How to Load 35mm Film into Steel Development Tanks - without a Darkroom
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- Опубліковано 29 вер 2024
- A simple and quick guide to loading 35mm film onto steel reels for placing in a steel development tank without having a total blacked out darkroom. Using a changing bag such as this large Patterson changing bag makes it an easy to do in any light or any room. Home development is one of the most satisfying experiences in photography - making something physical yourself. I think many people never try it because they believe it is overly complicated or that they need a full darkroom and a bunch of supplies. Neither are true. Analog photography is a great hobby to supplement my professional commercial work.
This video gets right to the point and then after I jump into the reasons I prefer steel to plastic. Saving chemicals, longevity, and being able to feel what is happening are my reasons.
This was filmed with my Canon 5DIV
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I was given 4 Hewes reels. Amzing. Surprisingly it makes it easier than plastic reals. SS is the way to go.
Having heard many goof things about Hewes reels, and although not needing one, I picked one up one day and headed to the check-out. The price was not marked, and I mentioned I just wanted one to try. The owner gave me a look, and asked if I really wanted to spend $45 because they were not returnable. My hand literally shark back from the reel, which I then put back on the shelf. If I didn't already own many Nikor reels from the 1950s and 60s, I'd still get a set of Hewes, but the earlier Nikors are very nice and useable, unlike their later replacements and the variety of thin-wire units from Japan, China, or wherever. I think the difference is the gauge or diameter or the wire used in the spiral. When Nikors were in their prime, those were thick and are very easy to load.
Dave, Like you I started using steel reels back in college. After a couple misses I always got it right. I've been shooting film again for about a year and am just getting back into film development. I'm using my old Simmon Omega reels and tank that I bought back in the 70s. A trick I started using recently is to square off the leader and start it on the reel BEFORE placing the reel and film canister in the changing bag. I've noticed that I've never ruined the first frame on the roll because a fair amount of leader was already exposed while loading the film into the camera.
REAL STEEL
I always use Safety Scissors cause they won’t poke a hole in the changing bag.
Excellent idea - now it amazes me that I've had this bag for 8 years and I somehow haven't ruined it!
@@TimFitzwater lol. Mine is worn out. When they wear out keep them because you can use the material for the inside of bellows.
@@TimFitzwater another thing I do in my changing bag is take an old spiral notebook cover -the plastic ones, then trim the corners into a oval so nothing is pokey, then put it in the bag and roll the film onto the reel on top of the Plastic that way nothing snags the fabric bag. You can use cardboard but it’s not as slick.
"Did you put the top on? Or did they put the top on?"
I took me a lot of frustration with the plastic Patterson reels before I finally wised up and went to the steel reels. WOW! What a relief! Why do so many recommend the plastic? I don't get it. With the Patterson plastic reels you're constantly battling with memory curl (especially when doing old exposed 120 film).
100% - I think beginners find them easier and then some stick with them. Steel is real. 😎
It's a shame tht plastic reels get the bad rep they seem to have. I've used a few Patterson reels and other products, and I find them nearly always to be unsatisfactory, commonly made as cheaply as possible and barely workable. The big knock on Patteron reels and tanks is that the reels get sticky and hard to load after use, and the tank lids leak and tend to pop off and spill the contents, both of which I can confirm. By comparison, I have about ten 35mm and 120 plastic reels from Unicolor to fit the tanks they used to sell. I use them with color development only. They are used in the most harsh of photochemical environments. They load today as easily as they did more than 35 yrs ago when I bought them. They work so nicely that in the late 1990s when all things darkroom were disappearing, I bought an extra Unicolor tank to store for future use. It's still new in the box.
For some reason I find steel reels are easier than plastic. Probably because the loading mechanism keeps jamming for me.
Same
I have found that the ratcheting mechanism of plastic spirals can sometimes chew off tiny fragments of emulsion which, although they usually flush away, can end up where you don't want them. If you are doing a reversal process that needs the film to be unwound, re-exposed and re-wound, a plastic spiral is impossible to dry quickly enough to re-use.
Yup - plenty of reasons to stick with steel!
You can dry it : after wiping it with a tissue - use (unused) wide paint brush to dry inside the spiral.
