35mm Reloadable cassettes. . Metal vrs Plastic

Hello everyone. It has been ages since "rolling my own" but now the desire is back. Could anyone give me some idea how the "plastic" cassettes fare vrs the metal ones? My major concerns are 1. Felt 2. Security of the cap & 3. Long term usage (number of loads until???). Aloha, Bill

Used both. Preferred the metal, though in a particular moment of clumsiness, I dropped one long end down and it popped the cap -- suspect it might have been a bit tired from use. Either will work for a long time. I have a special gadget that easily and harmlessly opens the metal ones in the dark, so that is a factor in my preference. Key point is to store where they won't gather dust and keep them in the cans when loaded -- exposed or unexposed. Inspect, Vacuum the light trap and discard at the first sign of a problem. They're cheap enough even now.

I just bought a set of 5 new plastic ones to augment the ones I have, they seem to work fine for me...I pretty much made the switch to plastic about 5 years ago when my metal ones were becoming less reliable.

I've got 15 Kaiser plastic reloadable cassettes with screw-tops which I've been using for 2 years now without troubles. I've got no experience with metal cassettes, except a cheap push-on caps Soviet one...that one tore up a film once.

Or if you leave some leader remaining when developing film, just save those empty cassettes and reload them. Or if you live near a photo lab get them to save the empty cassettes for you.

Some of the companies cassettes can be reloaded successfully others not or very difficult. Certainly worth a try and keep using what you have that works, but

buying reloadable of either type is preferable in my view.

I don't think I'd bother with re-using commercial cassettes, Bill. I use both metal ones with the clip-on ends, and the Kaiser/Arista screw-on plastic cassettes. I tend to trust the metal ones more than the plastic, but I've never had either pop open, though I suspect the metal ones would have a better chance of surviving being dropped. It pays to keep an eye on the felt, and when it starts to fray, discard the cassette. You can pay a lot of money for Nikon/Pentax reloadables, but I've never really been tempted.

My first roll of 35mm film, I got when I was nine years old, 50 years ago, visiting Seattle. It was bulk loaded by a Seattle photography store, in a reusable cartridge. I saved that one (not for any reason), and when I started bulk loading a year later (after inheriting some bulk film from my grandfather) that was one that I used.

 

I still have that one, and now live in Seattle, but the store isn't there anymore.

 

Otherwise, I have used Kodak Snap-Cap cartridges over the years, but less often plastic ones.

 

I try to keep them clean, but have never tried to check them, or clean them, otherwise.

 

For newer cameras, you want ones with DX coding on them. That usually means metal.

Both plastic and metal cassettes come in good and bad quality. One could buy plastic cassettes from the Californai outfits in lots of 25. The felt is not a problem; it stays well for a long time. The cap thread may become loose after long use, like two years etc. To be on the safe side one could use paper tape on the cap to secure it doubly. Some of the best metal cassettes were made by the Soviets for FED cameras. They did not need even felt lining. They have press button locks after the twist. But they are very expensive. Good luck. SP.

Hello

With the older cameras we are using do I need to worry about the DX coding?

or will any cassettes work

 

Are the Kalt metal cassettes good?

 

Are the plastic ones from Ultrafine ok

Re DX coding. A lot of the better cameras, when DX coding was introduced, provided an override for manually setting the ISO, I remember my Contax RX did. So using coded cassettes basically was irrelevant for me. These days most of my film work is with old Leicas, so it doesn't matter whether the cassettes are coded or not, as there is no metering in the cameras.

I have used the plastic ones from BHPhoto. The cap needs a bit of care when putting it on to make sure it is snug. No experience with the metal kind.

I've used commercial C-41 film cassettes that I collect from a local lab to load film. These

cassettes have the film tongue out that can be taped to film and used with a bulk loader. I reuse them 2-3 times and then throw them away. No scratches or other issues.

Mahalo's (thanks) to all for the input's. In the morning, I shall be on the computer & check out the various offerings. Aloha, Bill

Strangely, one of the nicest reloadable cans I've ever found was on a long-outdated Soviet Tso-100 film. Go figure.

Isn't JDMvW's portrait fantastic. You have to watch that the plastic ones cap twists off dead easy, put me off forever. & you need the proper tool to take the cap of the metal one. Not quite necessary but I was constantly batch processing as an assistant. U.K., suppliers, havn't checked but perhaps Speedgraphic, & Silverprint.

Hello again everyone. Mahalo again. I am taking the "odd duck" way out & have ordered (5) each of the metal and plastic. I will keep track of each & see how they hold up. Ages ago the metal cassettes I was using only gave me trouble with the felt catching junk & scratching the negs. Washing them with dish detergent solved that problem, but they all went up in smoke with the fire in 15.

I think JD's "classy" avatar picture is from his FSU passport when he was running the Fed plant in the Ukraine. Aloha, Bill

Hello Bill

 

Funny, I just did the same and ordered 5 metal and 5 plastic from Freestyle

 

I have the bulk loader on the way and will probably get the Delta 100 roll

I started the same way Don, but just ordered the Bulk Loader and 5 Plastic. I confirm Andrew's warning. I had one twist cap come off when unloading the camera. Extra careful now, but no more problems

Well I received the cartridges and loader and decided to order the Kentmere 100 as it is cheaper than the Delta 100, I figured I better start on a less expensive roll just in case I muck it up, don't want to lose a 70.00 roll of film

I will let you know how it goes.

Don

Hello everyone. Don I think you will find the Kentmere 100 an excellent film. IMHO (& others) this is the same film as my Ultrafine Xtreme 100, and others are reporting that it is appearing as other emulsion. Regardless of name, I find it a bit different than Ilford or Kodak cubic grain emulsions, but fully capable of fine grain & larger than normal (8x10) prints. With 100' in hand, you can "experiment" & zero the film with whatever developer you wish. Here, Obsidian Aqua or PyrocatHD work wonders. Aloha, Bill

I forgot to include this. 50% crop of 35mm Kentmere100 neg. Fed-2 / Jupiter-8, OA & V600. Aloha, Bill

Reloadable 35mm aluminium cassette from the 50s

Edited May 10, 2017 by MTC Photography

Reloadable Leica 35mm brass cassette