Labeling: 35mm Reloadable Cartridges Y/N ?

[roscoetuff]

Moving on to bulk loading: Wonder what folks do to identify what film is which 35mm cartridge after they've loaded it? Some sort of label seems a good idea until I ponder the possibility that it squeezes space inside the camera in a bad way. Finding no ready-made labels for 35mm cartridges also suggests a problem: I mean if you can still find labels for audio cassettes but can't find them for film cartridges... that says something.

Love to put something on the outside and also have room for ISO actually shot at, maybe the date, etc.

 

[02Pilot]

I bought some erasable labels and cut them down. I mark them with a Sharpie, which can be cleaned off with alcohol. No problems.

 

[lovely_sausages]

I just put a rectangle of masking tape on the cassette and mark down with a sharpy the film type and number of frames I've loaded onto the roll. After dev I peel the tape off and the cassette is ready for reloading.

 

[Joao]

DX encoding

DX encoding

If you are re-using commercial cartridges be aware of the DX coding on the cartridge if your camera is able to read it.
You can:
1) Load a film of the same speed as the original one that was in the cartridge
2) Use a self-adhesive mask with the code of the film you are using (there are several options easily found in the web) - or retouch the DX code on the cartridge
3) Mask the code with black tape and let the camera decide (by default) the film speed

Regards
Joao

 

[Timmyjoe]

I just put a rectangle of masking tape on the cassette and mark down with a sharpy the film type and number of frames I've loaded onto the roll. After dev I peel the tape off and the cassette is ready for reloading.

I do the same, with the exception of using drafting tape instead of masking tape. Drafting tape is designed to be put down and lifted off without leaving anything behind, and at times I've had masking tape leave behind a residue.

Best,
-Tim

 

[dufffader]

When I load the film into canister, I would leave a bit of film leader sticking out of the canister, and I'd write the film type and loading date on the film itself. That way, I would be able to know what film is in what canister.

After shooting, I usually rewind all the way, with the leader inside the canister. When I remove it from the camera, I use one of those thin plastic 3M post it strips that students use to mark pages and I write the film type and serial number for my own record. The strips are disposable, so when I develop the roll I'd just discard them. After years of doing this, I ended up using different colours for different types of film for ease of development.

With this method, I don't find the need to write anything on the canister, nor put any sticky stuff onto it. 3M post it is quite tame and works on both brass canisters or cheap reloadable plastic canisters.

 

[Dwig]

I do the same, with the exception of using drafting tape instead of masking tape. Drafting tape is designed to be put down and lifted off without leaving anything behind, and at times I've had masking tape leave behind a residue.

Best,
-Tim

+1 ... "masking" tape is a horrid choice for anything other than paint masking.

At the gallery where I work, we use a lot of similar tape for a range things. We are always careful to buy Scotch #200 "binding" tape, which is sometimes sold as "drafting" tape. It lifts off cleanly and the adhesive doesn't harden over time the way true masking tape does.

 

[ChrisPlatt]

A Brother P-Touch is a wonderful thing.

Chris

 

[roscoetuff]

Drafting tape sounds like a good solution short term. Longer term... the Brother P-touch looks to have a nice clean output. Thanks for the feedback!!!

 

[michaelwj]

I use 1" coloured dots and put the same colour dot on the bulk loader. So Yellow is Fomopan 400, Red is HP5+, etc.
Once the film is out of the camera I write the EI and date on the label so I know how to develop it. Post development I stick the label on the leader. If I'm shooting two cameras with two different films, I'll stick the label on the baseplate of the camera so I know what's in it, although usually I can deduce it from the ISO reminder dial.
But this brings about another question, if you only have one bulk loader, then you only have have one film loaded at a time, so there is no need for labels?

 

[bsdunek]

A Brother P-Touch is a wonderful thing.

Chris

I use the Dymo. Works well for me.

 

[ruby.monkey]

Masking tape on the cassette for film type, camera/lens info, and EI. I stick the tape up over my desk while the film's drying so I don't forget the details.

 

[roscoetuff]

In my over-processing mode, I'm thinking I'd love a label on the canister and cartridge. Practically, that means replacing at least the cartridge label with each re-load... possibly. But what a clean look!!! and that's appealing. But FWIW, duffader's note as to writing on the film leader itself seems a good one. I like that! and I wonder:

Does the writing survive development?

For those using labels, do you replace the labels with each reload? or NOT?

I need mo' bettah post-it notes for this!!!

Here's a follow-on question: How many folks ONLY load 36 shots... and how many use lower numbers (12, 24 or anything else) in order to have whole rolls fit a shooting session with a particular lens or other setting?

THanks!