Bulk Film Questions

waynecrider · Nov 8, 2015

For the bulk loaders out there, I was wondering what you favorites are in the lower price range and your favorite developer for said film. I enjoy shooting clouds in the landscape and am looking to shoot more and pay less while I look for images.

analoguey · Nov 8, 2015

In my exp, Bulk loading isn't really the money saver it's made out to be(when you factor in TCO) - and unless you've lots of spare cartridges - 100+, it doesn't really work out wrt using time efficiently.

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Xmas · Nov 8, 2015

Expired bulk film, expired survelliance film, cine short ends or recans, ie cheap.
Any of the daylight loaders are servicable...

markbarendt · Nov 8, 2015

FP-4plus
Rollo-Pyro

Gerald C Koch · Nov 8, 2015

I bulk load Eastman 5222 short ends. It is now my favorite film used at an EI of 400. Develop it in HC-110 1+49 for 8.5 m at 21C. Very reasonable to do. It pays to shop around for short ends. My favorite site is http://www.filmemporium.com/store. I find it best to call them as the availability of some films changes daily.

David Lyga · Nov 8, 2015

waynecrider: back in the 70s cost was cheaper to bulk load. NOW, not too much savings. (Unfortunately) - David Lyga

Ko.Fe. · Nov 8, 2015

I'm saving. No idea how those who aren't saving do calculate.
Kentmere 400 is 3.49 for 24 frames. I could get twenty + 24 frames loads from bulk of the same. Twice if not three times less.
I need about four bulks per year. It is good savings for me.
It is possible to find dozen or two metal cassettes cheap , they lasts for years.
Don't go dirt cheap crap film like Polypan F used to be. Waste of time and money.
Get Kentmere 400 film if you deal with BH. $39. Shoot it @200 with contrast filters by adjusting exposure to filter factor. HC-110 for developer.
You'll get perfect prints.

AgX · Nov 8, 2015

One advantage of bulk film not yet mentioned is volume saving (in the freezer).

MattKing · Nov 8, 2015

I like bulk film because it allows me to choose the length of the rolls.

I don't like the fact that you waste a little bit more film in the loading process - unless you are able to load it in the dark.

Some cassettes are quite flimsy.

The Kodak still films have become very expensive to buy in bulk - and I am a Kodak loyalist!

FrancoisM · Nov 8, 2015

Voilà !

MattKing said:
I like bulk film because it allows me to choose the length of the rolls.

waynecrider · Nov 8, 2015

MattKing;1 I like bulk film because it allows me to choose the length of the rolls. [/QUOTE said:
Thats the other objective

DannL. · Nov 8, 2015

I don't buy the expensive films, which is probably why I can save well over a $1 per roll by using the bulk loader. I haven't purchased a pre-rolled film cassette in many years. Having a limited income, every penny counts.

Fixcinater · Nov 8, 2015

If you aren't picky about which emulsion you want, you can still find good to great deals on eBay. Just have to be patient and be ready to strike when it shows up.

bsdunek · Nov 8, 2015

I've been using bulk film for years (maybe 55+). Just to use current Freestyle prices - 100 ft. of FP4 is 87.99, and a 36 exp. roll is 6.99. I can get 18 36 exp. loads out of 100 ft, so if I bought the 36 exp rolls that would be 125.82, or 37.83 more. I save 2.10 per roll. As far as time, I can load a few rolls while finishing my breakfast coffee. Now, I do have a big bunch of cassettes, which if taken care of, last forever (well, almost). Bulk for me.

Alan W · Nov 8, 2015

As has been pointed out,Ilford bulk film is better value than Kodak.Bulk rolling Kodak is hardly worth the trouble anymore,I find.

Ricardo Miranda · Nov 8, 2015

analoguey said:
In my exp, Bulk loading isn't really the money saver it's made out to be(when you factor in TCO) - and unless you've lots of spare cartridges - 100+, it doesn't really work out wrt using time efficiently.

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That is your experience in your country.
Mine in the UK is quite different.

David Lyga said:
waynecrider: back in the 70s cost was cheaper to bulk load. NOW, not too much savings. (Unfortunately) - David Lyga

Again, that is your experience and I bet it is mainly with the Koda films.

Ko.Fe. said:
I'm saving. No idea how those who aren't saving do calculate.
Kentmere 400 is 3.49 for 24 frames. I could get twenty + 24 frames loads from bulk of the same. Twice if not three times less.
I need about four bulks per year. It is good savings for me.
It is possible to find dozen or two metal cassettes cheap , they lasts for years.
Don't go dirt cheap crap film like Polypan F used to be. Waste of time and money.
Get Kentmere 400 film if you deal with BH. $39. Shoot it @200 with contrast filters by adjusting exposure to filter factor. HC-110 for developer.
You'll get perfect prints.

