Loading film upside down?

Swordman · Sep 18, 2015

Hi folks,

I'm primarily a digital photographer, so forgive my stupid question!

I just noticed the sticker on my fuji velvia film is upside down when loading the film the normal way (i.e. the long bit of the film at the bottom. The colour of the film is also different on either side, so it got me a little worried...am I loading the film upside down? Is the film light sensitive on both sides, or just one?

Hope to hear from you soon

RobC · Sep 18, 2015

which film format? 35mm, 120, 220 or sheet film.

With sheet film the notches on each sheet are on the top right when the emulsion side is facing you. The emulsion side should be loaded facing the lens.

You can't load 35mm or 120 film the wrong way unless you have bulk loaded 35mm film the wrong way. 120 film has paper backing so its impossible to get it wrong. Never used 220 film but I suppose that could possibly be loaded the wrong if you were trying really hard.

p.s. I am assuming 35mm film is in its container

p.p.s. the emulsion side is the mat side. The back of film is usually shiny smooth.

BradS · Sep 18, 2015

Swordman said:
.....Is the film light sensitive on both sides, or just one?

Only once side is coated with light sensitive emulsion. If you load a sheet of 4x5 with the emulsion side facing the wrong way (facing away from the lens when the film holder is inserted into the camera), light will pass through the substrate and expose the emulsion but, the exposure will be incorrect and the substrate will act as a filter so the colors will be all wrong.

EDIT: Oh, wait...I see this is in the 35mm section...I cannot think of anyway that 35mm could be "upside down". except that some cameras have the film cartridge on once side of the camera and others have it on the other side...but, it should not matter either way.

Terry Christian · Sep 18, 2015

It sounds like you're using 120 film. If so:
The inside of the curl (the dull side, the side away from the backing paper) is the emulsion side and should be facing the lens when the film is fully loaded.
In essence, both sides of the film are light-sensitive, since film is not opaque: light can penetrate through the base side and expose the emulsion side.

It would help if we knew the kind of film and camera you're using.

Hatchetman · Sep 18, 2015

I'm guessing this is 35mm? It is almost impossible to load upside down given the way cameras are designed. (?)

If you are looking at the different colored sides of sheet film, you have a bigger problem on your hands.

480sparky · Sep 18, 2015

RobC said:
....... 120 film has paper backing so its impossible to get it wrong. .........

Incorrect. It's possible to wind it around the wrong way and 'expose' the back side of the paper.

RobC · Sep 18, 2015

480sparky said:
Incorrect. It's possible to wind it around the wrong way and 'expose' the back side of the paper.

I live and learn. But you would need to be trying really hard not to notice you were doing it wrong.

Swordman · Sep 18, 2015

Sorry, should have mentioned...It's 35mm film. I currently use both medium format and 135 format cameras.

RobC · Sep 18, 2015

Swordman said:
Sorry, should have mentioned...It's 35mm film. I currently use both medium format and 135 format cameras.

If film is in it container then its impossible to load it the wrong way. Film isn't vertical orientation sensitive. You can load it on left or right. Let us know if your pictures come out upside down.

swchris · Sep 18, 2015

480sparky said:
Incorrect. It's possible to wind it around the wrong way and 'expose' the back side of the paper.

The first time I loaded a Hasselblad magazine, I managed to get it wrong and exposed the backing paper.

The resulting pictures were a collection of nice snapshots of black cats at night.

Jim Noel · Sep 18, 2015

RobC said:
which film format? 35mm, 120, 220 or sheet film.

With sheet film the notches on each sheet are on the top right when the emulsion side is facing you. The emulsion side should be loaded facing the lens.

You can't load 35mm or 120 film the wrong way unless you have bulk loaded 35mm film the wrong way. 120 film has paper backing so its impossible to get it wrong. Never used 220 film but I suppose that could possibly be loaded the wrong if you were trying really hard.

p.s. I am assuming 35mm film is in its container

p.p.s. the emulsion side is the mat side. The back of film is usually shiny smooth.

I can see you have never taught photography. I have had students load 120 cameras backward, with the printed side of the film facing the lens. When working with students, anything is possible.

480sparky · Sep 18, 2015

RobC said:
I live and learn. But you would need to be trying really hard not to notice you were doing it wrong.

I don't know about you, but I wasn't born knowing this. And I learned it long before the internet came along, so I couldn't hop onto YouTube and watch a video.

