Changing Tent & SS Reels

[DennisM]

I want to recommend a few items to simplify film processing; at least they did for me. Just started to shoot more B&W film to use my film cameras more (Leica M6, M5, II D; Konica Hexar RF; Konica IIIA and Minolta SLR's). I had been using a changing bag and Nikkor reels for decades, but lately have been plagued with film loading issues due to sweaty hands etc. which dissuaded me from shooting B&W film (perhaps age is an issue - pushing three score and ten). But I missed B&W and therefore took the plunge and purchased a Harrison Pup Tent and several Hewes SS reels. What a difference! Tent is easy to assemble and take down, provides plenty of room, and the reels are much easier to load and more positive than the Nikkor reels. Film leaders have to be cut off square since the reels have projections that engage the first perforation in the film end. One just needs to leave the film end outside the cassette when rewinding or to draw it out of the cassette if the entire strip is rewound into the cassette. Made my life much easier and restored the joy in shooting and processing B&W.

 

[sepiareverb]

Can’t say enough good things about the Hewes reels either.

I’ve always unrolled the film into my hand, and loaded onto the reel from the last frame rather than the first. Habit.

 

[shawn]

Hewes reels are great, so easy to use. Never used the tent. I have a Noritsu dark box which is fantastic. They were cheap on ebay a few years ago but look like they are going back up in price.

Shawn

 

[Beemermark]

What is the difference between Hewes and Nikon reels? I have a bunch of 35mm/120/220 reels that I have been using since the late 70's or very early 80's and do't know what brand they are. I've been having troubles with the 35mm reels and I'm think that maybe one or two (out of half dozen) may be slightly bent.


I've made my garden shed almost light tight and loading film at night works OK. I had a dark room from 1979 till 2007 and really miss not having one. A film changing bag works fine for me but it seems I can never find the scissors, film or tank lid -🙂

 

[Erik van Straten]

Paterson reels and tanks are good. The reels are made from nylon and will not break or bent. To smoothen loading them you can smear some graphite on their tracks with a soft pencil.


In Europe they can be had for free on swapping fairs; don't know if they exist in the US.



Erik.

 

[Stelios]

Paterson reels and tanks are good. The reels are made from nylon and will not break or bent. To smoothen loading them you can smear some graphite on their tracks with a soft pencil.


In Europe they can be had for free on swapping fairs; don't know if they exist in the US.



Erik.

Free on swapping fairs? Where? Why do I keep buying the things?!

 

[Erik van Straten]

Free on swapping fairs? Where? Why do I keep buying the things?!

In The Netherlands every six months in Hilversum. But there are many more.


In november last year I had a professional Büscher drying press 50X65cm (for gelatin silver prints) there for free. Go figure.


Erik.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

What is the difference between Hewes and Nikon reels? I have a bunch of 35mm/120/220 reels that I have been using since the late 70's or very early 80's and do't know what brand they are. I've been having troubles with the 35mm reels and I'm think that maybe one or two (out of half dozen) may be slightly bent.


I've made my garden shed almost light tight and loading film at night works OK. I had a dark room from 1979 till 2007 and really miss not having one. A film changing bag works fine for me but it seems I can never find the scissors, film or tank lid -🙂

Nikon never made reels. The ones you have are Nikor reels, which were made in the United States. Note the spelling of the name: just one K. Nikkor (two K's) is Nikon's name for their lenses.


The differences between Nikor and Hewes are:


1: Hewes reels are made of thicker steel, less likely to get knocked out of alignment.


2: Hewes reels have in their center two prongs that stick up that you slip into the sprocket holes at the beginning of the roll. This guarantees the film goes on perfectly straight and holds it in place. Nikor reels didn't have this, and are a little trickier to load.

 

[Stelios]

In The Netherlands every six months in Hilversum. But there are many more.


In november last year I had a professional Büscher drying press 50X65cm (for gelatin silver prints) there for free. Go figure.


Erik.

I keep waiting for the day when someone will tell me "I have this old enlarger in my basement I haven't used in the past 10 years, do you want it?"

One day.

Sorry to hijack the topic! Over and out!

