Splitting rolls of film?

TattyJJ · Jan 29, 2017

I'm not planning to experiment forever, it's just there are a lot of films i'd like to shoot. With so many options i've gotta have a go with a few at least to find what i do and don't like.

Those film canisters are light tight?

LAG · Jan 29, 2017

TattyJJ said:
Those film canisters are light tight?

Inside the bag, I'm pretty sure they are. While outside, if you have doubts, you can use another container light-sealed to store them, that will also help you not to mix or open them by mistake.

TattyJJ · Jan 29, 2017

Hummmm i could probably find an old photo paper bag in the dark room somewhere, that would suffice for a little insurance.

tezzasmall · Jan 29, 2017

I know where you're coming from TattyJJ about experimenting with different films etc - we've all been there, with some of us still doing it years later!!

BUT on a trip like you are going on, I would stick to FULL ROLLS of film to use of the one or two films that you've found you quite like at the moment and then wait until you get back to experiment locally, where you'd have access to a changing bag, a darkroom etc etc.

Terry S

Harry Stevens · Jan 29, 2017

tezzasmall said:
I know where you're coming from TattyJJ about experimenting with different films etc - we've all been there, with some of us still doing it years later!!

BUT on a trip like you are going on, I would stick to FULL ROLLS of film to use of the one or two films that you've found you quite like at the moment and then wait until you get back to experiment locally, where you'd have access to a changing bag, a darkroom etc etc.

Terry S

1 AGREE!
This thread is riduculous who the hell would go on a trip like that and mess about with tiny rolls of 12 home cut exposure, heres a novel idea get some 36 rolls of Kodak,Ilford,Foma ect (who make different film types) and take some pictures.

Poisson Du Jour · Jan 30, 2017

TattyJJ said:
I was thinking, in my newness to film photograph and being on a budget, i'm often finding a roll of 36 or even 24 exposures is too many before i want to switch films. I'm kinda at the wanting to experiment lots stage of things....
Would it be ok to open the films in a darkroom and split them into 2 or 3 onto reusable rolls, or would this be a daft idea, especially as i would be doubling the amount of film lost on every roll when i load it in the camera?

Cheers

It's an age-old problem, making do with 36 exposures when ideally only 12 or 24 are required. If/when I use 35mm, I whip out the roll at the 24th frame. Hell, it will cost the same in processing and the remaining frames tossed out are of no significance.

Investigate unload/reload technique:
When loading a new roll, pull the leader to the take-up spool and mark the film AND a corresponding point below the film to assist in reloading.
This way, you can freely unload and switch to another film, then reload the film at the precise position you marked. You should keep notes and write on the canister which film is which and to which frame to reload it e.g. 29.1.2017_RELOAD to #5. Thusly, ensure you record the current frame number on the camera before unloading! Some cameras do not reload precisely and require an additional blank frame to be exposed in the reload process. The majority of "heavy hitter" electronic cameras with auto wind-on will have no problem with accuracy.

LAG · Jan 30, 2017

tezzasmall said:
I know where you're coming from TattyJJ about experimenting with different films etc - we've all been there, with some of us still doing it years later!!

If we've all been there ... let TattyJJ be there too!

Harry Stevens said:
1 AGREE!
This thread is riduculous who the hell would go on a trip like that and mess about with tiny rolls of 12 home cut exposure, heres a novel idea get some 36 rolls of Kodak,Ilford,Foma ect (who make different film types) and take some pictures.

Ridiculous is to think that someone shouldn't do, because you would'nt!

TattyJJ · Jan 30, 2017

Harry Stevens said:
1 AGREE!
This thread is riduculous who the hell would go on a trip like that and mess about with tiny rolls of 12 home cut exposure, heres a novel idea get some 36 rolls of Kodak,Ilford,Foma ect (who make different film types) and take some pictures.

And while i'm at it, why don't i just pick a film and only ever use that!
Experimenting and finding what i like is bad, i was crazy to consider it!!

Steve Smith · Jan 30, 2017

It's funny that in an era of photographers taking hundreds of digital images in one day, some of us find 36 too many!

If you're on a budget, you can buy Agfa Vista film from Poundland. No big deal financially if you only use 2/3 of the roll.

Steve.

railwayman3 · Jan 30, 2017

TattyJJ said:
And while i'm at it, why don't i just pick a film and only ever use that!
Experimenting and finding what i like is bad, i was crazy to consider it!!

