Kodak Ektar 100 Pain To Load?

[brianmichel]

Hey all,
I just started doing my own C-41 processing at home, which I absolutely love, but I wanted to know if anyone else has had issues loading Kodak Ektar film? I don't know if it was a property of the film itself, or just because it was a hotter day out, but the film seems really thin and extremely cumbersome to load ina paterson universal reel. It got a little chewed up but produced some nice negatives, I will probably use it again just for how vibrant the colors are, but I wanted to see if anyone else had a similar issue.

Attached are some samples...

 

[Anon Ymous]

To be honest, I haven't loaded Ektar in a Paterson reel, but are you sure it was bone dry? I've seen many people having a hard time loading TriX, HP5+, whatever in Paterson reels and there was always some water on them. In fact, I've seen film ruined because of that. Some part of the film was in contact with another when loaded and it was undeveloped - unfixed after processing. It looked like it had never been put in chemicals!

 

[brianmichel]

Yup the reel was bone dry, what's crazy is that after I processed the Ektar film, I loaded a roll of Neopan 400 in about 30 seconds haha, and then the reel was a little damp, but there were no issues, maybe I was just having a moment haha.

 

[railwayman3]

Hey all,
I will probably use it again just for how vibrant the colors are, but I wanted to see if anyone else had a similar issue.

Attached are some samples...

Good results, I'd say very accurate colors.

I notice the lighting looks overcast(?), and, like K64, there may be a tendancy to coldness. I've always felt that K64 gives a very accurate color reproduction, (even if this is not always pleasing to those who might prefer a more vivid result)...to me, Ektar (as Kodak says) seems to follow this.

Not a criticism at all, and it's hard to judge on a monitor anyway.

 

[brianmichel]

Good results, I'd say very accurate colors.

I notice the lighting looks overcast(?), and, like K64, there may be a tendancy to coldness. I've always felt that K64 gives a very accurate color reproduction, (even if this is not always pleasing to those who might prefer a more vivid result)...to me, Ektar (as Kodak says) seems to follow this.

Not a criticism at all, and it's hard to judge on a monitor anyway.

you're right the picture on the right of the pool was an overcast day, I think the color reproduction is perfect almost, I would like slightly more vivid colors, just trying a bunch of color film now to find one I like, Ektar is currently winning

 

[MikeSeb]

Love this film. No problem loading on Jobo reels in 120 size. Haven't tried in on Patterson reels.

Only time I've ever had trouble loading plastic reels of any variety is if the film or the reel was wet or even damp. Even the humidity inside my changing bag after a few minutes with my arms inside is enough to dampen things and cause problems.

 

[mikecnichols]

Love this film. No problem loading on Jobo reels in 120 size. Haven't tried in on Patterson reels.

Only time I've ever had trouble loading plastic reels of any variety is if the film or the reel was wet or even damp. Even the humidity inside my changing bag after a few minutes with my arms inside is enough to dampen things and cause problems.

I have difficulties loading some rolls of 120. I'm not entirely sure if they were all Ektar rolls, but I have had a couple of rolls that took me over an hour to get on the reel. I was wondering if there were any tips. It seems to get stuck a few clicks in and then it bends the edges. It has caused damage to the rolls and makes me NOT want to process my own 120.

Mike

 

[polyglot]

I used to have this trouble, particularly with Acros. The solution is to apply a hairdryer to the reel for about 30s immediately before trying to load it. Merely "dry" isn't good enough, it needs to be nuclear-blasted dry and then the film will push right into the reel without even needing to ratchet.

 

[mikecnichols]

I used to have this trouble, particularly with Acros. The solution is to apply a hairdryer to the reel for about 30s immediately before trying to load it. Merely "dry" isn't good enough, it needs to be nuclear-blasted dry and then the film will push right into the reel without even needing to ratchet.

Well, I am absolutely sure all of mine had dry reels, even the long-taking ones. Any other ideas?

 

[SkipA]

I've never had problems loading 120 film onto Jobo or Patterson plastic reels. Never had a problem with curl. I now use Hewes stainless steel reels, both for inversion tanks, and the special ones for the Jobo processors, and I find it even easier to load than a plastic reel. With some practice, that is.

I just did, all in one batch in the CPP2, an Ektar 100, a Portra 160 VC, and a Supra 100. The first two 120, the last was 35mm. All of them loaded onto the SS Hewes reels without a hitch.

 

[MartinP]

There may be two parts to this sort of problem, the state of the reel and the way it is loaded.

As everyone knows, the reels need to be dry - they also need to be clean. Soak in warm water and household bleach, rinse, scrub, rinse, soak in clean water, rinse and dry. That should take care of that. This is an annual-maintenance sort of thing, but if you have unknown secondhand reels it is a sensible precaution before use.

Watching colleagues trying to load a reel in daylight (using scrap film, and with their eyes closed) it seems that when people get a little bit stressed they often push the reels together 'to make it grip', or completely by accident. All that does is produce friction between the reel and the outside edge of the film.

If there is a tricky bit, try waggling the two parts of the reel out of parallel a fraction, even with a little shake to relax the film again. In any case always consciously avoid pushing the two parts of the reel together. Hundreds of thousands of people are using these plastic reels without a problem, just as with the steel varieties.

 

[EdSawyer]

I doubt it's an ektar issue. I've loaded hundreds of rolls of that on patterson reels, and generally it's fine.

-Ed