Film cassettes for bulk loading - any recommendations?

I've been bulk-loading film for several years without any problems. Suddenly, this year, I am finding negatives regularly being ruined, presumably by loose threads from the light seals in the film cassette. I've attached an example below.

 

I've been using Kaiser film cassettes. I contacted Kaiser and received no reply.

 

Am I correct in assuming that the cassette light-seal is at fault? Is this a common problem? Does anyone reading this who bulk-loads film know of a reliable brand of cassette?

 

I'm based in the UK.

 

Thank you in advance.

 

 

Use the hoover (vacuum cleaner) on the light trap before loading. Removes dust, grit, and stray threads. Store loaded unexposed and exposed in the proper canisters.

I would have said "Electrolux", but ...

 

It may just be time to buy some new reloadable cassettes - they are not expensive, and "several years" can be a long time in my case at least.

I own and use vintage Ilford reloadables, unbranded metal reloadables, Leica IXMOOs and FILCAs as well as Nikon cassettes for Nikon F and F2, and some FSU reloadables I got from Ukraine before the war.

I actually find reusing regular commercial cassettes the easiest. Get a bag from your local lab (if you have one). There need to be a little film snip left out of the cassette, and you just tape it to film in the loader.

Never a need to open the cassette, indefinitely reusable, free - and no scratches in my experience.

I would have said "Electrolux", but ...

 

It may just be time to buy some new reloadable cassettes - they are not expensive, and "several years" can be a long time in my case at least.

UK speak, if I recall correctly!

UK speak, if I recall correctly!

 

Actually the Electrolux is a Swedish hi-tech product, and it sells well in Swedish-settled areas like central Kansas, western Illinois, and Minnesota.

Edited March 30, 2022 by JDMvW

From what i can say from my experience trying to get reloadable cassettes is that the current market stuff is well plastic crap,, if it lasts for 2 reloads your doing good.

 

SO i stockpiled all the vintage ones i can find.

 

There is a mythical company called Fomapan that is somehow getting reloadable film cassettes to sell on their website.. They only sell the cassettes to europe and scandinavia.

They are supposed to be the original 1970s kodak/ilford pop-top style.

I would have said "Electrolux", but ...

 

It may just be time to buy some new reloadable cassettes - they are not expensive, and "several years" can be a long time in my case at least.

I say hoover, or Henry.

Use the hoover (vacuum cleaner) on the light trap before loading. Removes dust, grit, and stray threads. Store loaded unexposed and exposed in the proper canisters.

Sage advice, thank you.

I own and use vintage Ilford reloadables, unbranded metal reloadables, Leica IXMOOs and FILCAs as well as Nikon cassettes for Nikon F and F2, and some FSU reloadables I got from Ukraine before the war.

I actually find reusing regular commercial cassettes the easiest. Get a bag from your local lab (if you have one). There need to be a little film snip left out of the cassette, and you just tape it to film in the loader.

Never a need to open the cassette, indefinitely reusable, free - and no scratches in my experience.

So, Niels, if I understand correctly, I could buy a single roll of film and, when exposed, instead of prising the cassette open, pull the film out and load it straight on to a developing reel. When I reach the end, I would cut the film, leaving a little bit protruding onto which I would tape my bulk film. In this way, I could continue using the cassette indefinitely.

 

In your experience, do these regular cassettes moult less than the reusable ones?

So, Niels, if I understand correctly, I could buy a single roll of film and, when exposed, instead of prising the cassette open, pull the film out and load it straight on to a developing reel. When I reach the end, I would cut the film, leaving a little bit protruding onto which I would tape my bulk film. In this way, I could continue using the cassette indefinitely.

 

In your experience, do these regular cassettes moult less than the reusable ones?

Regular commercial cassettes are as good or better quality compared to the re-useable types you can buy new on the market right now. I have approximately 30 commercial cassettes in use now and have used/reused them for the past 12 years.

Somewhere I have a tupperware box half-full of old Adox and *seriously* old (maybe 1980s) Ilford cassettes, from when they had snap-on metal caps; you didn't need a tool to open them, and they were very easy to reuse. I just had a look at all the webshops I have bookmarked, and I don't see any brand still sold in those cassettes.

You do need to check they aren't bent, and keep them clean, especially the little bit of light-trap. I have some black velvet ribbon, so I could replace the light-trap if I needed to, but when I was last using these cassettes I had plenty of them and just used the best. I bought this at a Hobbycraft store; if I remember right, they had red and black, and two different widths. It wasn't expensive, and I have used it for light-trap in the backs of a couple of wooden-bodied cameras, and it works and has lasted well.

