Kodak 3A camera - 122 film format

[BrianShaw]

I like that idea of simply stuffing a 4x5" sheet of film onto the rails. Maybe I'll try that tonight! The lens on mine is a Rapid Rectilinear, maker unknown, with a Kodak shutter boasting B - T - 1/25 - 1/50 - 1/100 settings, and they all seem to work.

So - if I stick a sheet of film into a camera originally designed for roll film use, does the resultant image qualify as LF? How about if I took that lens off the Kodak and put it on my Busch Pressman 4x5 camera, and shot another sheet? What's the difference, LF- versus MF- wise?

Clearly, the format distinctions get muddled with cameras such as this...

Should be the same, wouldn't you think? As long as the film lies flat. Only difference might be focus if one is using anything other than infinity focus on the Kodak. I suspect the scale focus of the Kodak might be not as good as GG focusing. When I used the lens on my LF camera I GG focused then shot the film. I wish I had it handy to scan and show but can't. I was very happy with the quality but to be honest I ahd hope for less quality and more "vintage" look-and-feel.

[Albert Lombardi]

I am using paper with mine, I cut it to 3 3\4" x 6 1\4" and that works out to 23 square inches. LF all the way.

[Robert Hughes]

Update 1/20/11: Yesterday I stuck a sheet of 4x5 into the camera, took it outside and snapped a photo - only to realize afterward I hadn't covered over the film frame count window (which was missing its red window glass anyhow), so of course there was a horrendous light leak. No matter, I just wanted to see if it would work, which it did. Just fine - focus and exposure look in the ballpark.

Since moving in October, my photo lab stuff has been in storage, so after a while rooting around for stuff I came up with a tray and bag of developer, but no fixer. Off to National Camera Exchange, where they still sell chemicals.

While at the register, I struck up a conversation with the old school film geek / counter salesman. "What camera are you shooting with?" he asked, so I looked over his head at his collection / museum of obsolete cameras gracing the top shelf, and pointed at one really beat and dusty Kodak 3A - "just like that one!" He pulled it down, we talked about Rapid Rectilinear lenses a moment, then I looked at the back; his camera had a complete back (no broken tabs or missing red window glass, as with my unit). Hmmm... Would he be willing to trade?

Long story short, this morning I traded my damaged back for their complete and functional one, and bought a box of FP4 4x5 to compensate them for the trouble. And we all got to play with some of their dusty old antiques for a few minutes. They even had a couple of units with Autograph backs, complete with stylus, but they didn't fit as well, so I went with one that was more like my original back.

As I was leaving, I joked with the sales lady about how easy it was to make perfect digi shots nowadays. The rejoinder? "Yeah, but you've got to spend real money to make bad photos!"

[BrianShaw]

That pesky red window!

[jnantz]

i have black masking tape on mine
and i made a lenscap (nosecone ) so i can do bulb exposures without
a problem ...

[jnantz]

I am using paper with mine, I cut it to 3 3\4" x 6 1\4" and that works out to 23 square inches. LF all the way.

hi albert

what is the image size ?
i trim my 5x7 paper down about 1/8th inch
so it is 4 7/8 x 7, but the image size is still 3 1/4 x 5 1/2 ...

john

[BrianShaw]

... but the image size is still 3 1/4 x 5 1/2 ...

Maybe I'm reading you too literally, but is there any other option? I have found that the image size for this camera can't get any bigger.

[EdWorkman]

Re Kodak Cartridge #4 and #5
I have a #4- 4x5 pics on a 5 inch wide roll of film, so the 5 inch is vertical. AFTER I got it from ebay [ whew I'm sure glad that fever is over] I found photos of the complete guts. An aluminum pressing and rollers is required for roll film and more often than not is missing, like mine.
BUT
I found that it also will take a standard 4x5 sheet film holder with a supllementary back, which I DO have- hence the losable roller thingy. I made a removeable GG but haven't tried it to see if I have a bellows problem etc.
The lens is a lovely looking Planatograph, which i understand to be of the RR family, if not a true RR.
should work.
So for a #5 Cartridge Kodak do you need 7 inch roll film? Or what?

[Robert Hughes]

hi albert

what is the image size ?
i trim my 5x7 paper down about 1/8th inch
so it is 4 7/8 x 7, but the image size is still 3 1/4 x 5 1/2 ...

john

Why not trim the other way? Get two paper sheets of 3 1/2" x 5". I may try that over the weekend.

[jnantz]

hi brian,
i think he was referring to the whole sheet of paper in the back of his camera?
you are right, i don't think the image size can be increased ...

===

hi robert

i thought about cutting the 5x7 in half, but the overlap / excess paper
keeps it from shifting, so i don't need to tape or put anything else in there --- i just stick the paper in the back.
i have 2 - 122 spools ... so eventually i will slit and roll 16x20 or 11x14 or 8x10 paper and spool it ..
i'll just have to use 1 "roll" in a darkroom to figure out how many winds it takes to not crowd the images,
and figure out the best length so i don't bind it up ..

have fun !
john