Secret of loading film fast?

[haring]

What is the secret of loading MF film fast? I would like to shoot weddings in film. The only problem is that I need to load film often.... How do you load your film so you are ready when the moment comes?

 

[eddie]

You just need a few pre-loaded backs. What are you shooting with?

 

[munz6869]

Whilst I'm reading APUG, I'm currently screening a 16mm Cinemascope print of "Silverado" here at work, with only one projector - so I'm loading film very fast indeed (4 reels)...

That said, for a wedding, your best pal is a system camera like a Hasselblad or a Mamiya, so you can have another back loaded (by a friendly assistant) whilst you shoot through the one on the camera.

Marc!

 

[haring]

Contax 645. I guess I need to buy an extra film back...

 

[Dan Daniel]

I read a trick used by a wedding photographer involving empty 120 spools. I will pass it along because it sounded slick, but I suggest you either test it or listen well to others who have used it:

Open a roll of film and insert the tab into an empty spool. Wind the film forward a bit onto this empty spool, put the two together and hold them together with a rubber band. In the field, you insert the empty spool into position and pull the film roll back to its proper position.

If this can be done in extra backs, by an assistant, so much the better!

If you have only one body and are heading to a setup where you need ten shots and you have three shots on the roll- burn the roll and load a fresh one.

 

[MattKing]

If I recall correctly, you use a Mamiya 645 AFD for your wedding work.

In addition to multiple backs, you can also obtain at reasonable cost reloadable inserts for your camera. They are relatively small and light, and can make a real difference.

Here is a link:

http://www.mamiya-usa.com/645afd-iii-accessories-film-magazines,-holders,-inserts-and-digital-backs-roll-film-inserts.html

 

[Anscojohn]

I read a trick used by a wedding photographer involving empty 120 spools. I will pass it along because it sounded slick, but I suggest you either test it or listen well to others who have used it:

Open a roll of film and insert the tab into an empty spool. Wind the film forward a bit onto this empty spool, put the two together and hold them together with a rubber band. In the field, you insert the empty spool into position and pull the film roll back to its proper position.

If this can be done in extra backs, by an assistant, so much the better!

If you have only one body and are heading to a setup where you need ten shots and you have three shots on the roll- burn the roll and load a fresh one.

*************
In ye oldene dayz, that is what we did shooting conventions. The kid who ran the print dryer fixed them up when he was not doing the dryer job. We used Rollei Ts because, unlike other 'flexes, the film did not go under the pressure bar. Trust me, once one got the hang of it, it was really, slam, bang, crank (to line up the reference marks), thank you, and back to shooting. Only downside was the pockets full of empty spools

 

[woosang]

I like that tip thanks guys

 

[Wade D]

Many years ago when I shot weddings an assistant was invaluable. He (or she) would load the 2nd camera while I shot with the 1st and vice versa. An assistant can also hold multiple flashes up for group shots and hold up backgrounds for bride and groom close up shots. Times have changed and a lot of customers don't want a scripted shoot but favor a more ad lib approach. Speed is even more critical with the ad lib approach to catch the more fleeting moments of the wedding.

 

[Wade D]

************* Only downside was the pockets full of empty spools

How about the pockets full of HOT flashbulbs! I had plenty of burnt fingers back then.

 

[film_man]

Contax 645. I guess I need to buy an extra film back...

Unless you are planning on shooting different types of film you might as well buy inserts, not backs. Swapping an insert is faster than swapping a back and they should probably be cheaper (no idea about Contax prices).

So buy a bunch of inserts, load them with 220 (if you can find your film in 220 that is) and fire away. When there is a bit of downtime in the wedding, clean-up the used inserts and reload them.

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

I can load a 35mm film very quickly indeed into my EOS 1N, but when I go back to basics with a pinhole camera (or a 6x17cm pano), things do need practice! I am learning how to speed-load a 120 roll in my Zero Image pinhole quickly. My fastest score so far with a dummy roll is 28 seconds: wind-on after 12 to end of roll; remove top cover, remove back cover, remove exposed roll; tape end; peel leader of new roll, roll onto spool; place both into position, flatten leader, replace back cover, replace top cover and wind rapidly to —1— (on my first speed test I wound on too quickly and went to frame 2). On a solo 5-day bushwalking trip last November I found myself in attractive evening light on beautiful coastline that began an unexpected, rapid change. Up to frame 11, I had just one more shot to meter, but wanted several more again — quite a mad rush juggling mind, eyes and fingers unloading and reloading, but it worked! I have found it handy to remove fresh rolls from the packaging, marked conspicuously with a green =0= (exposed rolls are marked in red with =X=). Put fresh rolls in left pocket, exposed rolls in right pocket. Sort them out post-shoot.

Of course, you're unlikely to use a pinhole camera for a wedding in the Bahamas (now there's a beaut place to tie the knot!), but it's quirkly little diversion I wouldn't rule out doing myself in the future.

 

[haring]

Smart!!! Thanks!

 

[haring]

How about the pockets full of HOT flashbulbs! I had plenty of burnt fingers back then.

 

[haring]

I think I will get inserts! Thanks for the advice!

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

Unbox and unwrap the film. Have extra film backs. I always load other backs when there's a time to load it.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Multiple film backs. That is why they were invented. That is why photographers buy them.

Steve

 

[ic-racer]

The last time I saw a pro wedding shoot with a Rollieflex TLR was in the early 80s. The guy had an assistant and 2 or 3 camera. He would fire off 12 shots and then swap out cameras with the assistant who reloaded them. They had it down to an art and the camera swap was pretty seamless.

 

[EdSawyer]

I think swapping backs is faster than swapping inserts, at least with an RZ67. Swapping inserts requires opening the back (a 2-handed job), while swapping backs can be done one-handed, at the very least. Plus, inserts are more fragile (in a bag, already loaded for example) than a whole back.

Another possible option: shoot 220 if you can. twice as many shots before reloading...

 

[Sirius Glass]

Unless you are planning on shooting different types of film you might as well buy inserts, not backs. Swapping an insert is faster than swapping a back and they should probably be cheaper (no idea about Contax prices).

So buy a bunch of inserts, load them with 220 (if you can find your film in 220 that is) and fire away. When there is a bit of downtime in the wedding, clean-up the used inserts and reload them.

Minor details.

1. The inserts will not match the backs.
2. Once the insert has been used, the photographer will have to crank to the end of the roll before removing the back.
3. Once another insert is inserted, the photographer will have to crank the film to the starting position

So aside from fact that switching inserts will take longer than switching backs and that the insert will not match the backs, there is no reason to switch inserts instead of switching film backs.

Steve

 

[MattKing]

With the Mamiya 645 and 645 AF inserts:

1) It doesn't matter if the backs and inserts are matched;
2) The inserts are faster to switch than the backs;
3) It takes about 5 seconds to wind the exposed film to the end (on the AFD, this may happen automatically);
4) It takes about 5 seconds to wind the un-exposed film to the first frame (on the AFD, this may happen automatically); and
5) It is much faster and easier to switch the inserts on the 645 models than it is to switch the inserts on the RB67. My guess is that the RZ67 inserts are similar to the RB67 inserts.

That being said, I would certainly recommend having at least two backs.

 

[rphenning]

knowing your camera

 

[benjiboy]

The O.P hasn't said what camera he proposes to use to shoot weddings with, or if he has the facility to use interchangeable backs.

 

[lxdude]

Contax 645. Post #4.

 

[benjiboy]

Contax 645. Post #4.

Sorry I didn't notice that.