Keeping track of what film is where

**filoxophy** · 08-11-2014, 11:02 AM

I've accumulated a few film bodies now which lack either a window to see the installed canister or a holder for the film box top.

Now I pull a K1000 (or whatever) out of the drawer and all I know is the ISO of the film. Or, with my 6x7 bodies, not even that! I know, I know, it's only 10 frames; how could I not finish it while I still know what's inside?

Anyway, does anyone have any tricks to help me out? Just tape the box top to the body, lol? It's a simple problem, I'm sure there's a simple solution that I'm missing.

wombat2go · 08-11-2014, 11:20 AM

This is how I do it on the RH-10 rollfilm backs and the Pentax MX.
Just have to remember to always write the date and iso at every film change

Swift1 · 08-11-2014, 11:21 AM

Originally posted by filoxophy

I've accumulated a few film bodies now which lack either a window to see the installed canister or a holder for the film box top.

Now I pull a K1000 (or whatever) out of the drawer and all I know is the ISO of the film. Or, with my 6x7 bodies, not even that! I know, I know, it's only 10 frames; how could I not finish it while I still know what's inside?

Anyway, does anyone have any tricks to help me out? Just tape the box top to the body, lol? It's a simple problem, I'm sure there's a simple solution that I'm missing.

You could try wrapping the box top around the bottom of the strap and tape it there.

**dms** · 08-11-2014, 11:55 AM

I have a folded strip of plastic film (or paper covered front and back with clear tape--actually not sure where it is now and which method I use) with all the films I use written on it, and it gets inserted w/ the current film designation facing up in the hot shoe. It's thick enough and somewhat elastic, so it does not fall out.

I also have a square of clear thicker plastic film with film types written near each edge--and that gets inserted in my holder on the film back of my Nikon FM2--with the current film designation upright in the holder.

A third method I sometimes use is to write on white or gray photo (gaffer's) tape, and stick it on the camera. The tape comes in handy for other uses in a pinch--so even if it doesn't have any information on it--I tend to have pieces stuck on my cameras, lenses, and/or hoods.

**filoxophy** · 08-11-2014, 01:06 PM

Some good ideas, thanks guys. I may just go with the gaffer tape idea...

**gofour3** · 08-11-2014, 04:28 PM

I use a journal to record every outing I make with a camera. I write down the date, camera, film, lens, filter/accessory & location.

That way if I have an unfinished roll of film all its info is in one place. When I do finish off the roll, I just add the new info to the existing page. (Every roll of film gets its own page in the journal.)

Phil.

**grux** · 08-11-2014, 07:23 PM

I also keep a journal with the notes app on my iPhone. I note each shot with: camera, date, time, film type/speed, f stop & aperture for anything not sunny f16, and other particulars. As I use several different cameras, each one has its own page. I then copy the note to a text document and store with scanned images in a file folder in my computer. Works for me.

**monochrome** · 08-16-2014, 11:42 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by gofour3

I use a journal to record every outing I make with a camera. I write down the date, camera, film, lens, filter/accessory & location.

That way if I have an unfinished roll of film all its info is in one place. When I do finish off the roll, I just add the new info to the existing page. (Every roll of film gets its own page in the journal.)

Phil.

Oh Phil. You are sooooo analog,

**ChrisPlatt** · 08-17-2014, 07:10 PM

Once after reading too many photo forums I bought a Rite In The Rain notepad with the intention of keeping an exposure log.
I abandoned it halfway through my first outing. It made shooting slow and cumbersome, adding an unnecessary complication to what should have been fun.
I don't need to see the data. It's more fun to look at my photos and figure out what I did and didn't do wrong.

Chris

**gofour3** · 08-17-2014, 11:08 PM

Originally posted by ChrisPlatt

Once after reading too many photo forums I bought a Rite In The Rain notepad with the intention of keeping an exposure log.
I abandoned it halfway through my first outing. It made shooting slow and cumbersome, adding an unnecessary complication to what should have been fun.
I don't need to see the data. It's more fun to look at my photos and figure out what I did and didn't do wrong.

Chris

Yeah I tried to write down the exposure info as well for each shot a couple times, but that’s way too much work. I just keep it simple now with just a few lines of info after I get home from an outing. I don’t take anything with me when I’m shooting to slow me down.

Phil.

