120 v. 620 Film

A 120 spool (left) and a 620 spool

There probably are perfectly good cameras lying unused in drawers because the owners can't find film for them. A workaround is available for cameras that take 620 film: re-spooled 120 film. Apart from the spool the film is wound on, there isn't any difference between a 620 roll and a 120 roll. Kodak discontinued 620 film in 1995, but 120 film is made to this day. All you have to do is unroll the 120 film, in the dark, and roll it onto a 620 spool. You can get old, metal 620 spools from eBay or from junk store box cameras. You also can get new, molded plastic 620 spools from Film Photography Project, but be aware that their plastic spools might not fit some old cameras. Re-spooling film is no harder than loading film onto a developing reel. This Youtube video shows how: 620 Film: How to use 120 film in your 620 camera. If you don't want to roll your own, you can get newly rolled 620 film from Film Photography Project or Film for Classics (sold by B&H). Ask your photo lab to return your 620 spools for reuse.

A little history: 120 film was first made for the No. 2 Brownie camera in 1901, and was adopted by many other companies for their cameras. Agfa also made the same size film, but called it B2 instead. Kodak decided to shrink the spool in 1931, and stopped making cameras for 120 film. Most Kodak 620 cameras were simple Brownies, although Eastman did produce some high quality commercial 620 cameras like the Kodak Medalist. The last 620 camera made by Kodak, the Brownie Flashmite 20, came out in 1960. Consumer 620 and 127 roll film cameras were replaced by the hugely successful Kodak Instamatic line in 1963. 120 film has continued to be made by Eastman and other companies for commercial or advanced amateur photographers.

[Update] 620 film is now available from the FPP store: https://filmphotographystore.com/collections/all/620-film