I do similar.
But, I use K400 at its nominal speed and develop in Rodinal. Great results and cheap as chips.
And I use one bulk roll per month.

AgX said:
One advantage of bulk film not yet mentioned is volume saving (in the freezer).

I don't put my film in the freezer. I shot to much film to even consider that and I buy every month or 2 at most. I like the trip to my local supplier who is also the "headquarters" to the UK distributor for Foma.
There was a time though that I had close to 200 rolls in the fridge.

BTW, today the weather wasn't good, light was flat and it was just another F4@1/125 ISO400 day.
I just arrived home after shooting 2 rolls in less than 3 hours and I saw plenty of people using film cameras: a Bronica ETRS, one guy with a monster lens a tiny Canon EOS300, girl with Minolta X-700, another girl buying a Chinon SLR, etc.
You need to come and have some holidays in London.

Wayne
Go for it!
Try to get cassettes from a local lab.
Another option is to try to find some 1970s, 80s Ilford cassettes or new Lucky SHD100 cassettes as they are reusable.
I'll recommend Fomapan 100 and 200 as well as Kentmere 100 and 400.
Enjoy it!

gordrob · Nov 8, 2015

I have a Canon F1N with a 100 fame back and a Spotmatic with a 250 frame back so there is no option but to bulk load film for them whether its B&W or transparency. Down to my last 4 cans of bulk film so I will have to seek out some film for the spring.

MattKing · Nov 8, 2015

FWIW, B & H has 100 foot rolls of T-Max 100 for $64.95 USD: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/29118-USA/Kodak_8570541_TMX_35mm_100_Roll.html

Роберт · Nov 8, 2015

Fomapan 100 E.I. 80 in R09/Rodinal/Fomadon R09. Kodak 5222 Double-X E.I. 250 in HC-110 (B) or Adox Borax M.Q.
Double-X you can buy cheaper in S/E. FP100 is already in 30,5m/100ft a cheaper film. In bulk loaders I can recommend the AP loader (from Spain). Far superior to other, Restem/Watson type loaders.

alanrockwood · Nov 8, 2015

Arista Ultra Edu in 100 foot rolls is not a bad deal. It is the same film as Fomapan but without the edge marks. Not everyone thinks that Fomapan is worth shooting, but some people like it.

The film speeds available are nominally 100, 200, and 400, but those are optimistic numbers and you might be better of shooting at half that speed.

Current prices at freestylephoto.biz are $38.94 for a 100 ft roll of the 100 iso film, $41.89 for the 200 iso, and $41.89 for the 400 iso. That works out to about $2.33 per roll for the 200 and 400 iso films and $2.16 per roll for the 100 iso.

That compares to $3.70 and $3.41 per roll if you buy the 36 exposure cassettes of the Arista Ultra Edu, so you end up saving $1.37 or $1.25 per roll, depending on which type of film, not a huge savings but maybe worthwhile, and quite a bit of savings if you compare to Kodak or Ilford prices. (Actually, Kentmere film is made by Ilford, and that film is not too expensive, especially if bought in 100 ft rolls.)

You didn't ask, but as for loaders, I like the Lloyd loaders. After that I like the Alden model 74, and in last place, the Watson Model 100, but they all work. There are a few other brands out there as well.

newcan1 · Nov 8, 2015

The Ultrafine bulk 35mm stuff is not bad either.

Photo-gear · Nov 8, 2015

I am pro bulk loader, no sweat.

For all the reasons mentionned above.

The model I prefer most is Lloyd's. Freestyle offers the same model. I have three loaders running. Kept in the fridge.

Ricardo Miranda · Nov 8, 2015

alanrockwood said:
Arista Ultra Edu in 100 foot rolls is not a bad deal. It is the same film as Fomapan but without the edge marks.

Any Foma bulk roll doesn't have any edge markings.

FujiLove · Nov 8, 2015

Does anyone know if it's possible to still buy Double X (5222) in bulk in the UK? I've looked high and low for it here, but can't find any short ends or whole rolls for a reasonable price.

waynecrider · Nov 8, 2015

Thanks for the heads up on the loaders.

Bulk Film Questions

waynecrider

analoguey

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markbarendt

Gerald C Koch

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Ko.Fe.

AgX

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FrancoisM

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DannL.

Fixcinater

bsdunek

Alan W

Ricardo Miranda

gordrob

MattKing

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Роберт

alanrockwood

newcan1

Photo-gear

Ricardo Miranda

FujiLove

waynecrider

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