@@BarsMonster 1. How is drying going to help? 2. Messing around with paint brushes is somewhat less convenient than just stacking stainless spirals on a radiator, particularly if you have 20 or 30 rolls to process in a day.
Great tutorial! Cleveland Ohio here ... getting back into film!
Awesome - thanks! I was born in Parma Heights. I'll be making more analog videos over the winter(I tend to make cycling videos in the summer).
I used those same in Uni, simple, reliable. I never rewind my film all the way back in so I can even slice off leader right off the cassette then wind on. Always keep a film retriever if you need. I also use edge of cassette to even slice off and. No need to ever open cassette until or if you re-use it. Personally, I wouldn't reuse store cans. I use a safety type film slicer (like a letter opener). If not sure about getting it started.
How would you know when you are near the end of the rewind to stop? I’m fine cracking em open I thinks.
@TimFitzwater on many manual cameras (Nikon Canon for examples) it’s by tactile feel. & sound if quiet environment. modern SLR (or older Pro body) have end of leader led or led + stop feature (Nikon F4 onwards) otherwise, film retriever. Any film kit should have 1.
I have one - in a changing bag I still just crack em open - its easy enough for me.
@@TimFitzwater ja, It’s all about habit. I can’t remember if when I last had to open a can, especially a store non reusable. For my own reloads it’s takes w/ starter leader so I’m simply undoing tape to reattach to bulk feeder, u get way more uses out of these as U don’t wear the seal & few less steps for me. Its all about what feels good for us (:
....I always did the same ...and I worked in a lab back in the day and had all the free cassettes I wanted 😁
Really helpful video. Thanks! Which brand of tank do you use?
Glad it helped! Mine are mostly Nikor. Believe it or not I've never bought one. Two different photographers gave me there collections since they are all digital now.
@@TimFitzwater That’s great. It’s nice that the equipment can be passed on like that.
Yup. I use steel for 35mm and plastic for 120. For some reason, I always fumble getting 120 on a steel reel.
It takes me a number of tries to get 120 on the steel as well. I don't really ever seem to get better at it but I always do get it after some fumbling.
@@TimFitzwater The weird part is that I used steel reels exclusively for both 35mm and 120. I am just getting back into film again (COVID hobby) and found I could no longer load 120 on steel reels reliably! Good thing I did not get rid of the plastic development tank/reel that I bought for my first darkroom class eons ago.
@@JazzMessengerToGo Interesting. Yeah - I only used plastic in school. I even inherited more darkroom supplies when I bought my studio but everything here was steel too.
Steel Reels are great. I only use Hewes Brand reels. Those Kalt brand reels are slightly more difficult to “start”
Just looked those up - they do look a bit easier. I've inherited all of mine so never thought about it(and they are the same as the ones we used in Highschool).
The difference is real, and the reason is that the Hewes reels are made out of thicker gauge wire, which give a better traction holding the film in place during loading. At $45-60 US, Hewes also requires that you sell body parts to buy them. However, they are a once in a lifetime investment, so not bad from that perspective. An often cheaper alternative is the Nikor steel reels from the 1950-70s. These were made much like the Hewes with thick spiral wires. They used to sell for almost nothing on ebay, but they seem to be getting a bit more expensive lately.
funnily enough I find 120 easier to load but it's shorter so maybe that's why? Just did my first two rolls of 35mm since 1988...talk about awakening muscle memory...or not. Thanks for the vid. Apart from light leaks I find the plastic ones prone to chemical leaks. Keep warm👍
The length of either doesn't bother me - it the flimsiness of the 120 - it bends so much trying to make sure it is in the right parts of the reel.
Cool you just got back in to it!
Chemical leaks - didn't think of that!
Cheers!
Thanks for the video! What brand is that developing tank?
I need to check - I have a few though and they are all second hand - one is definitely a Nikkor.
Thanks Tim, very helpful!
Awesome - you're welcome!
Great video and helpful info! Thx
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you!
You’re welcome - I hope it helped!
@@TimFitzwater Helped a ton! Saved one of my rolls film from improper loading.
So good to hear! I was actually just loading a roll of Bergger Pancro tonight and filming it.