Actually it's not a bad idea at all just to pick one mid-speed film from a reliable major manufacturer, and use it at least until you get to know it. You'll get much more reliable and satisfying results.
I think that previous posters are suggesting that the crazy part would be to use a special holiday in somewhere as photogenic as Budapest to fiddle around experimenting. I have to agree with them. If funds are limited, just take a few 24 or 36 exposure films and concentrate on making every exposure count.
I was in Budapest a few years ago and used only Kodachrome film....a film which people either liked or loathed, but at least I knew that I could rely on having several hundred technically good pictures to keep when I got home, and, while there, was able to concentrate on enjoying the sights and the pleasure of trying to make good photographs.

Harry Stevens · Jan 30, 2017

TattyJJ said:
And while i'm at it, why don't i just pick a film and only ever use that!
Experimenting and finding what i like is bad, i was crazy to consider it!!

A Holiday like a wedding is not a time to piss about with farty rolls of film to see what works, well not in my world anyway the idea is that you do experiments so you can get good results from such events, as for your penny pinching attitude to film on a trip like that it completely baffles me.

TattyJJ · Jan 31, 2017

Here's a thought, how about i just do what i find fun and want to, and you stick to your safe little bubble of never trying anything new in case something goes wrong!
As for penny pinching, i do apologise for not being well off enough to splash out on all the film i could ever dream of. If it bothers you that much, you are more than welcome to send me a few dozen rolls to relive the weight on your mind.

railwayman3 · Jan 31, 2017

TattyJJ said:
Here's a thought, how about i just do what i find fun and want to, and you stick to your safe little bubble of never trying anything new in case something goes wrong!
As for penny pinching, i do apologise for not being well off enough to splash out on all the film i could ever dream of. If it bothers you that much, you are more than welcome to send me a few dozen rolls to relive the weight on your mind.

Please don't turn on the folk here, like myself, who are trying to give you the best advice we can, based on our humble experience.

Probably best to just do what you want to. I wish you well, just don't grumble here if what you want to do fails.

LAG · Jan 31, 2017

railwayman3 said:
Actually it's not a bad idea at all just to pick one mid-speed film from a reliable major manufacturer, and use it at least until you get to know it. You'll get much more reliable and satisfying results.

I think that previous posters are suggesting that the crazy part would be to use a special holiday in somewhere as photogenic as Budapest to fiddle around experimenting. I have to agree with them. If funds are limited, just take a few 24 or 36 exposure films and concentrate on making every exposure count.

Excuse me railwayman3

I partially agree with your second part, although IMHO I see it more like a personal decision. But feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, it is not only about "to get to know different films" but also "switching films for different moments" (OP). What's wrong with shooting 12 B&W photographs inside of the Parlamient (except where you are not allowed), and then another 18 different colour photos outside pointing to the Chain Bridge when the sun sets? It might sound silly on my part, but is not the same situation being in the middle of 36 than in the middle of 12

Kind regards!

TattyJJ · Jan 31, 2017

If it seems like I am having a grumble it is only because a select few seem to be of the opinion that if I am not doing it their way I am somehow doing it wrong.
I have little patience for such narrow minded beliefs.

And thank you LAG, I'm glad someone actually understood what I was asking!

railwayman3 · Jan 31, 2017

TattyJJ said:
If it seems like I am having a grumble it is only because a select few seem to be of the opinion that if I am not doing it their way I am somehow doing it wrong.
I have little patience for such narrow minded beliefs.

And thank you LAG, I'm glad someone actually understood what I was asking!

When you've been a member of APUG for as long as I have, you will find that (as in life generally) many people here have strong views and opinions, which (as in the internet generally) don't always come over as well as they might. A lot of the invaluable information here comes from some members' many years' passion for photography, and people really want to help, even if you don't always follow their views. (or what you may see as "narrow-minded beliefs"?). Photography is an art as well as a science, there are no "right" or "wrong" way to do things.....I don't like Francis Bacon's art or Epstein's sculpture, but I don't say that they were wrong or bad artists, or get impatient with people who do enjoy it. Maybe I'm narrow-minded and missing something by not trying to appreciate it.

Anyway, I'm rambling.....my own concern is that you seem to want to risk your pictures of a special holiday in such a photogenic city of Budapest by experimenting. That's your choice and your prerogative.

And, yes, I do know what it is to be short of cash for our hobby. I can remember borrowing £1, two shillings, and fourpence, from my Mum so that I could buy one 24 exp. roll of Ilford Colour Slide film to take some reliable photos of my cousin's Wedding. Even then I had learned by experimenting that rolls of 120 "Standard Ortho" from Woolworths didn't measure up to the job, even though a roll only cost six-pence. You can work out roughly what year that was.

TattyJJ · Jan 31, 2017

The narrow minded belief is in reference to thinking I'm wrong for not doing it your way.
You're free to take pictures however you feel, just don't expect me to do the same. That doesn't make me wrong or crazy or stupid, it just makes me not you!

