Bulk loading questions

[Jayd]

I bought 100 ft roll of Fuji 160 S pro and have found a few suprises:
The 2"- 5 CM core made the roll to big for any bulk loader I am aquainted with certianly the Loyd's and Alden 74 I have. Is there a loader that takes this bigger roll? It was a chore taking 45 minuites to hand respool onto a 1" -2.4 CM core. I was a shock to me the cost of cassets these days 55 to 79 cents US at B&H and not much discount in lots of 100, any cheaper source ? I"m curious about a diffrence in emulsion numbers the current 160 S pro is 502, this is marked 549-091 it expired 6/2006.

Is my understanding correct that the S means saturation ? which would explain it's lack luster preformance under overcast skys with my test roll.

Jay

 

[mrred]

I have never seen Fuji bulk. I have some Portra 160 NC. I just plopped it into my loader, no issues.

 

[Jayd]

I forgot one important question: are the more expensive plastic cannisters better than the old metal ones?
I mean the felt light traped , I have not seen any of the old SW type for years.
And how many uses are people getting out of the cannisters ? is there a way to check them ? I clean mine with vacum or compressed air so I'm not so worried about grit in the felt just light leaks.
Jay

 

[RobertV]

You can use and re-use the metal cassets 5 times. The plastic ones 10-15x but they are more sensitive for electrostatic charge so dust.

Great film Fiji pro 160S (I use it in regular cassets) At the moment the last bulk of Agfa Optima 400: Eur. 8,- for 30,5m/100ft exp. 07. Two years ago very low in price as rest stock Agfa.

I use the old cassets of Fomapan 100-200-400 which have no safety lock and you can re-use them for at least 5 times.

 

[mrred]

I have both and I do prefer the plastic. I have dropped the metal cans and found the end can pop off, ruining the film. Other than that, I guess it's a preference.

I have yet to have an issue with light leaks. Realistically if a canister get's that worn, I would just toss it. I don't have film in the canisters for that long ether. I roll as I need them. I have 3 bulk loaders; one for colour (portra 160 NC), one for crap BW (cheap whatever stuff usually expired) and one for good BW. I keep the loaders in the fridge, which is dark when the door is closed...

 

[mrred]

You can use and re-use the metal cassets 5 times. The plastic ones 10-15x but they are more sensitive for electrostatic charge so dust.

I get much more use out of them. Just a little tlc.

 

[Clay2]

Did you get your Alden Used or new? Mine came with two mandrels for different film spool sizes.
Perhaps you could make something to fit ? Or do you mean its too long to close the cover? I saved all my
1960's Kodak pop-open casettes (B4 they crimped them on) for re-loading. Also use the plastic ones and the
old Nikon metal re-loadable cassettes.
Best regards,
/Clay

 

[Nick Zentena]

Ya I'm confused to. I thought the bigger mandrel was for short rolls. The OP is saying a 100' roll had a bigger centre core?

 

[Dennis S]

I keep the loaders in the fridge, which is dark when the door is closed...

Are you sure ? ;O

 

[mrred]

Are you sure ? ;O

When I put my little sister in to check, that what she said...lol

 

[shootpositive]

I have two rolls in the fridge but I haven't used them yet... I did notice the can is bigger

 

[BetterSense]

I was gonna buy the Arista metal canisters from Freestyle; are they ok?

I have only bulk loaded one 100 foot roll of Arista Premium 400, using free minilab cartridges. I found that the price difference at the time was only the difference between about $1.80/roll for bulk and $2/roll for the cartridges. Considering the risk of scratches etc. I just bought 20 rolls the next time. The biggest problem that annoyed me was that when using my bulk loader, the last frame of the roll was always ruined, and since you don't know exactly how many frames you are going to get out of the roll, it can really get you.

However I'm probably going to do it again for color where I have found the savings to be greater. Is there a way to avoid the fogged frame at the end?

 

[stealthman_1]

Yes, load 38 frames and shoot 36.

 

[benjiboy]

Jayd, in Fuji 160 S, S does not mean saturation it means short,as in short exposures, the film is designed for exposures of two seconds and faster,Fuji used to make an L version for long exposures (now discontinued) without reciprocity failure that was balanced for tungsten lighting.
Fuji 160S is a film mainly intended for portrait photography, and is not high in contrast or colour saturation but quite low in both with a colour balanced to give good skin tones, similar to Kodak Portra 160 NC.