FPP 620 Film

The Film Photography Project store now has 100 speed black and white and color negative film in 620 size. The film stock is 120 film, as it says on the backing paper, wound onto plastic 620 spools. Because they are molded from plastic instead of stamped from metal, the end flanges on the FPP spools are about half a millimeter thicker than the end flanges of a metal 620 spool. This makes the FPP spools tight in some cameras. When FPP spools are tight on the take up side you can use a metal 620 spool as the take up spool. If the FPP spool is tight on the supply side you might be able to sand down the plastic flange to get more clearance. Put fine sandpaper on a hard, flat surface and move the flat end of the spool in a circular motion against the sandpaper to sand the spool evenly. I haven't tried this because sanding down the spool ends has the potential of getting bits of plastic all over your film. If you send your film out for processing, ask the lab to return your 620 spool for reuse. The snap top containers the FPP film comes in are usable for either 620 or 120 film.

FPP 620 ISO 100 Black & White Film

Here are my experiences so far with unmodified cameras.

Plastic FPP spools were OK on both the supply and take-up sides in these cameras: Argus Argoflex E (120 film also fits in pre-WII and some post-WWII Argus E cameras), Argus 40, Argus 75, Argus Super 75, Kodak Brownie Target Six-20, Kodak Chevron, Kodak Medalist II, Kodak Six-20 Brownie.

These cameras needed a metal 620 spool on the take up side: Kodak Brownie Hawkeye Flash Model (You might be able to bend the small metal tab that prevents the back from closing.), Kodak Reflex II, Kodak Six-20 Bull's Eye.

These cameras needed metal 620 spools on both the supply and take up sides: Ansco Anscoflex, Argus Argoflex EM and EF.

If you prefer to have film already on a 620 spool instead of rolling your own and you can use this film in your camera, the FPP 620 film is a good choice. Rolling your own 620 does save money at the cost of a little time and patience. This Youtube video shows you how: 620 Film: How to use 120 film in your 620 camera

The flanges on the FPP plastic spool (right) are thicker
than the flanges on the Kodak metal spool (left).

Anscoflex (1953-1956)

The Anscoflex is a simple camera with a waist level brilliant viewfinder. The body is plastic and aluminum. It is similar to the Eastman Kodak Duaflex camera, the Argus Argoflex Seventy-Five and others. It takes twelve 2-1/4" square pictures on a roll of 620 film. 620 film is no longer made, but you can use currently available 120 film re-spooled onto 620 spools. A yellow filter attachment and a portrait lens attachment were available and a 1-1/16" Series VI filter adapter will fit. The later Anscoflex II had the yellow filter and close-up lens built-in.

Front - Open

Back

The lens on the Anscoflex is an uncoated, approximately f/16, approximately 75 mm periscopic lens. A periscopic lens has two matched meniscus elements with the concave surfaces facing each other and the aperture stop in between. The shutter is a rotary shutter with a single, approximately 1/30 second, shutter speed. The film advance and shutter release are interlocked to prevent double exposures. You advance the film by turning the film advance knob in quarter turns back and forth to ratchet the film forward while looking for the picture number through the little red window on the back. You open the viewfinder and uncover the taking lens by sliding the tall front plate up. The viewfinder shows the scene right side up, but reversed left to right. The back is opened for loading film by pressing the red button near the viewfinder. The inside of the film chamber has a label suggesting size 620 Ansco "All-Weather" film, which at the time had an ASA speed of 64. The flasholder screws onto the left side of the camera. A tripod socket is on the bottom. The tripod socket is there mainly to attach the camera to its case. Because there is no provision for a time exposure or a delayed action for a "selfie" there isn't much need to attach a tripod.

The camera was styled by Raymond Loewy and Associates and was made by Ansco in Binghamton, NY. Ansco, part of General Aniline and Film Corporation, was the American film company that ran a distant second to Eastman Kodak Company. GAF got out of the camera business in 1977 and now is solely a building materials manufacturer.

Through the viewfinder.

Battle of Nashville Monument through a red Wratten 25 filter.