First time BW developing woes, HELP please.

[shikuro]

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Hi guys,

 

This is the first roll of film that i developed myself, and I suspect that the lines on the negatives are from loading the film onto the reel.

 

I was using a blackout bag to load the reel, and was having some trouble with loading. I used a can opener to remove the film top plate and took the whole film out before loading on the the reel. It took me a few tries and re-reeling of the film before i manage to get it done.

 

Can anyone, advise me on how i can better load the film onto the reel without scratching the film?

 

If you use a can opener, do you remove the whole ffilm from the canister or do you slip the tip back into the canister slit before reeling it?

 

This was just a test roll before doing my actual rolls of film (8 in total)

 

Appreciate any help i can get guys, thank you in advance

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[samwells]

Mmmm...looks like the can opener did its worst. I use a blackout bag to load film into the developing tank, but I guess the moral is not to put anything metal inside the bag...it's rather asking for trouble. I always make sure that I don't completely rewind the film cassette (when in the camera)...if you put your ear to the camera when rewinding the film, you can hear when the end leaves the take-up spool...so you can take the cassette out of the camera with a short tongue of film left protruding from the cassette. I then trim the film end to get rid of the shallow-depth leader...still leaving a slight length of film poking out of the cassette. Then everything goes in the blackout bag...I load the film onto the developing reel by gradually pulling it out of the cassette. When it gets to the end of the spool, a sharp tug on the end frees the last bit of the film from the spool. Does that make sense? I'm sure there are more 'professional' ways, but that's always worked for me. If you have to use a can-opener in a bag (I used to when I worked in a darkroom), it might be ok if you wrap the can-opener in adhesive masking tape to mask of any metal edges (making sure no adhesive edges are exposed, too)...but be very, very careful!

Good luck!

cheers:

Sam

[shikuro]

thank you Sam for your reply!

 

Would you know how i can get the film lead out from the canister if i've wounded the whole fim in? I know there is a film picker, but i have no such luck getting one here.

 

Thanks again

[samwells]

"Would you know how i can get the film lead out from the canister if i've wounded the whole fim in?"

I really don't know about that...maybe someone else will know and reply. Otherwise, I can only suggest using the can opener (preferably with masking tape round it), and then making sure you push it well out of the way into the corner of the bag after use.

(Incidentally, when loading the film onto the reel, make sure the film is the right way round, i.e. the non-emulsion side is outwards...then the film is naturally curved to the curve of the reel. Also make sure the reel is completely dry...any moisture will cause the film to 'stick' in the reel.)

cheers:

Sam

[stunsworth]

You can buy little devices to extract the leader from a canister - Ilford make one and I'm sure there are others.

[Mark Pope]

Here's what I do...

1. I always wind the film all the way into the cassette. I use a film leader extractor to pull the film leader out when I'm going to develop my film.

2. Cut the film leader off, and then make a couple of small cuts on either film edge at about 45 degrees to the edge of the film. This helps the film slide on to the developing tank reel.

3. I use Paterson reels - and what I then do is feed the film on to the reel so that the film just passes the ball-bearings that help advance the film on to the reel. I do this in daylight as there's plenty of unexposed film before the first frame.

4. Switch the lights off (or use your changing bag) and load the film onto the reel. I usually prefer to push the film onto the reel. However, YMMV. If the reels are clean and dry, the film will slide in with no problems. When you get to the end of the film, cut off the film cannister, ease the rest of the film into the reel and voila!

 

I can load 3-4 films in the time it took me to type this...

 

5. It's worth sacrificing a roll of film to get the hang of loading film onto a reel - firstly try it in daylight, then with your eyes shut.

 

Hope that helps.

[shikuro]

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Thank you for all the replies, I'll try the suggested techniques.

 

On the side note, you can use the tape for print lables to extract the film. Its thick enough to hold its own while you stick it into the slit of the canister. After that just let the stick bit do its job ib the film lead and you can pull it out.

 

 

Thanks guys

 

Shik

[fotohuis]

A can opener is especially not a good idea when working with a changing bag. Use a film picker to retrieve the film from the cassette or (when using a Leica M) stop rewinding when just feeling your tension is out of traction for the film.

To prevent using this (exposed) film again, just fault the leader a few times.

 

When going to load on the reel you can cut the leader and round it a bit and just not cut into the sprockets. The first 5-10cm you can put on the reel then put everything in the changing bag and you can put it on the reel completely.

If you're working in a darkroom I am doing also the same procedure. It will prevent scratching and dust.

 

Indeed not a bad idea to use a test film for improving your skills first.

 

Best regards,

 

Robert

[jacksparrow]

Hi Shikuro, I've just very recently started developing myself, so I'm sure there`s people with waaaay more experience than myself... however; I've found that the best thing for me is to use the can opener to open the canister, then take the film out, and once you do that, you can carefully put it back with the film lead out of the canister, it's kind of tricky to explain, but actually very easy to do. If you do that, you don't have all the film spread in the bag waiting to be damaged and scratched. Remember that if the film is too loose it will not fit in the canister again, so you'll probably have to roll it a little bit to tighten the roll and make it smaller so it can easily fit inside again.

