I Screwed up Pretty Hard

**grhazelton** · 07-29-2012, 09:35 AM

Okay, since we're back in the confessional mode.... A week or so ago I prepared to soup two rolls of BW 35mm, different ASAs thus different times in D-76. I loaded one in a Nikor stainless steel tank, the other in a Paterson. A little masking tape on the Nikor told me which film it held, I'd left the empty cassettes out so by elimination I could identify the film in the Paterson. Hoping to avoid getting flustered keeping up with two different time sequences, I planned to process them separately. (Please believe me that I normally tape shut and label loaded tanks.)

An hour or so later when I returned to run the film I ........ in a mental fog ........ opened the unlabelled Paterson tank in light! Only for an "OH S**T instant, but enough. Makes a good practice length for loading reels.

The moral of the story? Never rely on unaided memory!

ASa · 08-22-2012, 09:31 PM

I have a strong feeling I'm too joining this club. I just bought an ME Super and loaded it with a roll of film. I think I saw it going correctly to the take up spool. However I don't see the rewind knob turning when I advance the film. I think it was turning when I initially was advancing the film to the first shot.
So is there a way to now make sure the film is correctly in place and I'm actually taking pictures? Should I just rewind it, fish it out of the cartridge and load the film again, more carefully this time

I've probably gotten head first into things and done it before thinking, but I have to admit I was quite excited with the camera when I got it. The viewfinder is just HUGE compared to my K10D...

vladimiroltean · 08-23-2012, 12:14 AM - **1 Like**

Just as it is, rewind the film knob on the left hand side. If it is correctly put in, there was just some slack in the film canister and you're basically tightening it, so you'll reach a point where the knob can't be turned anymore without breaking something.
However, if it wasn't positioned correctly, there's a high chance that you'll get the film leader inside the cassette, just like a retracted turtle. You're not screwed up, you need to go to any minilab to pull out the leader using a special tool they have and you can also get for like $10.
I don't think you're screwed right now, but you have all the time in the world to do so..

ASa · 08-23-2012, 01:06 AM

Thanks, I'll give it a go when I get home... I kinda know that it's hard to break these things, but then again the film world is so new to me I'm feeling very insecure.

**grhazelton** · 08-23-2012, 08:11 AM

Another possible method. Set the camera to bulb "B" remove the lens and sacrifice one frame. With the shutter open you'll either see the film emulsion, which is sort of semi-shiny, like a lustre print, and generally sort of a cream color, or the pressure plate, which is black, and has a series of tiny indentations. You could even, very very carefully, put a magic marker dot on the exposed film, close the shutter, advance the film, go to bulb again and see if the mark is visable. If it is the film is not advancing.

BTW, I just checked one of my ME Supers. The pressure plate is shiny black. The camera has a tiny window on the back just below the wind lever, which shows little red stripes. If the film is advancing these stripes wiggle as you use the wind lever, indicating that the film is advancing. I imagine it is run by the frame sprocket wheel.

Really, all film shooters should have a changing bag. This resembles a jacket without a neck hole. You put the camera in the zipper bottom "waist" and reach in through the elastic cuffed sleeves and you can open the camera without exposing the film. Works in moderate room light, I wouldn't try one midday on the beach!

Enjoy the Super. Its a sweetie!

**grhazelton** · 08-23-2012, 08:12 AM - **1 Like**

BTW, when you rewind the film if you hold the camera with the back to your ear you can often hear a sort of click when the film tongue pulls off the take up spool. Often, not always! Heheheheh!

ASa · 08-23-2012, 09:06 PM - **1 Like**

Thanks for the tips guys, it's all working now! I did it wrong in the first place, but fixed it now. Gained some confidence too..! Thanks again!

Paleo Pete · 08-29-2012, 07:56 AM

Yep, been there done that...and more than once. I'm pretty sure I've loaded film and not gotten a good connection with every film camera I've ever used. And usually don't realize it until I finally look and the counter is at 43 or so....HUH???? Not again...

tabl10s · 09-03-2012, 09:33 AM

I had this bad habit of trying to get extra frames by starting a "0" or before that. The camera got me twice before I learned.

Siamese Cat · 09-05-2012, 09:21 AM - **1 Like**

We've all, surely, failed to load a film at some time...

I remember being at a motor race a few years ago and watched a photographer trying to change his lens whilst not looking away from the action on track. He was having difficulty and it wasn't until he looked down that he saw that he was trying to fix his thermos flask to his camera body.

tabl10s · 09-05-2012, 01:23 PM

Wha?!

You didn't video tape that?

Siamese Cat · 09-06-2012, 04:55 AM

....laughing too much to hold one steady.

**grhazelton** · 09-18-2012, 01:44 PM

Many years ago when I was new to photography I loaded a roll from my Retina 1, bought used I assure you, into one of the old Kodak tanks with the lasagna-like acetate separator. This detail is not intrinsic to the story, but merely to indicate how long ago it was!

Since acid fixer or hypo has a smell much like pickles, I hadn't properly labled the developer bottle and the fixer bottle. After all, tell by the smell!

Well, that day I had a cold, and the fixer was fresh. Yep, fresh fixer will clear film in a heartbeat!

Ever since then I've tried to lable things clearly.

