Opening Luminar 100 Film Canister

Jeremy Mudd said:

My Nikon F100 doesn't like the re-usable plastic film cassettes that Popho packages their Luminar 100 (Kodak Aerocolor IV) in. I've shot 2 rolls of it in the past two weeks and both rolls stopped early several times.

The first roll said it was done after shot 8. I rewound it in-camera, put it back in, shot 9 shots with the cap on to get past the last shot, then shot the rest of the roll just fine. Then the second roll stopped at 12, same process again. Then it stopped at 27. Same process again to finish it.

I've shot a roll of Portra 400 since with no issues.

These cassettes look different than others I've used, the cassette looks like it snaps together in the middle rather than the end(s) screwing on. I couldn't find an image of the Popho but its the same one that Flic uses for their spooled Aerocolor IV. I have some of those also but haven't shot with them yet.

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Are the plastic re-usable casseetes that snap together inherently tighter or have more pressure on the spool? I've never had my F100 act that way before, but I've never (that I can recall) used those type of cassettes before.

Fresh batteries so that wasn't an issue.

Thoughts? Is the F100 just too sensitive?

Jeremy

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cmacd123 said:

just because I am stubborn, I found that if you use a flat pry tool, you can lift the "latch" that holds the end together, and then swing the cassette open. I actually bought some "empty" ones from E-bay and found that the seller had used developed C-41 negatives to put the cassette together. Those empty ones I could prod in the light and find where to pry. the ones with live film you of course have to do taht sort of nonsense in the dark. Besides Flic Film, I also had some Double X packed by a chinese seller as "CineStyle"

Still about half of them I ended up breaking off the Latch part of the end.

Note that if you want to open that style please note that many of them have a label over the split. that has to be peeled, or cut away so the two halves will come open.

When Flic Film first started up, they had a mention of a tool called a "Flic Pick" which was a jig that pushed a pin into all 4 sites needed to pry teh cassette open. you would close the tool with the cassette indide and pry up the open side. when I enquired they said the tool was discontinued as the tools that they had were prone to breakage.

I am assuming form the picture that these are the same style.

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