I'm using a JOBO developing tank, with a plastic reel, which is surprisingly easy to load. That said, I think it is worth "wasting" a roll practicing in full light, then with your eyes closed until you know what you have to do by heart and you can "see" with the tip of your fingers what you need to do if, for instance, you loose the film lead, or something gets stuck and you have to take it out and start all over again.

Also, keep the reel dry, otherwise it will be a lot more difficult to load the film.

 

good luck and have fun.

[jacksparrow]

by the way, I like the picture, and i kind of even like the scratching in this one... if you put it sepia it will look like an old photograph (although with a very modern-like perspective).

[shikuro]

Thanks guys for the inputs.

 

Haha Jack I'll try what you recommended and have it on sepia

[AlanG]

I think you should practice with a test roll in the light until you can load it without incident.

 

I've never pulled the film back through the felt light trap as this can result in scratching if any dirt is caught in the felt and you don't pull straight. (Good labs don't do this.) It is pretty easy to hold the spool of film in one hand and the reel in the other. If you are holding these up slightly from the bottom of the bag, then the can opener and scissors (if you need scissors to cut the leader off - I just tear it) will fall below and won't touch the film.

 

Metal reels are very easy to load once you learn how.

[shikuro]

Hey guys thanks for all your help! I got my first better developed roll with no scratches. Arigato for all your help.

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[haris]

I use Hama film retriver to take leader of film from cassette for years witohut any damage to film whatsover. I only have problems with EFKE films from time to time, some EFKE film leaders I can't get out from casette with this film retriver. Other films are happy to go out without problems...

 

If I can't get film leader out of cassette with film retriver, I go into darkroom. turn all lights off, and open cassette with bottle cap opener.

 

I yet didn't have need to take film leader out of cassette in situation when I am out of darkroom, so in around 10 years of photography I still don't have need for dark changing bag. But, who knows what future brings

[semrich]

I am about to start developing my own film, using a changing tent from Calumet Photo and Hewes stainless steel reels. I have practiced loading the film onto the reels many times and feel comfortable with that part of it. So looking at the shots from your second attempt I just would like to say I would be very happy to get results like that when I get to the developing part of the process.

 

What film and developer did you use?

[fotohuis]

Maybe some usefull links:

 

 

http://www.ilfordphoto.com/Webfiles/200629163442455.pdf

 

(except from the film sqeege)

 

and how to load the film:

ILFORD PHOTO - Loading the film into a developing spiral

[NZDavid]

I haven't developed a film for ages, must have another go sometime. I did my first one when I was 12, some years ago! Load in the dark (obviously.) Hold the film with the end of the small plastic reel downwards, press tightly on the sides of the film canister and press downwards. It should just pop open. If necessary, use some sort of tool (like a screwdriver, not sharp) to gently prise open the canister at one end. I agree that you should get a Paterson film tank, they're easy. Cut the leader off, and yes, it's a good idea to make small incisions at 45 degrees on either side of the film. Feed the film into the plastic reel, then rotate the reel first alternately right and left -- the ball bearings feed the film into the reel. Only when it is fully loaded should you cut off the end of the film. Then put the reel in the tank, screw in the top part, switch the lights on and develop the film. The best way to practise is with a spare film in daylight. Have fun!

[think]

I just keep all of the tools in a small, soft nylon bag and slide them back in when I'm done with them before de-spooling the film . No problems with scratching yet (at least from opener, scissor, etc). I like the film loose in the bag as I find that for me it's easier to handle it that way.

[vic vic]

shikuro......

i was so impressed with your first time b/w stratches that i was thinking to myself how to reproduce it.....

 

one option for me was to make reall intentional stratches on large plan film ) gave up.... cause u see what u do so not a great idea

another option was to do it somehow on medium roll film simply becuse medium is bigger than 35mm and the stratches during the processing are less bold (when enlarged).......

 

so here is the story,

i was loading on reel some shots made with holga low tech camera (plastic reels in the darl bad since i was not in darkroom)........

it was very very hot and the hunidity was typical to the on-shore city (u know like water baths of newyourk, telaviv etc)....... i had to put two rolls but somehow, at some point the humidity took over and the film was going really hard on reel and a bit stucked...... then i had an impulse to beggin from the bigginng...... to pull out the film that was already loaded etc........

instinctivly - i thought that this can harm the emulsion (hp5) that the opened medium reels willl be swimming and flying inside the dark-bag.... and then it came.... this is exactly what can cause the stretches...... so i loaded it again , unloaded it again, then it was really tough because of humidity and my hands beeing there too long but i have managed it...

yes...... it made streches..... deffenetly........ hahahahah

 

take a look here..................

holga snaps - me and some more

 

well.... i love it very much...... with it i have to say that i wouldnot be brave enough to do it if it was not holga low-tech-mood from the first place )

 

maybe think that explains your negative too and how to repeat it if u want )......... when the film is opened in crumped space like dark-bag or dark-tent and u open load and unload it then the edges of bent film may stratch the emulsion surface when they get in contact and some pressure........ that is it.......... )

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[jacksparrow]

Shikuro, nice shots, I'm glad you managed to get it right this time! the pictures are really cool also!

Vic nice series, for some reason they convey to me some sadness (or better said, melancholy) that do not fit the happy event... don't know if it is just me or you intended so. thanks for showing.