 

[Ronald M]

I want to recommend a few items to simplify film processing; at least they did for me. Just started to shoot more B&W film to use my film cameras more (Leica M6, M5, II D; Konica Hexar RF; Konica IIIA and Minolta SLR's). I had been using a changing bag and Nikkor reels for decades, but lately have been plagued with film loading issues due to sweaty hands etc. which dissuaded me from shooting B&W film (perhaps age is an issue - pushing three score and ten). But I missed B&W and therefore took the plunge and purchased a Harrison Pup Tent and several Hewes SS reels. What a difference! Tent is easy to assemble and take down, provides plenty of room, and the reels are much easier to load and more positive than the Nikkor reels. Film leaders have to be cut off square since the reels have projections that engage the first perforation in the film end. One just needs to leave the film end outside the cassette when rewinding or to draw it out of the cassette if the entire strip is rewound into the cassette. Made my life much easier and restored the joy in shooting and processing B&W.

You need real Nikkor reels. I was given some that look real, but are not. Real one grab the film by a mechanism I have yet to figure out.
Perhaps someday I will ponder it more. I purchased most of mine new when they were available. There were fakes then also. Nikon does not stamp their name on the reel so you can not tell except by trying. trust me they grab the film.

 

[zuiko85]

I also learned to use Nikor reels long ago (shortly after the earth's crust cooled) and mostly they gave me no problem. If you managed to get the end of the film bent or kinked you had to trim off the 1 or 2 inches of kinked film end to get the film to start.


More lately, last ten years, I bought a couple of old Yankee Master tanks with plastic reels off of ebay because I needed reels that could adjust to 16mm so I could shoot my Minolta 16 cameras. I've also used them for 35mm and 120 and they seem to work fine with 35mm. With 120 I made a playing card size 'starter support' (my invented term) out of plastic milk jug that slips into the reel end and lets me slip the 120 film into the slot without issue. I then slip out the 'starter support' and walk the film on normally.


The friend who first taught me to load and develop film about 1970 had the Nikor steel reels and tanks so that's what I bought. Mine were used and purchased from a store in Chicago (now long gone) called 'Darkroom Aids'. Any old timers here remember that store?

 

[Dwig]

You need real Nikkor reels. I was given some that look real, but are not. Real one grab the film by a mechanism I have yet to figure out.
Perhaps someday I will ponder it more. I purchased most of mine new when they were available. There were fakes then also. Nikon does not stamp their name on the reel so you can not tell except by trying. trust me they grab the film.

They are/were "Nikor" reels and tanks, and Nikon Inc. (nee Nippon Kogaku) had absolutely nothing to do with their manufacture.


For ages, I used a mix of real Nikor reels (35mm 20exp, 35mm 36exp & 16mm) and Kindermann reels (120). All of the Nikor reels were very well made, as were the Kindermann. I've used Hewes reels (school darkrooms, etc) as well and they are great.


The light weight Nikor style reels that I've encountered (I've owned a few) were marginal. They were easily bent and sometimes came that way new out of the box. If you roll the reel on a hard flat surface and see any wobble of the whole reel or even just the hub it will be extremely difficult to load.

 

[Bill Clark]

For 120 film I use stainless steel reel and tank. It can be used straight away after use as damp, little moisure doesn’t cause problems loading.

For 35mm I use Paterson as I like how they load, outside to inside and the mechanism. They need to be dry to work properly. When I got busy, a hair dryer worked for me to thoroughly dry the reel. The stainless 35 reels, for me any whoo, were hard to get started. Maybe it’s my little fingers!

 

[oftheherd]

I learned on steel reels. I saw some of the plastic Patterson reels and tanks and figured I needed some of those. Back to steel as they just feel more right.

 

[Corran]

I keep waiting for the day when someone will tell me "I have this old enlarger in my basement I haven't used in the past 10 years, do you want it?"

If you want to feel sick, let me tell you a story.

I know of a photo program that was being terminated. The higher-ups in the uni knew that some gear that had previously been surplussed had been "passed on" to another program in the dead of night, by the professor to another professor to help their program. They wanted no shenanigans this time, so a raft of enlargers (like, dozens) and lots of other excellent darkroom stuff was put by the dumpster and guarded by uni police until the city came and picked them all up, to get taken to the trash compactor. And so it happened, probably $25k+ worth of photo gear trashed with security so it could not be taken and reused somewhere else.

 

[zuiko85]

A few years ago, at a photo show, there sat, in the free area at the end of the show, an Omega B22 with the tall column, neg carriers, and a few other accessories. No one picked it up.

 

[Michael Markey]

I keep waiting for the day when someone will tell me "I have this old enlarger in my basement I haven't used in the past 10 years, do you want it?"

One day.

Sorry to hijack the topic! Over and out!

Been offered complete darkrooms twice ….
I usually pass them on.
Plenty of them out there don`t give up .