Why Bulk Load Your Film?

gone · Feb 2, 2014

I was looking at the prices for Tri-X in 135mm format on Freestyle's website. For 36 exposure at the regular price, it would cost you $98 for 18 rolls (about what you would get from a 100' roll). Their price for 100' of Tri-X is $84. These prices do not include shipping. So you would save the grand total of $14 if you bulk rolled the 18 cartridges IF you already had 18 empty cartridges, and IF you already had the bulk loader. If you bought Tri-X at the current Freestyle discounted price, 18 rolls of 36 exposure would only cost you $80, $4 less than the 100' roll. So why would you bulk roll? Is this just for films like Lucky that you can get cheaply for 100' rolls?

Richard S. (rich815) · Feb 2, 2014

Good point. I only bulk load because even at retail price the savings used to be better. Now I'm working my way through dozens of 100' bulk rolls I bought when all the digital crowd was selling off their frozen film. There was a time 4-5+ years ago when auctions on eBay for 100' rolls were ending for not much more than $20!

ajmiller · Feb 2, 2014

It's also useful if you don't want to run 36 exposures through a camera I think.

Dan Daniel · Feb 2, 2014

Your Tri-X math looks like a good argument to not bulk load. It doesn't work that way for every film.

I shoot Ilford FP4 and Delta 400. Each goes for $7.49/roll (36 exp) at Freestyle. So 18 rolls would be $134. A 100 foot roll of FP4 is $60, Delta 400 is $74.

mgb74 · Feb 2, 2014

It's been a while since I loaded film from bulk rolls, but I remember the price differential as being much greater than the $14 you referenced. But I did typically assume 20 36 exp rolls from a 100 ft bulk roll. Not sure if that is correct.

I did like the flexibility of loading 12, 24, and 36 exp rolls. But I would agree that, at a 15% savings, it's not worth it. Especially when you consider the cost of cassettes (they're only good for so many loadings) and the cost of canned air to clean them if you don't have an air compressor.

donkee · Feb 2, 2014

1. Load whatever number of exposures you like.
2. Some films are not available in the usual 35mm cassettes (PolyPan for example).
3. Easier to store film in bulk and roll just what you need, fridge/freezer space can be limited, it is at my house anyway.
4. I can get HP5 cheaper than Tri-x. For just a few dollars more I can get 3 100' rolls of Ilford compared to 2 100' rolls of Tri-x. Look at Arista, PolyPan, etc and the savings will be more.
5. You can still find short ends or 400' rolls of film for more savings.

After the initial cost of bulk loaders (if you wish to use one) and cassettes you'll be able to shoot more for less.

David A. Goldfarb · Feb 2, 2014

It used to be about half the price to bulk load for most films, plus the flexibility of having short rolls.

The cost doesn't always work out that way anymore, and if you shoot formats other than 35mm where film doesn't come in 36-exposure cassettes, then there are other ways of having that flexibility, aside from the attractions of a larger format, so I stopped bulk loading several years ago. The turning point for me was when Provia 100-F in bulk (my most used film at the time in 35mm) became a special import from Japan, so the cost per exposure was about the same as for pre-loaded cartridges.

SchwinnParamount · Feb 2, 2014

Thanks for the heads up. I just ordered 18 rolls of the Tri-(keyboard character for the last letter in the film name won't type!) Time for a new keyboard.

Newt_on_Swings · Feb 2, 2014

I mainly bulk load to get access to films that I find in 100ft or longer reels at a discount. Ilford films are still an ok deal to bulk load.

For tri x there's no better deal for fresh film than legacy premium from freestyle. They only have 24 exp rolls left but it's still a very good deal.

SP, if you are using windows you can pull up your on screen keyboard from your start panel or search bar. It will keep you going until you get a replacement.

snapguy · Feb 2, 2014

I use Agfa cassettes I purchased used in the 1990s and still work fine. They are built like tanks. And I don't buy pricey film, I look around for the best deal I can find in decent film. I have been buying bulk film from Freestyle since the 1950s.

Pioneer · Feb 2, 2014

I bulk load to save money. The other benefits are additional. With the situation the way you describe it I would wait for the bulk roll of Tri-X to drop in price or go find it elsewhere. At those prices the bulk rolls will end up on sale eventually as short date specials.

There was a period of time where it was cheaper to buy Arista EDU Ultra films pre-rolled than it was to buy it bulk. So I bought it pre-rolled. There was also a period where bulk rolls of TMAX 100 was less than half the price of 18 rolls of TMX. So I bought a bunch of it over a relatively short time period. It is all in my freezer waiting for me to use it.

