History of 120 mm Film Cameras

120 mm film — more accurately called 120 roll film — was introduced by Eastman Kodak in 1901 for its Brownie No. 2 box camera.  The “120” name did not refer to its size but to the camera model number; the film itself is about 61 mm wide and roughly 820 mm long, wound on a spool with a protective backing paper. It was originally designed for amateur photography, offering a smaller, more portable alternative to large sheet film, and was widely used in simple box and folding cameras.

In the early 20th century, 120 film made photography accessible to the masses. Cameras were often shipped back for processing, with the film loaded into a take‑up spool after exposure. Common formats included 6×4.5 cm, 6×6 cm, and 6×9 cm, with frame numbers printed on the backing paper for manual counting.

By the 1950s, 35 mm film’s smaller size and convenience began to eclipse 120 in consumer markets, but 120 remained popular in professional and artistic photography. It became the standard for medium‑format cameras such as the Rolleiflex, Hasselblad, and the cult Holga. The format’s larger negative size produced finer detail than 35 mm, appealing to photographers seeking higher quality.

Technically, 120 film has no sprocket holes, and the backing paper allowed daylight loading . Over time, spools evolved from wood with metal flanges to all‑metal, then plastic. The format also inspired variants like 220 film (double length) and 620 film (thinner spools).

Today, 120 film is still in production and enjoys a revival among enthusiasts for its image quality and tactile shooting experience. While largely replaced in mass‑market use, 120‑film cameras remain iconic in photography history, symbolising the transition from large‑format to medium‑format photography and the enduring appeal of analogue imaging.