Film orientation in the box...

[Phil M]

OK it seems like a silly question but new to LF and am loading film holders for the first time, working in total darkness...etc, you all no the drill. So how is the film oriented in the box emulsion side up or down?

Thanks.

[Nick_3536]

Go by the notches. Who knows how you'll put the unused film back in the box. If you let the notches guide you never a problem.

[Capocheny]

And, once they're exposed and you're putting them back in the boxes... it doesn't matter which direction you place them.

If you take the films to a lab... let them worry about it.

If you're processing them... just feel for the notches and lay them back in the box in a uniform manner.

But, I agree with Nick... let the notches be your guide and you won't have any problems.

Cheers

[Janko Belaj]

take film holder in your left hand with opening away from you, take film in your right hand with pointing finger (sorry on my clumsy enlgish :)) on notch code (so the notch code will be "top-right") and you will have emulsion side of film facing you... be carefull with sliding film in holder taking care not to slide it in the darkslide rails. and have a good light! :)

[steve simmons]

Since you are new to larg forat may suggest some reading

Using the View Camera that I wrote

User's Guide to the View Camera by Jim Stne

Large Format nature Photography by Jack Dykinga.

Check your local library.

There are also several artiles in the Free Artices section of te View Camera web site that will be helpful toyou.

www.viewcamera.com


steve simons

[SAShruby]

I read the responses but all of the are complicated explanations. Simply, if you feel notches closest to the top right corner, the film emulion is facing you (is on the top).

After, just find the most comfortable way to load the film.

[keithwms]

Yep, it's a very common problem when you first start out!

Follow the advice given above ^ and let me also suggest that you sacrifice one sheet of film and do it the first time with lights on. Then you will see very clearly what you need to do.

[Michael Mutmansky]

SAShruby,

That is not fully correct. Think about if for a while, and you will realize that there are two top right orientations, and only one is correct.

You have to be precise in the language...

The notches must be on the top edge, and on the right side to have the emulsion up.

To merely say top right position can be intrepreted incorrectly by a beginner.


---Michael

[j.e.simmons]

To answer your exact question - how is film oriented in the box - in more than 20-years of opening large format film boxes, I've never figured out the answer to that qquestion. I don't think it's consistent. As others have said, just feel for the notches.
juan

[Jimi]

This is the guide I used, and it got me started seven years ago:

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/loading.html

[Ole Tjugen]

The only thing in LF I'm absolutely certain of, is that the film is always the wrong way in the box. Every time I open a new pack I tear open the inner foil packet, to find I've opened the end without notches. So I pull out the whole stack, turn it around, and stuff it back in. And then I find the notches in the left corner, so I flip the pack over to be able to slide the films straight out of the pack and into the holders.

This works every time, even when I turn the pack around before opening it.

[Bobf]

I don't believe no one mentioned Paul Butzi's site yet: http://www.butzi.net/articles/filmload.htm

Cheers, Bob.

[mark anderson]

"That is not fully correct. Think about if for a while, and you will realize that there are two top right orientations, and only one is correct"

there is only one way to get it to the top right, you can get it to the top of the right side, but that will be emultion down

knoches along the top edge, on the right hand side, and you will be good to go

[SAShruby]

I read the responses but all of the are complicated explanations. Simply, if you feel notches closest to the top right corner, the film emulion is facing you (is on the top).

After, just find the most comfortable way to load the film.


That bracketed comment was reffering to notches being on the top not on the side.
In that case my sentence is correct and true.

[John Kasaian]

The notches can either be near the right corner of the top edge, or near the left corner of the lower edge in order for the emusion side to be "up." As to how the film is oriented in the box, it doesn't matter. As others have said, find the notches and put the stack of film back in the box to suit yourself. With some brands of film you can even feel the notch through the inner plastic envelope.

[GPS]

I read the responses but all of the are complicated explanations. Simply, if you feel notches closest to the top right corner, the film emulion is facing you (is on the top).

After, just find the most comfortable way to load the film.


That bracketed comment was reffering to notches being on the top not on the side.
In that case my sentence is correct and true.

Think about it for a while and you will realize that even this second explanation is not correct...

[Andrew O'Neill]

Every box that I ever opened had the film emulsion side up. Like many people said, feel for the notches. If you orient the film so that the notches are in the top, right corner, then you will have the emulsion facing you.
I tested a few sheets of Rollei IR the other day and found that some of the sheets' notches were barely even there. I think the sheets must have moved out from the stack as they got notched...? Now that was a harrowing experience!! That's never happened to me before!