Just ruined a whole roll

Looks like one of my HP5 rolls 🙂
Its the one film that I can never get to load on any of my reels without a fight.
I usually end up hacking it and doing the roll in two parts.
 
Frustrating, I know! However, some shoot with the Holga cameras for an artsy look, so there ya go! (Probably not what you wanted to here.)

Anyway, I tried the plastic reels and they drove me nuts, and several times I experienced exactly what you describe. I then got the expensive Hughes stainless steel reels, and once I got used to them, I've never had problems since! They are so much easier. You just have to be a bit careful in getting the roll started, but once you do, it just glides on effortlessly. Makes a huge difference. Every once and a while I'll "work the film", pushing it back and forth just a tiny bit to make sure it and slide a bit in the tracks of the reel, to make sure I haven't it jammed it somehow, but so far I've never had that problem.

Anyway, disaster can hit any tool, unfortunately. My girlfriend uses digital, and has a hell of a time keeping batteries sufficiently charged, and always available. So there are always trade-offs.

Cheers! and keep shooting.
 
Rollei infrared is unusually slippery. I dropped the roll into the bath three times because the peg didn't hold it, rewashed, resqueegeed and tried again. In the end I dried it on the desk in a coil (the coils not touching).

Not a scratch - it's tough as old boots.
 
I've used only the Pattersons for years and only had a couple really stubborn rolls which probably had more to do with the film (or me) than the reel.

Regardless, I would recommend this: If you don't have it loaded after ten minutes, gently re-roll your film into a loose coil, place it in the bottom of the tank, attach the lid, turn the lights on and go out to decompress. Watch some TV, call a friend, go out and get some air. Once you get stressed and sweaty and angry it is only going to be harder (I speak from experience 🙂 )

Once refreshed, if you have an extra reel, go get it and try loading on that one. 30-40 mins is a LONG time to be in the dark fiddling with the reel. Patterson reels don't cost too much - maybe buy a new set if this continues to be an issue. Good luck!
 
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.

I'm in agreement. The scratches add a bit of weathered character to your photos. It's not a flaw, it's a feature.
 
From my limited experience I quickly learned that it is crucial to have a perfectly clean reel with no gum or grime on it. A specially the little balls need to be clean.
I alway's take the reel apart and scrub them in the sink under warm water with a brush making sure I get deep into the groves. Shake off the water and run a paper towel over the balls.
Further I alway's have a 2nd reel in the bag, just in case. Something simply switching the reel helps.
Don't ask me why the 2nd roll goes in perfectly smooth in the 1st one...
 
Take a Poll of Film Developers in here and if they're honest most, if not all, will admit to having a roll just like yours no matter how long they've been doing it...
Mine was maybe a few years back...just keep on...
 
This is something I discovered the hard way, as you did. My downfall was taking a long time to shoot a roll of film because I was always out shooting different cameras. No more of that for me. The solution is to shoot the film in a premeditated way and develop it ASAP.

By that, I mean, go out w/ the idea that you're going to shoot X amount of shots that day. Repeat as needed to shoot the entire roll (I try to shoot the roll that day). Then, develop as soon as you can. Don't put it off, and don't shoot another roll of film until that one has been processed. The idea is to avoid what happened to you this time, and make it the last time. When you stay on top of it, you eliminate a lot of potential problems. You'll shoot a little more film, but get better results (more keepers). And if something does begin to go buggy w/ your gear you'll know it quickly, before you shoot more film.
 
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Every bit as frustrating to have a film ruined by thirty six badly exposed poor compositions IMO! 😀
 
I know this isn't necessarily a nice thing to say, but some of those photos actually do look more interesting because of the scratches. there's nothing you can do about it now, except to just go with it.
 
Sometimes it is very difficult to load those plastic Paterson reels. I now use the Samigon reels. They are much easier to me.
 
I actually had my first problem with a Paterson reel ever the other day.

A 36 exp roll of Neopan just kept jamming towards the end of loading ... the grooves must need a good scrub because I know my balls are clean! 😀
 
Ok, I just put one shot through photoshop, using the content aware brush. I absolutely could not believe what I was seeing! I just drew over the scratches and they just disappeared, in most places nobody could have known better. The following photo was a bit of a rushed job, and not perfect, but much better than the original. Anyone who was in the room as I edited this shot would have though I had been snuffing D76!

File0149-2 by d40monster, on Flickr

Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you

Now, back to the darkroom for some D76 😛
 
I've done the exact same thing with a roll of Delta 3200. I've only done it once. I wish the same for you. If you are loading it in a changing bag don't be afraid to just walk away and reset your zen clock. Keep on keepin' on.
 
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