 

I never tried the method Neils described.

do these regular cassettes moult less than the reusable ones?

 

In my experience, I have found it best to reuse the commercial cassettes only a few times.

 

I have older reloading cassettes from long ago and far away that still work well after years of use.

Since my original post I've had a reply from Kaiser, acknowledging that it is possible that parts of the felt they use may come loose over time and suggesting I check the felt each time before use.

Since my original post I've had a reply from Kaiser, acknowledging that it is possible that parts of the felt they use may come loose over time and suggesting I check the felt each time before use.

A lot of the Kaiser products are rebranded from other manufactures. The Kaiser plastic reloadable are the same as those from AP but cost twice as much. Same with the Kaiser film loader - same as the one selling by the name Bobinquick - only difference is branding and the almost twice as high price for the Kaiser product - at least in Europe.

 

If reuse of standard cassettes isn't appealing to you, a little patience will pay off:

 

I recently spotted a batch of NOS Ilford reloadables from the 60's/70's on one of the other forms, great quality from back when Ilford sold empty reloadable cassettes and film "refills" in aluminium canisters.

 

The FSU casettes @JDMvW depicts above also show up on eBay from time to time, at least they did when the Ukraine sellers were active.

 

I haven't seen any reloadable cassettes in current production worth anything.

The current commercial preloaded cassettes are better, but as you can't open them without breaking them, you need a film extractor - if you wind the film into the spool.

you need a film extractor - if you wind the film into the spool.

There are metal film extractors - try eBay.

 

but you can jury rig work arounds too

1987-03 Modern Photography

Edited April 5, 2022 by JDMvW

There are metal film extractors - try eBay.

 

but you can jury rig work arounds too

[ATTACH=full]1422586[/ATTACH]

1987-03 Modern Photography

... I am keen to try out this work-around, JDMvW. Thank you for sharing that. When using non-reusable cassettes, even though I leave some film hanging out, I see a need for a film retriever: when the bulk roll ends and I inevitably wind the last roll fully into the cassette. Waste not, want not!

A lot of the Kaiser products are rebranded from other manufactures. The Kaiser plastic reloadable are the same as those from AP but cost twice as much. Same with the Kaiser film loader - same as the one selling by the name Bobinquick - only difference is branding and the almost twice as high price for the Kaiser product - at least in Europe.

 

If reuse of standard cassettes isn't appealing to you, a little patience will pay off:

 

I recently spotted a batch of NOS Ilford reloadables from the 60's/70's on one of the other forms, great quality from back when Ilford sold empty reloadable cassettes and film "refills" in aluminium canisters.

 

The FSU casettes @JDMvW depicts above also show up on eBay from time to time, at least they did when the Ukraine sellers were active.

 

I haven't seen any reloadable cassettes in current production worth anything.

The current commercial preloaded cassettes are better, but as you can't open them without breaking them, you need a film extractor - if you wind the film into the spool.

I'm going to use up the cassettes I've bought, and then I am going to use your suggested method, Niels. I never fully rewind the film, preferring to cut the end of the film in the light, so I might not need a film extractor, but...

I have many from over the years, including some unopened Kodak Snap-Caps.

 

I don't know that any are better or worse at threads coming off.

 

Many people worry about dirt and dust getting in the trap.

 

I still have the one from the first roll of 35mm film that I ever used,

which was bought on a trip through Seattle when I was young.

 

It was sold by a local photography store that bulk loaded them.

 

For my first years of bulk loading, after I inherited some bulk film

from my grandfather, that was one of the few that I had to use.

 

About 28 years after that, we moved to Seattle, but I didn't think

about it much at the time. Later I found the address on the

cartridge was not so far from where we live, but wasn't a

photography store. Last year, it was torn down and replaced

by a big apartment building.

 

 

Decades ago I reused film cassettes, but experience convinced me best to limit my refills to Leitz and Zeiss cassettes, in which film has no contact with cassette when in camera. However, I do reload Minox and Minolta 16 cassettes, which dust is occasionally removed using a thin sticky tape...so far without problem. Would try Nikon cassettes should I ever find any.

I have a couple of "Shirley-Wellard" cassettes that open and close a light-tight labyrinth when the cassette body is rotated. Guaranteeing no scratches or cloth debris. Also available were Nikon F/F2, Contax and Leica cassettes of a similar design. However, the Nikon cassettes require the turn-lock mechanism of the specific camera to operate them.

