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How to Load 120 Film
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This is easy to do and easy to show, but hard to write about. Probably any old timer at a camera store could show you, or call Kodak and ask them at (800) 242-2424.

Usually the empty spool you see in a camera is still on the supply side; take it off and move it to the takeup position. Hint: the takeup spool rotates as you turn the film advance. The supply spool just sits there with friction.

You need an empty spool. If for some reason you have a camera that's missing one, any photo lab should have lots of them around to give you for free. Every roll developed winds up creating a spool that gets thrown away or recycled.

Tear the foil wrapper and take out the fresh spool. Carefully peel off the tape that keeps it from unrolling. Throw away the wrapper and tape, don't let them fly around our national parks. I always push the tape into the wrapper so it doesn't spoil the landscape and then tend to put an exposed spool in the wrapper to protect it till I get to the lab, but that's just me. Put the fresh spool on the supply side of the camera, the one that doesn't rotate as you turn the film advance.

Here's the tricky part: not only do you need to put the new spool in the correct way so the film faces the correct direction, you also need to thread the paper leader from the supply spool to the takeup spool along the correct path. The correct path may have a guide with arrows printed in the camera, or maybe not. This is why I read instruction books.

You then advance it till an arrow on the backing paper meets up with an index mark. This can be a little tricky if you don't have the instruction book to tell you where the index mark is inside your camera.

Close the camera and wind it till you get to #1, either looking through a red window (cameras from the 1960s and before) or a traditional frame counter (cameras from the 1950s and newer).

Shoot the roll.

After the last shot wind it the rest of the way till the film comes off the supply spool. You'll probably feel the tension release; if not, usually a few winds of a lever or several spins of the knob is enough. If in doubt always give it a lot of winding to ensure the end of the roll is completely wound on the take-up spool before opening the back.

Take it out of the camera and use the little tab on the end to stick the roll from unraveling. You don't rewind it as 35mm.

Have your lab process it. You don't get the spool back, they throw them away or recycle them. You can ask for it if you want, but unless it's one of the old historic metal ones you always get each new roll on a new spool.

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