Rolling film backwards is damaging?

[wolfpeterson]

I dropped off a few rolls yesterday for development. Like I usually do, I asked them to be uncut, no prints, but I also asked them to roll it in the oppsite direction of the film curve. Winter dryness makes curly film insane to manage and scan (especially in epson 35mm holders!).

Anyways, I had asked this a few times before, but today the clerk almost refused to do it. "It's really bad for the emulsion" she said.

My first thought was DO WHAT I SAY, I AM THE CUSTOMER. 😛

My second thought was, the film is already curved by it being in the canister, so why would companies roll their film if it was damaging to the emulsion? Additionally, the film is rolled in the opposite direction inside the camera...Granted, this is post development, and you may be stretching the emulsion instead of compressing it.

So does rolling film "emulsion out" damage the film? If so in what conditions, pre/post developing, slide/color/bw, new/expired film, etc.

 

[Particular]

So does rolling film "emulsion out" damage the film? If so in what conditions, pre/post developing, slide/color/bw, new/expired film, etc.

I doubt it.

 

[MC JC86]

I believe the correct response would have been.

"YOU'RE bad for the emulsion!"

 

[Dfin]

I doubt it. With most cameras, as the film is wound onto the take up spool, it is emulsion side out. This is too help ensure film flatness across the film gate, you are right to assume extreme dryness can effect the emulsion/film base,ie. extreme cold,film base can rip and emulsion crack, or extreme heat,emulsion can become very soft and stick too film back or otherwise be damaged.

 

[Roger Hicks]

It doesn't make a blind bit of difference. The only real danger is to the images on the outside of the roll (after it's been rolled) which might be easier to scratch/fingerprint.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Gumby]

I think the clerk was trying to give you a technical answer when the real answer is, "We're not going to change our procedure and do it differently for just one customer."

 

[paulfish4570]

i've taken to doing just that after a roll has dried, and placing it in a clean cannister to sit overnight before i cut into 6-frame strips. it sure does lie flat in the epson tray after that, making better scans ...

 

[dmr]

The Pentax I use winds the film in the reverse direction from that in the 35mm cartridge, and the emulsion ends up being on the "outside" of the roll of exposed film, before it's rewound into the cartridge that is.

Redscale requires you to wind it backwards, emulsion out.

 

[calebk]

I think the clerk's main concern was rolling it emulsion side out will make it more prone to scratching etc.

 

[wolfpeterson]

I think the clerk's main concern was rolling it emulsion side out will make it more prone to scratching etc.

That may be an issue in some cases, but when it comes out of their machine, they put the film in plastic.

In any case, they did it. I scanned a few last night and, as always, there was absolutely no impact besides the curl being tamed.