How to repackage 36 exposures film roll to smaller rolls?

jernejk · Jan 29, 2013

I want to do some experimentation as well as shorten the time it takes me to complete a roll...

So I want to "repackage" 36 exposures to maybe (roughly) 3x10 or 2x17 exposures using reusable canisters...

What would be a safe and easy way of doing it?

Thanks

ndrs · Jan 29, 2013

You could just open the camera in darkroom and cut the exposed part off for processing. The remainder can then be loaded again as usual.

AgX · Jan 29, 2013

Or rewind film after exposure back into original cartridges. By this you won't need to fumble in the dark with the camera and, more important, are able to expose several test/experimenting rolls in sequence.

Mark the number of exposures on each roll.
Back home calculate the lenght of the exposed film (number of exposures + leader + wind-on exposures, draw out that lenght and cut it off.

To stick to your original idea:

Buy yourself a decent bulk winder and fill your reloadable cartridges with exact the lenght (number of exposures) you need by means of the frame counter of that loader.
You won't need bulk film to do this. Just cut off the leader of a original type135 cartrige, stick that end to some bulk core (or something selfwound out of cartboard) and wind the original film onto that.

jernejk · Jan 29, 2013

AgX said:
Or rewind film after exposure back into original cartridges. By this you won't need to fumble in the dark with the camera and, more important, are able to expose several test/experimenting rolls in sequence.

Mark the number of exposures on each roll.
Back home calculate the lenght of the exposed film (number of exposures + leader + wind-on exposures, draw out that lenght and cut it off.

This sounds better as I want to be able to change films mid roll. But how draw out just the right length in complete darkness??

jernejk · Jan 29, 2013

AgX said:
You won't need bulk film to do this. Just cut off the leader of a original type135 cartrige, stick that end to some bulk core (or something selfwound out of cartboard) and wind the original film onto that.

This seems the most safe and reliable. Just need to find a bulk core...

AgX · Jan 29, 2013

Most probably your loader would work to if you just put in your short film (36exp.) losely rolled. And as said a core could be made just by winding and glueing a strip of cardboard onto itself to form a ring.

tkamiya · Jan 29, 2013

I did something like this in the past. Make a template so that in complete darkness, you can pull out exactly half of the film, leader included. Load the portion you pulled out into a bulk canister. Cut the leader into the film in original canister. Done. Have a black light safe bag handy so if you run into problems, you can stuff everything away and turn the light on.

Because of the wastage, you get something like two 14 to 15 frame rolls out of one 36 exposure roll. Doing this without scratching the film you take out is also an issue.

David Allen · Jan 29, 2013

The simplest solution (albeit you loose a few frames) is as follows:

1. Load a 36 exposure film in the camera

2. Shoot the frames that you want

3. Once you have shot what you want - say 10 shots, wind on one frame fire the shutter then wind on one more frame.

4. Set the shutter to 'B' and remove the lens.

5. Cut a small piece of cellotape

6. Fire the shutter and keep it depressed so that you can see the film

7. Stick the cellotape to the film and rub down well

8. Release shutter and rewind film to just before the leader goes in to the cassette

9. Load film in darkroom and use finger to locate cellotape

10 Cut film, place spiral in tank and then turn on light and write on cassette how many blank frames are left.

Best,

David
www.dsallen.de

ath · Jan 29, 2013

jernejk said:
But how draw out just the right length in complete darkness??

Here's how I do it: clip the start of the film at the correct position on a folding yardstick. The correct position is: length of leader in your camera + number of exposures * 38mm + 3cm + safety. In the dark pull the film canister to the end of the yardstick and cut the film there.

This method has the advantage that your short film has always the length you need - at least whe you start with a fresh roll.

jernejk · Feb 4, 2013

I've came up with a DIY "film repackager".

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jernej_k/8436902520/in/photostream

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jernej_k/8436901980/in/photostream

The first roll is waiting to be developed... So I don't know yet if it is completely safe (but should be).

Gerald C Koch · Feb 4, 2013

Remember you need an extra leader and more to fix the film end in the cassette. You will be lucky to get 2 15 exp rolls.

ArtO · Feb 4, 2013

I'm guessing that 12 exposure rolls are a thing of the past. Sounds like a good use for bulk loading your own. I've been sorely tempted to do that so that I'd have short rolls for testing lenses or bodies that need a quick check.

jernejk · Feb 6, 2013

Gerald C Koch said:
Remember you need an extra leader and more to fix the film end in the cassette. You will be lucky to get 2 15 exp rolls.

I know. It would help if I could create a "fake leader" of some sort. Maybe somehow stick a leader made of developed or expired film to get those 2 to 3 extra shots per roll. Thinking of it - why was it ever a good idea to sacrifice so much film just for the leader!?

Has anybody done something like that?

Gerald C Koch · Feb 7, 2013

jernejk said:
I know. It would help if I could create a "fake leader" of some sort. Maybe somehow stick a leader made of developed or expired film to get those 2 to 3 extra shots per roll. Thinking of it - why was it ever a good idea to sacrifice so much film just for the leader!?

Has anybody done something like that?

The length of the leader was determined by the design of the original Leica.

As to a fake leader remember you will have to do this in the dark. Not that easy to do.

StoneNYC · Feb 7, 2013

I've read this whole thread and I don't get it, why are you putting all this energy into re-loading 36 frame rolls... Why don't you just buy a bulk roll of 35mm and roll new cans with only about 12 frames worth of film. Keep whatever 36 frame rolls for that one time you need extra film.

It's a big waste of your life to spend time breaking up pre packaged rolls...