The Shirley-Wellard cassettes are supposedly a universal fitting, but need some pressure on a manual rewind knob to operate reliably - so none of your new-fangled auto-loading cameras will work with 'em! ;)

I have a couple of "Shirley-Wellard" cassettes that open and close a light-tight labyrinth when the cassette body is rotated. Guaranteeing no scratches or cloth debris. Also available were Nikon F/F2, Contax and Leica cassettes of a similar design. However, the Nikon cassettes require the turn-lock mechanism of the specific camera to operate them.

The Shirley-Wellard cassettes are supposedly a universal fitting, but need some pressure on a manual rewind knob to operate reliably - so none of your new-fangled auto-loading cameras will work with 'em! ;)

Contax cassettes also work only in a Contax--when you lock the back closed you open the cassette in the camera.

This is what I have in current circulation:

 

Left to right:

 

FSU cartridge: Bought from an Ukraine eBay seller. Very sturdy, semi easy to open. Smells bad. Works with most cameras, but tolerances are not too precise, therefore it can be a tight fit in some cameras. The velvet doesn't look great but works fine (so far).

Price paid <€2/each

 

No-name metal: - NOS bought from my local camera shop two years ago - very easy to open and good quality velvet - will probably open easily if dropped. Works in all cameras.

Price paid <1€/each

 

Commercial cartridge: The most convenient solution, IMO. Just tape the bulk film to the lip that sticks out. Won't open when dropped. Scratching from re-use is overly exaggerated IMO. Works in all 35mm film cameras and easy to get.

Price paid 0€/each

 

Ilford reloadable: Great quality but not super easy to open (and therefore less likely to open if dropped - which is good). Compatible with all cameras.

Price paid 2€/each

 

Leica IXMOO: Requires bulk loader that can open the film gate of the cartridge (or darkroom loading). Works only with Leica M (up to mid-production M6) and Barnack Leicas. Crazy good quality of solid brass. Likely to be mistaken for high caliber gun cartridges in airport security. Not super easy to unload.

Price paid <20€/each (but often sells up to 50€!)

 

Leica FILCA: Like above, but only compatible with Barnack Leica.

Price paid <15€/each

 

Nikon F: Requires bulk loader that can open the cassette (or darkroom loading). Works only with Nikon F (and maybe some of the Nikon rangefinders?). Great quality. Not super easy to unload.

Price paid <20€/each

 

Nikon F2 (AM-1): Like above, but only compatible with Nikon F2.

Price paid <8€/each (but very difficult to find at any price)

 

My preferred method of reloading is the commercial cartridge where I just tape the bulk film to the end of the old film lip sticking out of the used cartridge. It is easy, cheap and fast - and the cassette will work in any camera.

but re

This is what I have in current circulation:

 

Left to right:

 

FSU cartridge: Bought from an Ukraine eBay seller. Very sturdy, semi easy to open. Smells bad. Works with most cameras, but tolerances are not too precise, therefore it can be a tight fit in some cameras. The velvet doesn't look great but works fine (so far).

Price paid <€2/each

 

No-name metal: - NOS bought from my local camera shop two years ago - very easy to open and good quality velvet - will probably open easily if dropped. Works in all cameras.

Price paid <1€/each

 

Commercial cartridge: The most convenient solution, IMO. Just tape the bulk film to the lip that sticks out. Won't open when dropped. Scratching from re-use is overly exaggerated IMO. Works in all 35mm film cameras and easy to get.

Price paid 0€/each

 

Ilford reloadable: Great quality but not super easy to open (and therefore less likely to open if dropped - which is good). Compatible with all cameras.

Price paid 2€/each

 

Leica IXMOO: Requires bulk loader that can open the film gate of the cartridge (or darkroom loading). Works only with Leica M (up to mid-production M6) and Barnack Leicas. Crazy good quality of solid brass. Likely to be mistaken for high caliber gun cartridges in airport security. Not super easy to unload.

Price paid <20€/each (but often sells up to 50€!)

 

Leica FILCA: Like above, but only compatible with Barnack Leica.

Price paid <15€/each

 

Nikon F: Requires bulk loader that can open the cassette (or darkroom loading). Works only with Nikon F (and maybe some of the Nikon rangefinders?). Great quality. Not super easy to unload.

Price paid <20€/each

 

Nikon F2 (AM-1): Like above, but only compatible with Nikon F2.

Price paid <8€/each (but very difficult to find at any price)

 

My preferred method of reloading is the commercial cartridge where I just tape the bulk film to the end of the old film lip sticking out of the used cartridge. It is easy, cheap and fast - and the cassette will work in any camera.

 

its better to just open the film cartridge with a can opener

but re

 

 

its better to just open the film cartridge with a can opener

How does that help with refilling a cassette, or preventing debris or scratches?