarifier and the bleach. The clarifier is a simple sodium sulphite (sulfite) solution. Quick google suggests that this is not considered harmful to the environment, and in fact breaks down into sodium sulphate which is used as a nutrient by plants and bacteria. The bleach is a potassium permanganate based bleach. I haven't mixed my own, but other recipes suggest that it might be mixed with sulphuric acid. Both of these are considered toxic to aquatic life. I've been pouring this into a storage tank for now, but I'll need to figure out how to safely dispose of it soon. Do let me know if you find any more info! The sort of good news is that the potassium permanganate bleach is a modern addition to the process. Historically the bleaching was done with a potassium dichromate bleach, but that is seriously nasty stuff. Apparently you get better results with the dichromate bleach, but that's not a good enough reason for me to go there!

They are absolutely wonderful aren't they? And to think, this one i was using here was made in the 1930s! And it is a beautifully crafted camera with an incredibly intricate mechanism... and which with just a quick clean it is still fully functional 90 years later! Insane.

Thanks!

In't technology 'mazin. More amazing than me...

I agree, they're not for high precision work. But you can still make some very nice images with them. The focusing on this one was very accurate, not zone focusing but distance based. I was using a laser range finder to get my distances and I got some super sharp focus on most images. This one is no good for macro, closest focus it will allow is 1m. You might be able to get some sort of push on lens adapter for it, not sure. But you also have the problem of framing. Even at 1m I was battling with the parallax. I thought I had compensated enough but all of those close portraits ended up much lower in the frame than i was expecting. I'm not pushing folders for every situation, far from it. My big message is that they're a lot better than people think! And the prices that some of these cameras sell for is just criminal!

@@the120ist Yes overall folding cameras are fun... as long as you can work within its limitation. And still unbeatable compactness-wise. I can easily put a 6x9 Ikonta in my pocket, can't do the same with those Fuji 6x9 RFs :D

I think I have a Perkeo... maybe not the II version though. I shall have to take a look in my boxes of cameras! Yeah taking photos of the kids is a nightmare! But we must keep trying, right? They're definitely getting better at putting up with me! So that's something!

I'm learning with the strip downs. I've done some simpler shutters with great results, including aperture blades. The older I get the more patience I seem to have for such things! You're right, it is a tiny hole in the bellows. Took my a long time to find it because it's actually not on one of the folds, which is where I was looking. The material has thinned around the lens retaining ring, just where the bellows joins the front plate. I actually think it's in a place where it will cope well with some paint, it doesn't need to flex there. I'll take a closer look at it and see what I can do. Sadly, despite the enjoyment I got from it and plans I have for it, I'm not sure it warrants the cost of a new bellows. hmmm... maybe. Paint first. Then we'll see! Yeah I totally didn't notice the trails in the sky, but lots of people have pointed it out. We're on the main London - North America flight path out of Heathrow. Planes are so high you don't her them really, so I forget all about it. But it's a busy airway up there.

@the120ist I watched a documentary on trails and it's not some conspiracy theories spraying it out from planes they say they use a different aviation fuel now and this is what's causing the problem with lots of carbon in it. it sure is getting colder and this is why I have left France for winter and I'm in Marrakesh at the moment and then we'll travel down to dahkla later where it's 28° plus. yeah the only way you should be buying one of those bellows which cost me £45 each is if the camera is worth hundreds I replaced lots of mamiya 6 cameras and need to sell a lot of them now and the cameras have to be the top end models you don't want a cheap nettar with a bellows being replaced because it's worth a lot less. I have a Pontiac block metal 45 which is a beautiful camera made out of a block of metal it's amazing do search for it. when you open the camera the shutter button comes up out of the body it's beautifully machined but I only bought it for £16 years ago and so I'm not going to spend £45 to replace the bellows because the lens is not the best lens on it?

Possibly a Franka Solida? There were a few versions of that, 6x6 folders and good quality too. I have at least one... another one I shall have to dig out! Damn that paying work. It just doesn't go away does it?? I find it a major hindrance to my photography. Mixed info on HC-110... I'm told that someone has bought the Kodak IP (again) and is now producing again. I've switched over the Bellini Euro HC and am happy with the results. Whereabouts in the world are you? How com shipping is an issue?

@@the120ist That's it, a Franka Solida in 6x6 format. I didn't really understand the camera when I bought it and it needs some love (taken to the field). The seller also restores the cameras (solid rep), so I have a nice instance with a working rangefinder. I'm not complaining about the paying work -- it more than pays the bills. But I'm a little burned out from a long haul without a break. I'm in western Nevada in the States. B&H won't ship either developer because of hazardous materials regulations. The camera shop in Reno kinda said "Huh, you want a developer?" Sacramento, California is a couple hours away and they might have a store that carries developers. Thanks for the tip on the Bellini HC. I'll see if I can get that from B&H and get it shipped. Thanks for the great work, Nick.

Great stuff, glad you're getting good results from it! I miss the first frame ALL the time. How long have I been doing this now?? And I still do it. Useless. I also manage to get myself the odd blank frame from the same thing, where I merrily wind straight past the numbers! I think if we get into a bit more of a rhythm with these cameras, we'd get used to the workflow! But all it takes is a single distraction (like putting the foot of the tripod in dog s**t) and I'm toast. Rhythm blown!

It should, in theory, have the same exposure effect on either colour or the film I was using, as the T-Max 100 is panchromatic. An orthochromatic film should have no effect. The only big difference between colour and BW film is that on a panchromatic BW film you'll get just brighter areas, whereas on a colour film you would expect brighter and redder areas, because of the windows. But I wouldn't instantly expect huge differences in strength of the effect. I was doing my best not to leave those red windows in direct sunlight too much, and I didn't get too much impact from it. They were not to blame for the light leaks, I've found the culprit of that, it's the bellows.