How do Canon EOS cameras handle unspecified film lenghts?

RodinalSpezial

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Hello!

I have harvested some rolls of Ferrania Solaris FG800 from disposable cameras and would like to use it with my EOS 3 and 5 cameras. These films have a nominal length of 27 exposures and they are DX coded as "unspecified length". I know from experience that my cameras lock up after the coded number of exposures is made. Does anybody know how they handle film with "unspecified length" do they just keep shooting or do they lock up after 12, 24 or 36 exposures? That film stock is pretty rare nowadays and I don't want to waste any shots.

Thanks!
 
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Chan Tran

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I never have a Canon EOS so I don't know. Do you mean that you can not shoot the camera without film?
 
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RodinalSpezial

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They shoot film without DX code fine and naturally you can shoot the camera without film. But I don't know how they handle film that IS coded but for "unspecified length"
 

koraks

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I don't know, but why not take a random roll of of that film and load it into the camera. Then shoot away with a lens cap on at 1/8000 f/22 and see how far you get.
If you have the custom function enabled that leaves the leader out on rewind, your roll will come out ready for re-use. Otherwise you'll have to use a film-picker. I'd just set the custom function and try it that way.
 

Laurent

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As far as I remember, my EOS3 rewound the film when it reached the expected number of views. But I've sold the camera many years ago, so my memory may not be accurate
 

cerber0s

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My EOS 3 5 handles my bulk rolled films without any problems at all. They aren’t DX coded though.

If you’re worried, just cover the DX code with a magic marker, or some tape.
 

MattKing

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Don't forget that some of the canon Rebel cameras - such as the Rebel 2000 - start by advancing the film to the end, and then rewind the film one frame each time you take a photo.
I use bulk film with mine and have never noted a problem.
 

Leemet Samel

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Most EOS cameras do not have connectors for DX length reading, only for film speed. My 30V/7s shoots until film is at the end (load on the motor drive gets too high) or until 36 frames have been shot.

I have experienced when I rolled one bulk roll poorly and the camera started rewinding before the end, as the film got a bit stuck during advance.

I also have used successfuly rolles of 6 and 8 frames successfuly, when testing some bulk rolling things.
 

koraks

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Leemet Samel said:
Most EOS cameras do not have connectors for DX length reading, only for film speed. My 30V/7s shoots until film is at the end (load on the motor drive gets too high) or until 36 frames have been shot.
Click to expand...

That's odd. My 30v's shoot only 24 frames on 24-frame encoded cassettes. This is why I exclusively use 36-encoded cassettes in my EOS cameras. I learned this the hard way after I had some cassettes encoded for 24 frame rolls and my EOS cameras simply refused to expose the entire length of film.

Leemet Samel said:
I have experienced when I rolled one bulk roll poorly and the camera started rewinding before the end, as the film got a bit stuck during advance.
Click to expand...

To be clear, that was not the problem in my case although I see how excess friction due to loading errors will cause this problem.
 

Cholentpot

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Some of mine will try to squeeze out every last frame. Some will stop at 36 and rewind. It's a camera by camera thing.
 

MattKing

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Joel_L

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Hi,

I have an EOS-3 and EOS-1v. both will just stop when they hit end of roll if it's less than 36 frames. DX coding does not matter. They will detect end of roll when the winding motor stalls.

Note, if you rolls loaded long, 36+ frames, they will stop at 36 frames regardless of how many frames are left.
 
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RodinalSpezial

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Just as a follow up: This describes exactly what my EOS-3 did. Films are at my local lab right now and I'm looking forward to see how Solaris 800 performed.
 
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