the 40th exposure

BradS · Mar 11, 2020

Ah, that sinking feeling you get when you look down at the exposure counter window and see #40!

It happened to me again yesterday (new-to-me type of camera has a goofy take up spool) . Luckily, this time, I only managed to not catch the film leader in the take up spool at all...and when I opened the back, the film was still there completely un-exposed with the first couple of inches of the leader hanging out.

Arrrgh!

logan2z · Mar 11, 2020

Bummer. Fortunately that hasn't happened to me yet. Of course every other possible thing that can go wrong when shooting film has, so I guess I've made up for it in other ways

BradS · Mar 11, 2020

The mistake that I have made twice now, is not trusting that the magical take up spool is actually going to do its magic. Both times, after dropping the film in and closing up the back, I've used the rewind knob to tension the film in the canister so that I could see the rewind knob turn as the film was being advanced and be assured of the magic but in so doing, I pulled the film out of the region where the magic begins. The stupid irony, of course, is that the the rewind knob never did turn in this case. Operator error!

Andrew O'Neill · Mar 11, 2020

BradS said:
Ah, that sinking feeling you get when you look down at the exposure counter window and see #40!

It happened to me again yesterday (new-to-me type of camera has a goofy take up spool) . Luckily, this time, I only managed to not catch the film leader in the take up spool at all...and when I opened the back, the film was still there completely un-exposed with the first couple of inches of the leader hanging out.

Arrrgh!

Some of my photo students do this occasionally. Some of them just can't load the camera... So to keep their aggravation levels down, I do it for them. We use the venerable K1000. I even have dummy rolls for them to practice with, but still incapable.

Ko.Fe. · Mar 11, 2020

I used to get more than 40 with Polypan F film. But I stopped bulk loading this long because it is not handy for developing.
With M3 ELC and Nicca IIIa were I had/have very small frame gapes, 40 is not uncommon.

Wallendo · Mar 11, 2020

I have had this happen when I first started shooting a Barnack Leica.

It occasionally happens when I load too much film from my Bulk loader so it's not always a loading error, but then all the film doesn't fit on my reels.

drkhalsa · Mar 11, 2020

I've had this experience with my Nikon FG several times. Didn't get it properly started on the take up spool nor watch the rewind knob for movement. Shot more exposures than possible, then realized the film didn't advance because of the error.

DWThomas · Mar 11, 2020

Ya, I had several international award winners I took out of a train window in Italy, circa 2002. Unfortunately they and 30+ others were all on the same frame.

The experience reminded me to check if the rewind knob is moving when pushing the film advance lever (Canon A-1); especially on the first few shots.

BrianShaw · Mar 11, 2020

BradS said:
The mistake that I have made twice now, is not trusting that the magical take up spool is actually going to do its magic. Both times, after dropping the film in and closing up the back, I've used the rewind knob to tension the film in the canister so that I could see the rewind knob turn as the film was being advanced and be assured of the magic but in so doing, I pulled the film out of the region where the magic begins. The stupid irony, of course, is that the the rewind knob never did turn in this case. Operator error!

Reverse you order of operation: wind on to frame 1, then check the rewind knob tension.

Sirius Glass · Mar 11, 2020

I would bet that every one of those photographs on both rolls were perfectly exposed and great compositions.

bsdunek · Mar 11, 2020

Yep, always watch the rewind knob!

Helios 1984 · Mar 11, 2020

...Then you realize that the advance ripped the sprocket holes and you've been shooting on the same frame since exposure 28.

removed account4 · Mar 11, 2020

Hi BradS
That used to happen to me when I was using my pen F.. but instead of 40 it would be like 80.
J

abruzzi · Mar 12, 2020

Andrew O'Neill said:
Some of my photo students do this occasionally. Some of them just can't load the camera... So to keep their aggravation levels down, I do it for them. We use the venerable K1000. I even have dummy rolls for them to practice with, but still incapable.

Does the K1000 use the "bundle of toothpicks" setup that later Pentax used? I've found that to be one of the more trouble-free loading mechanisms, but the most trouble free I've encountered in the Nikon F2. It just seems to always catch without an issue. Some of the earlier easy load systems (like the Canonet QL17) have been the most finicky for me.

