Can you safely re-roll exposed 120 film for full-roll multiple exposures?
Asked 8/30/2014
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I want to make full-roll multiple exposures on medium format film. On 35mm, a common method is to shoot a roll of first exposures, rewind it, reload it aligned to a reference mark, and then shoot the roll again for the second exposures. With 120/220 film, there’s no rewind mechanism, and once the film is on the take-up spool it’s wound in the opposite direction. Is it safe to remove an exposed 120 roll, re-roll it for reloading, and then shoot the roll again (for example with the lens cap on or in darkness to get it back onto the correct spool)? Is there a better approach?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
11y ago
2 Answers
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Re-winding film has always been a tricky, risk-prone operation. I know of people who would faint at the mere thought of re-winding a 35mm spool for fear that the film might get damaged or scratched in the process. After all, with 35mm rolls, you put your entire trust into two bits of felt shielding the film emulsion from the hard-plastic container, and from dust particles.
Now rewinding 120/220 film is a completely different story. This procedure can be even more error prone since the film is not firmly attached to the spool. I personally have never tried this but there are people who have. The thing to watch out for apparently is to keep the film as tight as possible, and to be very careful when removing and re-sticking the piece of tape on the film. For more information see here.
Originally by user32467. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user32467
11y ago
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It can be done, but it’s riskier with 120/220 than with 35mm. Unlike 35mm, 120 film isn’t firmly attached in a protective cassette, so handling and re-rolling the exposed roll increases the chance of scratches, loosened winding, dust, and alignment errors.
The key concerns are:
- keeping the roll very tight while handling it
- avoiding damage when removing and reattaching the sealing tape
- preventing dust or abrasion while re-rolling
So yes, reloading exposed 120 for a second pass is possible, but it’s an error-prone process rather than a reliably “safe” one. If you try it, careful handling is essential.
Based on the answers provided, there isn’t a clearly better general method suggested beyond very careful re-rolling and reloading. In practice, this is one of those techniques where testing with a non-critical roll first is wise.
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