Bulk Film Loader Question re: Cartridges.

[fotofanatic]

So I am about to purchase a Legacy Pro Lloyd Bulk Film Loader [35mm]. Am I better with plastic film cartridges or metal? I shoot with a Leica M6 and a Minolta CLE.

 

[DonaldJ.]

i just go to photo labs and ask for the empty canisters. as long as the little leader at the end of the roll is sticking out you can re use them, and then when your done when you go to develop the film you can break them apart and not have to worry if they are going back together right. i just mark my canisters for BW. plus the canisters are free.

 

[colyn]

To prevent scratching the film I'd buy new metal cassettes and only use them 2-4 times.

I've tried the free ones from the photo labs and ended up with scratched negatives..

 

[chrish]

i just go to photo labs and ask for the empty canisters. as long as the little leader at the end of the roll is sticking out you can re use them, and then when your done when you go to develop the film you can break them apart and not have to worry if they are going back together right. i just mark my canisters for BW. plus the canisters are free.

I do the same exact thing. Never had a scratch on any of my negatives either.

Just square up the little end sticking out of the canister with the film in the bulk loader put some scotch tape over the top and bottom and start winding. I've never ripped the film free from the canister either but i'd recommend not cranking too hard when you get close to the end of the roll.

After I roll the film I write what film it was on the leader with a permanent marker. I usually only roll one type of film at a time though so I don't often forget what i was shooting.

I got a box full of canisters from penn camera, so another method of keeping track of what film you're using is to pair a certain product with a certain canister. So, say you only roll hp5 and fp4, roll all your hp5 into 400asa canisters and the fp4 into 200asa canisters. Then you know what film is in the canister based on what canister it is.

Just a thought.

 

[40oz]

I use the plastic ones for my slow film and the metal wones for Tri-X because you can write on the label on the metal ones with a pencil. I've not really noticed a drawback to either type, but the metal ones with the label are handy. I think you can get them with DX coding for 100 and 400.

I don't have a problem with scratches, but then I keep the canisters in the plastic film cans 35mm film usually comes in. That keep the canister felt clean of dust and grit. I prefer the clear film cans for obvious reasons.

 

[Doug]

I've used the same re-usable metal Ilford and Agfa cannisters for many years. I got a mini-vac and before loading a batch I clean all the felt lips and around inside the cannisters to remove dirt that could result in scratches.

 

[Mablo]

I prefer the plastic cartridges even though they might open up accidentally.

 

[Freakscene]

The plastic ones generate static electricity in dry weather, which can attract dust and fog the film. The metal ones can pop open if you drop them or bend if they get squashed. You need to keep the felt clean on either kind to prevent scratches.

Marty

 

[Ronald M]

I used to use the plastic decades ago in the 1960`s before I owned Leica.

Last time I purchased some from B&H, I think a pack of 4 or 6, I loaded a few and tried them out. They would stop the advance of film at around 10/12 frames no matter how much was loaded. I had the same problem with Leica screw mount, M and R cameras.

I put them in the trash, cassettes naturally.

I bought a box of 60 Kalt ones from Calumet. Don`t buy the individual ones from dealers who have an open box as they get filthy before getting sold. Dirt is the main enemy of reloads. There are others such as the pressure the felt seals put on film believe it or not.

I have switched to Leica brass cassettes and a lot of problems went away.

Early M6 cameras were the last ones to support the cassettes, but you could replace the base plate of later M6 with early base plates and make them work. They will not physically fit a M7 or Mp body shell.

IXMOO for M cameras are hard to find. Filcas for screw cameras as easier, but do not fit M`s. IXMOO`s fit screw cameras.

Bottom line, don`t buy plastic for Leicas in any quantity until you know they will work.
The Kalts can leak a little oround the end covers but they have never damaged film.

 

[ZorkiKat]

One thing with plastic cassettes is that the plush lip lining tends to come off. Sometimes the film will go between the plastic edge and the plush, instead of between the two plush liners. The cap tends to come off, but sticking tape or a paper label (useful for identifying the film within) should take care of that.

I'm using old metal cassettes from the snapcap films sold here before. Luckypan still comes in snapcap cassettes. The older Agfa type cassettes are good. Never had scratches from reusing them over and over. Some of them are so old that they've rusted and that's the only reason that stopped them from being used again.

BTW, the Lloyds legacy loader also uses plush lips- similar to cassettes. You'd need to clean this too with a fine brush or a mini vaccuum cleaner. Make sure your attention is 100% on counting turns when using this loader. Lose count and you miss the frame count too.

 

[Mablo]

Someone on Flickr argued that 35mm Efke cartridges are reusable and have an old type snapcap. Does someone shoot Efke here and perhaps could confirm this?

 

[fotofanatic]

thank you everyone!