Suggestions for rolling practice

[kiss-o-matic]

Got the Watson film loader. It came w/ some cartridges. I don't want to use a $60 roll as a guinnea pig if I don't have to. Any suggestions? I looked on Ebay for some expired bulk, but no luck. Is this something I can do w/ little risk to destroying the whole bulk row?

 

[bence8810]

Got the Watson film loader. It came w/ some cartridges. I don't want to use a $60 roll as a guinnea pig if I don't have to. Any suggestions? I looked on Ebay for some expired bulk, but no luck. Is this something I can do w/ little risk to destroying the whole bulk row?

Hi,

I have the Watson loader (actually two) and they are very simple to use. Just take a piece of film like around 6 frames long and load it in the light. All you need to make sure is you know which way the film should be orientated and how to push it through the opening and how to close the loader before you remove it from the darkbag.

I actually didn't practice at all just took a good look at the loader and when in the darkbag, I just felt it with my fingertips and knew what goes where. Keep the film roll's tin can and plastic bag in the darkbag while loading so if anything goes wrong or your hands get sweaty you can put things back the way they were and take a break!

It's a piece of cake.

Also, since the Watson will waste 2 frames per roll (2 frames x 18 rolls = 1 roll!!!) you might want to load your film in a darkbag at all times. The way I do it is I leave only a short piece of film exposed, attach it to my film canister and like this put the whole package in the darkbag. Once there, I pull the rest of the film out / seat the cartridge and start loading.

Good luck!
Ben

 

[kiss-o-matic]

Thanks for the reply. I hope you're enjoying your rainy season. This is my first summer away from Japan in ages... and I have to wear a jacket... 🙁

I have the Watson loader (actually two) and they are very simple to use. Just take a piece of film like around 6 frames long and load it in the light. All you need to make sure is you know which way the film should be orientated and how to push it through the opening and how to close the loader before you remove it from the darkbag.

I have a few rolls lying around that I practiced with for development reels. Presumably I could use this?

Also, since the Watson will waste 2 frames per roll (2 frames x 18 rolls = 1 roll!!!) you might want to load your film in a darkbag at all times. The way I do it is I leave only a short piece of film exposed, attach it to my film canister and like this put the whole package in the darkbag. Once there, I pull the rest of the film out / seat the cartridge and start loading.

Thanks for the tip. I'll look into this once I know what I'm doing with the loader. Good thing to know I don't have to risk a whole bulk roll though!

 

[Ko.Fe.]

E-bay is wrong place to buy film in bulk suitable for the loader.
Cheap expired film is available where, but you will never know if it is you or film came with trouble already.
Order $40 Kentmere 100 and 400 from BH, they should have free shipping for $100 orders.

To check bulk loader place little flashlight inside. Set loader in closed position and check it in the dark with cover for cassete removed.

For loading of actual bulk film, check if place you are in for it is dark.
Loading the bulk from shipping package to the loader it not difficult.
Practice with developed or sacrifice unexposed roll to see how it works under light, before doing it for real with the bulk.

 

[bence8810]

Thanks for the reply. I hope you're enjoying your rainy season. This is my first summer away from Japan in ages... and I have to wear a jacket... 🙁

Yes - rainy season while not great - is generally warm and is the hint that summer is just around the corner. I think we have 1 or 2 days left of it and the sun should finally come out and bring the temperature up another 10 degrees (C). Can't wait!

I have a few rolls lying around that I practiced with for development reels. Presumably I could use this?

Yes I think one roll is good enough. Just open your loader under daylight, load in the test roll (and imagine it was a heck of a lot bigger as the bulk roll will be) and then close it. Do it a few times over and you'll get it quick!

Good luck and happy loading!
Ben

 

[kiss-o-matic]

E-bay is wrong place to buy film in bulk suitable for the loader.
Cheap expired film is available where, but you will never know if it is you or film came with trouble already.
Order $40 Kentmere 100 and 400 from BH, they should have free shipping for $100 orders.

Indeed, but I just want to practice. I don't necessarily have to shoot with it.

Yes I think one roll is good enough. Just open your loader under daylight, load in the test roll (and imagine it was a heck of a lot bigger as the bulk roll will be) and then close it. Do it a few times over and you'll get it quick!

Will do! I actually ordered the film from MacoDirect, so I'm one step closer. Perhaps this weekend I'll mess around with it. Will probably dig around for a YouTube video on the Watson as well.

 

[bence8810]

Will do! I actually ordered the film from MacoDirect, so I'm one step closer. Perhaps this weekend I'll mess around with it. Will probably dig around for a YouTube video on the Watson as well.

It'll go just fine, I have just started loading my own film recently and never had a problem despite being a newbie.

