Author Topic: respooling 35mm into a 127 roll  (Read 9734 times)

astrobeck

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respooling 35mm into a 127 roll
« on: August 27, 2011, 04:21:50 AM »
After our discussions on the regular forum about 127 cameras, I thought I would try to re-spool some 35mm film behind some old 127 backing paper I had leftover from a roll of Efke I shot a few weekends ago.

I keep a lot of my leftover spools and backing papers for experimenting so it was great to have something to play with.

After a bit of dinking with an old roll of developed 35mm film I had laying around and the old 127 backing paper, I "think" I came up with something that might work...that is if you already have some used 127 paper backing and a spool handy.

I started the re-spool from the high numbered end of the backing paper since I needed to end up at the beginning of the roll for it to feed onto the take up spool correctly after I was finished like a new roll of film does.

In the first photo below, you can see that I've started the re-spool project almost at the end of the roll.
Where the paper backing says "STOP" is where I taped the new 35mm film to the backing paper.  I did this in the daylight so I could center it on the backing paper easily.  I gave myself enough extra at the end so it would be easier to handle and process after the roll is exposed.

Next I put all this in a changing bag, I have a tent style model  so it's roomy enough to move a lot a stuff around inside.

I also placed a piece of tape on the numbered side of the backing paper at the beginning of the roll (near the "start" arrow so I would know by feel in the changing bag where to cut the film and then tape it securely to the backing paper.  I made sure the pre-cut piece of tape was wide enough to cover the entire edge of the 35mm film (third photo) so it would easily glide forward when I use the re-spooled roll.

I also put some scissors for clipping the end of the film and the pre-cut piece of tape mentioned above inside the changing bag for fastening the film end (which is actually the beginning) securely to the backing paper.

Once all of this was inside the changing bag, I slowly wound the backing paper with the film inside the 127 spool.


Confused?  It sounds a bit confusing but it does work out.  And hopefully the photos below will clarify it more than I have attempted to explain.
I plan on experimenting some more, and if anyone has any better ideas for doing this please chime in!

Oh, the 12 exposure roll of 127 seems to be about the same length as 16-17 exposures of 35mm, so you'll need a 24 exposure roll of 35mm film to use for re-spooling.  
Your results and mileage may vary!  :)
« Last Edit: August 27, 2011, 05:18:07 AM by astrobeck »

jojonas~

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Re: respooling 35mm into a 127 roll
« Reply #1 on: August 27, 2011, 10:55:44 AM »
nice write up!
I've been dabbling a bit with 35mm in my 127 camera aswell (a kodak brownie starlet)

here I used the backing paper from a 120 roll cut down and using the 6x4,5 numbers.

worked pretty well, the extra spacing skipped a bit of film but not too much I think.

here's a shot from that roll. I had a bulkloader with fp4


and here is a later try with the original backing paper and some ferrania 200 film

I don't think I meant to shoot it as redscale so watch how you're flipping that film ;D
/jonas

Mike (happyforest)

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Re: respooling 35mm into a 127 roll
« Reply #2 on: August 27, 2011, 12:30:15 PM »
Great Idea.

I've been thinking for sometime about how to run 35mm through my Bronica ETRS without a proper back.
I've always been concerned about getting the edge of the film parallel with the edge of the paper.
The securing of the end being the crucial to this.

This technique can be used for this as the film is secured before further loading.

Will give this a try.

Thanks

Diane Peterson

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Re: respooling 35mm into a 127 roll
« Reply #3 on: August 27, 2011, 05:58:57 PM »
Great work ......pictures are truly worth a thousand words..especially in my case..I do so much better with "pictures" to follow!

sapata

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Re: respooling 35mm into a 127 roll
« Reply #4 on: August 27, 2011, 09:19:54 PM »
Great job!

I did the same few time ago and it's been quite successful so far, always have to remember to keep the back paper ;).

Here's how I did...
http://picturenoise.blogspot.com/search/label/127%20Camera%20Adapted%20to%2035mm

astrobeck

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Re: respooling 35mm into a 127 roll
« Reply #5 on: August 27, 2011, 11:16:56 PM »
Zapata, wish I'd seen your nice article before I wrote mine.

Between the two of us I think we have everything covered!

Very cool!