Andrew O'Neill · Mar 12, 2020

abruzzi said:
Does the K1000 use the "bundle of toothpicks" setup that later Pentax used? I've found that to be one of the more trouble-free loading mechanisms, but the most trouble free I've encountered in the Nikon F2. It just seems to always catch without an issue. Some of the earlier easy load systems (like the Canonet QL17) have been the most finicky for me.

No bundle of toothpicks. Just a slot.

wahiba · Mar 12, 2020

Never managed 40 on 35mm but managed 13 on 120 once.

M-88 · Mar 12, 2020

40 is so standard for my Olympus 35RC and OM cameras that anything less than 39 makes me frown. Of course looking at rewind knob to make sure film is moving is a must.

Vincent Peri · Mar 13, 2020

Andrew O'Neill said:
Some of my photo students do this occasionally. Some of them just can't load the camera... I even have dummy rolls for them to practice with, but still incapable.

Hmm... they'll need an App
for that, or they'll never be
able to load the film...

Andrew O'Neill · Mar 13, 2020

Vincent Peri said:
Hmm... they'll need an App
for that, or they'll never be
able to load the film...

I've already been asked if there's a way to move an app from their phone to the camera...and, if the photos can be sent to instagram after I take it... and the one I always get, I think I made a mistake. How do I delete it? Just getting them to understand the concept of film and paper being "light sensitive", is quite challenging.

ph · Mar 14, 2020

years ago I learnt not to use to much force on the winding lever by having to do a film rescue mission in dark room under a blanket. With the self-loaded Leica and Canon cassettes there ws not even resistance when you got to 36+, but they were easier to open.

p.

Larry the sailor · Mar 15, 2020

I acquired a bulk loader and a bunch of empty 35mm cassettes as part of a big lot of darkroom gear a few years ago so decided to try out some bulk HP5.
For the most part it has worked out good, still have a few rolls left that work fine. But, I did have a few "learning experiences" on at least 2 rolls I didn't get the film taped to the spool good enough and blew right passed the end of the roll.
Just had to take the camera into the darkroom and work it out.

Donald Qualls · Mar 20, 2020

I don't think I've ever either failed to catch the film leader on the takeup, or pulled it off the spool in the cassette, but I have torn up the sprockets a couple times. Also, my Kodak Reflex II will actually get 13 frames on a roll of 120 (trimmed to fit the supply well) if I stop loading before I get all the way to the "1" on the backing paper before starting the frame counter. It uses a friction roller, so I don't even get screwy frame spacing by resetting the counter. However, since I don't have a home for the 13th frame (won't fit in a negative page) I don't do it any more.

johnha · Mar 25, 2020

Some later Pentax SLRs have a 'film run' indicator (shimmering red/black stripes just above where the sprockets sit). Watching the rewind knob is good but sometimes there can be a fair amount of slack you need to take up (and keep taking up as the roll is used).

Another option is to shoot a frame and check the film is running before closing the back - you only lose one frame.

abruzzi · Mar 25, 2020

johnha said:
Another option is to shoot a frame and check the film is running before closing the back - you only lose one frame.

this has generally been my technique. I’ve always been slightly amused by photographers that are proud that they can always get 38 exposures out of a 36 exposure roll (and get mad at later auto exposure cameras that don’t turn on the meter until you’ve shot and advanced two shot) because I find 36 shots interminably long, and trying to get an extra exposure just prolongs the agony. 6x4.5 on 120 is the perfect exposure count—15 (or 16) exposures is about perfect for a single outing. (I can’t even imagine shooting 72 exposures on a half frame camera.)

Donald Qualls · Mar 25, 2020

abruzzi said:
(I can’t even imagine shooting 72 exposures on a half frame camera.)

If my family had owned a half frame, we'd have had one roll of film with both my 3rd birthday and my 23rd on it...

the 40th exposure

BradS

logan2z

BradS

Andrew O'Neill

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Ko.Fe.

Wallendo

drkhalsa

DWThomas

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abruzzi

Andrew O'Neill

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wahiba

M-88

Vincent Peri

Andrew O'Neill

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ph

Larry the sailor

Donald Qualls

johnha

abruzzi

Donald Qualls

the 40th exposure

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