Jonathan Mac · 08-18-2014, 03:17 AM

I try to limit myself to three loaded cameras at a time but don't always manage, so I make sure I mark the camera in some way.

I haven't tried it, but you reminded me it existed: https://filmtrackr.com/.

An app for keeping track. There's also an older app called "pen and paper" which can do the same and doubles as able to create a shopping list.

Eyewanders · 08-18-2014, 01:23 PM

Originally posted by gofour3

Yeah I tried to write down the exposure info as well for each shot a couple times, but that’s way too much work. I just keep it simple now with just a few lines of info after I get home from an outing. I don’t take anything with me when I’m shooting to slow me down.

Phil.

Yeah, I've tried keeping a small log before as well. After a short time it just gets forgotten for a shot or two and then I give up altogether. So, most of my shots are "mystery" shots.

**PPPPPP42** · 08-18-2014, 10:09 PM

Keeping up with a log book is really helpful when learning exposure so you can figure out exactly how you botched the shot. You have to write the meter reading as well as the camera settings for each shot to make it work though.

For film info get a luggage tag holder (the kind with removable paper cards) and clip it on the camera strap, you can take it off when you use the camera if its in the way and clip it back on before you put it away. That gives enough room to write down the film type, speed and any special development that would be necessary, in which case you would keep the paper tag out of it taped to that roll until its developed.

kxjiru · 08-20-2014, 02:04 PM

Originally posted by Jonathan Mac

I try to limit myself to three loaded cameras at a time but don't always manage, so I make sure I mark the camera in some way.

I haven't tried it, but you reminded me it existed: https://filmtrackr.com/.

An app for keeping track. There's also an older app called "pen and paper" which can do the same and doubles as able to create a shopping list.

I'm terrible with keeping track of paper, but there's an app on the app store that's called "Film Rolls". It can log every shot if you want to put that much work in but it can be used just for identifying what film is in what body.

lytrytyr · 08-20-2014, 02:39 PM

I used to just stuff a piece torn off the box with the film name into the hot shoe.

08-11-2014, 11:02 AM	#1
filoxophy Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Albuquerque Posts: 1,132	Keeping track of what film is where I've accumulated a few film bodies now which lack either a window to see the installed canister or a holder for the film box top. Now I pull a K1000 (or whatever) out of the drawer and all I know is the ISO of the film. Or, with my 6x7 bodies, not even that! I know, I know, it's only 10 frames; how could I not finish it while I still know what's inside? Anyway, does anyone have any tricks to help me out? Just tape the box top to the body, lol? It's a simple problem, I'm sure there's a simple solution that I'm missing.

08-17-2014, 07:10 PM	#9
ChrisPlatt Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Rockaway Beach NYC Posts: 7,694	It seemed like a good idea at the time... Once after reading too many photo forums I bought a Rite In The Rain notepad with the intention of keeping an exposure log. I abandoned it halfway through my first outing. It made shooting slow and cumbersome, adding an unnecessary complication to what should have been fun. I don't need to see the data. It's more fun to look at my photos and figure out what I did and didn't do wrong. Chris

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08-11-2014, 11:21 AM	#3
Swift1 Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Oregon Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,079	Originally posted by filoxophy I've accumulated a few film bodies now which lack either a window to see the installed canister or a holder for the film box top. Now I pull a K1000 (or whatever) out of the drawer and all I know is the ISO of the film. Or, with my 6x7 bodies, not even that! I know, I know, it's only 10 frames; how could I not finish it while I still know what's inside? Anyway, does anyone have any tricks to help me out? Just tape the box top to the body, lol? It's a simple problem, I'm sure there's a simple solution that I'm missing. You could try wrapping the box top around the bottom of the strap and tape it there.

08-11-2014, 11:55 AM	#4
dms Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: New York, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,192	I have a folded strip of plastic film (or paper covered front and back with clear tape--actually not sure where it is now and which method I use) with all the films I use written on it, and it gets inserted w/ the current film designation facing up in the hot shoe. It's thick enough and somewhat elastic, so it does not fall out. I also have a square of clear thicker plastic film with film types written near each edge--and that gets inserted in my holder on the film back of my Nikon FM2--with the current film designation upright in the holder. A third method I sometimes use is to write on white or gray photo (gaffer's) tape, and stick it on the camera. The tape comes in handy for other uses in a pinch--so even if it doesn't have any information on it--I tend to have pieces stuck on my cameras, lenses, and/or hoods.

