Optimal Strategy for Minimizing Film ASA Mess

[raid]

Hello,

If you have not written down the film's ASA, and you use many different film types with different ASA, and if the film frame counter is at 15, what is here a reasonable strategy to save the film?

1. Rewind the film and check the speed.
2. Shoot at ASA100 and hope for the best.
3. Take out the film.
4. ????


If the older cameras don't have a dial for film speed, such an error can happen. I now tape a piece of paper on the backof the camera,with ASA setting marked on it.

 

[rover]

B&W that I develop myself....I pull it and process what is already shot and mark off the rest to experience.

 

[Nick R.]

There should be no problem with rewinding and reloading. I recently did this with two Leicas I sold which were both loaded mid-roll. I noted the counter number, took the rolls out and stuck them in other cameras.
NB Leave a two shot space between shot numbers on the reloaded roll.

 

[didotcicero]

Tear off the square flap (with the ASA info) from the cardboard box that contained the film, fold it a bit until it fits into the hotshoe/accessoiry shoe.

Works like a treat as long as you don't need the shoe.

 

[MadMan2k]

Hmm, I usually remember which film, what ISO, which shots I took before on it, etc..

Both of my cameras now have a way to remember easily though - the 1N has a window to see the actual film cassette where it's usually marked. The M3 just has a dial that you have to set, it doesn't have a space for ISO 100 or 400 though.

 

[lkgroup]

I use a small piece of masking tape to write the film type and ASA and attach to the bottom of my camera by the rewind release button. This provides info when I am using several cameras and would have enough time to forget what is in each camera.

Leo

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

Interesting question.

If you know the ISO range of your film, I say:
4a) Shoot at the median speed (notice I said median)

If you have absolutely no clue:
4b) Shoot at ISO 400 and develop in Diafine.
(and pray)

 

[Dougg]

Some good workable solutions! Some of my non-metered cameras (Leica, Pentax) have reminders indicating indoor/outdoor color and B&W, and the speed. Others like the Bessa T have the rear-door window (and light meter ISO setting to remind, too), I do use the box flap in the holder if the camera features that.

But the solution that hasn't yet been mentioned, and which I also use, is to begin a new database record in my film data file when I load the camera. OTOH if I'm in the field shooting multiple rolls, then I use a small notepad to record what I'm doing.

In Raid's current predicament, I'd follow Rover's or Nick's suggestion... 🙂

 

[markinlondon]

Not a problem if you only shoot HP5 or Tri-x 🙂 . Rating then comes down to whether the sun's shining or not.

 

[Ash]

Wasn't this why camera's began to use a built-in ASA dial? 😀

I limit myself in film choice (by my extravagant spending on anything but film) so I don't have a problem there. My problem is more that two films I use are Ilford Pan F 50, and now Agfa APX400... I bulk roll, and I don't label the cassettes.

To be honest I'm just tempting fate for a huge disaster 😀 fortunately APX has a blue tinge, and Pan F has a grey/brown tinge, so that's easy enough, and I rarely leave a camera with a roll of film in it, I only ever have one camera on the go.

 

[rover]

Hmm, I usually remember which film, what ISO, which shots I took before on it, etc..

Yeah, you whipersnapper..... Wait till you get older and you mind stops rememberin' things so easily.....😱

 

[rxmd]

I put a piece of frosted tape on my camera and write the ASA number on that.

Philipp

 

[Bill58]

Shoot nothing but 400--B+W, color. 'Works for dummies like me.

 

[rpsawin]

Try this. I use one on my M's and they are great.

http://www.leicagoodies.com
The Slide

Bob

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

Take the film out and develop it now.

 

[raid]

I did not ask for what I should have done but rather what I now can do. Some of you have provided some useful techniques to "save the day". Thanks!

I shoot all the way from ASA 25 to ASA 3200 in the same week. I often have 8 cameras loaded with B&W, negative, and slide film in the same week. In this case, it is a Zorki-4 that has no place for a reminder cardboard strip with film information. In case you don't know it, this is not a DX coded camera nor is there an ASA dial on the camera. I happen to have forgotten to tape a piece of paper on the back of the camera to remind me which film I am using.

I have to smile when I see "concerns" that one Leica model has the lens aperture turn towards the right and one towards the left, and this is being viewed as a "disaster design flaw". With over 20 cameras being used, I have to be alert to differences between cameras.


Raid

 

[raid]

I finally rewound the roll, just to discover that the film had barely moved. It seems that the film is still mostly unexposed ASA100 print film.

Thanks for the tips.

Raid