[TaoMaas]

The film tip should be engaged all the way through the take up reel before the canister is put into the camera. Putting the canister into the camera and then attempting to push the young into the slot will result in more misloads than doing it the other way.

This is something I thought about after having replied earlier. For the first half of the time I shot film, I used to load film the way most folks do...drop the canister in the camera, then pull the leader across to the take-up side. Seems like it was a workshop where I learned to switch up that process...get the leader started securely in the take-up spool, then pull the canister across the back of the camera and drop it into place. There's also usually enough film wound onto a canister that you can let it make a full wrap or two around the take-up side before finishing your loading process. That way, you don't have to guess whether it's caught or not.

[TwoUptons]

If I’m not developing film myself, I’m a lot less likely to leave the leader out when I rewind...

And it’s still a half-habit to lightly tighten the rewind knob after a couple of shots, just to make sure...

I’ve almost always put the canister in first and pulled the film over. It helps me make sure it seats.

I think most/some of the MZ/ZX family of cameras have a custom setting to let you leave the leader out if you want. I thought the -5 was one of those (I think I used to do that when I had one).

-Eric

[Wheatfield]

This is something I thought about after having replied earlier. For the first half of the time I shot film, I used to load film the way most folks do...drop the canister in the camera, then pull the leader across to the take-up side. Seems like it was a workshop where I learned to switch up that process...get the leader started securely in the take-up spool, then pull the canister across the back of the camera and drop it into place. There's also usually enough film wound onto a canister that you can let it make a full wrap or two around the take-up side before finishing your loading process. That way, you don't have to guess whether it's caught or not.

The only problem can be if one doesn’t have any young to push into the slot.
Sometimes typos are logical, but quite absurd.

---------- Post added 04-28-19 at 11:17 AM ----------

If I’m not developing film myself, I’m a lot less likely to leave the leader out when I rewind...

And it’s still a half-habit to lightly tighten the rewind knob after a couple of shots, just to make sure...

I’ve almost always put the canister in first and pulled the film over. It helps me make sure it seats.

I think most/some of the MZ/ZX family of cameras have a custom setting to let you leave the leader out if you want. I thought the -5 was one of those (I think I used to do that when I had one).

-Eric

It’s a lot easier to extract the film if the tongue is sticking out, and the light seal works better with film in it. I always left the tongue out but would either tear the tip off or fold it over to indicate the film was used. Cameras that reversed the film on the take-up would generally crease the tip anyway.

[35mmfilmfan]

<snip>

I think most/some of the MZ/ZX family of cameras have a custom setting to let you leave the leader out if you want. I thought the -5 was one of those (I think I used to do that when I had one).

-Eric

Thanks, Eric, did not know that. I'll have a look at mine, see what I can work out.

Tony

[TwoUptons]

Thanks, Eric, did not know that. I'll have a look at mine, see what I can work out.

Tony

Hi Tony,

I looked it up, and it appears that only the -6/£ and MZ-S let you change the leader behavior... at least that seems to be the impression Google gives me

-Eric

[PjayPages]

If the film is loose in the canister, the rewind crank won’t turn for a few frames until the slack is taken up.
BTW, most people load film incorrectly. The film tip should be engaged all the way through the take up reel before the canister is put into the camera. Putting the canister into the camera and then attempting to push the young into the slot will result in more misloads than doing it the other way. The YouTube video posted above is showing the wrong way to load film, not the right way. Do that often enough and you will poke a finger into the shutter.

Thank you for the info. I suppose should the teeth be engaged in the film and regardless if the rewind crank turns full turns or not, I should still be able to have my shots in each respective frame then. Regarding the YouTube video posted above, I've seen it done a couple ways. One I've seen where the end of the film is inserted into the slot all the way through so that is pokes out the other end and the second, I've seen where jus the tip of the film has been inserted into the slot. Which way is correct? Also, would you be able to link a YouTube video to the correct way of loading film please? I'm a better visual learner.

