How to get a 35mm film into a Lubitel 166B

As you know, the Lubitel 166b is a 120mm film camera (see left film). But, if you really want to, you can get load 35mm rolls too (film on the right side). Just follow this quick manual:

How to put in the 35mm film?

Open the back of your Lubitel. Put a 35mm film in the 120mm film holder.

Roll out the film to the downside of the camera. You’ll notice the metal flip that normally pushes the 120 film in the back so it’s pushed up and is pressed between the holders.

Just push the metal flip the other side so you make space to load your 35mm film. The metal flip now holds the film inside with little pressure. If you really want to, you can add some aluminium foil aside to keep it fastened. Notice that your film is centered in front of the back of your lens.

Shooting tips:

Never open the red window on the back of your Lubitel, just in case of light leeks. It can’t hurt anyway, but you can’t use it because you can’t see the numbers of exposures on the film. So what you can do beforehand when loading the film, is try counting how many times you have to turn the wind wheel for each photograph, so no picture is overlapping. Also, you’ll obviously notice when you’re at the end of the film, when you can’t wind the wheel any further.

How to rewind the film:

As you’ll already know, you can’t rewind film with this. With 120mm film, the film winds itself around the second spool, by shooting until the end.

So for 35mm film, go to a room that can be closed so no light can come through (for example: a dark room). Take out your film off the spool and rewind it manually until the whole film is in the shell. Afterwards, let it develop.

Result:

You get such things like this part of film above. The film is totally exposed, also around the wholes. Also the pictures are kind of panorama shaped. Mostly, the 1-hour-lab won’t print your photos as you ask them, but if you scan your film yourself at home, you can manage a little. Or if you shoot in black and white, you can print your whole pictures in the dark room.

If you’re done, let me know your results!

Thanks for reading.

Dikkie