~Stone

Mamiya: 7 II, RZ67 Pro II / Canon: 1V, AE-1, 5DmkII / Kodak: No 1 Pocket Autographic, No 1A Pocket Autographic | Sent w/ iPhone using Tapatalk

ac12 · Feb 7, 2013

Hey DR,
That brings back memories of my fathers camera, an Exacta.
You could, and I did put a film cartridge on the take up side, so the film would go from one cartridge into another.
Cut the film and you have your exposed film safely in a light tight container.
Funny how that VERY OLD camera still has functionality that would be useful.

jernejk · Feb 7, 2013

StoneNYC said:
It's a big waste of your life to spend time breaking up pre packaged rolls...

I believe it was not your intention, but I find the statement a bit rude.

It simply works for me. I like playing with the technical side of photography and currently I have a few different films in my fridge. It could take me quite some time to get 36 photos on each of them, so cutting gives me shorter turnaround time. Besides, it takes less than 5 minutes to do it, so your statement is really... nothing but rude.

Besides, the question was not "what do you think about repackaging" but "how would you do it" .

jernejk · Feb 7, 2013

Gerald C Koch said:
As to a fake leader remember you will have to do this in the dark. Not that easy to do.

I don't think so. When I take the rolls out of my "repackager" and cut the film, I have maybe 5 mm of film sticking out of the canister. I could work with that under light. I just don't know what would be a suitable method which would not jam the camera or tear...

StoneNYC · Feb 7, 2013

jernejk said:
I believe it was not your intention, but I find the statement a bit rude.

It simply works for me. I like playing with the technical side of photography and currently I have a few different films in my fridge. It could take me quite some time to get 36 photos on each of them, so cutting gives me shorter turnaround time. Besides, it takes less than 5 minutes to do it, so your statement is really... nothing but rude.

Besides, the question was not "what do you think about repackaging" but "how would you do it" .

Sorry, yes it wasn't at all my intention to be rude at all.

If you enjoy this, then go for it, I guess it just seemed to me to be such an excess amount of energy, but if that works for you I can understand, and I do apologize I wasn't at all trying to be rude.

~Stone

Mamiya: 7 II, RZ67 Pro II / Canon: 1V, AE-1, 5DmkII / Kodak: No 1 Pocket Autographic, No 1A Pocket Autographic | Sent w/ iPhone using Tapatalk

AgX · Feb 7, 2013

StoneNYC said:
I've read this whole thread and I don't get it, why are you putting all this energy into re-loading 36 frame rolls... Why don't you just buy a bulk roll of 35mm and roll new cans with only about 12 frames worth of film.

Not all films are available as bulk rolls.

Newt_on_Swings · Feb 7, 2013

Remember to check your felt light traps before taping the two rolls together. Also many compact cameras use short leaders and if you are very careful when loading you can get a few extra frames. I think the initial leader that becomes the end of the roll when it gets rerolled would be the most wasteful part of this.

I have used a similar concept for shooting 35mm films in medium format cameras where you cannot rewind film and need that 2nd spool to hold your exposed film for removal.

David Lyga · Feb 7, 2013

Bottom line: eight exposures is precisely one foot of film (plus leader and trailer). - David Lyga

Astrojmn · Jun 23, 2013

This topic is of particular interest to me as an astrophotographer. The film I use only comes in 36 exposure rolls and these might take 3 or 4 months to shoot given the number of available clear and moon free nights. In the meantime I cannot obtain the feedback needed to adjust exposure times and settings for a given subject. A 100 foot roll would probably take the rest of my life to shoot. It seems to me the best solution is to simply shoot 10 or so pictures and open the camera in a dark room, cut the film and remove the cartridge. Then attach a reloadable cartridge to the exposed film end, close the camera and simply wind up the exposed frames as usual. I have done this before when a roll was accidentally broken while rewinding. It is no big deal and takes only a few minutes. The only downside is that dividing a long roll into several parts will increase the processing costs since each part has to be processed separately.
Astrojmn

StoneNYC · Jun 23, 2013

Astrojmn said:
This topic is of particular interest to me as an astrophotographer. The film I use only comes in 36 exposure rolls and these might take 3 or 4 months to shoot given the number of available clear and moon free nights. In the meantime I cannot obtain the feedback needed to adjust exposure times and settings for a given subject. A 100 foot roll would probably take the rest of my life to shoot. It seems to me the best solution is to simply shoot 10 or so pictures and open the camera in a dark room, cut the film and remove the cartridge. Then attach a reloadable cartridge to the exposed film end, close the camera and simply wind up the exposed frames as usual. I have done this before when a roll was accidentally broken while rewinding. It is no big deal and takes only a few minutes. The only downside is that dividing a long roll into several parts will increase the processing costs since each part has to be processed separately.
Astrojmn

Welcome to the forum Astrojimn, as a good thought, I would suggest reading the rest of the responses before putting in input, this has already been suggested and it does work. thanks for the input though, however as far as processing cost, as long as you're using something simple like HC-110 or Rodinal, your cost is minimal, its about 10 cents per development for either of those two ... best of luck with the super moon

Smudger · Jun 24, 2013

I have long remembered an article in a US photomag , back in the 70's ,called "So,you think you know your camera ?"
Great mags then- three pages with ray-traces and pictures explaining why,for exceptional results,"a Lens Hood is essential". Anyway,I digress..

A couple of samples .. 1) without looking at the camera, set it to 1/60 sec,and f/5.6
2) Load,and unload your camera,in complete darkness.

The implication being you were just "futzing " (sp?) around in photography unless you had the "street smarts". The point,if you can do 2), you can close the camera back after removing your exposed strip, and not lose any frames at all..

How to repackage 36 exposures film roll to smaller rolls?

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