35mm Film Question

Ridj · Jul 31, 2016

Hello! i'm new to this forum and i'm starting to get into film photography, i'm not sure how much i should rewind my film once I've filled up the roll. should i roll the end into the canister or leave a bit hanging out? please help.

AgX · Jul 31, 2016

Welcome to Apug!

First: as canister here we designate that outer plastic container.
The can which actuallly contains the film is called cassette.

It depends...
If you use standard cassettes from the manufacturer it may be benefitial to keep the leader out of the cassette, as this makes it easy to retrieve the exposed part in the darkroom.
Otherwise you need a cap-opener to get off that cap and pull out the spool with the exposed film.

If you use reusable cassettes it is benefitial to wind the film completely into the cassette as the cap is more easy to remove with these.

Winding the film completely into the cassette facilitates to distinguish between fresh and exposed cassettes. Otherwise you must mark the leader of an exposed film.

If you have wound the film complete into the cassette and can't get the cap off you can retrieve the film through the velvet gate again by using a special tool (film-retriever).

Gerald C Koch · Jul 31, 2016

Do you intend to reuse the cassette? If not then it doesn't matter.

MattKing · Jul 31, 2016

Welcome to APUG.

Some people prefer to leave the leader out, in order to make loading film on to developing reels easier. If you make that choice, you are vulnerable to mistaking the film for an unexposed one, and running it through the camera again, which will give you a bunch of ruined, double exposed negatives. In addition, film with a bit of leader hanging out is slightly more prone to light leaks and fog.

If you are going to make that choice, develop a system to aid in identifying exposed film. I tear the leader off square to mark the exposed film, but others do things like crimping the end.

CMoore · Jul 31, 2016

I leave it out and (like Matt suggests) mark the tube so i know it is shot film.

Peltigera · Jul 31, 2016

I always leave the leader hanging out. It is easy to distiquish a used film because the end of the leader gets bent even if I forget to put it in my left pocket - new film is in my right pocket.

If you are using film on a PET base (Adox?) the film hanging out can act as a light pipe and fog the film inside the cassette so if you leave the leader hanging out with these, the cassette needs to be kept in the canister until you develop it.

Sirius Glass · Jul 31, 2016

Welcome to APUG

I do not reuse the film cassette so I rewind the film completely. Leaving the end of the film out provides a great opportunity to ruin one roll of film by using it twice. Leave the double exposures of others.

Jim Jones · Jul 31, 2016

For those who leave the leader out when rewinding, it can be crimped most quickly by biting down on it.

trythis · Aug 1, 2016

I roll mine all the way up and reuse the factory cartridges. I get the film out using one of these.
Dead Link Removed

BAC1967 · Aug 1, 2016

If you are sending the film to a lab for processing then roll it all into the cassette, they know how to get it out. If you are developing the film yourself then that depends on your preference. I like to leave it hanging out a bit because it's a little easier to handle while loading the film onto reels.

The cassette can easily be opened with a bottle/can opener, just pop one end off. The only time I use a film retrieval tool is the rare occasion when the leader on a fresh roll somehow ends up inside the cassette.

foc · Aug 2, 2016

I rewind mine until there is just the tongue is sticking out (with manual rewind you can feel the film disengage the takeup spool).

Then to make sure I don't mix it up with unexposed film, I bend back the tongue against the cassette.

I have done this for all the years that I shot film professionally.

Ridj · Aug 3, 2016

thanks all for the responses. it was just that i am starting film photography and i dont want to ruin my pictures.

trondsi · Aug 15, 2016

Keep in mind that many of the responses here are assuming that you are developing your own film.

If are instead taking the film to a professional lab for development(like I do): in this case I would wind the film all the way in. It is generally a bit safer.

KidA · Aug 16, 2016

Am I stupid or what? How do you reload a 'commercial' cassette? The overwhelming response seems to be to not rewind all the way... I was so convinced that rolling it up all the way is the way to go!

Ricardo Miranda · Aug 16, 2016

I always rewind the film all the way, but that's because I have a film retriever and I like to fiddle with it.

LAG · Aug 16, 2016

Excuse me

I always leave a bit out, store it on a black canister, record the date & next action on the lid, keep it in the fridge as soon as i can, and try to process it (or what has to be done) ASAP.

Kirks518 · Aug 16, 2016

I roll it all the way in.

If I'm using reloadables, no problem.
Factory cassettes, I have a church key for those (or the lab deals with it for C-41).

By rewinding all the way, I don't ever have to worry about 1) having a pen to write down that it's exposed, 2) shooting the roll again, and 3) accidentally having the film get pulled out for some bizarre reason. Basically, IMO, it's less work and worry to just rewind it all the way.

blockend · Aug 17, 2016

KidA said:
Am I stupid or what? How do you reload a 'commercial' cassette?

If you have a bulk film loader, which is a light proof device containing a large roll of unexposed film, you can leave a stub of film at the end of the old cassette to which the film in the bulk loader can be attached. Once it's taped together you can close the loader lid, set the light trap, and wind on the desired number of frames.

When you come to develop the film it's pulled back through the cassette until the taped stub at the end, detached and developed. In theory you can repeat this an infinite number of times, in practice the felt in a normal cassette can become flattened and harbour grit, so users set their preferred limit on re-using a cassette. This is important as retrieving film through the lips of the cassette involves more passes, and potential for scratching, than opening the cassette, extracting the film and discarding it.[/QUOTE]

DmaalaM · Aug 17, 2016

I fold the end of the leader so it becomes like a hook then roll it all the way to the hook. simple. easily retrievable. no marker needed to tell me it's been used.

JunkyardJesse · Aug 17, 2016

I rewind mine all the way in, because that's how I can tell it's rewound all the way!

If you need to fish it back out, you don't really need to buy a special retriever. If you take the end of some other film -- perhaps the unexposed portion of some processed negatives? -- lick the emulsion so it's sticky, and slide it into the opening of the cassette, it'll stick to the film leader you rolled in and you can just pull them both back out.

AgX · Aug 17, 2016

JunkyardJesse said:
I rewind mine all the way in, because that's how I can tell it's rewound all the way!

Yes, with some camera models it is hard to tell.

35mm Film Question

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