If you've never loaded 120 film, it is exceedingly easy to get it wrong.

cliveh · Sep 18, 2015

RobC is quite correct, as the OP has already stated it is 35mm.

Sirius Glass · Sep 18, 2015

cliveh said:
RobC is quite correct, as the OP has already stated it is 35mm.

The film should leave the cartridge with the film parallel to the back of the camera, then cross the film opening, across the gears and to the take up spool. the film should [in most cameras] go flat across the back.

ic-racer · Sep 18, 2015

the sticker on my fuji velvia film is upside down

What sticker? There shouldn't be a sticker.

Swordman · Sep 18, 2015

ic-racer said:
What sticker? There shouldn't be a sticker.

I mean the sticker on the canister itself.

bdial · Sep 18, 2015

I've never encountered a sticker on Fuji factory loaded cassettes, nor on the film can.
Maybe you have a roll that's been bulk loaded by someone?

In any case, it's impossible (or perhaps really, really difficult) to put the film cassette into the camera backwards.
If the felt light trap (where the film comes out) is up and pointed toward the shutter, then the orientation is correct. In any factory loaded roll the leader would be down with things in that orientation. In the picture the roll in the lower left is more or less oriented the way it would be in a camera.

The back side of most films is slightly shinier than the emulsion side. Also, the emulsion would be slightly sticky if you dampen a finger and press it against the film.

If a film cassette has been loaded from a long bulk roll it's possible for it to be backward, but the cassette would still fit into the camera the same way, but by being loaded backward the emulsion would be facing out. The leader would likely be the same as a correct roll. I think the Lomo "Redscale" rolls are modded in this way to intensionally be exposed through the back.

I hope this helps.

Sirius Glass · Sep 18, 2015

Swordman said:
I mean the sticker on the canister itself.

The OP means the silk screen printing on the canister. How about giving the OP a break and answer his question?

Yes the printing on the canister [cassette] will appear upside down in most cameras.

pbromaghin · Sep 18, 2015

If the cassette inserts on the left side and travels to the takeup spool on the right, the printing will be upside down.

If the cassette inserts on the right side and travels to the takeup spool on the left, the printing will be rightside up.

RobC · Sep 18, 2015

Swordman said:
I mean the sticker on the canister itself.

In the photo of the film containers above, the emulsion side, which should always face the lens, is on the inside of the film curl. All 35mm containers have the emulsion side coming out in the same orientation to the container. How you think you could load it into a 35mm camera any other way I have no idea. It just won't fit the wrong way in a normal 35mm camera. I begin to suspect you're taking the micky. It should be obvious to you that which way up the text is, is irrelevant. i.e. whether its loaded on left or right side of camera because the same side of the film will naturally face the lens if the container is inserted into camera correctly.

That seems to imply you don't know how to load film into a 35mm camera (but you do know about 120 film). This sounds very fishy to me.

Xmas · Sep 18, 2015

RobC said:
I live and learn. But you would need to be trying really hard not to notice you were doing it wrong.

Hi Rob
Never buy an RB67...
Noel

Sirius Glass · Sep 18, 2015

pbromaghin said:
If the cassette inserts on the left side and travels to the takeup spool on the right, the printing will be upside down.

If the cassette inserts on the right side and travels to the takeup spool on the left, the printing will be rightside up.

The film should try to curl into the camera.

pentaxuser · Sep 18, 2015

OP, yes the sticker, by which I assume you mean the printed words on the cassette will be upside down. You are loading correctly this way. The film as Sirius says should try to curl into the camera and the shaped part of the film( the S shape) will be on the top side and the long straight part will be on the bottom side. It is the long straight part which makes contact with the receiving spool's cog which has spigots( knobs that stick up) first.

As long as the shiny side of the film is looking back at you which it will be then everything is OK

pentaxuser

MattKing · Sep 18, 2015

In the past, I've assembled a bulk load cassette incorrectly. When you try to load one of those, you can end up upside down.

Some labs used to sell 35mm film with processing included. Usually, they had stickers on the cassette.

To the OP: what camera are you using? If we know that, we can point you to a manual, which probably has pictures in it illustrating the loading process.

Sirius Glass · Sep 18, 2015

Or the OP can download the manual from http://www.butkus.org/chinon/. Please remember to send in $3US for each manual if you find the downloaded manuals useful.

Loading film upside down?

Moderator

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency