Extracting film from canister...

Hi,

 

I ran several searches and didn't find any relevant threads, but I apologize

if this has been discussed in the past and I was simply toinept to find it:)

 

Here is my querry:

 

A friend of mine quite often rewinds mid roll in his Canon EOS cameras, using

the special function that leaves out the leader, and goes back to the same

film later (marking number of frames and leaving some safety frames). Well,

one day his computerized, mechanized wonder ended up in the wrong special

function and rewound the film ALL THE WAY (and it was a totally untouched roll

of film to boot). He gave the results of this menu-driven mishap to me,

hoping that I can find a way to get the film out and use it.

 

Well, I can't. Can anyone help me? Is there a simple method, a trick perhaps?

Any help is greatly appreciated, as I am sure both him and myself will do this

again at some point. Thanks in advance, and feel free to have a hearty laugh

at our expense, God knows we already have:)

Is it 35mm film? If so, you have to take the cannister apart in total darkness to get the film out. Once pried open, I would not use the cannister again for fear of not getting the light sealed out properly. Check out bulk loading information to find out how to buy and load a new cannister with the old film. Be careful not to scratch the film or touch it with your bare fingers to prevent oily smudges. Make sure not to wind it backward on a new spool.

 

Best bet is to simply throw the film away & chalk one up to experience. Simply a lesson to be more careful next time.

 

Albert

Photo processors have a special hook to retrieve the film form the cannister ... it's almost impossible to open the it without damaging the ring that keeps the cannister closed ...

Put two sided tape on a flexible strip of plastic and insert into the canister till you think you might have a hold on the film. Then pull out. There are $10 gizmoes that you can buy but you can make it yourself.

Hama makes a gizmo for just this problem.

 

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/

homeO=Search&A=details&Q=&sku=89999&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

 

If that link doesn't work, just go to B&H website and search for: Hama 35mm

Similar to Gregory's suggestion:

(1) Cut a 3 -4 inch length of "Dymo" stiff plastic labeling tape (the sort that is embossed with white letters), and peel back the backing ONLY for about 1/2 inch - so that only 1/2 inch is sticky - the rest still has the smooth backing)

(2) Insert the tape into the slot of the film canister - sticky side down so that it is next to the film. Wiggle it in so that all the sticky part is inside the canister, but most of the tape is left out side.

(3) Turn the film spool so that the film rotates away from the canister slot, and you feel that it "grabs" the sticky tape, starting to pull it in to the slot.

(4) Gently pull the tape back out of the slot. Nine times out of ten, it will pull the film leader back out with it, stuck to the end of the Dymo tape.

It is actually easier to do than to describe in words!

 

Mike

Sticking a piece of double sided sticky tape to <i>another</i> film leader (or useless negative) and probing this leader into the re-wound cassette can work after some trial and error. This method worked for me in a public situation once. (My son rewound the leaders of all ny new rolls.) It required several tries on each roll.

What worked for me was inserting the sticky side facing up a small ways and then reverse winding the roll by hand in the hope the new film leader wound go over the sticky surface and stick well enough to pull out.

If you go on EBay and do a search for "film picker" you will find several models for $2 or so. A little tricky to use but have patience.

Worth having around if you are a klutz like me.

35mm leader retrievers are pretty common and work great. They look like two slightly bent stainless steel strips. You stick in the lip of the bent steel edge, roll the film forward till it gets caught between the two strips and pull out sharply and the leader comes right out.

 

You should be able to find this at a large photo store if there are any of those left in America. Barring that B&H Photo has a couple. Try <http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home;jsessionid=FVvTn4xsWc!219056255!1167404878101?ci=1&sb=ps&pn=1&sq=desc&InitialSearch=yes&O=RootPage.jsp&A=search&Q=*&bhs=t&shs=leader+retriever&image.x=0&image.y=0>

 

or just search for leader retriever on their site.

 

If all else fails, get a changing bag (black double wrapped cloth with two zippers that you can use to achieve total darkness in a light room) pry the side off the roll of film with a bottle opener, and use a reusable cartridge (sold for people like me who buy bulk 50' rolls of film and roll our own cartriges). Roll your film on and close the cartridge and you're ready to load into the camera. But watch out because the camera can no longer detect the ISO.

