My very First Photos with a M7

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There is no need to open the cassette at all.

 

When you rewind the film, hold the camera close to your ear and when you hear/feel the film leader disengage from the take up spool, stop winding, remove the film and cut the leader off with some scissors. I then cut 3-5mm off the two corners at 45 degrees to make it easier to load the film on the spiral.

 

By doing it this way, there is no chance of damaging your film, which is easy to do if you are trying to open a metal cassette in the dark with a can opener!

 

The best part is you can start loading the film onto the spiral in the light... push the trimmed end into the spiral, twist the spiral once or twice to make sure the film is loading properly and then put the whole thing in the changing bag and complete loading the spiral. No chance of accidents whilst loading, no need to remove the film from the cassette other than directly onto the spiral and it's faster and easier.

 

After the film is fully loaded onto the spiral, you cut the film off at the cassette opening, put it in the tank, close the lid and remove everything from your changing bag and you are done.

Yes, there is, if you failed to stop rewinding the film in time, or if you have a camera which automatically rewinds the film.

 

Otherwise, you're quite right, of course.

[chris_livsey]

Much frustration can be saved by a device made for the job:

 

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/220455-REG/Kaiser_204125_Film_Cassette_Opener.html

 

Not gentle pressure but a forceful bang and one end unfailingly comes off, I found "tin"openers distort the thin metal and can result in scratched film , I don't need any more help to do that.

It is "cleaner" to open the cassette IMHO than pull the film back through the felt if leaving the leader out, the less chance of scratching the better, it has had two trips passed the felt already and the felt is exposed to the enviroment and can attract muck.

 

It is so much more satisfying to develop your own, it gives you ownership of the images and an involvement in the craft so missing from a digital workflow.

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Much frustration can be saved by a device made for the job:

 

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/220455-REG/Kaiser_204125_Film_Cassette_Opener.html

 

It does not look all that different from a bottle opener (not can opener), but thanks for the link. 

[earleygallery]

A trick I learnt to retrieve a film leader is to get another film (with the leader still sticking out), lick the end of the film and stick it into the other cassette. It will grab the other film and you can gently pull it out!

 

Might take a couple of attempts but it does work!

[Martin B]

There is no need to open the cassette at all.

 

When you rewind the film, hold the camera close to your ear and when you hear/feel the film leader disengage from the take up spool, stop winding, remove the film and cut the leader off with some scissors. I then cut 3-5mm off the two corners at 45 degrees to make it easier to load the film on the spiral.

 

By doing it this way, there is no chance of damaging your film, which is easy to do if you are trying to open a metal cassette in the dark with a can opener!

 

The best part is you can start loading the film onto the spiral in the light... push the trimmed end into the spiral, twist the spiral once or twice to make sure the film is loading properly and then put the whole thing in the changing bag and complete loading the spiral. No chance of accidents whilst loading, no need to remove the film from the cassette other than directly onto the spiral and it's faster and easier.

 

After the film is fully loaded onto the spiral, you cut the film off at the cassette opening, put it in the tank, close the lid and remove everything from your changing bag and you are done.

 

That's a very good advice - I never tried it this way but I could since my Ms are not automatically rewinding, and you can stop winding when you hear the click when the film leader disengages from the spool. I always had trouble winding the film in the dark onto the metal spiral (the system where the film is rolled inside --> out on the reel). I therefore use always the Paterson system because it is easier to roll the film onto those reels in the dark IMO. Your method likely avoids the issue I had with the metal reel system by getting the film attached. Tricky part is not to use up too much film exposed to the light in the beginning, otherwise I might destroy the first one or two negatives.

[chris_livsey]

It does not look all that different from a bottle opener (not can opener), but thanks for the link. 

 

But it is, it places pressure around the seal and forces the cap off upwards, sometimes downwards depending on which cap is less powerfully attached, without distorting the cylinder of the cassette. the bottle opener places pressure at one spot and severely distorts the canister pushing it against the film. But thanks for the comment 

[Martin B]

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Regarding the original question, I have made a similar experience with HP5+ 400 developed with a standard B&W developer like D-76 - no good! The result looked very grainy and unappealing to me. Since then I changed developers and go with Rodinal/Xtol with much better results. I agree with above comments suggesting to do your own B&W film development instead of having it done at an outside lab.  

[philipus]

This is what you need approximately:

 

 

Clockwise from the changing tent:

• Photoflex tent, really useful but not needed if you have a completely dark room. I didn't get a changing bag because my tank is rather large and I prefer to have space when I work. Photoflex is good quality and not overly expensive.

