Help, I am killing film

[Benjamin Marks]

There's a whole thread to be started with the title: "The most bone-headed thing I did with a roll of film was . . . ." I think the big difference between pros and the rest of us is that they have made so many more of these mistakes that they 've developed good habits to help protect them from the more common ones. Hey -- try large format photography . . . it's a whole new universe of bone-headed mistakes. And I know . . .(don't ask me how) :0

Ben Marks

 

[MadMan2k]

I played 'pretend photographer' for a roll once with the M3, when I tried to load it fast and didn't double check that it was on the spindle. That's a plus of having an electronic camera, you'll know about it if the film isn't advancing.

Although I think I could feel the difference now, that was one of the first rolls when I was getting used to the advance lever.

 

[JohnL]

I always rewind right back into the canister and never had any light leaks. I guess it would be possible if you were to leave the exposed rolls in bright light, but I put them in the little plastic containers they came in, inside a bag or a pocket ... but not in the same place as unused film. I make lots of other mistakes though ...

 

[MartinP]

Along the lines of avoiding confusion and cockups, I got a tip from someone long ago about tearing off the leader after rewinding 35mm, then writing the film-speed on the first inch of the remaining film.

It prevents using the same roll twice and is very handy when you come back from a great weekend - then wonder which of the umpteen cassettes was the single roll you shot at 1600 . . . Can be extended with adding the date etc as required of course, much more fail-safe than sticky labels etc. 🙂

 

[akptc]

Along the lines of avoiding confusion and cockups, I got a tip from someone long ago about tearing off the leader after rewinding 35mm, then writing the film-speed on the first inch of the remaining film.

It prevents using the same roll twice and is very handy when you come back from a great weekend - then wonder which of the umpteen cassettes was the single roll you shot at 1600 . . . Can be extended with adding the date etc as required of course, much more fail-safe than sticky labels etc. 🙂

A black Sharpie marker just went inside my camera bag. Great tips in this thread!

 

[mwooten]

My bag has a couple of pockets on the front (Domke 803). I put the spent film, or SD card if shooting digital, in the right side pocket. The unused film, or cards, are in the left pocket. That way I associate the film I have "left" with the left hand pocket, so the stuff in the other pocket is not "left" but used. I hope this makes sense.

Michael

 

[akptc]

What I used to do was to put a scratch in the paint on the cassette after removing the exposed film from the camera, using my car keys that I always had with me as opposed to a pencil or a marker, which can never be found when you need them... Guess it's time to go back to good old habits 🙂