Youtube it; there are some really helpful videos there on many things LF!
Youtube it; there are some really helpful videos there on many things LF!
Lachlan.
You miss 100% of the shots you never take. -- Wayne Gretzky
And #5, 7 and 8Originally Posted by Gem Singer
Yes, very informative thread, Thanks!
As I mentioned, often the sheet of film ends up inside the bellows (and one can have difficulties getting the darkslide back in). Do you have any holders yet? Take one sheet out of the box to practice with, unless you have someone nearby to borrow a sheet from (reject negative, expired film, etc.) I'd offer to mail you a sheet, but the cost of postage and the envelope is about the same as a sheet of 4x5 B&W. However, if you are going to use color, and have no one to borrow a practice sheet with, PM your address and I'll try to get a sheet of film to you ASAP.
Vaughn
Definitely a misload. The last time I had this happen, it happened to three shots in a row in Valley of the Gods in Utah. The clouds were moving, the light was changing and I was cursing... I'd loaded quickly in a hotel bathroom the night before, and wasn't careful enough.
Since then, I've adopted the following loading scheme that helps me prevent misloads (haven't had one since).
1. The darkslide gets pulled 60-70% out. If you open it too little, it's too easy to mistake the resistance from the darkslide for the film being properly loaded in the slots.
2. Code notches are oriented so they end up at the bottom left of the holder. This also keeps the notches from impinging on the image area if the film slides down in the holder, which it does in some of my older holders.
3. When loading, I place the source stack face-down to keep dust from settling on the emulsion side. I pull the darkslide, take a sheet from the stack, tap its edge lightly on the counter top to dislodge any dust and then load it into the holder.
4. To check the load, I gently lift the bottom of the film sheet with a fingernail starting at the far side till I can feel that it is, indeed, under the guides. I then slide my finger to the other side, lifting lightly to check the near side. In the process I feel the code notch to make sure it is in the right position.
This has taken care of my occasional misloads.
If you are not used to handling film, do sacrifice a sheet (you may still have the ones that misloaded) and practice in the light and then with your eyes closed till you are confident. It's really easy once you get the hang of it.
Hope this helps.
Doremus
I agree---I never withdraw the darkslide all the way out of the holder.Definitely a misload. The last time I had this happen, it happened to three shots in a row in Valley of the Gods in Utah. The clouds were moving, the light was changing and I was cursing... I'd loaded quickly in a hotel bathroom the night before, and wasn't careful enough.
Since then, I've adopted the following loading scheme that helps me prevent misloads (haven't had one since).
1. The darkslide gets pulled 60-70% out. If you open it too little, it's too easy to mistake the resistance from the darkslide for the film being properly loaded in the slots.
2. Code notches are oriented so they end up at the bottom left of the holder. This also keeps the notches from impinging on the image area if the film slides down in the holder, which it does in some of my older holders.
3. When loading, I place the source stack face-down to keep dust from settling on the emulsion side. I pull the darkslide, take a sheet from the stack, tap its edge lightly on the counter top to dislodge any dust and then load it into the holder.
4. To check the load, I gently lift the bottom of the film sheet with a fingernail starting at the far side till I can feel that it is, indeed, under the guides. I then slide my finger to the other side, lifting lightly to check the near side. In the process I feel the code notch to make sure it is in the right position.
This has taken care of my occasional misloads.
If you are not used to handling film, do sacrifice a sheet (you may still have the ones that misloaded
Hope this helps.
Doremus
"I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority"---EB White
I draw the darkslide about 1/3 of the way out. Plenty far enough to check the end of the rails to make sure the film is loaded properly -- and reduces the opportunity for dust (and beard hairs!) to fall onto the film before the darkslide is slid back shut.
Our students tend to freak out a little about the idea of loading film holders -- but I just tell them that compared to the loading of 35mm film on metal reels (which they should have "mastered" by this time) loading 4x5 film is a breeze!
I’ve always thought we needed a poll asking which way you orient the holder when you load film. For example – vertical w/ opening side “up,” vertical w/ opening side “down,” horizontal w/ … well, you get my meaning. Depending on one’s method, it puts the notches of correctly loaded film in different places. Most of us, of course, know what Doremus means when he says “notches at bottom left.” But here’s an image to help!
I generally load mine with the opening flaps facing up.... 180 degree rotation of the image.
So the notches are upper right for me.
Same here -- and the film enters at about a 45 degree angle to the film plane with a slight pressure downwards to insure that the film slides under the rails.
Same technique for 4x5 up to 11x14.
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