Novice question...Film loading???

[joeyk49]

I just received my first box of 4x5 film (Tmax100) and wanted to "go out and play" with my C. Graphic. When I went to load the film holders I realzed that there was nothing telling me which was the emulsion side of the film...aaargh!

Now, the used film holders that I picked up had film in them. They had notches in them, which are probably intended to indicate which way the film is to be loaded. But when I opened the foil film pack of the Kodak stuff, no notches...

I tried feeling for a difference in coating texture, but alas, I couldn't tell..

So, the only thing I could go by was that I guessed that Kodak put the film emulsion side up in the foil pack as you open it; which is crease/seal side up.

ANY help here would be greatly appreciated.

As an aside...you should have seen the looks I got at my son's Little League game last night, when I dragged out the Graphic...

 

[rbarker]

With the sheets in "portrait" orientation, the notches should be in the upper right corner when the emulsion is facing you.

 

[Ian Grant]

Imagine this page is the film with the notches in the bottom right hand side corner, then the sheet is emulsion side up.

The left hand edge should be slid into the filn holder.

Ian

 

[joeyk49]

Thanks Guys!

I had to run down and open up a holder(in the dark, of course)...I could swear there weren't any notches when I loaded it...but waddayaknow, they're there!

...now I just need to ask the Mrs. if I can go out and play when my chores are done...LOL

 

[Bob F.]

Everything you ever wanted to know.... in pictures... http://www.butzi.net/articles/filmload.htm

... but remember to turn out the lights first ...

Cheers, Bob.

 

[joeyk49]

Thanks Bob:

The bit at the end about darkslides was also useful...

 

[colrehogan]

Thanks Guys!

I had to run down and open up a holder(in the dark, of course)...I could swear there weren't any notches when I loaded it...but waddayaknow, they're there!

...now I just need to ask the Mrs. if I can go out and play when my chores are done...LOL

LOL! You guys are funny, always needing to ask the Mrs. if you can go out and play. I just get my stuff together and tell my husband I'll be back in a while and where I'm going. I have to make sure to remember to take my cell phone. Even then, he can't call me unless I turn the blasted thing on. This time of the year, he's out in the carport fiddling with some vehicle or other (he's a mechanic).

You may have to pull the film all the way out of the packet and run your fingers along the edge to find the notches, but they should always be there.

 

[rbarker]

Imagine this page is the film with the notches in the bottom right hand side corner, then the sheet is emulsion side up.

The left hand edge should be slid into the filn holder.

Ian

I think you're turned around, Ian. Bottom-right notches would place the emulsion facing away from you.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

I think you're turned around, Ian. Bottom-right notches would place the emulsion facing away from you.

Either that or Ian loads his film holders in the horizontal orientation.

I load them in the vertical orientation with the flap on the bottom and the notches in the lower left-hand corner instead of the upper right. That way, in case I somehow lose track of what film I've got in the holder, I can check in the darkroom or with a changing bag by feeling along the edge without having to remove the whole sheet.

 

[Ian Grant]

My computer screen is Horizontal

Was a quick analogy. Actually I load 10x8 and 5x4 in the vertical orientation flap at top, so notches top right as that keeps the film further away from my clothes and potential dust.

Either that or Ian loads his film holders in the horizontal orientation.

I load them in the vertical orientation with the flap on the bottom and the notches in the lower left-hand corner instead of the upper right. That way, in case I somehow lose track of what film I've got in the holder, I can check in the darkroom or with a changing bag by feeling along the edge without having to remove the whole sheet.

 

[photobackpacker]

Joey,

It seems that I am always loading my film holders when I am dead tired or at "Oh-Dark-Thirty" before I am truely awake. To help avoid mistakes, I have always done the process in exactly the same way.

When I slide the film into the holder I have the holder oriented left to right with the dark slide on my left. As I slide the film in, I move my index finger to the notch (which in this orientation must be in the lower right corner) to push the sheet in the last few inches. This accomplishes 2 things -

1. You gain a little more grip against your finger tip to help avoid touching the emulsion, and
2. Even an a brain-dead state, you will sense that something is not right if the notch is not there. This may save you from a mis-loaded holder.

For what it is worth

 

[Dug]

As an aside...you should have seen the looks I got at my son's Little League game last night, when I dragged out the Graphic...

Little kids are now of the age where some do not know about film cameras. Last weekend I took some shots of a friend's 6 yo daughter (getting ready to go river rafting in a life jacket and bunny slippers). After taking the shots, she looked at the back of my Yashica T4 Super to look at the pictures on the LCD. I explained that this was a film camera and you have to develop the film.

She looked at me like I had lost my mind...

 

[joeyk49]

Lastly, how sensitive is the film? Can I load with a safelight behind my back and the film in my shadow or must it be done in complete darkness, like I've been doing all along???

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Complete darkness, unless you have an infrared night vision setup or are shooting ortho film, which can be handled under a red safelight.

 

[joeyk49]

Thanks, David...

 

[MikeS]

My computer screen is Horizontal

Was a quick analogy. Actually I load 10x8 and 5x4 in the vertical orientation flap at top, so notches top right as that keeps the film further away from my clothes and potential dust.

Why do you guys have so much trouble with dust? I never have a problem with dust, I always have plenty of it!

 

[GregT.]

Joeyk49,

This is a pretty cool supplement (visual plus audio) to the excellent tutorial on Paul Butzi's site : http://www.photoassistant.net/tech/4x5_holder/index.htm