Peter,

 

Several people have already mentioned the little gizzmos used to pull the film leader out of the can. They are made of two pieces of bent metal. I bought one at a local photo store and it works pretty well most of the time, but if you don't want to spend the money to buy the film puller then why not go down to the local drug store, you know, the one with the one hour photo lab? They will have a machine for pulling the leader out of the can. Ask them if they will do it for you as a favor.

 

Alan

Wow! A cornucopia of information! Thank you all so much, I really appreciate your help! I'll check in to let you know how it went! Thanks again.

cheapest way"

take a piece of scrap 35mm film.

cujt the perforsations on the bottom edge diaganolly

( same side as the tongue of the film)

cut 5-6 perforations and bend out the triange like sharks teeth.

insert in the caretridge and follow the othert instructions to grab the tonge or the unexposed film and pull it out,

this has so much pull , that if you are not careful, you can tear the film.

---------------------------------------------------------

================================================================================

Note 28.1 -< Lost Film Leader Retriever - Making Improvised One >-

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Making a film retriever to use when you need to retrieve film

that you have rewound completely back into its casette

 

Basically the concept is that you cut the sprocket hole areas in such a manner that you generate a "sharkskin"-like edke to the film. The idea is that these "barbs" slide easily into the casette but which engage in the sprocket holes of the film inside the casette when pulled out. Below is a basic illustration:

 

_____________________________________________________________________________

| __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| |__| |_ | |__| |__| |__| |__| |__| |__| |__| |__| |__|

|

|

|

|

| this is a piece of regular scrap film!

|

|

|

|

| __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| |__| |_ | |__| |__| |__| |__| |__| |__| |__| |__| |__|

|_____________________________________________________________________________

 

this is what you make out of the film above!

 

_____________________________________________________________________________

/ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

| | \. | | | \. | | | \. | | | \. | | | \. | | | |

| |_____\|__| |_____\|__| |_____\|__| |_____\|__| |_____\|__| |__|

|

| ^

| |

| bend "barbs" _down_ towards emulsion side insert notice then they will slide into casette

| <--- this end into casette easily but on way back will catch sprocket

| first holes

| |

| V

| _________ _________ _________ _________ ______ __ __

| | ./| | | ./| | | ./| | | ./| | | ./| | | |

| |__ / |_ | |__ / |__| |__ / |__| |__ / |__| |__ / |__| |__|

\_____________________________________________________________________________

 

You can usually just use one piece of this sharksin film and stick it as much

as will go into the casette. Then wind the core until you feel resistance.

Then pull it out and the film may come out with it.

 

Or, use two pieces of film, one plain with no sharskin pattern cut into it and

the other which is modified as shown above. Insert a length of plain film as

far as it will go into the casette ( usually it will only make one turn inside

the casetten and get stopped by the felt. Then insert the modified film "under"

the plain one and proceed as above. The function of the _plain_ piece is to

smooth out the inside of the casette so the leader will not have a chance to

get caught on the felt light trap's edge.

 

I hope this works for you!

 

andy, andpph@rit.edu

===================================

btw the ascii text was distorted and did not give a clear idea

 

http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/pf-faq.html

 

try here it is faq 28.01

Cut a 1 inch wide piece of index card and attach some double-sided tape to the end of it. Stick it into the cassette and attempt to retrieve the leader. Repeat as necessary.

 

TH

Well... I am a clutz. I tried all the methods, but I think they are best left for those whith more dexterity :)

I took the film into the darkroom, delicately, carefully popped off the end cap off the canister, pulled the filmout just enough to run into the canister mouth, then pressed the cap back on. Except I didn't press it on thoroughly enough, and a little 1mm space was apparent when I looked at it in the light... It was so small, and right around where the felt is that I think it may still be alright... But I think I will not use this film for anything I care about too much. In the end, I will know how to do it next time:) Thanks for all your help and Happy New Year!

Take an eight-inch long piece of processed film. Taper the last four inches down to a round point about the same radius as a nickel. Lick the emulsion side of the film and wait a few seconds. Lick it again. Insert the film through the lips on the cartridge, emulsion side toward the core, and slide it in about three inches. Turn the core as if you were winding the film back in to the can until it actually pulls your scrap film further inside at least an inch. Wait for ten seconds. Pull the scrap film out, and the real film will follow.

 

You may need to practice a few times.

 

I do have a real tongue extractor that uses tape that's almost as thick and stiff as Dymo label tape, but the swollen emulsion on scrap film actually works better. Fortunately, both my F3 and my film recorders leave the tongue out so I don't have to do this often, but it never takes more than two or three tries to get it.

 

Van