Sirius Glass · Feb 2, 2014

momus said:
I was looking at the prices for Tri-X in 135mm format on Freestyle's website. For 36 exposure at the regular price, it would cost you $98 for 18 rolls (about what you would get from a 100' roll). Their price for 100' of Tri-X is $84. These prices do not include shipping. So you would save the grand total of $14 if you bulk rolled the 18 cartridges IF you already had 18 empty cartridges, and IF you already had the bulk loader. If you bought Tri-X at the current Freestyle discounted price, 18 rolls of 36 exposure would only cost you $80, $4 less than the 100' roll. So why would you bulk roll? Is this just for films like Lucky that you can get cheaply for 100' rolls?

Ad that is why I do not bulk load 35mm film. Bulk loaning 120 film bring in a different set of problems.

markbarendt · Feb 2, 2014

Adorama is selling 100' rolls for 69.95 today, shopping around helps.

gone · Feb 2, 2014

Ah, I just assumed that Freestyle had the best prices. Apparently, sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. Thanks for the heads up Mark. At $70 for 100', I could see bulk loading. I'm shooting 18 exposures on 36 exposure rolls now and unloading the camera in the change bag, then cutting it and loading that into the dev tank. Gives me maybe 15 or 16 frames left in the cartridge (I'm still shooting the remaining roll so I don't have an exact count yet. That helps me on the cost, as it's more economical to buy the 36 exp rolls of Tri-X than the 24. 15 or 18 frames is a good day's shooting for me anyway. I find 36 to be too much, and I usually just waste a lot of shots just to get it finished so I can develop it and see what I have.

Xmas · Feb 2, 2014

Cine short ends or recans are cheaper than bulk & if you can't get them them 400 foot of 5222 should be cheaper than four off 100 foot lengths of Trix.

newtorf · Feb 2, 2014

I was about the send the same reply. These days Freestyle often sells films at higher price than B&H/Adorama/etc. More often, I looked at ebay/craigslist for better deals. I bought most of my bulk films at a price less than $40 per 100ft.

markbarendt said:
Adorama is selling 100' rolls for 69.95 today, shopping around helps.

smithdoor · Feb 2, 2014

I like bulk loading for short rolls of 6 to 12 shots also for over loading the roll up to 48 shots
Also lower cost

Dave

destroya · Feb 2, 2014

if you dont mind around 16 or so months expired, you can still find provia 100 foot rolls for about $100. considering a pro pack costs over $50 thats a great deal

StoneNYC · Feb 2, 2014

newtorf said:
I was about the send the same reply. These days Freestyle often sells films at higher price than B&H/Adorama/etc. More often, I looked at ebay/craigslist for better deals. I bought most of my bulk films at a price less than $40 per 100ft.

Yea B&H prices are usually better by $10 for bulk

Rick A · Feb 2, 2014

I like to shoot 10-12 frames per roll, otherwise a 36 exposure roll sits in my camera for months. I just don't shoot 35mm all that much any more.

fotch · Feb 2, 2014

Newt_on_Swings said:
I......................SP, if you are using windows you can pull up your on screen keyboard from your start panel or search bar. It will keep you going until you get a replacement.

I am curious so I tried this on my laptop. It does not work. It is on certain versions of Windows? I am running XP

Sirius Glass · Feb 2, 2014

fotch said:
I am curious so I tried this on my laptop. It does not work. It is on certain versions of Windows? I am running XP

You are not missing anything. That is Windoz 8 talk. I have it on a netbook. As I said you are not missing anything, stick with XP until you can by a Mac.

Truzi · Feb 2, 2014

In XP try the Start Button > Programs > Accessories. Poke around in there, some systems have it depending on how it was installed.

Other than that, I'd second Sirius Glass on the Mac comment, except I'm a Linux user

Colin Corneau · Feb 2, 2014

My main decision is what film I'm using...from there, the decisions get easier.

If I choose to bulk load, then even a couple of dollars savings is fine. Not so keen on jumping around from film to film, I'm at the point now where I want to get to know one film better and remove distractions.

Newt_on_Swings · Feb 2, 2014

fotch said:
I am curious so I tried this on my laptop. It does not work. It is on certain versions of Windows? I am running XP

The on screen keyboard is actually quite old and is indeed in xp.

"To open On-Screen Keyboard, click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to Accessibility, and then click On-Screen Keyboard."

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/...all/proddocs/en-us/osk_overview.mspx?mfr=true

Why Bulk Load Your Film?

Moderator

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency