Complete Guide to 70mm Film

[rhizomeblur]

My 70mm journey started when I accidentally bought a few Hasselblad 70mm cassettes with NASA labels on them. I thought I might discover lost photos of aliens, but unfortunately/fortunately no. The film inside were blanks.

One thing lead to another, and now I have the large Kindermann 70mm SS reel and an even larger Ikea stock pot.

But there is a certain satisfaction of shooting a long roll of 70mm with the motorized Hasselblad 553ELX while pretending to be an astronaut.

I love this 70mm origin story!

 

[rhizomeblur]

I go through this thing where I see a good price on some 70mm film (most recently the TechPan @OrientPoint was selling) then I try to figure out how I'd deal with it. I look online for the parts I'd need (70mm back, canisters, then how to develop it, etc.) once I figure all that out I get a bit excited that I could make it work, but then, at some point before I start buying, I deflate because I'd be spending ~$400 to deal with mostly expired film, and when I finish that 150ft roll, will there be something else to use all that on? I get it, and I wish everyone's the best with this stuff.

After my experience with 6.5x9 sheet film, I told my self that I'll only use formats that are easily supported and will continue to be for the forseeable future. I kind of made an exception for 5x7 (a lot of 5x7 support seems to be drying up, but for B&W there are still enough options that I don't have to worry for some time.)

I bet a lot of people do similar calculations and are never quite sure when to pull the trigger! I'll say this, though: since I committed Mercury Works to revitalizing long-roll medium format, usage has skyrocketed worldwide. We have many customers, and now offer eight 65/70mm film stocks for sale. I think you can safely put this format in the "supported and will continue to be for the foreseeable future" category! I'm passionate about this format, not just for economy and fun, but because it is a truly professional medium format system. The benefits are so great compared to 120 film that I can't see myself going back, and I'll support this for decades to come.

Yes, it's still a real investment to get the basic gear to get started, but it will pay many dividends in the future.

 

[rhizomeblur]

Oh I have the tanks too, they’re just massive metal tubs you put the reel in. My small dog could comfortably sleep in them. Basically it’s like a manual dip and dunk. You agitate by lifting the reel up and dow .

Ha, that's great! Post some photos? I'm trying to imagine these bathtub sized tanks!

 

[rhizomeblur]

Well, I finally tried my Pentax 645 with the 70mm back modified for 65mm according to the instructions on @rhizomeblur Zach's excellent site. I did something wrong a number of times, and decided to cut my losses on the 50-ish inches of 65mm 250D. I think the cartridges I'm using may be a bit off, as it was really hard to pull the film out of the source cartridge, and it tore the perfs out. I eventually got it to work enough to get one shot before it ran empty. I reversed the film and ran it back the other way with the same result.

Anyway, today I used the new 65/70mm reel from thinbegin. It worked real well, and I was easily able to get the one picture (well, two, overlapped, due to the transport issues I faced).

I need to troubleshoot the transport thing, but I have a good handle on developing a length of film, at least.

I can try to help you troubleshoot... The film should pull through quite easily, so if it doesn't, it is pinched by one of the two cassette lids. There are a couple of metal tabs that can sometimes get in the way and the film just gets pinched. Examine it in daylight and try to replicate the situation. Now you have some dummy film to play around with! Sometimes the tabs or edges of the cassette lid need to be slightly bent to prevent a pinch.

Second, just to double-check: you're using Max Offset spools in the cassettes, right? And you have them loaded the correct orientation (large vs. small end)? Also, I assume you have a Mercury Bulk Loader; double-check the directions for the Pentax back to make sure you are spooling it with the correct side down.

Finally, when loading the back, remember that despite the spools doing their best to guide the film, there's still play in and between the cassettes, so make sure, as a final step, that before you put the back on the camera, that the film is running straight for the full film path, nudged against the proper side. Physically shift it and line it up if it isn't.

I hope that helps! Also, I hope your single good frame is a great photo!

 

[rhizomeblur]

FINAL DAY for 70mm HP5+! If you can afford it, this is the best 70mm out there! Get your orders in by midnight tonight or wait another year...

https://mercuryworks.store/products/ilford-hp5-70mm-50ft?variant=48988716106009

 

[film4eva]

I can try to help you troubleshoot... The film should pull through quite easily, so if it doesn't, it is pinched by one of the two cassette lids. There are a couple of metal tabs that can sometimes get in the way and the film just gets pinched. Examine it in daylight and try to replicate the situation. Now you have some dummy film to play around with! Sometimes the tabs or edges of the cassette lid need to be slightly bent to prevent a pinch.

This is where I think the problem is, and it may even be on just one cassette, I'm not sure yet.

Second, just to double-check: you're using Max Offset spools in the cassettes, right? And you have them loaded the correct orientation (large vs. small end)? Also, I assume you have a Mercury Bulk Loader; double-check the directions for the Pentax back to make sure you are spooling it with the correct side down.

Yes... this was the big headache when I first started to try to do all this. Figuring out the spacial orientation was a puzzle for about 15 minutes, but now I think it's pretty straightforward.

Finally, when loading the back, remember that despite the spools doing their best to guide the film, there's still play in and between the cassettes, so make sure, as a final step, that before you put the back on the camera, that the film is running straight for the full film path, nudged against the proper side. Physically shift it and line it up if it isn't.

Yep! I did this, sort of instinctively. But things definitely seemed to be lined up OK. Just hard as hell to pull out of the source cassette.

I hope that helps! Also, I hope your single good frame is a great photo!

Thanks! It sucked. But it's OK.