• Four jugs, simple plastic ones. 

• A developer, on this photo the bottle with orange liquid is Kodak's general developer HC-110. It's a good starting developer, at least it was for me.

• Then the three white bottles, Ilford Rapid Fixer, Ilfotol wetting agent and Ilfostop stopbath.

• Film tank, I have a 5-roll Kinderman tank that also lets me develop 120 film.

• One of those little syringes to give medicine to children (the white thing next to the tank) which is useful for measuring exact amounts (to the ml) of chemicals.

• Scissors to cut the film from the spool in the cassette and cut off the leader.

• Some way to hang your film to try. I use a hanger and simple paper clips (and didn't include a photo of the shower cabin in which I hang the film to dry ). I put one of the large clips at the end of each film as weight. Works perfectly.

• Just above the hanger is a digital thermometer for quick temp readings of the chemicals and a bottle opener for opening film cassettes. 

• The last two things are reuseable film cassettes and a bulk loader. That may not be useful for you but it is something to consider because it is an easy way to keep B&W film costs down and try some cool emulsions.

As for how to load reels and actually develop the film there are lots of Youtube clips. Here are a few links to get you started:

 

https://shawn-hoke.squarespace.com/shawn-hoke-photography/2011/01/developing-black-and-white-film-at-home

https://prosophos.com/how-i-process-bw-film/

http://www.japancamerahunter.com/2012/11/how-to-develop-your-bw-films-at-home-a-beginners-guide-by-david-bromley/

 

And the important Massive Development Chart:

http://www.digitaltruth.com/devchart.php

 

And this one which is useful to check results of developer-film combinations:

http://filmdev.org/

 

For HC-110 if you're interested in that developer this is a great site:

http://www.covingtoninnovations.com/hc110/

 

Br

Philip

I'm currently looking for a checklist to figure out what to buy to develop B&W myself (first :-)  my own X-Mas present to myself.

 

[pico]

When I was a daily news photographer we would just bang the cartridge  at the loading spool on the loading bench. The end flies right off. Then tear the film off at the spool and load. But then we also sometimes printed wet negatives.

[Bill Livingston]

When I was a daily news photographer we would just bang the cartridge  at the loading spool on the loading bench. The end flies right off. Then tear the film off at the spool and load. But then we also sometimes printed wet negatives.

 

 

Animals... the lot of you!   

[robert blu]

 I like your first photo, the contrast and the overall look.

 

I find Delta 400 Ilford less grainy than HP5 and XP2s is another viable almost grainless option.

 

This is a photo a shot with my M7 and XP2s 

 

Edited December 16, 2016 by robert blu

[IkarusJohn]

When I was a daily news photographer we would just bang the cartridge  at the loading spool on the loading bench. The end flies right off. Then tear the film off at the spool and load. But then we also sometimes printed wet negatives.

I've never had a problem smacking the protruding end of the spool on the bench - the other end just flies off. Might be an issue with a change tent, I guess.

[Martin B]

 I like your first photo, the contrast and the overall look.

 

I find Delta 400 Ilford less grainy than HP5 and XP2s is another viable almost grainless option.

 

This is a photo a shot with my M7 and XP2s 

 

 

 

Did you develop the XP2 film yourself with C-41 method? Curious because I am doing C-41 at home, too but never tried to develop myself XP2 film. I have shot with XP2 a couple years ago and had it developed in an outside lab, results were great.

[semi-ambivalent]

This is what you need approximately:

 

 

Clockwise from the changing tent:

• Photoflex tent, really useful but not needed if you have a completely dark room. I didn't get a changing bag because my tank is rather large and I prefer to have space when I work. Photoflex is good quality and not overly expensive.

• Four jugs, simple plastic ones. 

• A developer, on this photo the bottle with orange liquid is Kodak's general developer HC-110. It's a good starting developer, at least it was for me.

• Then the three white bottles, Ilford Rapid Fixer, Ilfotol wetting agent and Ilfostop stopbath.

• Film tank, I have a 5-roll Kinderman tank that also lets me develop 120 film.

• One of those little syringes to give medicine to children (the white thing next to the tank) which is useful for measuring exact amounts (to the ml) of chemicals.

• Scissors to cut the film from the spool in the cassette and cut off the leader.

• Some way to hang your film to try. I use a hanger and simple paper clips (and didn't include a photo of the shower cabin in which I hang the film to dry ). I put one of the large clips at the end of each film as weight. Works perfectly.

• Just above the hanger is a digital thermometer for quick temp readings of the chemicals and a bottle opener for opening film cassettes. 