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07-29-2012, 09:35 AM	#76
grhazelton Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Jonesboro, GA Photos: Albums Posts: 1,972	Okay, since we're back in the confessional mode.... A week or so ago I prepared to soup two rolls of BW 35mm, different ASAs thus different times in D-76. I loaded one in a Nikor stainless steel tank, the other in a Paterson. A little masking tape on the Nikor told me which film it held, I'd left the empty cassettes out so by elimination I could identify the film in the Paterson. Hoping to avoid getting flustered keeping up with two different time sequences, I planned to process them separately. (Please believe me that I normally tape shut and label loaded tanks.) An hour or so later when I returned to run the film I ........ in a mental fog ........ opened the unlabelled Paterson tank in light! Only for an "OH S**T instant, but enough. Makes a good practice length for loading reels. The moral of the story? Never rely on unaided memory!

08-22-2012, 09:31 PM	#77
ASa Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Tampere/Helsinki Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 218	I have a strong feeling I'm too joining this club. I just bought an ME Super and loaded it with a roll of film. I think I saw it going correctly to the take up spool. However I don't see the rewind knob turning when I advance the film. I think it was turning when I initially was advancing the film to the first shot. So is there a way to now make sure the film is correctly in place and I'm actually taking pictures? Should I just rewind it, fish it out of the cartridge and load the film again, more carefully this time I've probably gotten head first into things and done it before thinking, but I have to admit I was quite excited with the camera when I got it. The viewfinder is just HUGE compared to my K10D...

08-23-2012, 12:14 AM - 1 Like	#78
vladimiroltean Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Bucharest, Romania Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,465	Just as it is, rewind the film knob on the left hand side. If it is correctly put in, there was just some slack in the film canister and you're basically tightening it, so you'll reach a point where the knob can't be turned anymore without breaking something. However, if it wasn't positioned correctly, there's a high chance that you'll get the film leader inside the cassette, just like a retracted turtle. You're not screwed up, you need to go to any minilab to pull out the leader using a special tool they have and you can also get for like $10. I don't think you're screwed right now, but you have all the time in the world to do so..

08-23-2012, 01:06 AM	#79
ASa Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Tampere/Helsinki Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 218	Thanks, I'll give it a go when I get home... I kinda know that it's hard to break these things, but then again the film world is so new to me I'm feeling very insecure.

08-23-2012, 08:11 AM	#80
grhazelton Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Jonesboro, GA Photos: Albums Posts: 1,972	Another possible method. Set the camera to bulb "B" remove the lens and sacrifice one frame. With the shutter open you'll either see the film emulsion, which is sort of semi-shiny, like a lustre print, and generally sort of a cream color, or the pressure plate, which is black, and has a series of tiny indentations. You could even, very very carefully, put a magic marker dot on the exposed film, close the shutter, advance the film, go to bulb again and see if the mark is visable. If it is the film is not advancing. BTW, I just checked one of my ME Supers. The pressure plate is shiny black. The camera has a tiny window on the back just below the wind lever, which shows little red stripes. If the film is advancing these stripes wiggle as you use the wind lever, indicating that the film is advancing. I imagine it is run by the frame sprocket wheel. Really, all film shooters should have a changing bag. This resembles a jacket without a neck hole. You put the camera in the zipper bottom "waist" and reach in through the elastic cuffed sleeves and you can open the camera without exposing the film. Works in moderate room light, I wouldn't try one midday on the beach! Enjoy the Super. Its a sweetie!

08-23-2012, 08:12 AM - 1 Like	#81
grhazelton Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Jonesboro, GA Photos: Albums Posts: 1,972	BTW, when you rewind the film if you hold the camera with the back to your ear you can often hear a sort of click when the film tongue pulls off the take up spool. Often, not always! Heheheheh!

08-23-2012, 09:06 PM - 1 Like	#82
ASa Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Tampere/Helsinki Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 218	Thanks for the tips guys, it's all working now! I did it wrong in the first place, but fixed it now. Gained some confidence too..! Thanks again!

08-29-2012, 07:56 AM	#83
Paleo Pete Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Texas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,880	Yep, been there done that...and more than once. I'm pretty sure I've loaded film and not gotten a good connection with every film camera I've ever used. And usually don't realize it until I finally look and the counter is at 43 or so....HUH???? Not again...

09-03-2012, 09:33 AM	#84
tabl10s Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Sacramento(formerly from B'Ham, England). Posts: 1,424	I had this bad habit of trying to get extra frames by starting a "0" or before that. The camera got me twice before I learned.

09-05-2012, 09:21 AM - 1 Like	#85
Siamese Cat New Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: London Posts: 2	We've all, surely, failed to load a film at some time... I remember being at a motor race a few years ago and watched a photographer trying to change his lens whilst not looking away from the action on track. He was having difficulty and it wasn't until he looked down that he saw that he was trying to fix his thermos flask to his camera body.

09-05-2012, 01:23 PM	#86
tabl10s Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Sacramento(formerly from B'Ham, England). Posts: 1,424	Wha?! You didn't video tape that?

09-06-2012, 04:55 AM	#87
Siamese Cat New Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: London Posts: 2	....laughing too much to hold one steady.

09-18-2012, 01:44 PM	#88
grhazelton Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Jonesboro, GA Photos: Albums Posts: 1,972	Many years ago when I was new to photography I loaded a roll from my Retina 1, bought used I assure you, into one of the old Kodak tanks with the lasagna-like acetate separator. This detail is not intrinsic to the story, but merely to indicate how long ago it was! Since acid fixer or hypo has a smell much like pickles, I hadn't properly labled the developer bottle and the fixer bottle. After all, tell by the smell! Well, that day I had a cold, and the fixer was fresh. Yep, fresh fixer will clear film in a heartbeat! Ever since then I've tried to lable things clearly.