In all your supposed years experience and assumed wisdom I'd thought by now you'd figured that out for yourself.

But then I wasn't even referring to you so this is all a bit of a wasted effort.

I've decided what I am going to do, and I will "piss about" as much as I feel the need until heart is content.

Harry Stevens · Jan 31, 2017

TattyJJ said:
Here's a thought, how about i just do what i find fun and want to, and you stick to your safe little bubble of never trying anything new in case something goes wrong!
As for penny pinching, i do apologise for not being well off enough to splash out on all the film i could ever dream of. If it bothers you that much, you are more than welcome to send me a few dozen rolls to relive the weight on your mind.

I make my own developers and do lots of experiments with chemicals films ect the point you are missing his you are doing it all back to front, you can't afford a few rolls of film but can afford the holiday........You have twisted logic until it screams thank god you are not not involved in producing new medicines.

TattyJJ · Jan 31, 2017

Still adamant your way is the only way I see....
WTF has medicines got to do with anything?!

Luckless · Jan 31, 2017

I would strongly suggest considering finding a second body to bring along if at all possible simply for the overall usability of having more than one camera on hand at any given time. It all goes back to ease of use and general reliability.

Stopping to try and fiddle with film and switching things out means you're not taking photos. It risks ruining images, or missing them.

A second body allows you to focus more on the images you produce, and less mucking about with the gear. Configure the cameras for a given range, then use the one nearest to the target settings you need for a given scene. Changing things up to use a different film then becomes picking the right camera out of the bag. Even if you're using the same film, it then lets you readily use two different lenses without having to change anything beyond which camera you're lifting to your eye. That in and of itself can make travel or event photography far more enjoyable. (Assuming you don't mind the added weight.)

There is also the handy bonus that having a second body on hand means you're not stuck with only a broken camera in the event of a device fault.

Good luck on your trip, and I hope you get some interesting images with whatever setup you finally settle on.

railwayman3 · Jan 31, 2017

TattyJJ said:
The narrow minded belief is in reference to thinking I'm wrong for not doing it your way.
You're free to take pictures however you feel, just don't expect me to do the same. That doesn't make me wrong or crazy or stupid, it just makes me not you!

In all your supposed years experience and assumed wisdom I'd thought by now you'd figured that out for yourself.

But then I wasn't even referring to you so this is all a bit of a wasted effort.

I've decided what I am going to do, and I will "piss about" as much as I feel the need until heart is content.

Well, I guess that you'd made your mind up what you were going to do from your first posting, and don't like it when others offer different advice. If your hobby of photography gets you so worked up, perhaps it's time to take up knitting or growing prize turnips?

TattyJJ · Jan 31, 2017

I hadn't made my mind up, I was asking if other people did it.

I have no trouble at all with people having differing opinions. I have a problem with people insisting I am wrong for not doing it their way and implying it somehow makes me an idiot to do so.
As I said, I wasn't even referring to you, so why you're so worked up is quite beyond me!!

More to the point.....
So I'm thinking about taking 2 or 3 rolls of film and splitting them into 12 or 18 frames. Anyone would think I was talking about cutting then into single frames!

So at the end of my trip I might end up changing film 3 or 4 more times than you would by comparison.
Well whoop dee god damn doo!

This is not a photography apocalypse, it's a few extra film changes!

Grief

BrianShaw · Jan 31, 2017

Please let us know how it worked out for you. I once did that (many moons ago) and found it to be too much hassle and resulted in too many lost images. Hence my earlier recommendation for a second body. Good luck; I wish I could go to Budapest too... but I'd probably spend most of my time eating!

Mainecoonmaniac · Jan 31, 2017

As mentioned by fellow APUGers, bulk loading may be the way of shooting shorter rolls. There are a couple of caveats. First, bulk loaders like Watson brand, you'll need to fog a couple of exposures towards the spool so you could tape the film on the spool. Second, you have to keep the felt light traps clean on the cartridges or else you're going to get scratches on your film.

TattyJJ · Jan 31, 2017

BrianShaw said:
Please let us know how it worked out for you. I once did that (many moons ago) and found it to be too much hassle and resulted in too many lost images. Hence my earlier recommendation for a second body. Good luck; I wish I could go to Budapest too... but I'd probably spend most of my time eating!

I do like the idea of a second body, but the better half will throttle me if I buy another camera when I've not had my first very long. Plus the extra bulk could get annoying.
But then I've been promised 2 free cameras, if they show up I might end up going that route.

Oh yes, the food!! One of the main reasons we are going! Plus it's delightfully cheap, especially this time of year!

Splitting rolls of film?

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