This video is the best illustration I could find of loading 120 film into an old style camera. In this video the camera is a plastic Holga camera that is popular with film camera enthusiasts. Loading the film is very similar to the action taken when loading the same type of film into the Ilford Sporti – the subject of my next post. Hope it revives some memories for those who recall older cameras and serves as an eye opener to anyone younger as to what was involved in using a camera all those years ago. People still use 120 film in many types of cameras and then experiment with developing their film and printing their own pictures in the old fashioned way, in a darkroom with little baths of chemicals.
Searching for the video above I accidentally discovered this video by a young photographer, Hessel Folkertsma, in which he answers his critics who are baffled why anyone in this modern age, particularly someone young, would want to take photographs on old style film. When I was 10-11 years old my school science teacher taught us the full film to print process, so I have done all that this photographer describes. I also took photographs with 35mm film cameras for over 20 years. I no longer feel the need to do so and I don’t want to be burdened by such physical processes like developing and printing photographs. I love the digital era – but I also love the fact that this young guy wants to process film the way he does. He makes some very good points in putting forward his case for being allowed to make his art the way he wants to. I wish him and any others who enjoy the process every success!
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I used to take photos using my dad’s film camera when I was a kid. The problem was, with the burden of going and getting the film developed, I rarely got the final prints. In fact, I probably have several rolls undeveloped somewhere. That all obviously changed with digital (as well for MANY other photographers). Instant feed back and the accelerated learning from it is amazing.
Thanks for the comment – I think I have a roll, maybe two, of undeveloped film in a box or cupboard, possibly too old to be useful now. 😉 I recall a roll of 120 film developed 3-4 years after it was taken in the 1970s and all the photos had thousands of tiny white flecks all over. I cleaned one up digitally, but it took hours!