New Film Cutting Product

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Just received this Optik Oldschool 'Film Killer', and I am just delighted with the thing.  They just became available, and I love the fact that they brought something new and wonderful to the market.

Film forever!!!

 

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The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[trickness]

I got one, works great!!!

[TomB_tx]

In the early 1950s my dad used a similar tool to cut and mount his Stereo Realist 3-D slide frames.

[nitroplait]

Like Tom points out, these have been around in the past for cutting individual slide frames prior to mounting.

I fail to see the relevance of this device if only to cut strips for archiving. What benefits are gained over a pair of scissors?

 

 

[LocalHero1953]

3 hours ago, nitroplait said:

Like Tom points out, these have been around in the past for cutting individual slide frames prior to mounting.

I fail to see the relevance of this device if only to cut strips for archiving. What benefits are gained over a pair of scissors?

 

 

They cut straight? And don't cut into the exposure owing to clumsy hands or the difficulty of seeing the gap between the negatives when masked by scissor blades.

[Einst_Stein]

https://www.amazon.com/JJC-Brightness-Adjustable-Backlight-Graduated/dp/B0CCJ7YXHF/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=1NRHVIGNQ534U&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.lfNj-y6EhUBQu1aJVPweILK_gAoqf4CCg6E6atLrdqhOrtiQrskoKTszL17edsrX8euIKjTEiyQDLpk4HcFq1NeVDj4jt6E6nxJzHAXZLNFt1Vs7kISnIcTWXO3-4qqYH8jLWKcqao8I2xUI_4jnxgY8jHvrEV90ZKC2Q84RCmDa9LFKzu5jLM9T2Jzu1J2YhvBANJ5X2pI0jrLoxxesnd8SWjPdpwxUZNrBIcUymjEKduEwnGkFiAnHWgpR5v5GhYUzFV2XSDc5FgPdsRnX0HO43nS4H3Loqb6OnjV_DWM.rsFp37JcaV0XVplGmqiC4H7DBErUmniCe4XmMDkG5e0&dib_tag=se&keywords=film%2Bcutter&qid=1718262520&sprefix=film%2Bcutter%2Caps%2C131&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

I have used that and this one.  I found the later more precise.

[Borna]

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Interesting product and its quite cheap. Although I wonder if it might scratch film while traveling through the holders? Anyone has any experience with this tool in the long term? 

[Tom R]

One question that comes to mind: How long does the cutting blade retain its sharpness.

I have a “less old-school” product that I picked up on Amazon about a year ago, it has an illuminated surface, vertical gradations, capable of handling 135 and 120 film sizes (although I don’t use 120 so really can’t say much about that aspect), and has replaceable blades (which one can order on Amazon and I’d advise doing if you’re going to purchase one of these devices. It’s made by “JJC” and based upon what the box says (and the instruction sheet), it, too, is manufactured in Germany. 

Edited June 17, 2024 by Tom R

[Einst_Stein]

On 6/17/2024 at 6:22 AM, Tom R said:

One question that comes to mind: How long does the cutting blade retain its sharpness.

I have a “less old-school” product that I picked up on Amazon about a year ago, it has an illuminated surface, vertical gradations, capable of handling 135 and 120 film sizes (although I don’t use 120 so really can’t say much about that aspect), and has replaceable blades (which one can order on Amazon and I’d advise doing if you’re going to purchase one of these devices. It’s made by “JJC” and based upon what the box says (and the instruction sheet), it, too, is manufactured in Germany. 

 JJC head quarter is in Shenzhen, China.

They made many high quality innovative products. Besides the film cutter and auto lens cap, among other producrs, I particulalr like their "periscope LCD mirror" that can be installed on hot shoe for selfie, and the battery-charger-&-SD-reader combination.  that also works as battery storage and SD storage. 

Edited June 19, 2024 by Einst_Stein

[Stuart Richardson]

I used to take on processing for clients, and do a lot for myself, so I have gone through thousands of rolls over the years. My worry about most of these devices is the potential for scratching and dirtying the film. Anything that contacts the film may build up with a residue over the years, or even might break down over time and become oily/sticky. It could just because I have had a lot of practice, but I think this would take more time than just doing it with scissors. Just get a good pair of gloves and a nice pair of scissors (I have some Kretzer Finny ones from Solingen that I like, and another that I picked up at Bic Camera in Japan around 2004) I will say, however, that getting very good scissors that are a good bit longer than your film width is very helpful. I also place the scissors in contact with the film before cutting, so that the bottom blade is slightly pressing against the edge of the film. Doing so makes it is clear where they are going to cut. It is slightly hard to explain...but if you just go in there and cut freehand, you are more likely to cut incorrectly.

[TomB_tx]

If you are just cutting strips to put into sleeves I agree scissors make more sense. But when cutting individual frames for slide mounts the guided and illuminated devices are worthwhile. That's especially true if mounting Stereo Realist slides, where the individual frames have (almost) no space between and are slightly wider than half-frame 35. The stereo pairs are also interleaved, so must be sorted and matched and the backlit devices help a lot. I just got back to working with stereo slides after a 60-year pause.

[M.Hilo]

Cutting film, for me, it is an unhurried ritual mostly about meeting new images. Before the film has dried I hardly look at it. Because film is at its most fragile stage when wet. Then when I do get around to cutting, I sit down and place the length of the entire film on very large clean sheets of paper.

When looking at uncut film, I mostly pay attention to possible dyptichs or triptichs. Because I do not want to cut these up. I cut in strips of 5 or 6 images (35mm film) and look at each strip before laying it down. I sometimes use a loupe just to understand better what I am seeing. All in all, it is about the first meeting with the images.

I have always sat down doing this and totally love the procedure. Many times it can't last long enough and the last thing I want to be is quick and efficient. I make notes and write down negative numbers. These notes, I will look at again when looking at the contact sheets. With about 3000 rolls of 135mm film over 50 years, only once I made a mistake and slightly cut into the image. It shows on the print and when I meet that print again it always makes me smile.

No need, nor a wish, to change this way of working.

[Doug A]

I have this one as well.

The frame spacing of a properly functioning 35mm camera is exactly uniform. By lining up the 35mm mark on the cutter exactly in the center of the space between the next two frames it always makes a perfectly centered cut for me. It looks like the Film Killer should work as well in that regard. 

120 film is another matter. The frame spacing of my medium format cameras is not uniform so relying on the 120 marking on the cutter does not guarantee a centered cut. I have to eyeball it, but it is at least at 90º, which I do not always manage with a pair of scissors. 

[Bobonli]

I have the Matin as well. It was great....until the cutter head wasn't sharp....not sure it was ever sharp. At this point, it's basically crushing through the film more than cutting. As someone else mentioned, if you have dust on the device, you could be rolling the film through the dust.

I bought it because I wasn't cutting evenly between 35mm frames with scissors. I need to practice more!

[Doug A]

On 8/27/2024 at 8:00 PM, Bobonli said:

I have the Matin as well. It was great....until the cutter head wasn't sharp....not sure it was ever sharp. At this point, it's basically crushing through the film more than cutting. As someone else mentioned, if you have dust on the device, you could be rolling the film through the dust.

I bought it because I wasn't cutting evenly between 35mm frames with scissors. I need to practice more!

The blade on mine got a little dull after several years but a couple of quick passes with a diamond stick and it was as good as new. I keep it in a ziploc bag when not in use so dust is not an issue.