Good luck,
Ben

 

[kiss-o-matic]

Bumping this. I got all the Watson, practiced on some dummy rolls, watched some YT videos, etc., etc. One thing I'm not clear on. It looks like once you set the bulk roll, you have some of the film exposed. Tape it to the canister, place that, shut the door, then open the gate, and then start rolling. Seems like the last 2 exposures would be totally wasted. Is that what you were referring to, bence8810? Should I just do that part in the dark?

 

[GarageBoy]

Funny thing is I've seen crappy expired film go on ebay for more than fresh Kentmere - $40 for 15 year old Tri X stored in questionable conditions? No thanks

 

[mwoenv]

Yes, you will waste a couple of frames per roll if you load the cassettes in the light; even with this, you will get 18 36-exposure rolls (+ a fraction of a roll). You could load the rolls in the dark to save the frames if you are confident you can tape the film to the spool straight and re-assemble the cassette while in the dark.

I have a Watson loader too and I was careful to check 2 or 3 times that the gate position was right so I didn't accidentally expose the bulk roll. Also, a couple of times I wound film into a cassette with the gate closed, which scratches the film; again, check the gate position carefully.

 

[bence8810]

Bumping this. I got all the Watson, practiced on some dummy rolls, watched some YT videos, etc., etc. One thing I'm not clear on. It looks like once you set the bulk roll, you have some of the film exposed. Tape it to the canister, place that, shut the door, then open the gate, and then start rolling. Seems like the last 2 exposures would be totally wasted. Is that what you were referring to, bence8810? Should I just do that part in the dark?

Yes - that is exactly it. What I do is I leave only as little film showing as I need to tape the film to the spool (or with the IXMOO - push it through the teeth) and then put the whole thing in the dark bag / open the gate and then pull the film canister to the place where it should be seated at. This is the movement that would waste the frame (or two).

When the film is loaded, I just close the gate and then open the flap and cut the film. Whatever is exposed there would be wastage anyways. The little that I leave sticking out of the gate is used for being taped to the next film canister and the other side sticking out of the already loaded film is going to be the leader. This is what I do anyways....

Ben

 

[ChrisLivsey]

Just bear in mind one of the advantages of self load is choosing the length.You are not restricted to 24/36. I do find the tension (Watson) is often insufficient for 36 and often load 30. There is wastage so lots of short lengths will be more wasteful but then these days it's more about trying film that's not generally available as the price difference is small to ready loaded at least in the UK.
Agree expired film on e-bay is a joke. I bought some expired HP5+ as "tested and fine" in 120, look what backing paper adhesion and breakthrough looks like: :bang:

 

[Vincent.G]

Bumping this. I got all the Watson, practiced on some dummy rolls, watched some YT videos, etc., etc. One thing I'm not clear on. It looks like once you set the bulk roll, you have some of the film exposed. Tape it to the canister, place that, shut the door, then open the gate, and then start rolling. Seems like the last 2 exposures would be totally wasted. Is that what you were referring to, bence8810? Should I just do that part in the dark?

You need to roll at least 40 frames to have 36 usable frames to shoot with. With your method of spooling, you cannot shoot till the end of the roll i.e. until you cannot advance the film anymore. You also need some film leader to load into the camera.

Experiment with 1 or 2 rolls first to get a sensing of how many usable frames can you shoot with your spooling process.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Bumping this. I got all the Watson, practiced on some dummy rolls, watched some YT videos, etc., etc. One thing I'm not clear on. It looks like once you set the bulk roll, you have some of the film exposed. Tape it to the canister, place that, shut the door, then open the gate, and then start rolling. Seems like the last 2 exposures would be totally wasted. Is that what you were referring to, bence8810? Should I just do that part in the dark?

Sometimes it becomes big deal for me. If occurrence happens at the same time of loading I would take only short end out. Tape it, put cassette on, turn lights off, pull cassette to the end, secure it for spooling, close the lid and turn lights on. Half, or no frames will be lost at the end.
But most of the time it isn't biggy for me.

 

[kiss-o-matic]

Thanks for the info, guys. I guess I'm thinking the wasted frames being on the last couple would mean I might think they're okay when they're not. If I can't trust the read out on my camera as to how many frames are left, this invites a guessing game which I'm not too fond of. I guess practice would make perfect.

these days it's more about trying film that's not generally available

This, totally. I think with TriX I'd save very little, but with what I'm rolling (Rollei Retro 80s) it's not readily available in 35mm. I think B&H has a few left at like $6.50 a roll. Ack.

Experiment with 1 or 2 rolls first to get a sensing of how many usable frames can you shoot with your spooling process.

Yep - hoping to do that next week. Got a couple of "new" cameras that I need to try out as well.