08-11-2014, 01:06 PM	#5
filoxophy Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Albuquerque Posts: 1,132 Original Poster	Some good ideas, thanks guys. I may just go with the gaffer tape idea...

08-11-2014, 04:28 PM	#6
gofour3 Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 8,091	I use a journal to record every outing I make with a camera. I write down the date, camera, film, lens, filter/accessory & location. That way if I have an unfinished roll of film all its info is in one place. When I do finish off the roll, I just add the new info to the existing page. (Every roll of film gets its own page in the journal.) Phil.

08-11-2014, 07:23 PM	#7
grux Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Toronto Photos: Albums Posts: 1,060	I also keep a journal with the notes app on my iPhone. I note each shot with: camera, date, time, film type/speed, f stop & aperture for anything not sunny f16, and other particulars. As I use several different cameras, each one has its own page. I then copy the note to a text document and store with scanned images in a file folder in my computer. Works for me.

08-16-2014, 11:42 AM - 1 Like	#8
monochrome Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Working From Home Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 26,276	Originally posted by gofour3 I use a journal to record every outing I make with a camera. I write down the date, camera, film, lens, filter/accessory & location. That way if I have an unfinished roll of film all its info is in one place. When I do finish off the roll, I just add the new info to the existing page. (Every roll of film gets its own page in the journal.) Phil. Oh Phil. You are sooooo analog,

08-17-2014, 11:08 PM	#10
gofour3 Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 8,091	Originally posted by ChrisPlatt Once after reading too many photo forums I bought a Rite In The Rain notepad with the intention of keeping an exposure log. I abandoned it halfway through my first outing. It made shooting slow and cumbersome, adding an unnecessary complication to what should have been fun. I don't need to see the data. It's more fun to look at my photos and figure out what I did and didn't do wrong. Chris Yeah I tried to write down the exposure info as well for each shot a couple times, but that’s way too much work. I just keep it simple now with just a few lines of info after I get home from an outing. I don’t take anything with me when I’m shooting to slow me down. Phil.

08-18-2014, 03:17 AM	#11
Jonathan Mac Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Madrid, Spain Posts: 10,897	I try to limit myself to three loaded cameras at a time but don't always manage, so I make sure I mark the camera in some way. I haven't tried it, but you reminded me it existed: https://filmtrackr.com/. An app for keeping track. There's also an older app called "pen and paper" which can do the same and doubles as able to create a shopping list.

08-18-2014, 01:23 PM	#12
Eyewanders Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Land of the Salish Sea Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,343	Originally posted by gofour3 Yeah I tried to write down the exposure info as well for each shot a couple times, but that’s way too much work. I just keep it simple now with just a few lines of info after I get home from an outing. I don’t take anything with me when I’m shooting to slow me down. Phil. Yeah, I've tried keeping a small log before as well. After a short time it just gets forgotten for a shot or two and then I give up altogether. So, most of my shots are "mystery" shots.

08-18-2014, 10:09 PM	#13
PPPPPP42 Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Wisconsin Photos: Albums Posts: 947	Keeping up with a log book is really helpful when learning exposure so you can figure out exactly how you botched the shot. You have to write the meter reading as well as the camera settings for each shot to make it work though. For film info get a luggage tag holder (the kind with removable paper cards) and clip it on the camera strap, you can take it off when you use the camera if its in the way and clip it back on before you put it away. That gives enough room to write down the film type, speed and any special development that would be necessary, in which case you would keep the paper tag out of it taped to that roll until its developed.

08-20-2014, 02:04 PM	#14
kxjiru Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 102	Originally posted by Jonathan Mac I try to limit myself to three loaded cameras at a time but don't always manage, so I make sure I mark the camera in some way. I haven't tried it, but you reminded me it existed: https://filmtrackr.com/. An app for keeping track. There's also an older app called "pen and paper" which can do the same and doubles as able to create a shopping list. I'm terrible with keeping track of paper, but there's an app on the app store that's called "Film Rolls". It can log every shot if you want to put that much work in but it can be used just for identifying what film is in what body.

08-20-2014, 02:39 PM	#15
lytrytyr Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2011 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,310	I used to just stuff a piece torn off the box with the film name into the hot shoe.