12 exp. rolls from 36 exp. rolls

RichardH · Aug 13, 2012

Does anyone make 3- 10 exp. rolls from 36 exp. rolls. I have a bag full of reloadable cans and I don't like using a whole roll of 36 for some of the things I like shooting. I do a lot of Macro with the bellows and extenders and to shoot a whole roll is wasting a lot of film. I have a good idea on how to make 3 rolls but I would like to know how anyone else does this.

I think my idea will work by just rolling them into another can but I am not familiar with how many turns to crank the receiving end. I guess I need to experiment a little but I don't want to waste a lot of film doing the experiment of turns to crank.

I know I want get 12 exp. dividing by 3, due to leader length, but I think I can get 10 exps. on each roll.

As far as I know, no one is making 100ft. rolls of color film anymore.

Any Ideas????

Richard

pentaxuser · Aug 13, 2012

Based on my experience of bulk loading I doubt very much that you will get 3x10 rolls from 36. Most bulk loader recommend a 5 frame waste per roll so that's 15 frames. If you have a manual wind camera and load each 10 frame in total darkness then 3 x10 might just be possible but this is speculation on my part.

pentaxuser

nworth · Aug 13, 2012

Probably not. You can only get two 12 exposure rolls from a 36 exposure roll because of the leader and trailer needed (actually, you can get two roughly 14 exposure rolls.) Consumer color film used to be available in 12 exposure rolls. I'm not sure if it still is.

RichardH · Aug 13, 2012

My idea is take a manual rewind camera( I have a bunch) and take a processed roll and rewind until I get a small number of frames and then I can see what I get from loading about 10 frames.
I'll let everyone know just for knowledge of how many I can make from a 36 exp. roll.

Thanks for the replies

Richard

Newt_on_Swings · Aug 13, 2012

You could make a makeshift peg board in a darkroom and measure out about 5 1/2 feet and divide by 2 or 3 and put nails or pegs at those points. Then it's just a matter of cutting it and taping it back.

If your counter is long enough you can place tape markers at the edge and use that to measure sections out.

Or possible if you insist on rolling it canister to canister, tape leader to end of empty roll and pull out all the film in darkroom or bag and cut in middle.

RichardH · Aug 13, 2012

Newt_on_Swings said:
You could make a makeshift peg board in a darkroom and measure out about 5 1/2 feet and divide by 2 or 3 and put nails or pegs at those points. Then it's just a matter of cutting it and taping it back.

If your counter is long enough you can place tape markers at the edge and use that to measure sections out.

Or possible if you insist on rolling it canister to canister, tape leader to end of empty roll and pull out all the film in darkroom or bag and cut in middle.

Hey
I am going to process a new roll this evening and before cutting it up, I'll play with that and see how good my idea is. I'll report what I find later.

Thanks
Richard

wogster · Aug 13, 2012

RichardH said:
My idea is take a manual rewind camera( I have a bunch) and take a processed roll and rewind until I get a small number of frames and then I can see what I get from loading about 10 frames.
I'll let everyone know just for knowledge of how many I can make from a 36 exp. roll.

Thanks for the replies

Richard

I think the best way to do this, is with a manual wind camera, and a dark bag. Shoot what you want to take in the camera then put the camera in the dark bag, with a pair of kids scissors and a developing tank and reel. Cut the film where it crosses the left side of the film gate, there should be a little bit coming out of the canister, but enough passed the end so your not cutting any frames. Press the release button on the camera, and wind the film onto the reel, and close the tank lid, with the reel inside of course. Take the camera out of the bag, there should be 1/2" or so of film sticking out, cut a rough tongue and put the film aside.

What folks have done for decades, is note where the frame counter is, rewind the camera, listening to the back for when it comes off the takeup spool, write on the cartridge with a marker what frame they left off at. When they want to use more of that roll, load it up, with lens cap in place, set the shutter to it's highest speed, wind to one frame beyond where they left off. In case it loads differently. Use the film some more, then repeat the process if needed. This is good of the film is one that is image stable, strangely enough consumer films tend to be the best here, because they need to be able to produce decent images, even though you started the roll last Christmas.

David Allen · Aug 13, 2012

If you want to vary what you are shooting on one roll of 35mm (for example different developer or using Zone System varying development) there is a very simple solution but it will loose a few frames.

Make exposures how you want for a group of images, now wind on one frame, remove lens and set shutter to 'B' or 'Time'. Fire the shutter and hold, through the lens gate attach a piece of cellotape to the film (make sure that you rub it down well so that it stays put), release the shutter and wind on one frame, now expose how you want to. Repeat as often as you want.

In the darkroom wind out the film till you reach the first (or only) piece of cellotape and cut the film. Process as per appropriate. With subsequent pieces of film (divided by cellotape) repeat as required.

Simple - you can vary the exposure/development for each part of a single length of 35mm film.

Best,

David
www.dsallen.de

RichardH · Aug 13, 2012

Hey Paul

Good idea. I'll give that a try.

Hey David
This is color film and I shouldn't have to zone it. I don't think I should anyway.

Thanks
Richard

summicron1 · Aug 13, 2012

you need to use an Exakta -- built-in film knife!!! and you can use a second film can as take-up...far less waste.

wogster · Aug 13, 2012

RichardH said:
Hey Paul

Good idea. I'll give that a try.

Hey David
This is color film and I shouldn't have to zone it. I don't think I should anyway.

Thanks
Richard

You use a technique similar to zoning, if your scene is very dark you might want to overexpose a stop or two on negative films, if the scene is very light, then underexpose a stop or two, reverse this for slide films, it's to compensate for averaging in light meters.

David Allen · Aug 14, 2012

RichardH said:
Hey Paul

Good idea. I'll give that a try.

Hey David
This is color film and I shouldn't have to zone it. I don't think I should anyway.

Thanks
Richard

What I described is not just for Zone control, it is a way of partially using any 35mm film. You can use it if you want to shoot, lets say 7 frames on a 100 film then want to load a 400 film. The idea is that you mark where you have used the film and then only need to process that part of the film without wasting the rest of the frames. The result is that you will have various films with the remainder still usable (i.e if you shot 8 frames, you would then wind on one frame and attach cellotape. In the darkroom you would take the film up to the cellotape and process it and then mark the film as having - from a 36 exposure film - 26 frames remaining for future use).

Best,

David
www,dsallen.de

RichardH · Aug 14, 2012

summicron1 said:
you need to use an Exakta -- built-in film knife!!! and you can use a second film can as take-up...far less waste.

Back in the 70's I had a Exakta llb that had this cutter. Good camera but it has long been gone. The lenses were good too. You don't see very much of them now days.

Richard

RichardH · Aug 14, 2012

Hey Paul
I understand what you are saying now. I thought you was talking development of the color film by the zone system. Back when I was making a living with a color lab, it was all automated. Now that I am doing it at home, I think I'll test it for retarding and pushing the film some.

Hey David
I am going to try your procedure and see how that idea goes.

Thanks to both

Richard

12 exp. rolls from 36 exp. rolls

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