[Wheatfield]

Thank you for the info. I suppose should the teeth be engaged in the film and regardless if the rewind crank turns full turns or not, I should still be able to have my shots in each respective frame then. Regarding the YouTube video posted above, I've seen it done a couple ways. One I've seen where the end of the film is inserted into the slot all the way through so that is pokes out the other end and the second, I've seen where jus the tip of the film has been inserted into the slot. Which way is correct? Also, would you be able to link a YouTube video to the correct way of loading film please? I'm a better visual learner.

I would have made a short video for you today, but it turns out I don’t have a roll of film anywhere in my house. I will go out tomorrow morning and see if I can find a cheap roll of film to demo for you.

[PjayPages]

I would have made a short video for you today, but it turns out I don’t have a roll of film anywhere in my house. I will go out tomorrow morning and see if I can find a cheap roll of film to demo for you.

Thank you so much. I'll be waiting to watch it.

[Wheatfield]

Thank you so much. I'll be waiting to watch it.

Here it is. Please forgive the technical flaws. Video is not something I do.

Youtu.be

Youtu.be

Hopefully it will get the gist of what I am saying across. Note that the camera was a Pentax LX which uses their Magic Noodle loading system. Most cameras use a simple slot in the take up spool. For those cameras, I like to have a centimeter or so of film through the spool to ensure is gets taken up properly. Note that I pretension the film prior to closing the back to ensure that when I advance the light struck film out of the way I can see the rewind crank turn.

[PjayPages]

Here it is. Please forgive the technical flaws. Video is not something I do.

LoadFilm - YouTube

Hopefully it will get the gist of what I am saying across. Note that the camera was a Pentax LX which uses their Magic Noodle loading system. Most cameras use a simple slot in the take up spool. For those cameras, I like to have a centimeter or so of film through the spool to ensure is gets taken up properly. Note that I pretension the film prior to closing the back to ensure that when I advance the light struck film out of the way I can see the rewind crank turn.

Wow. That was a great video! Thank you! I usually see people placing the roll in first but you insert the film first into the spool first. I do have a quick question though, Does the end of the film only have to be inserted a centimeter or so or does it have to be inserted all the way through so the film is sticking out the other end of the spool a centimeter or so?
Thank you again for that video. It was very helpful,

[pres589]

About slack, sometimes when I advance to the next frame I will let a finger drag on the rewind knob, so that there is some tension as the film is advanced but it isn't excessive. I also find that my Chinon CE-5 never has much slack in the film as I go through a roll, while my Ricoh XR7 and Singlex TLS both always have frames worth of slack in the film if I haven't been trying to keep it to a minimum across the roll. I don't know how Chinon accomplished this, but once again, my CE-5 just seems a bit better than average.

About loading film, next roll I load into a camera, I'm going to try what Wheatfield shared with us in the above description and video. This seems much easier than what I and seemingly most everyone else has been doing to load film.

[Wheatfield]

Wow. That was a great video! Thank you! I usually see people placing the roll in first but you insert the film first into the spool first. I do have a quick question though, Does the end of the film only have to be inserted a centimeter or so or does it have to be inserted all the way through so the film is sticking out the other end of the spool a centimeter or so?
Thank you again for that video. It was very helpful,

You are too kind about the video, but thanks. With a slotted take up spool, I like a centimeter or so of film to be sticking out the other side. With the Magic Noodles that the LX uses just insert a centimeter or do of film under one of the noodles.

[PjayPages]

You are too kind about the video, but thanks. With a slotted take up spool, I like a centimeter or so of film to be sticking out the other side. With the Magic Noodles that the LX uses just insert a centimeter or do of film under one of the noodles.

I’ve seen it done both ways. Does it really make a difference at that point? Is it a technical situation or more of personal preference? Sorry for hammering this super small small subject but I just wanna make sure as I do have other film cameras I want to make sure I load correctly for future rolls.

[Wheatfield]

I’ve seen it done both ways. Does it really make a difference at that point? Is it a technical situation or more of personal preference? Sorry for hammering this super small small subject but I just wanna make sure as I do have other film cameras I want to make sure I load correctly for future rolls.

It's just a more secure way of ensuring the film tip has engaged the take up spool. As well, it keeps your fingers away from the very delicate shutter.