Hello, I'm a newbie to the forum, but have been reading and browsing on the fringes for awhile. What a great resource. My question is, simply, where or how do I get film for my beautiful 1939 pre-anni Speed? I love this camera and want to use it...but must I cut my own film from 4x5 sheets? Cheers, Patrick

Check with J and C, John often stocks films in this size...

http://www.jandcphoto.com

Dave

While we're on the topic of "obsolete" (no offense intended!) film formats, the Sept. issue of Shutterbug, on p. 3 of the B&H section, lists a number of such formats: 127, 620(!), and 828. There are seven emulsions (4 B/W, 3 color) for 620---at $9-12/roll, not cheap but maybe the convenience will outweigh the cost, for some.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Henry on 2006-08-27 11:21 ]</font>

Actually, J&C will resize any 120 emulsion they sell to 620, if you don't mind waiting until they cut a batch (usually once a week or so) for shipment; their premium is only about $3.50 or $4 per roll over the regular price for the same film in original 120. Some cameras can even use these resized spools for takeup, though I wouldn't count on it without testing. And many 620 cameras will accept a 120 supply spool, either unaltered or with the flanges trimmed to the diameter of the paper roll (using nail clippers or nail scissors, even a small wire cutter), as long as you take up to a 620 spool.

For 127 and 828, I recut 120, still on the roll and in room light, then go into the darkroom to respool onto the appropriate original metal spool (127 I spool backward, untaping the head and taping down the tail, so the 6x4.5 framing track will end up under the 4x4 framing window). You can also (of course) respool 120 onto 620 spools without any alteration, for those few 620 cameras that are just too tight to accept a 120 supply, even trimmed, and not worth spending $6-$8 per roll for resized film.

For 3x4, you used to be able to order from PhotoWarhouse and they'd recut any film to any size at no extra charge, but they dropped their recutting service a couple years ago, so you're stuck with whatever J&C and/or Freestyle sell already cut to your chosen size. 3x4 isn't too bad; I currently see ADOX PL25, PL50, and PL100, and Classic 400 listed. Even 6.5x9 cm is making something of a comeback, with three emulsions now available (ADOX PL25 and PL100, and Classic 200).

And of course if you buy enough of it, you can get anything cut to any size by Forte, Foma, or Efke (and "enough" is almost certainly a lot less than a container load).

In addition to J&C, I've also gotten 3X4 from Film For Classics; its been a while but I think they're still in business. I got cut-down Tri-X from them and a good selection of eastern European emulsions from J&C