How to remember what film is in camera

<p>I'm somewhat new to film photography (aside from point-and-shoot stuff prior to digital) and have fouled up a couple rolls of film with my Mamiya C33 because I forgot what type of film was loaded. I'll occasionally meter for the wrong ISO, and half the photos from one roll had a nice yellow tint because of shooting color film with a yellow filter installed (I thought the camera had b&w in).<br>

I've got a Pentax KX that has a memo holder on the back to put the top of the film box in as a reminder, but my Mamiya doesn't have a holder. I'm looking for ideas on how to keep from making this mistake. Thank you.</p>

<p>Use tape to fasten the film label to the camera.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Write the ISO on a short piece of masking tape. Either stick it on the camera or double it around the strap.</p>

<p>Try blue masking tape. It lasts for years without becoming brittle or leaving a gummy residue. Scotch #2090 safe-release holds securely and peels off cleanly, even years later. It's a great all purpose tape and handy for taping up makeshift reflectors for posterboard or foamcore, and all kinds of photo chores.</p>

<p>Scotch #2070 safe-release and Duck brand 14-day release don't hold securely enough for this purpose - these are strictly for paint masking. The tack is about like a Post-It Note and they'll barely even hold to some wall surfaces.</p>

<p>I usually use sunny 16 in my M64j or Yashica-D, both without meters. I usually shoot with the shutter at box speed. It's easy to keep track of.</p>

<p>I use the same film for everything. That could work too.</p>

<p>Your C33 has a dial indicator for this purpose. Look at the lock-unlock knob on the left-hand side. Around it is an E.I. indicator which goes from 10 to 1000. (Of course the little dial doesn't do anything except point, and it's not coupled to a meter.)</p>

<p>That won't tell you if you have B & W or color in the camera, but you should be able to remember. If it were me, it would be enough information. If it's 160 or 400, it's Portra. If it's 250, it's XP2 or HP5.</p>

I appreciate the responses. The dial

indicator is fairly easy to turn,

unfortunately, so it tends to get moved

when handling the camera or

transferring it in and out of the bag.

Writing the film type on a piece of tape

should've been a no-brainer. I'm

embarrassed I didn't think of it.

Thanks.

<p>I sometimes write the film identification with a number 1 pencil (soft) on the chrome part of the camera. It comes off when I lick my finger and rub over the pencil. Or I cut off the non-sticky part of a sticky notes, stick the sticky part on the camera, and write on that.</p>

<p>Isn't there a small doofer on the back of the camera into which you slide the top of the film packet after ripping it off?</p>

 

<p>Is there a strobe mount you can use to slide the top of the film box into? Of course that only works if you're not using a strobe.</p>

<p>>>Isn't there a small doofer</p>

<p>No such doofer on a C33, but there is on a C330.</p>

<p>>>Is there a strobe mount</p>

<p>Yes, cold shoe on the left side.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>masking or blue masking, write film type and ISO, or tape the film package whatever, just something that's won't leave glue on your camera and gives you a way to see what you have in there. People have been having this problem for years..quite common.</p>

<p>Someone once gave me the suggestion to use different colored rubber bands as a code for the film type in the camera; the idea being to simply to stretch the appropriate colored band around the camera when loading the film, wherever it might be convenient. That was actually for a different camera (Pentax 6x7) but you might be able to make it work for your Mamiya also.</p>

<p>Hama used to have a "memory holder" available, into which you slide the end of the film box. I bought one years ago and it served me well and continues to do so. I don't think it would be so easy to find one for sale anymore, but you might get lucky with a camera store somewhere having some "new old stock" of them. (Additionally, they're really sized for the end of a 135 film box.)<br>

<a href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/89939-REG/Hama_HA_5090_35mm_Memory_Holder.html">

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/89939-REG/Hama_HA_5090_35mm_Memory_Holder.html</a><br>

<a href="http://img.dooyoo.de/DE_DE/175/Fotografie/foto-zubehoer/hama-memory-holder.jpg">

http://img.dooyoo.de/DE_DE/175/Fotografie/foto-zubehoer/hama-memory-holder.jpg</a></p>

<p>Forgetting what kind of film is in the camera begs the question of how long the roll has been in the camera. I would recommend finishing the roll while you can still remember what it is. The sooner you develop the film, the sooner you get the satisfaction of seeing your pictures, the sooner you can learn what you've done right and wrong, the less chance there is of mishaps like opening a camera you thought was empty, etc. And while there are many stores of a roll being developed decades later, the sooner you process the better.</p>

<p>I use this free service and LOVE it!<br>

<a href="https://filmtrackr.com/">https://filmtrackr.com/</a></p>

 

<p>Craig, I agree with you, and would say that is good advice in general. However, in addition to periods of non-use or failure to get a finished roll immediately processed, there are other situations that can lead to confusion about which film is loaded. In my case, it has occurred on photo trips where I purposely brought multiple bodies, each loaded with a different film, so as to be prepared with options as situations were encountered. For example, trips where I was shooting both slides and B&W, different speed films for different lighting conditions, when comparison testing the different Velvias, etc.<br>

(And yes, removable backs sure would be nice! But alas, that is one downside to the Pentax 6x7 system)</p>

<p>From when I first knew my wife, who had a silver FM from before we met, and I had a black FM. For many years, color negative film in hers, and slide film in mine.<br>

As for the memory dials, the old Leica systems was red numbers for color, black for black and white. Doesn't say negative or reversal, though.<br>

Sometimes I keep the empty box in the same camera bag, but that doesn't always work.</p>

<p>Hi: a number of Yashica RF's came with a little pouch on the back , which allowed one to place the film box cover in the pouch. It is difficult to forget the film type being used. I have tried to find such stick on pouches on eBay or store websites, but haven't yet.<br>

Any suggestions? bob.c</p>

<p> </p>