Canon A-1 loading film, advance til 0 or 1?

<p>Basic question, but I can't find any answers to this in the manual. When loading film do I advance the film until the count is at 0 or until it's at 1?</p>

<p>If you <strong>carefully</strong> load the film and pull out <strong>just enough leader</strong> to catch on the take-up spool, then you can advance the film to '0' and get an extra shot or two off a roll. You may get another shot at the end of the roll. For a roll of 36 for example, you may get 38 shots off the roll. I have found that the roll length and other factors may give varying results. I have even had film from the same batch not give the same 'extra' number of shots. (This may have to due with the initial loading length, but I am not quite certain.) A little practice of loading and 'practice-shooting' a 'junk' (unusable/unprocessable film roll) will show how this works.<br /> The 'better' developers (not your local big-box CostCompany, etc.) will be cognizant of not cutting off the extra shots when handling your film for processing. BTW - watch out - some of the larger stores will TOSS your negatives and only give you a CD of photo files. I always use better-known, professional processing companies.</p>

<p>A safer practice is to advance to "1" so you don't inadvertantly lose the first shot.</p>

<p>I load the film, advance it to '0' and fire the shutter. Then when I come to take my first proper shot I advance to '1' and shoot.</p>

<p>I never had a problem getting proper exposure at the "0" frame and the "25" frame (on a 24-shot roll) but it sometimes became/becomes a hassle if you want to order reprints and there is no box for "the shot before frame 1" and "the shot after frame 24" since the frames before #1 and after #24 usually don't have a frame number on the negatives for the developer tech to refer to.</p>

<p>But if I were doing my own developing, then I would use frame "0", "25", and maybe even frame "00".</p>

<p>I usually do it by number of shots, not the dial. Assuming the seal works, and the distance to the seal is less than a frame, two shots are pretty much guaranteed not to work. Then take the next shot of something I won't be too sad to miss, but know that it might work. </p>

<p>Film I remember has a frame number "0" printed, and usually that is the first one that works.</p>

<p>My Canon A1 instruction book tells me on page 26 to wind on to position '0'. I've always done that and never had any problems with fogged frames.</p>

<p>The manual I have states:<br>

"Switch the AE mode selector to Tv and turn the AT dial to a fast shutter speed. Now make two blank shots, turning the film advance lever and releasing the shutter, so that the frame counter advances from "S" to "0"."<br>

How to interpret this is another story.<br>

As the others before, if its loaded carefully I do often manage to get a 37th shot. I do shoot the "0" but I am aware that the shot might not be good so if its an important picture I will re-shoot it. Better safe than sorry.</p>

I advance to 1 or even 2 if I bulk loaded the roll. 0 is probably fine for factory loaded rolls, but

I like to go until I see the spindle on the film move a significant distance which might be 1 or

2. I like the extra assurance that I've loaded correctly and the film is advancing.

<p>Or, you can roll your own film and get about 45 shots :)</p>