• The last two things are reuseable film cassettes and a bulk loader. That may not be useful for you but it is something to consider because it is an easy way to keep B&W film costs down and try some cool emulsions.

As for how to load reels and actually develop the film there are lots of Youtube clips. Here are a few links to get you started:

 

https://shawn-hoke.squarespace.com/shawn-hoke-photography/2011/01/developing-black-and-white-film-at-home

https://prosophos.com/how-i-process-bw-film/

http://www.japancamerahunter.com/2012/11/how-to-develop-your-bw-films-at-home-a-beginners-guide-by-david-bromley/

 

And the important Massive Development Chart:

http://www.digitaltruth.com/devchart.php

 

And this one which is useful to check results of developer-film combinations:

http://filmdev.org/

 

For HC-110 if you're interested in that developer this is a great site:

http://www.covingtoninnovations.com/hc110/

 

Br

Philip

I really like that clothes hanger business!

 

s-a

[gbealnz]

I really like that clothes hanger business!

 

s-a

Yes, shows the class side of the darkroom whizz really.

Mine is a nail protruding from a stick/lump of wood which sits atop a bookshelf. I have a collection of old all original weighted stainless-steel darkroom clips.

Nothing as elegant as Philip's.

Gary

[chris_livsey]

I really like that clothes hanger business!

 

s-a

 

Piece of string with clothes pegs. But just found some hangers with a grip and hook in Marks&Spencer used for displaying slippers they look promising as a sophisticated alternative 

[robert blu]

Did you develop the XP2 film yourself with C-41 method? Curious because I am doing C-41 at home, too but never tried to develop myself XP2 film. I have shot with XP2 a couple years ago and had it developed in an outside lab, results were great.

 

I have it developed at a lab, than I scan myself with a Nikon 5000ED, so long it works...

robert

[ironchefx]

OP, I am experiencing the same issue. I shot my first roll with a Superia 400 and found that my images were not as sharp as expected. Of course, this may be a focusing issue, but there was a lot more grain than I bargained for... also I scanned it myself with an Epson V600 so maybe that also could be the issue here.

 

My biggest strife is that I am very confused on how to set the ISO manually on the M7. For instance, is the 400 supposed to be right side up next to the EV dot or 400 upside down opposite side of the EV dot? Help is appreciated.

Edited December 31, 2016 by ironchefx

[chris_livsey]

OP, I am experiencing the same issue. I shot my first roll with a Superia 400 and found that my images were not as sharp as expected. Of course, this may be a focusing issue, but there was a lot more grain than I bargained for... also I scanned it myself with an Epson V600 so maybe that also could be the issue here.

 

My biggest strife is that I am very confused on how to set the ISO manually on the M7. For instance, is the 400 supposed to be right side up next to the EV dot or 400 upside down opposite side of the EV dot? Help is appreciated.

No idea on the M7 settings I don't shoot these technically advanced cameras, but on Superia 400 it is not the world leader in grain and it does like light, a stop over rated on iso with normal development, so set the iso on the low side whichever that is.  I would pay the extra for Portra400 and get the fine grain and great latitude but still give a stop over in the great scheme of things you deserve to shoot the best available film for your purpose.

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[Martin B]

 

My biggest strife is that I am very confused on how to set the ISO manually on the M7. For instance, is the 400 supposed to be right side up next to the EV dot or 400 upside down opposite side of the EV dot? Help is appreciated.

 

This is indeed a bit tricky with the M7 and not well described in the manual at all. There are two ways how you can move the wheel - first by pressing the button on the left you can move the wheel into the desired -2/+2 over/underexposure stops which is irrelevant to use for the ASA setting. What you need is the second way to move the inner wheel - it is a bit cumbersome, but by pressing with your thumb on the inside of the wheel you can move the ASA/ISO position. If you want to set manually to ASA 400 for example, you have to turn the wheel with the 400 number into the position next to the white dot on the right of the wheel (3 o'clock position if the wheel is at zero under/overexposure). The camera display does not recognize this used manual ISO number, instead it will display a flashing "100" - another very confusing thing. I normally set the wheel into the DX position with automatic film ISO recognition (the DX position set to the white dot on the right of the wheel) and manually overexpose the film if needed.  

 

The manual on page 15 is very confusing in its description here since the picture shows the DX position next to the black button and the description reads "...DX or the desired ISO value is opposite to the white index point". It is not clear what "opposite" means here. The picture in the manual actually shows the manual ISO setting of 200 and not the setting to DX position as what you might intuitively think first. I am sure this causes a lot of confusion!

Edited December 31, 2016 by Martin B