I hate 35mm

BetterSense · Mar 26, 2011

1. Decided I want to develop even though 1/2 the roll is exposed
2. walk into darkroom, pop open camera back, tear film, yank out what's on the camera's takeup spool, put in development tank
3. turn white lights on
4. trim remaining film leader and re-load camera

Sometimes I do this 3-4 times per roll, because I want to develop something right away.

Bill Burk · Mar 27, 2011

Maybe your film is too slow?

2F/2F · Mar 27, 2011

BetterSense said:
1. Decided I want to develop even though 1/2 the roll is exposed
2. walk into darkroom, pop open camera back, tear film, yank out what's on the camera's takeup spool, put in development tank
3. turn white lights on
4. trim remaining film leader and re-load camera

Sometimes I do this 3-4 times per roll, because I want to develop something right away.

Exactly!

Roger Thoms · Mar 27, 2011

IloveTLRs said:
Be thankful you don't shoot half-frame. A friend of mine used to, and insisted on using 36exp rolls. Let me tell you, it took him forever to shoot 72 pictures

Or, you could get yourself the Fuji G617 - I think it gives you 2 or 3 shots per 120 roll

Or even better than a half frame how about a MF-24.

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/nikonf4/filmbacks/MF24/index.htm

Seriously though, had a similar problem with many 35mm cameras with partial rolls of film and recently made it my goal to complete each roll and process it. The whole key for me was to not load any film in any camera till I had shot everything. My other thought was maybe you should consider sheet film. Then you can take exactly the number of shots you desire and never have a partial roll to deal with.

Roger

MattKing · Mar 27, 2011

Sadly for you NormanV, 828 is no more

fmajor · Mar 27, 2011

Norman, i appreciate what you're feeling. I've noticed times when i had multiple cameras going when there was alot going on in life (job, family, etc) - so much to concentrate on i'd just want to go and burn some film - what a lovely escape!!! Unfortunately, i'd forget i had already loaded and partially shot a roll in another camera and viola! i'd add to the problem. Eventually, i got really frustrated with the whole situation on took up crack cocaine..... OK, just kidding, but it did get frustrating.

In fact, i had a camera i had loaded and had some really thoughtful compositions on - i was very careful in metering the scenes, thinking through each frame - you know the drill. However, when i had got the 39th frame i knew something was not right - i had failed to actually load the film in the 1st place!!!! I was sooooo bummed.

From that point on i decided to put the multiple camera thing to an end so i'd take out the film on each camera one-by-one, regardless of what was left on the roll (its only film - i can buy more) and have it developed. One by one i cleared out my cameras (though i didn't have as many as you're currently running!), but didn't reload them. Now, i have 2 cameras going, a 35mm (my Minolta XD-11 and favorite lens) and my RB67 Pro-S.

I can't remember which film i have in my XD-11 (lost the film tab...), but i do with my RB67. I only have 9 frames remaining in the XD-11 and 6 in the RB67 and when they're finished i'll reload when i'm going out (and remember to put a film tab in the holder!!!).

IloveTLRs · Mar 27, 2011

NormanV said:
I hate 35mm film!
I have just counted and found that I have six cameras with part used film in them. I have no idea what is on these films. 36 exposures are far too many. I know I could buy 24 exposure films but that is still too many. I could take the film out of the camera and develop it when I have feel that I have taken enough pictures, but that is a waste.

I've been in the exact same situation. Let the cameras sit, and pick them up when you want. I've had film in a 1/2 frame for months at a time (sometimes a year or longer) and suddenly I'll pick it up, and finish the roll.

I ping-pong back and forth between MF and 35mm. I have days where I hate 35mm, so I shoot MF. Then I get tired of MF and go back to 35mm. Since you have so many cameras (which I'm a believer in) hopefully it will make things easier.

OR, walk around for a little while with no camera at all. EVERY TIME I do that, inspiration strikes!

Sirius Glass · Mar 27, 2011

NormanV, you need to find more interesting subjects. Have you considered visiting the Red Rock Country in southern Utah and northern Arizona? Yellowstone NP? Yosemite NP?

Steve

Diapositivo · Mar 27, 2011

You can take your roll away from one camera and put it in another camera.

- Take note of how many exposures you have taken;
- Roll the film back inside the canister until you feel the leader resistance. Open the back, so that you don't have the leader go inside the canister. If that happens, you can use a film retriever to extract it;
- Insert the roll inside the other camera;
- Advance with the cap on the lens until the next picture, and add one or two positions for precaution.

The film waste in doing this is probably less than rolling your own 12-pictures rolls.

Fabrizio

Diapositivo · Mar 27, 2011

As a side note, I myself own 7 135 cameras and regularly use 3 or 4 of them. I have begun writing down in a computer file the content and date of the shots. So let's say I take my Canonet for a walk in my quarter with a friend. When I come back home, I jot down date, film, camera, subject. The sheet number is still not attributed but I have the rest of the details. I know that I might not take this camera for a few weeks.

When I finish the roll, with pictures that might have been taken in three or four different days, I develop it and I give a "sheet number" to the developed film. So for every film I have the sheet number (in my filing cabinet), and I have the precise date for each picture, and the camera I took it with. I also write down the development time and whether it was a first or a second run of the same one-shot chemistry.

