Loading 4x5 film onto a jobo 4x5 reel.

Having browsed the archives I've seen that alot of people are using the jobo 2500 series tanks with the 4x5 reels... Anyway I can use trays sometimes, but other times tank dev is very convinient for me. But ... I digress, I've picked up a jobo 2501 tank and a reel. My question - how are people loading this fellow - I've loaded more rolls of 35mm than I care to remeber, but playing around with this tank it seems to be slightly tricky to load 6 sheets, getting them all in the right spot, no finger prints, and no bend sheets etc... Does everyone use the _very_ expensive jobo loader, or is there a trick that I'm missing - advice apreciated. I've had best success loading from the inside out, however that can make loading the outside two sheets harder ??? Thanks in advance ...

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James.

I place the reel so that it can roll. I feel with my fingers to see

what direction the slots go. I then position the reel so I can slide

the film in with my right hand. I place the film on the edge of the

reel and move it backward. As I do so, I can feel the film drop into

each possible slot. Once I feel it hit the opening for the slot I

want, I slide it in. I use a finger of my left hand to help guide it

around the reel by using it to create a slight bend in the film that

corresponds with the curve in the reel. It's possible to do this by

touching only the edge.

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I load from the inside out, and I typically do 4 sheets per reel.

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As always, practice with your eyes open first.

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Let me know if you have any more questions.

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Dave

James,

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Dave's method is much like mine. I have the loader, but I used a

changing bag for so long that I prefer to do it manually (although

Jobo says it can't be done). The primary difference is that I load

six sheets to the reel, and I find that I can hear the film as it

snaps from one slot to another. I always load the innermost slots

first, then the middle slots, and finally the outer ones. Use your

fingertips to check film separation on both ends before you put the

reel in the tank.

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Tony

Hi James. I don't use the loader. Unlike the previous responses, I

load from the outside in. I let my thumb and pointer finger be my

guide for where the film must enter the reel. The biggest problem I

had when first starting out was film not going in parallel to the

guides in the reel. It would get stuck. Once I figured out what was

happening (practice in the light)I quickly found a solution. I just

move the film from side to side when it gets stuck, while gently

pushing until it begins to go in again. I would practice in the light

a bit and not attempt 6 sheets until you have four working well. Good

luck. Paul