Hi all,

I'm the proud new owner of a Linhof Techika IV outfit, for the moment I'm just going to use the Super Rollex roll-film backs but it's been 20 years since I've loaded a 120 film (and never one of these)...can anyone give me some pointers please?

My first roll was missing the first frame because I was scared to pull too much backing paper out. I've since practiced loading the holder using the backing paper and I know a little more now!

Am I correct in thinking that I should wind the backing paper through until the arrow on the paper appears in the little oval cut-out window?

Can I load 120 film in similar light levels to 35mm? How light-tight is the backing paper?

The insert holding the roll of film goes into the holder both ways (I can have the winder lever on either side). I'm assuming it doesn't matter which way this goes in, am I correct?

Does the counter reset automatically? (I'll have another fiddle with it in the meantime).

So many questions! (don't worry, there'll be more!!!)

-- Andrew McPhee (macca27@rm.quik.com.au), June 27, 2001

Answers

Andrew - You are correct in assuming that the film is initially wound until you can see the arrow in the oval window. It is suggested that the film be loaded in low light, although are times when one cannot obviously find a low light location. I have never had any problems with the fogging of the film. The counter also resets automatically, so that once the back is closed it should bring it to the beginning of the roll and indicate the first exposure. I have never tried to reverse the winder lever so I can't answer your question concerning that. Also, as a final word, I had recently purchased an older rollex for 6x9 and found that the frames overlapped one another. As it turns out, there is a small metal piece with grooves cut into it that controls all spacing and once it's worn is not replaceable, making the whole thing worthless except as a source of parts. So I'll not be buying any rollexes again to save money.

-- Artie Kapell (AKapell@HSC.VCU.Edu), June 27, 2001.

Thanks for the info Artie, now that I've got a roll of backing paper to practice with things are becoming clearer to me. I'm always careful and have never fogged a 35mm film (touchwood) but I've handled very little roll film so I was just wondering how paranoid I should be about light when loading.

I've worked out that the counter is sticking on frame 8 and so it makes the back unusable because it thinks there's only three frames left on the roll. Fortunately I've got another SR back so all is not lost, the equipment has been sitting unused for many years and there's also a shutter that's a bit lazy below 1/10sec.

About this two-way business with the insert - when you hold the back with the darkslide at the top (and the hump facing you) what side do you have the lever on?

The frames on the roll I put through vary between 2-4.5mm apart, I'll keep an eye on that to see if it shrinks.

-- Andrew McPhee (macca27@rm.quik.com.au), June 27, 2001.

Andrew - you've got me a bit confused with the sticking on the 8th frame. As you've stated it's a 120 back there should only be 10 shots per roll on a 6x7 back - so on the 8th frame you should have only 3 left. A 220 back will accomodate(however that's spelled) 20 shots. In terms of the orientation of the winder, I think that with the back as you described my lever is on the right.

-- Artie Kapell (AKapell@HSC.VCU.Edu), June 27, 2001.

"The insert holding the roll of film goes into the holder both ways (I can have the winder lever on either side). I'm assuming it doesn't matter which way this goes in, am I correct?"

You are correct.

-- Michael Briggs (MichaelBriggs@Earthlink.net), June 27, 2001.