Just ruined a whole roll

[cambolt]

This is just going to sound like a lame rant, but I just need to vent a bit at the moment.
I decided to develop a roll of HP5+ yesterday, the culmination of over a months worth of shooting. I have no idea why, but for some reason the paterson reel just kept jamming up and I couldn't load the film. After about 40 minutes and something like 20 tries, I loaded the film in backwards successfully. I knew there would be some damage, but I wasn't anticipating that I had many good photos anyway. But, as Sod's law dictates, your scratches will always land on your best frames, and because the whole roll was scratched, these photos turned out to be some of the best I have ever taken. And the first time I have got any keepers in months, minus the scratches. So here are the keepers, a couple are usable, but the scratches just completely ruin the best ones.
And here is a lesson to all people who think that shooting film is safer than digital.

File0150 by d40monster, on Flickr

File0149 by d40monster, on Flickr

File0147 by d40monster, on Flickr

File0126 by d40monster, on Flickr

File0123 by d40monster, on Flickr

File0118 by d40monster, on Flickr

File0117 by d40monster, on Flickr

File0146 by d40monster, on Flickr

File0142 by d40monster, on Flickr

File0142 by d40monster, on Flickr

File0141 by d40monster, on Flickr

File0137 by d40monster, on Flickr

File0135 by d40monster, on Flickr

 

[Shane Guthrie]

It's a pity, but just load another roll and keep shooting!

 

[Sparrow]

Memory-cards never fail then?

 

[Mr_Toad]

Ouch!

...some of those are some pretty great images, indeed.

 

[DamenS]

That's a damn shame ... I'm pretty sure you could restore some of those shots quite easily though ... the worst could probably still be restored, but it would obviously take some time - maybe Photoshop's content aware brush would do it quickly ?

 

[rxmd]

Memory-cards never fail then?

Yeah, before making that comparison better make sure that you have a comparable testing procedure:

Step 1. Stuff memory card into Paterson reel.
Step 2. Develop. (If you don't know the ISO at which the pictures were taken, use Diafine, 3+3 minutes.)
Step 3. Fix.
Step 4. Wash.
Step 5. Dry. (Don't use a drying cabinet for your memory card unless you want to emulate Robert Capa.)
Step 6: See whether shooting digital is really safer than film.

 

[Mr_Flibble]

Sod's law indeed.

Though, I like the character the scratches add to some of the images.

Apart from that, I'll just second Shane's comment to load a fresh roll and keep shooting 😉

 

[Bobfrance]

A quick rinse through Photoshop would sort those marks out no problem.

 

[ChrisN]

This is just going to sound like a lame rant, but I just need to vent a bit at the moment.
I decided to develop a roll of HP5+ yesterday, the culmination of over a months worth of shooting. I have no idea why, but for some reason the paterson reel just kept jamming up and I couldn't load the film. After about 40 minutes and something like 20 tries, I loaded the film in backwards successfully. I knew there would be some damage, but I wasn't anticipating that I had many good photos anyway. But, as Sod's law dictates, your scratches will always land on your best frames, and because the whole roll was scratched, these photos turned out to be some of the best I have ever taken. And the first time I have got any keepers in months, minus the scratches. So here are the keepers, a couple are usable, but the scratches just completely ruin the best ones.
And here is a lesson to all people who think that shooting film is safer than digital.

I can understand the frustration: we've all ruined a roll of film at least once. As to lessons, I think the one for you here is that every craft has a set of technical skills that need to be learned, mastered and practiced. If this happens again, there is something wrong with your equipment or your technique. I've used Paterson reels for seven years and only once had difficulty in loading, due to a problem that I later identified and eliminated.

 

[Beemermark]

Get a throw away roll of film and try loading the reel in daylight. I've had reels get ever so slightly bent and are almost impossible to load. You also cannot see that they are no longer straight. Even if the reel is good it makes loading easier to practice in daylight with your eyes closed. It also helps a lot if you can get the film started on the reel in daylight (the film has to be loaded straight and square). Good Luck.

 

[Neare]

Play with the neg and see what you can do? Tried extremely high contrast?

 

[Roger Hicks]

At the risk of sounding perverse, I rather like the scratches. They create the impression of a film that has survived a lot, and captured the past. I'm not sure I'd do it deliberately, but really, I don't see them as write-offs. Frances agrees.

Cheers,

R.

