Arista 35mm Metal Reloadable Cartridge = Kalt?

nocrop · May 15, 2009

I ask because I had the hardest time with some of the caps, and one roll I shot had a tell-tale light leak along one side because of a popped cap. It seems some people think that Kalts are the best of the readily available new reloadables. Is the no-name Arista version the same thing? If not, maybe I'll check out the Kalts instead.

Dennis S · May 15, 2009

I find the plastic ones with the locking caps seem to work quite well. I also rotate the metal caps once they are on seems to seal it better when I use the metal ones. I have also been sealing them with tape around the tops and bottoms when I know I will be handling them more than usual like in my camera bag etc.

fschifano · May 15, 2009

To tell the truth, I think the Arista and Kalt carts are from the same manufacturer. At any rate, they both work well for me.

nocrop · May 15, 2009

I guess I just need more experience, then. Good idea about taping them if they're going to be abused. Thanks for your answers, the both of you.

jmcd · May 15, 2009

"...I had the hardest time with some of the caps,"

Did you have a hard time getting the caps on? In case you meant this, I tip the cap on at an angle, making contact at the split portion of the rim of the canister. Then I top the cap down and snap it into place.

I have some old Kalt canisters from about 10 years ago, and they have more tension on them where the film goes through the felt. So far, both the Kalt and Arista have worked well for me through hundreds of rolls.

Anscojohn · May 15, 2009

nocrop said:
I ask because I had the hardest time with some of the caps, and one roll I shot had a tell-tale light leak along one side because of a popped cap. It seems some people think that Kalts are the best of the readily available new reloadables. Is the no-name Arista version the same thing? If not, maybe I'll check out the Kalts instead.

******
The key, as stated above, is to rotate the cap after it has been put on. By doing that, if it is not on properly, it pops off. That's my experience.

nocrop · May 16, 2009

Thanks for your suggestions.

My method was to pinch the cylinder firmly, then slip the cap on at an angle at different contact points, searching for the best spot, then mashing down the opposite side. (That sentence could be misconstrued!) Alternatively, and in desperation, I would try to work the cap on around the perimeter like a Tupperware container. But it seemed that some cartridges were slightly malformed, being very hard to snap a cap onto.

I'll rotate the caps in the future. I was wondering if there was some kind of manufacturing inconsistency or whether it was my own inexperience: some caps snapped on easily, others took minutes of struggle. I suspect it was me.

Dennis S · May 17, 2009

If the cap doesn't snap on the way it should before you roll, inspect it. If there is a slight deformatey, chuck it. They are cheap !

jmcd · May 17, 2009

"The key, as stated above, is to rotate the cap after it has been put on."

Yes, indeed—just a little spin until it feels right.

Arista 35mm Metal Reloadable Cartridge = Kalt?

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