This quite satisfies the precision maniac who lives inside me.

Fabrizio

NormanV · Mar 27, 2011

Steve, thanks for the suggestion, but visiting the US with my two young daughters and having to fly from the Falklands would eat up too much of my retirement fund. Anyway, the landscapes here are fantastic.
This thread has helped me make up my mind to unload all of my cameras and develop the films whether or not they are finished. Then I shall take Fabrizio's advice and move my film from camera to camera. Some film will be wasted but it is better than waiting months to see what I have got.

Sirius Glass · Mar 27, 2011

I would think that the Falkland Island would have a great wealth of subjects to photograph.

If you are in the area give me a call. I only have room for one passenger when I go off-roading.

Steve

NormanV · Mar 27, 2011

Wow! that makes my Discovery look a bit tame.

C A Sugg · Mar 27, 2011

BetterSense said:
1. Decided I want to develop even though 1/2 the roll is exposed
2. walk into darkroom, pop open camera back, tear film, yank out what's on the camera's takeup spool, put in development tank
3. turn white lights on
4. trim remaining film leader and re-load camera

Sometimes I do this 3-4 times per roll, because I want to develop something right away.

A lot of vintage cameras were designed to do that in daylight, with supply and take-up cassettes that with gates that closed when you turned the keys to remove the back. (Contax RF for one.) Some had a built in slitter, but on the late DDR Exakta I had it still require unloading in the darkroom.

Bill Burk · Mar 27, 2011

Careful moving film from camera to camera. Too many trips back and forth across the gate and through the light trap can cause scratches, and when you only have take one of each good shot you know which one will have the scratch.

waynecrider · Mar 27, 2011

I've experienced the same problems of leaving film in cameras and forgetting what it was and when I shot it. That's why as noted above I started developing short rolls, but only b&w. I've always thought about buying a pano base and shooting 2 or 3 exposures which would definitely use a roll up faster, and with Elements it's a pretty easy stitch.

pentax4ever · Mar 28, 2011

This may be heresy but practice the discipline to shoot with only two cameras at a time and rotate them.

Steve Smith · Mar 28, 2011

NormanV said:
having to fly from the Falklands would eat up too much of my retirement fund. Anyway, the landscapes here are fantastic.

I attended a talk at our local camera club by a member who works for Britten-Norman, Manufacturer of the Islander aircraft. He was sent to the Falklands for eight months to service aircraft (some belonging to fisheries protection and some commercial) and he bought a camera for something to do in his spare time having never been interested in photography before.

Looking at his photographs I can agree that the landscapes (and the wildlife) make great subjects.

Steve.

NormanV · Mar 28, 2011

I met him.

Steve Smith · Mar 28, 2011

NormanV said:
I met him.

I suppose that was quite likely given the size of the population and the fact that he seemed to travel about quite a bit!

Here is the club's write up of his talk: Dead Link Removed

Steve.

wblynch · Mar 28, 2011

BetterSense said:
1. Decided I want to develop even though 1/2 the roll is exposed
2. walk into darkroom, pop open camera back, tear film, yank out what's on the camera's takeup spool, put in development tank
3. turn white lights on
4. trim remaining film leader and re-load camera

Sometimes I do this 3-4 times per roll, because I want to develop something right away.

Ha! I tried that once.

Then, months later, drove myself crazy for a few days looking for negatives #15, 16 and 17 !!

ArtTwisted · Mar 28, 2011

I use a 4x5, a YashicaMat and a couple 35's, and I am constantly aggravated by wasting frames on the 35's, and constantly wishing i brought more film holders with the 4x5. 12 exposures is perfect, for anything really. Im gonna start bulk loading rolls in around that size once my stockpile of film runs lower.

Wade D · Mar 29, 2011

Ian Grant said:
Don't exaggerate David, there's a far simpler answer. I'm known for dropping coins and them landing on the back of my neck as I look for them

The OP should switch to Exakta's Varex/VX series, the built in blade allows the frames used to be cut off and processed separately.

I was just as tight when shooting half frame, it's the Scots blood.

Ian

Not only does the Exakta have a built in film cutter but can also use 2 cassettes. One for unexposed and one on the take up side so you don't have to unload in the darkroom.

NormanV · Mar 29, 2011

Well, I did it, I unloaded all the cameras and developed the films. But I have a confession to make, I am making the problem worse. Yesterday in the post I received my brand-new Bessa R2S so I have loaded that and will take it out to try it when the weather improves. I am also still waiting for a Canon P to arrive, should be here next week!

Ric Trexell · Mar 29, 2011

Surely you could do this.

Norman: Surely with 6 kids you have enough subjects to shoot. I once took a partial roll in to be developed when I was starting out in photography. The cute little gal at the drug store saw all my dark negatives and said something about how my camera must not be working. I told her I just wanted these photos and so I sent it in with some of it unexposed. She said, "I would have just taken a few pictures of myself then". I had never thought of that and since then I now finish up a roll with a few shots of me if I don't plan on using it. Since I'm the family photographer, no one takes shots of me and there would not be any good ones if I didn't do that. It only takes a second to mount the camera on a tripod and point it at yourself and set the self timer. Surely (Airplane-the don't call me Shirley version) you can do that. Ric.

I hate 35mm

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