35mm film cassettes for reloading

[Minox]

My old(ish) film cassettes are getting worn and need to be replaced. I have bought 10 plastic cassettes recently, the light trap flakes and is probably not a good idea to put some film in those.

Some of my old cassettes are of the Orwo type, with screw cap. Durable and well made, they survived until now, but not much life left in them. Main concern is of course light leaks.

Anyone can point me to a reliable product, one that proved to be safe to use (for the film) and well made?

Thank you !

 

[guangong]

Don’t know what cameras you are using. Those made by Leitz, Zeiss, and Nikon for their rf cameras have best design because film doesn’t touch cassette after camera back is locked.
The only cassettes that I reuse are for Minox and Minolta 16. I only reload some 35mm to justify buying bulk for slitting Minox and Minolta film.
Some users have mentioned old Soviet era reloadable cassettes, so you may get replies from them

 

[Moose22]

The vintage metal soviet made cans are working well for me. I got some from Ukraine last year and have been happy with them.

Otherwise, I tape to the leaders on used casettes from regular rolls of film. I have a leader retriever and fish it out rather than use a bottle opener. That works great, too. I still do this rather than the soviet cans on the rare occasion I want to use a camera that needs DX encoding, but still want to roll my own.

 

[pbromaghin]

They have the plastic screw-cap type at B&H - 20 for 49.95. They work OK for me.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1698045-REG/samigon_esa902b_bx_20_plastic_cartridges.html

 

[JerseyDoug]

I use Leica cassettes for my LTM Leicas, Nikon cassettes for my Nikon F's and Kodak Snap-Cap cassettes for everything else.

 

[Minox]

Don’t know what cameras you are using. Those made by Leitz, Zeiss, and Nikon for their rf cameras have best design because film doesn’t touch cassette after camera back is locked.
The only cassettes that I reuse are for Minox and Minolta 16. I only reload some 35mm to justify buying bulk for slitting Minox and Minolta film.
Some users have mentioned old Soviet era reloadable cassettes, so you may get replies from them

Nothing fancy, as cameras go. Just usual 35mm SLR's. I also cut my films from bulk roll, and I do reuse the Minox cassettes. Never used 35mm Russian reloadable cassettes, though.

 

[Disconnekt]

Midwest Film Co. has some of the metal snapcap style cassettes for $2.50 each on their site, not sure how many they have left though:

https://www.midwestfilmco.com/shop/midwestfilmco-metal-reloadable-35mm-cartridge

 

[armadsen]

Midwest Film Co has recently started selling new-manufacture metal cassettes: https://www.midwestfilmco.com/shop/midwestfilmco-metal-reloadable-35mm-cartridge They’ve been discussed in a few threads here lately.

Unfortunately it looks like their stock is quite low at the moment with 10 and 25 count packs sold out. I bought some a couple weeks ago, but haven’t yet had a chance to try them. I’ll likely load some up tomorrow for some planned shooting on Sunday.

 

[Minox]

They have the plastic screw-cap type at B&H - 20 for 49.95. They work OK for me.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1698045-REG/samigon_esa902b_bx_20_plastic_cartridges.html[/

Thank you, pbromaghin, will check the link !

 

[Minox]

Midwest Film Co has recently started selling new-manufacture metal cassettes: https://www.midwestfilmco.com/shop/midwestfilmco-metal-reloadable-35mm-cartridge They’ve been discussed in a few threads here lately.

Unfortunately it looks like their stock is quite low at the moment with 10 and 25 count packs sold out. I bought some a couple weeks ago, but haven’t yet had a chance to try them. I’ll likely load some up tomorrow for some planned shooting on Sunday.

Those look all right, will have a good look. Thank you !

 

[Minox]

I use Leica cassettes for my LTM Leicas, Nikon cassettes for my Nikon F's and Kodak Snap-Cap cassettes for everything else.

Haven't seen lately any of these on sale anywhere, but probably I haven't checked all proper places. Nikon F and Kodak ones are something I would really enjoy, only if I find some to buy . Thank you !

 

[koraks]

What happened to the metal 35mm film cassettes?

Did the manufacture of reloadable metal 35mm film cassettes cease? I do not really care for the ones made of plastic.

www.photrio.com

New metal film cassettes

Howdy folks- I try to bulk load my 35mm and after about 4 years my original set of metal canisters (generic name but similar to metal Kalt ones I’ve had from a few years before) are getting a bit worn. Looking for some replacements it appears the metal snap on cap cassettes are really hard to...

www.photrio.com

35mm reusable cassettes

Hi! I know that this topic is by no means new, but it seems like it’s been a few years since it was asked. I have been bulk loading from vision3 (and one time E100D!) for a while, rolling some cassettes for other folks to make money to cover the cost, and using the rest for myself. However, I...

www.photrio.com

Looking for 35mm Cassette For Bulk Film recommendations

I see very mixed reviews on the ones at B&H, wondering what brand people here are having good luck with.

www.photrio.com

Perhaps those recent threads contain some more clues; have a look.

