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Fun with Medium Format FILM Images!

dave.gt

dave.gt

Well-known member
MartinN said:
Film IS magic ! And getting things done by yourself is really an achivement, other than popping a memorycard. I am lucky to have bought film in the early 2000 and also a photoclubs stock, when they decided to go all digital :cool:. But I always get the question 'have you gone digital yet' in my nature photography club .....
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It’s all personal… and applicable to whatever needs and circumstances are there. :)

The cool thing about photography (and any art actually) is the photographer and how one can shoot and choose to create a body of work with an individual style. Any painter in any medium is a great example.:)

We are fortunate to have so many choices these days. Now there is a sense of urgency to enjoy film and even new gear like the new Leica M6 which I can never afford. But I am delighted to use my Nikon film cameras as I have done for decades. In the end, it is, after all, the photographer, right?:):):)

Next week I shall resume shooting my old 1949 Ciroflex-Flex TLR…. Just because I have some nice fresh 120 film. LOL…
 
P

Pieter 12

Well-known member
P. Chong said:
I loaded the Santa on dry reels. It’s so thin it tends to bunch up and get stuck going into the wrong grooves of the reel. For 4x5 I ordered some Stearman SP-445 tanks. See how that goes. I will be attempting to do E6 and C41. Wish me luck.
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I don't know if this was your problem with Santa film (I have never heard of it, much less used it), but Patterson reels have ball bearings that are engaged when you first start loading the film on the reel, designed to help advance the film. Those bearings will often get stuck and make the reels very difficult to load. I always take a paper clip or other small, pointy tool and nudge the ball bearings to make sure they move in the groove before loading film.
 
P. Chong

P. Chong

Well-known member
same reels have no problems with HP5 and Acros.

Pieter 12 said:
I don't know if this was your problem with Santa film (I have never heard of it, much less used it), but Patterson reels have ball bearings that are engaged when you first start loading the film on the reel, designed to help advance the film. Those bearings will often get stuck and make the reels very difficult to load. I always take a paper clip or other small, pointy tool and nudge the ball bearings to make sure they move in the groove before loading film.
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D

docholliday

Well-known member
Pieter 12 said:
I don't know if this was your problem with Santa film (I have never heard of it, much less used it), but Patterson reels have ball bearings that are engaged when you first start loading the film on the reel, designed to help advance the film. Those bearings will often get stuck and make the reels very difficult to load. I always take a paper clip or other small, pointy tool and nudge the ball bearings to make sure they move in the groove before loading film.
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I've used Patterson reels forever and the only time I've ever seen an issue with the balls is if the reel was used in Photoflo, which leaves a film on them and makes them 'sticky', or if they were used for C-41 and the blix wasn't cleaned out thoroughly. The trick is to clean the reel in distilled water in an ultrasonic after usage. Never had one stick no matter how thin the base was, how curly the film was, or how nasty the emulsion is (like removing the anti-stat layer from motion picture film shorts). Actually, the same goes for any plastic reel, even the Jobo ones. If they aren't cleaned well, they get sticky and all kinds of weirdness happens when loading.

The other thing about plastic reels is that they need to be periodically replaced. The plastic can become porous and hard to clean. One way to tell is that "dirty" reels have more friction and seem to "scrape" when turning them back and forth. Stainless reels have their quirks too, but keeping them clean isn't one of the problems. Some people think that the reels are clean enough after washing the film in them (especially if you use the pressurized Patterson method), but I've found residue afterwards and once you've Photoflo'd in the tank, it's a whole new issue. I have a large Bransonic that would hold a half dozen reels at a time with 1/2 gal of distilled. Dried the reels afterwards inside a Durst print dryer or hanging on a labware drying rack. Don't use any soaps - especially not dishwashing liquid!
 
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P. Chong

P. Chong

Well-known member
The film does not get stuck at the ball bearings...it goes in, and crumples and is a mess around as it progresses into the grooves. I have also processed tons of rolls with the reels, and zero issues. Including a roll of HP5 after the Santa. I strike this one up as a Santa problem.


docholliday said:
I've used Patterson reels forever and the only time I've ever seen an issue with the balls is if the reel was used in Photoflo, which leaves a film on them and makes them 'sticky', or if they were used for C-41 and the blix wasn't cleaned out thoroughly. The trick is to clean the reel in distilled water in an ultrasonic after usage. Never had one stick no matter how thin the base was, how curly the film was, or how nasty the emulsion is (like removing the anti-stat layer from motion picture film shorts). Actually, the same goes for any plastic reel, even the Jobo ones. If they aren't cleaned well, they get sticky and all kinds of weirdness happens when loading.

The other thing about plastic reels is that they need to be periodically replaced. The plastic can become porous and hard to clean. One way to tell is that "dirty" reels have more friction and seem to "scrape" when turning them back and forth. Stainless reels have their quirks too, but keeping them clean isn't one of the problems. Some people think that the reels are clean enough after washing the film in them (especially if you use the pressurized Patterson method), but I've found residue afterwards and once you've Photoflo'd in the tank, it's a whole new issue. I have a large Bransonic that would hold a half dozen reels at a time with 1/2 gal of distilled. Dried the reels afterwards inside a Durst print dryer or hanging on a labware drying rack. Don't use any soaps - especially not dishwashing liquid!
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gurtch

Well-known member
Nice to see you post again with a scanned film image. I recently got my Nikon Coolscan 8000 up and running after a CLA and repair, and new FireWire board in my PC. I also ordered the magnificent 3D printed modular film trays from a countryman of yours. Patiently waiting for the tray delivery to the USA. The scanner will be used to print my old negatives, as well as my father's.
Best regards
Dave
 
M

MartinN

Well-known member
jotloob said:
I admire all the guys , who still do some "filmwork" .
I have given up all my darkroom equipment and decided to never return to film again . It's so much more comfortable for me to work digital .
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You know the saying about sailing, like standing in an icecold shower and tearing 100 bills. Not SO different from film photography 🤣 (To be specific, the feeling when you discover the results of your work)
 
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Vinyl_TO

Active member
I recently found a photographer, Nick Carver, on YouTube. He shoots panorama medium format film at 6x17 and produces some great images. I thought I'd mention it here since this thread is about film photography. (I have no connection to Nick Carver at all - I just like his videos and tutorials. His metering tips have helped me greatly in the last few years in using my 501cm). Nick Carver Photography Site
 
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