 

[wakarimasen]

I had a similar problem recently, and read that if the reels are damp the film can stick when loading. I'd rinsed mine - to make sure they were nice and clean(!) - and put it down to this.
I also read that putting the reels in the photo-flo final rinse, can cause a build up of gunk over time which can also cause problems.
Don't give up!
Best regards,
RoyM

 

[semrich]

I feel your pain, of a few screw-ups I've made I never got to see the shots that were ruined, just a vague memory of what I shot.

Though I have read in threads here frequently of the same problem with plastic reels, I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Hewes stainless steel reels yet. When I first considered developing my own film they were recommended in a thread. I took the advise and, once learning to load them with a sacrificial film, have never had the problems you mention after hundreds of rolls loaded.

 

[ruby.monkey]

I feel your pain, of a few screw-ups I've made I never got to see the shots that were ruined, just a vague memory of what I shot.

Though I have read in threads here frequently of the same problem with plastic reels, I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Hewes stainless steel reels yet. When I first considered developing my own film they were recommended in a thread. I took the advise and, once learning to load them with a sacrificial film, have never had the problems you mention after hundreds of rolls loaded.

And then one gets deep into brain-fart territory: fixing before developing, opening the daylight tank while there's undeveloped film inside, leaving the film hanging to dry where the kids/pets/gremlins can reach...

Times to remember. 🙄

 

[Sparrow]

Yeah, before making that comparison better make sure that you have a comparable testing procedure:

Step 1. Stuff memory card into Paterson reel.
Step 2. Develop. (If you don't know the ISO at which the pictures were taken, use Diafine, 3+3 minutes.)
Step 3. Fix.
Step 4. Wash.
Step 5. Dry. (Don't use a drying cabinet for your memory card unless you want to emulate Robert Capa.)
Step 6: See whether shooting digital is really safer than film.

... true but, strictly speaking, shouldn't the proper control be stuffing the film down a USB?

 

[RFluhver]

This is nothing! This is absolutely nothing. At least you got them pictures.

I tell you what, my case was many times worst. This was back in the day when I was a bit of a noob handling 120 film. I wasn't used to them things, not used to finish a roll that, unlike 35mm film, remains free to be unwound from its reel after you've exposed it!

So there I was, just finished a roll of 120, the film with one hand and the bloody camera in another when, as I was juggling both and also trying reload a new film, my brain just sort of felt overloaded and BOOM! Disaster. Something had to give and it was my left hand that was holding the already exposed 120. My hand just sort of let go!

The whole damn unsecured and exposed roll just rolled easily out my left hand and onto the ground! F**k, I thought.

So you see, that's even worst!

And I'm not even going to talk about the numerous times I've gone on to shoot not realising that I still had the friggin' lens cap on.

 

[Lord Nikon]

Sorry to hear about your bad luck with this.

I agree with others that some of these could be saved with a bunch of work in photoshop. Maybe add MORE scratches, to give a funky vintage feel?

I agree with semrich, and would advocate switching to steel reels.
They are a bit harder to learn how to use, but once you get the hang of it they are very reliable. Plastic reels are easier to learn how to use but when they don't work right they are totally hopeless.

The big key with steel reels is getting the film PERFECTLY centered in the clip. Spend an extra moment on this step and the rest is super easy - even if the reels are wet, the film has an unusual curl, or the end of the film isn't cut perfectly.

I am hopelessly frugal so I'd keep an eye on the usual second-hand sources.

 

[batterytypehah!]

Paterson-type rolls must be bone dry. I've found that even the humidity from one's hands inside the changing bag can be too much, so when a roll just won't go on right away, I'll throw it in the tank, close the tank, and let the bag air out before I try again.

Also, round over the corners of the leading edge of film. Freshly cut film is surprisingly sharp and can "dig" into the plastic.

 

[zauhar]

Paterson-type rolls must be bone dry. I've found that even the humidity from one's hands inside the changing bag can be too much, so when a roll just won't go on right away, I'll throw it in the tank, close the tank, and let the bag air out before I try again.

Also, round over the corners of the leading edge of film. Freshly cut film is surprisingly sharp and can "dig" into the plastic.

+1 for both those comments.

I would add that for very curly film I have discovered that the leading edge can actually slip under the already-loaded film when it comes around the reel the first time (instead of following the spiral path). Then the film "doubles up" leading to a jammed reel.

I have practiced "catching" the leading edge with my thumb as it comes around the reel, and making sure it follows the right path and does not find its way under the first loop of loaded film. From that point on it will load properly, its only the first "revolution" that is perilous.

By the way, those are great photos and I agree with those above that the scratches do not ruin these images.

Randy