 

[Minox]

What happened to the metal 35mm film cassettes?

Did the manufacture of reloadable metal 35mm film cassettes cease? I do not really care for the ones made of plastic.

www.photrio.com

New metal film cassettes

Howdy folks- I try to bulk load my 35mm and after about 4 years my original set of metal canisters (generic name but similar to metal Kalt ones I’ve had from a few years before) are getting a bit worn. Looking for some replacements it appears the metal snap on cap cassettes are really hard to...

www.photrio.com

35mm reusable cassettes

Hi! I know that this topic is by no means new, but it seems like it’s been a few years since it was asked. I have been bulk loading from vision3 (and one time E100D!) for a while, rolling some cassettes for other folks to make money to cover the cost, and using the rest for myself. However, I...

www.photrio.com

Looking for 35mm Cassette For Bulk Film recommendations

I see very mixed reviews on the ones at B&H, wondering what brand people here are having good luck with.

www.photrio.com

Perhaps those recent threads contain some more clues; have a look.

These will keep me busy for a while , many thanks for sending them links to me. Appreciated !!

 

[guangong]

Minox, on a slightly different topic, but have you had any experience with the metal Minox cassettes that are being sold in Britain? If so, do they work in all Minox models?

 

[Minox]

I have been aware of these cassettes for a while now, as sold by MS Hobbies of London. Afaik, there are two models, a grey and a black model, each suited for different cameras (the grey one fits Riga, if I am not mistaken).

Two such models are currently on their way to me, sent by Paul from MS Hobbies, in order to check them with various 8x11 cameras and also with several 8x11 film widths. As you probably know, there are at least 3 or 4 widths the 8x11 film negatives are either cut or sold already rolled ( I know of 9mm, 9.2, 9.4, and 9.5mm). Once here, the cassettes will undergo several tests and checks, and an extensive review will be written and made public.

That said, have you ever tried the Jimmy Li's brass cassette? He is a good friend, and he is the one who came up with the best current 8x11 film cutter from various film stock sizes.

You may peruse my reviews here:

35mm to 16 and 9,2mm film cutter

8x11 brass cassette

 

[Minox]

When you guys talk about Russian/Soviet/Ukraine metallic cassettes, this is what you mean?

 

[Patrick Robert James]

I have 10 new/old stock Kodak snap cap cassettes if you are interested.

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

When you guys talk about Russian/Soviet/Ukraine metallic cassettes, this is what you mean?

Yes. The light trap is made from a lovely plush.

In the Worker's Paradise 35mm film was sold as lengths of film wrapped in foil. The photographer went into a dark room loaded the film into cassettes by hand. I imagine the film was taken in for processing again wrapped in foil.

It seems that a Glorious Five Year Plan rather overforecast the need for cassettes as there seem to be lots available. It is one of the few photographic items where the Land of Progressive Socialism produced a better product than the Decadent West.

 

[Minox]

Yes. The light trap is made from a lovely plush.

In the Worker's Paradise 35mm film was sold as lengths of film wrapped in foil. The photographer went into a dark room loaded the film into cassettes by hand. I imagine the film was taken in for processing again wrapped in foil.

It seems that a Glorious Five Year Plan rather overforecast the need for cassettes as there seem to be lots available. It is one of the few photographic items where the Land of Progressive Socialism produced a better product than the Decadent West.

When I started photography courses in high school, the lab had only those wrapped-up film negatives to work with, branded Svema. The film was wrapped in a black paper sort of thing, so tightly rolled that I had to struggle to put it on the take up spool in a camera. Mind you, all the cameras were of Soviet fabrication . I had to put up with this for about 2 yrs, until I graduated and moved on to greener pastures.

I have good memories from those times, nonetheless. If you wish to read more on my days in the socialist heaven, link.

 

[Nitroplait]

When you guys talk about Russian/Soviet/Ukraine metallic cassettes, this is what you mean?

View attachment 337154

Yes. They are typical Sovjet era quality (or lack thereof). They are unevenly manufactured, A tight fit in some cameras. If you buy NOS, they come wrapped in some chemically treated stinky paper.
If you use masking tape to label your rolls, the tape will pull off the black paint.
I guess you can say that they do their job, but seeking out ILFORD metal cartridges from the 60/70's may well be cheaper and give you a better experience.
I found 20 ILFORD cassettes in the classifieds here from someone in Germany. They ended up cheaper than the batch of 10 I purchased from Ukraine 2 years ago.

 

[mshchem]

I bought 5 of the super cheap plastic cassettes from B&H, wow, totally unusable, no lint, but bad injection molding, it would probably load, but, end piece would leak light.

I also bought 5 of the Sensai cassettes, look OK but definitely designed for single use, very secure closure, not for me.

I will try to buy a few of the $2 type next time.

Everything made today seems to be cr*p