FILMS FOR THE ELDERLY

Or,

How Old is Your Apparatus?

HAVE you any ancient cameras languishing away in a loft or a cellar? There are the most outlandish film sizes through the ages, and, surprise, surprise, there is a company in the United States of America who can supply most of them!
Some of the comparatively recently discontinued (by Kodak and the other film giants) are still easily available from manufacturers in the eastern bloc — 127 roll film to name but one, still available in at least a couple of makes in both black and white and colour slide. Available from several sources in the U.K., such as Photoworld (!).

Agfa still manufacture 126 and 110 cartridges, but I can’t imagine this continuing for much longer as sales must be infinitesimal for a large organisation to keep going with. But what about those massive, and smaller, film sizes of perhaps fifty or so years ago? Let’s run through some of them — 101, 103, 116, 122, 124, 130, 616, 828 and 620. Even at my
advanced age I don’t remember a number of these! But if you look inside any antique camera, (film as opposed to plate), you should be able to read the size required printed somewhere in the interior — usually on the door. If the shutter still operates and the take-up spool is still in place and the size is in the list above, you can give the machine a new lease of
life and have a bit of photographic fun at the same time.

The company to approach is Film For Classics, and while the pound is reasonably strong against the dollar, this is a good time to give it a whirl. What sort of money are we talking here? Well, as you might imagine, it is not as cheap as, say, 35mm., but bearing in mind this is a really limited market, prices are not too high. Sizes 101 to 130 above cost $16 a roll. 616 is $15 for panchromatic or $13.50 for ortho. 828 (35mm without the perforations on a spool rather than in a cassette) is $6 for black and white or $7 for colour. Finally 620 (same as 120 but on a different spool) is $8 for black and white or
colour print and $10 for colour slide. If you do decide to have a go with that elderly piece of apparatus do let us know how you get on a photo from one of the negs would be interesting too.

FILM FOR CLASSICS
DICK HAVILAND
P.O. BOX 486
HONEOYE FALLS
NY 14472
U.S.A.

or, if you prefer to telephone rather than write 005856244945 should reach them. If sending for further details don’t forget to include an international reply coupon, available from the Post Office.