Hi Guys,

I received a letter from a long-time subscriber to our newsletter. He does
not have a computer or access to the internet (and he is not very old). He
asked me a number of questions. I wonder if someone here can help. I will
compile the answers and send him a letter. I guess I have some ideas but
would like to know if you guys have some feedback too,

Thanks,

George

---

I have an old Bronica 6x4.5 camera with a 120 and 220 film back. I am
thinking of using it for 3d slides and prints. Questions/concerns:

1. Availability of Film
2. Slide Viewers
3. Dimensions of slide mounts (140x80 mm with 62.5mm window seetings?)
4. Supplies
5. Camera for the moving things
6. Medium format community to write or telephone call to.

----

On 10/3/2012 5:25 AM, George Themelis wrote:

> Hi Guys,
>
> I received a letter from a long-time subscriber to our newsletter. He does
> not have a computer or access to the internet (and he is not very old). He
> asked me a number of questions. I wonder if someone here can help. I will
> compile the answers and send him a letter. I guess I have some ideas but
> would like to know if you guys have some feedback too,

I'd be happy to communicate with him by voice or letter.
Share my contact information with him if you think it is
appropriate.

Do you know where this person is located?

> I have an old Bronica 6x4.5 camera with a 120 and 220 film back. I am
> thinking of using it for 3d slides and prints. Questions/concerns:
>
> 1. Availability of Film

For slides:

220 film is gone. 120 film is still available.

There is still a little Kodak E100G and E100VS out there. It
will soon be gone. Fuji Provia 100F and 400X is available.
Fuji Astia seems to be gone but reports vary. Fuji Velvia 50
is still out there. I buy my film at B&H (866.264.5201 /
212.560.3255) but you may also have local sources for it.

You may still have local processing. I use Denver Digital
(Denver Digital Imaging Center, PO Box 9506W, Denver, CO
80209 303-698-2962)

Ilford HP5 works nicely in the DR5 developing process if you
want to do black and white. DR5, 701 WEST 6TH AVENUE
DENVER, CO. 80204 303.534.2375

For prints:

220 Kodak Portra is still available.....
But unless you are going to be making _big_ prints and you
really like the darkroom process, I can't recommend using
your medium-format gear to produce prints.

> 2. Slide Viewers

Buy a 3D-World, "steal the light" viewer from George, and
wait for Larry Heyda to complete his lit viewer.

> 3. Dimensions of slide mounts (140x80 mm with 62.5mm window seetings?)

Get some 80x140 3D-World plastic mounts from George. They
have a 63mm aperture spacing. Do _not_ consider using Holga
mounts. They look similar but have a 65mm aperture spacing
which makes them unusable.

> 4. Supplies

Once you have film, mounts and viewer, you're set. I also
use some mylar tape, but many other people just use the
sticky tape already in the mounts.

> 5. Camera for the moving things

TL120-1, Rolleidoscop, Sputnik - None of these are now
manufactured. All will require some tweaking prior to use.
The TL120 will require the least, but they are hard to find.

> 6. Medium format community to write or telephone call to.

I can chat by voice or snail-mail.

John Thurston
Juneau, Alaska

George Themelis wrote:

>
> I received a letter from a long-time subscriber to our newsletter.
> He does not have a computer or access to the internet (and he is not
> very old). He asked me a number of questions. I wonder if someone
> here can help. I will compile the answers and send him a letter. I
> guess I have some ideas but would like to know if you guys have some
> feedback too,
>
> Thanks,
>
> George
>
> ---
>
> I have an old Bronica 6x4.5 camera with a 120 and 220 film back. I am
> thinking of using it for 3d slides and prints. Questions/concerns:

The Bronicas were supposed to be nice cameras. They got out of the
camera market before I decided whether or not I wanted one.

Which camera is it?

> 1. Availability of Film

Film is as available via a web page, or phone call. Besides Adorama,
and B&H, there is also Freestyle Photo (800-292-6137)
<http://www.freestylephoto.biz/>. I bought my Lubitel 166 Universals
(my first MF cameras, which got me into MF3D) from Freestyle 15 years
ago.

I shoot mostly Kodak film. That's probably going to change. Kodak's
upper management has been slowly destroying the company.

If he wants to shoot color slides he'll have to shoot Fuji going
forward. Any Kodak slide film you find for sale is old stock, and
expensive.

For color negative there is Ektar 100, and Portra from Kodak (both
excellent), and Fujicolor Pro 400H and Fujicolor Reala 100.

The outlook for B&W is better. Besides Kodak, and Ilford, Fuji makes
Neopan, and there are several European film makers.

So far as I know, no one makes 220 film anymore. He could pick up old
stock 220 film or from ebay if he wants to use that holder.

> 2. Slide Viewers
> 3. Dimensions of slide mounts (140x80 mm with 62.5mm window seetings?)

I only mount my stereo slides, and I only use cardboard mounts. I
have a supply of them, and when I start to run out I will stop
procrastinating and figure out how to laser cut new mounts.

My non-stereo film goes into negative pages when I get around to
organizing things. I use a small (4x5 inch) light tablet, and
sometimes a larger (8x10 inch) light table, for viewing.

> 4. Supplies

Adorama, B&H, and Freestyle all have film & darkroom supplies. There
are also companies (Bostick & Sullivan, Photographers Formulary,
Artcraft Chemicals) that specialize in bulk chemicals if you want to
do your own processing, and don't want to pay the (relatively) high
prices for the processing kits from Kodak, etc.

If you want to do your own processing at home the Paterson plastic
tanks are supposed to be good. I used steel reels and tanks, but
that's only because that was what was recommended when I learned how
to process. Steel reels can be difficult to load if you bend them (by
dropping) even a little bit, but plastic reels need to be completely
dry before you can load them.

At the 2012 Photokina Jobo announced the new CPP-3 semi automatic film
processor (it handles temperature, and agitation, you have to swap
chemicals and keep track of time), but it's going to be expensive.

There are folks on Youtube showing all sorts of ingenious ways of
making a Jobo like processor using Paterson tanks and plastic tubs to
automate the temperature, and agitation.

> 5. Camera for the moving things

Huh? I'm not sure what you mean.

A medium format camera should be OK for action photography, so long as
you anticipate the action, and don't rely on a motor drive to catch a
zillion photos, of which one may be OK.

> 6. Medium format community to write or telephone call to.

Without the Internet that's going to be tough. Not knowing where this
person is, I can't give specific recommendations. I guess he should
look for local camera clubs and schools.

--
Brian Reynolds | "It's just like flying a spaceship.
reynolds@panix.com | You push some buttons and see
http://www.panix.com/~reynolds/ | what happens." -- Zapp Brannigan
NAR# 54438 |