Film holder or film problem?

[md-photo]

Ran into a new challenge the last few days. I am working with Fuji Pro 160NS and mostly Toyo View holders (4X5).

I load the film carefully in the dark bag at home, go outside (not a huge temperature difference at the moment, maybe 5 deg F warmer in the sun), take the exposure, and then when I try to push in the dark slide it runs into the edge of the film. Ruined several sheets :( before I started not pulling the dark slide out completely during the exposure. I may have slightly cropped one edge of the exposures I salvaged, but that's better than the sheet coming out the wrong side of the dark slide.

This has happened in 4 different holders. Never happened before with other kinds of film I have used - I have been playing around with LF since last fall. The Fuji 160 is expired 2017 which doesn't sound too far out of date.

Is the film curling soon as I pull the dark slide out for the exposure? Or is it that the gap between the slide and the holder expands when in the sun, allowing the film sheet space to shift? I tried with one of the ruined sheets back at home and the process seemed fine, the slide goes right back in without bumping into the sheet. :confused:

Any advice is welcome. I don't fancy wasting more 4X5 film.

[Tin Can]

When I have had that problem I was loading the film on only one side and the other side was not in the slot.

One time the film disappeared into the bellows. Pushed out by the DS returning home.

Now I am more careful.

[md-photo]

Maybe I need to get back to practicing more with exposed film. Thanks

[Bob Salomon]

Sounds like you need to practice putting the film in the holders.

[Larry Gebhardt]

Maybe I need to get back to practicing more with exposed film. Thanks

Yep, take some of the wasted film and practice loading with your eyes closed, but check through the process. I'm sure you are not getting the film under one or two of the rails. After the sheet is loaded I double check it by running my finger down from the flap on both sides until I can feel the top of the slot. If you can't feel it you did it wrong.

[Bob Salomon]

If it is a film problem there would be thousands of people complaining.
If it is a holder problem there would be hundreds of users complaining.

Otherwise it is a loading problem. Practice first in the light with a couple of sheets then in the dark.

[Fred L]

been there, done that, got the t-shirt ;)

when I load film, I sometimes pull up the trailing edge to see if it's engaged under the rails. every now and then, it pops up = it wasn't seated properly.

[jim_jm]

When I have had that problem I was loading the film on only one side and the other side was not in the slot.

One time the film disappeared into the bellows. Pushed out by the DS returning home.

Now I am more careful.

Had the exact same thing happen to me last month for the first time in over 10 years of shooting LF. Guess I just got sloppy during a film loading "marathon" before a photo trip to the desert.
Dark slide wouldn't go back in after the exposure, and when I forced it, the film popped out of the holder and into the bellows.

[diversey]

Every time I slightly bend film upward on the edge after loading film and make sure the film is underneath the rails.

[Tin Can]

Agree and always do this.

Music a must as the roar of Tinnitus can stop concentration.

I often forget if I already loaded both sides and have to check...

In the dark we think about a lot of things beyond task at hand.

Yet, I find all Darkroom activities calming.

Meditative if alone.


Every time I slightly bend film upward on the edge after loading film and make sure the film is underneath the rails.

[md-photo]

Thanks all! Back to the basics and maybe in my less than a year of LF I have picked up some dodgy techniques in loading. Will practice well before the next set of exposures.

[Doremus Scudder]

When loading, I always make sure the notch is positioned at the flap side of the holder, on the bottom left. I check this with a finger when loading and then gently pull up on both bottom corners of the film to make sure the film is under the rails. I started doing this after I, like Randy, ejected a sheet or two into the bellows when inserting the dark slide, an obvious indication of misloading.

Best,

Doremus