squirrel$$$bandit
Veteran
Any tips? I have a 100' roll of 5222-xx, and I've idly googled around for a good tutorial, but I'm too nervous to take the plunge. Is there a straightforward, clear, illustrated guide out there? Am I overthinking this??
Ko.Fe.
Lenses 35/21 Gears 46/20
Get one meter or less of film. Under light use it to understand how to load.
Once you know how to load it under light, do it again with eyes closed.
Go to the place where you will be loading for real. Try it again.
Get unopened film bulk and in the place it is going to happen emulate how you will handle this box and loader in the dark.
Once you know how to load it under light, do it again with eyes closed.
Go to the place where you will be loading for real. Try it again.
Get unopened film bulk and in the place it is going to happen emulate how you will handle this box and loader in the dark.
ronw
Established
hey mabelsound. i think you might be overthinking this.
I open the loader and orient things in the bag for simplicity.
zip everything up
open the box/can and remove roll
idenify the tapped end and orient it and remove the tape holding the free end
give yourslef 6-8" leader to guide in thru the opening of the loader
drop roll into the loader
button everything up and make sure to close the loading door and lock it in place.
now your ready to open the bag
honestly, i hate the plastic film cassettes. i go to my local lab on friday afternoon and retrieve their weeks worth of spent cassettes that have a small bit of leader sticking out. thats usually good for me for about 2-3 months of loading. i use 3/4" film splicing tape to attach the film to the bit of leader top and bottom. my wilson is 20 years old from college so the clicker isnt reliable so i count revolutions. 28 turns of the crank = 36 exposure. also, i use a bit of artist tape to hold the loading door on the wilson just for piece of mind.
hope that helps!
I open the loader and orient things in the bag for simplicity.
zip everything up
open the box/can and remove roll
idenify the tapped end and orient it and remove the tape holding the free end
give yourslef 6-8" leader to guide in thru the opening of the loader
drop roll into the loader
button everything up and make sure to close the loading door and lock it in place.
now your ready to open the bag
honestly, i hate the plastic film cassettes. i go to my local lab on friday afternoon and retrieve their weeks worth of spent cassettes that have a small bit of leader sticking out. thats usually good for me for about 2-3 months of loading. i use 3/4" film splicing tape to attach the film to the bit of leader top and bottom. my wilson is 20 years old from college so the clicker isnt reliable so i count revolutions. 28 turns of the crank = 36 exposure. also, i use a bit of artist tape to hold the loading door on the wilson just for piece of mind.
hope that helps!
Filzkoeter
stray animal
You are overthinking it. Yesterday my Computrol loader (my first film loader ever) arrived, the Watson seems to be a Computrol copy. It's really straight forward:
Open the loader, drop the roll inside, take the loose end of the film and pull it through the hole that leads to the "loading chamber", close everything and you're ready to go.
Like this:
Open the loader, drop the roll inside, take the loose end of the film and pull it through the hole that leads to the "loading chamber", close everything and you're ready to go.
Like this:
Attachments
photomoof
Fischli & Weiss Sculpture
Here is an additional thought.
Some people get along well with bags some don't. I hate them, for some reason they just confuse me. the only time I use a bag is for loading an Arri or Bolex.
Consider a dark closet at night with a little table in it. Working on a flat surface, without the bag, makes things much easier for many.
And I cannot stress enough what Ko.Fe. said about learning it in the light first!
And by all means get good cassettes. Junk really makes the entire process awful. Sadly the wonderful reusable snap-lid Kodak cassettes are gone, however the Samigon metal ones are better than the plastic ones IMO. http://www.amazon.com/Samigon-Reloadable-Metal-Film-Cassette/dp/B0000A4EYZ
Some Watsons do take the reloadable cassettes from Nikon and Leica. I thought they all did, but someone posted recently that that is not true. Perhaps someone can again clarify this?
Some people get along well with bags some don't. I hate them, for some reason they just confuse me. the only time I use a bag is for loading an Arri or Bolex.
Consider a dark closet at night with a little table in it. Working on a flat surface, without the bag, makes things much easier for many.
And I cannot stress enough what Ko.Fe. said about learning it in the light first!
And by all means get good cassettes. Junk really makes the entire process awful. Sadly the wonderful reusable snap-lid Kodak cassettes are gone, however the Samigon metal ones are better than the plastic ones IMO. http://www.amazon.com/Samigon-Reloadable-Metal-Film-Cassette/dp/B0000A4EYZ
Some Watsons do take the reloadable cassettes from Nikon and Leica. I thought they all did, but someone posted recently that that is not true. Perhaps someone can again clarify this?
squirrel$$$bandit
Veteran
I found some NOS Kodak snap caps on eBay! So I'll use those. And I've got a Changing Room, the big cubical bag, which is very roomy. I'll try in the light first with some exposed film, thanks guys!
photomoof
Fischli & Weiss Sculpture
If you keep them relatively dust free, by putting them in zip locks or actual Kodak canisters, you will be amazed at how long they will last.
As much as possible keep them dust free, don't leave them lying around.