 

[Nokton48]

70mm Emulsions I want to start using again by Nokton48, on Flickr


Here's what I want to use from my freezer. Bottom Left, TX400 Unperfed, Plus-X type II, HP5+ type II.
Upper left, High Speed Infared type II (same emulsion as 35mm HIE), Technical Pan type II, WL Surveillance type II.

 

[MCB18]

Recently got this, about 150’ of Portra 160, 100’ of Portra 400, and 60 ft of “RS-pan”. Depending on how stuff works out, I might be able to get more soon.

 

[thinbegin]

Yes, it's still a real investment to get the basic gear to get started, but it will pay many dividends in the future.

A good starting point for very little investment is what I posted about previously. A Paterson-compatible reel really does reduce the costs tremendously.

 

[Sonynolta User]

As an update to my posts earlier about my 70mm reel, I thought I'd share that I've made a new reel that now supports both 65mm and 70mm in a single reel. A multi-format reel for Paterson System 4 tanks! Can't get into the 65mm and/or 70mm development realm any more conveniently! All you need is a Paterson tank and my one reel for both formats and you are good to go! (Yeah, I'm pretty excited!) Here's a pic...

Great idea! Are you planning on releasing a jobo 1500 compatible reel? You know, if you went nuts and expanded it out to the 2500 tank, it might hold close to the 15' on a 70mm film cassette....

 

[Nokton48]

My new Hasselblad A500 magazine by Nokton48, on Flickr

I bought this unit, had to return it. The frame counters did not work properly at all. I was lucky to get my money back, it was a big hassle!

 

[AnselMortensen]

What, no eye level prism?

 

[Nokton48]

Nope, won't fit. LOL Really I'm a Stovepipe Guy.

Three 70mm Hundred Foot Honeywell Nikor Film Tanks by Nokton48, on Flickr

I dragged these out of the basement of Midwest Photo. Three Honeywell Nikor Hundred Foot Processing Tanks, Lighttight Cover, and Processing 100' Reel. Someday I will use it.

There used to be Aerial Mapping Companies that used these units. I used to buy Agfa Aviphot from one of them, they were Direct with Agfa.

 

[thinbegin]

Great idea! Are you planning on releasing a jobo 1500 compatible reel? You know, if you went nuts and expanded it out to the 2500 tank, it might hold close to the 15' on a 70mm film cassette....

If the demand is there for the Jobo 1500 version, then I can and will. I have done Jobo-compatible reels for a few other formats (Minox, 110, APS, and Disc), so it wouldn't be a lot of work. Just need the demand to be there.
I may also look into doing 2500 versions, though I strongly suspect the demand for those would be even less. I know I mainly use 15xx tanks, even though I have 25xx tanks lying around, and I assume others do similarly.

 

[MCB18]

Ha, that's great! Post some photos? I'm trying to imagine these bathtub sized tanks!

I see that @Nokton48 already posted his, but here’s mine! I put a 12 inch ruler and regular 15 ft reel in the picture as well for scale. They’re extremely large, according to the documents I have they take 15L of chemicals!


I do intend to use them at some point, but I do need to find a 100’ back for my camera. They aren’t expensive, just hard to get.


Also, I do have 15 ft 70mm and 65mm files if anyone wants them, but I’m having trouble attaching them to the post. They fit in a 5.75 inch diameter by 3.5 inch tall container and need 1.5L of chemistry to submerge. A 1 gallon paint can should work well. I haven’t designed a daylight tank for it, so you will have to use darkroom processing. But if I can figure out how to model more complex geometry I might give it a shot at some point.

 

[Sonynolta User]

Nope, won't fit. LOL Really I'm a Stovepipe Guy.e 70mm Hundred Foot Honeywell Nikor Film Tanks by Nokton48, on Flickr

I dragged these out of the basement of Midwest Photo. Three Honeywell Nikor Hundred Foot Processing Tanks, Lighttight Cover, and Processing 100' Reel. Someday I will use it.

There used to be Aerial Mapping Companies that used these units. I used to buy Agfa Aviphot from one of them, they were Direct with Agfa.

Well, now you and MCB18 can share notes. That's exactly what he got, but he also has the spooler. Those tanks should all nest inside each other.

 

[MCB18]

Well, now you and MCB18 can share notes. That's exactly what he got, but he also has the spooler. Those tanks should all nest inside each other.

Yes, they do nest together thankfully. I do have a more permanent space I can put them, but that involves a trek down the stairs to the basement, which I don’t feel like doing at the moment.

 

[fdonadio]

it was a big hassle!

Indeed, it's a HUGE Hassel.

 

[thinbegin]

I bought this unit, had to return it. The frame counters did not work properly at all. I was lucky to get my money back, it was a big hassle!

I have a similar 70mm size issue, but it isn't a Hassel at all!

 

[MCB18]

I have a similar 70mm size issue, but it isn't a Hassel at all!

Lucky, haven’t found one of those yet

 

[Nokton48]

Oooo. That's a manual wind 70mm Beatty Coleman 2x3, with a slot to put in an ID card. I have one of those, it will last forever.

 

[film4eva]

What is the going rate on the Kindermann and a tank plus loader?

 

[MCB18]

What is the going rate on the Kindermann and a tank plus loader?

If you can find the whole set, definitely $200+.

 

[film4eva]

Thanks for the quick reply. I found a complete one, but it'll probably end up costing me over $300. I'm thinking on it. Probably will go for it.

 

[Nokton48]

I have found that you need a slow-working developer, as it takes a couple of minutes to fill or dump my Kindermann, it's like weight lifting, you will get a workout. I use mine with ADOX Borax Replenished which is a D76 Derivative. With Replenished Microdol-X Straight Replenished very long times are appropriate for me; I've gone as long as 28 minutes with some films. Just Sayin".