Fuji Quickload Film holder failure

[tom_anderson]

I just returned from a 3 month shoot in Mexico and found that 3 1/2

boxes of film were not expossed. It was caused by the failure of the

Quickload film holder to hold the metalic piece on the end of the

film.I have shot no more than 25 boxes of film with this holder and

was shocked by the loss. I shoot "Quickload" because I am frequently

in remote locations and need absolute light weight. Their was no

evidence the film holder was not gripping the metal frame of the film

which was Fuji Velvia 100 and I couldn't detect any difference in

the "pull". In the future I will probably resort to carying a box of

Polaroid to test the holder on a periodic basis. Has anyone else had

the same problem? I plan on registering a complaint with Fuji and I

would love to know whether this was an isolated instance or is a

characteristic of the Fuji holders.

 

Thanks Tom

[s._c.]

I have heard that the Quickload was more reliable than the Readyload. I was considering getting one, but due to cost I am using 4 standard Toyo double holders and loading my own film. Contrasting, I had issues with a Polaroid 545 holder in that the catch would not release the film when I pulled out the envelope for later processing even when moving the lever to the appropriate side. This results in the polaroid being left in the holder and the envelope out. Since then I process right after exposure. Good luck with a solution.

[scott___1]

hi tom...

 

of the 19 readyloads (neopan across 100) shot on an engagment shoot last week, 5 of them malfunctioned. the holder was brand new, so no chance of parts being worn.

 

if fuji gets back with you or you think another letter from a dissatisfied customer would help the cause, please forward me the appropriate information:

scott@srosenberg.com

 

sorry about your experience, that's tough to hear.

 

scott

[brian_kennedy]

Never had a problem with my QL holder. I always check to make sure the film has remained seated in the holder by feeling with my fingers after pulling out the packet -- you run your fingers along and you can feel when you hit the film edge if the film is seated correctly. If it's a uniform thickness along the whole envelope, the film is still in the packet. Polaroid suggests you do this everytime with Polaroid materials. It's easier with the Polaroid materials, since the packets are made of thin paper, but you get a feel for it with the plastic QL packets, too.

<P>

<I>Contrasting, I had issues with a Polaroid 545 holder in that the catch would not release the film when I pulled out the envelope for later processing even when moving the lever to the appropriate side. This results in the polaroid being left in the holder and the envelope out. Since then I process right after exposure.</I>

<P>

Every 545 holder will do this if you try to remove the packet incorrectly. If you bought your holder used, you probably don't have the instructions -- but in them, you'll see you not only have to press and hold down the release button, but you also have to push the clip end out before you pull the whole thing out. Take a look at the 545i instructions at the Polaroid site and it will describe how you remove the packets for later processing. It does require you to take the holder out of the camera to remove the film, so it's much more of a hassle than QL/RL (but you get used to it quickly).

[kirk_keyes]

Why don't you try running a packet through the holder in the daylight. Perhaps you can see what is happening.

 

How will you test your holder with Polariod - you mean with a Polariod print film? I wouldn't have jguessed that you could even load a Polaroid packet into a Quickload holder. Isn't the chemical pouch too large to fit the packet in? And that also meand that you will need to haul around a Polaroid holder so you could process the Polaroid film, as the QL holder does not have rollers in it, right?

 

Kirk

[doug_dolde]

I had that happen once. The problem was that the metal clip from a QL had come off and lodged at the bottom of the holder thus spreventing any other clips from latching.

[armin_seeholzer]

Hi

 

To many photographers thinking quick means very fast, but you have to be very carefull and then you get never into problems with the quick or readyload holders.

The only holder wich I had sometimes troubles is the polaroid when I used it with quickloads in my beginning days.

LF stands for low speed not fast!

[peter_dendrinos1]

Tom,

 

I�m sorry to hear you had a problem. I have run at least a case (400 sheets) of Fuji Neopan through my holders and have had 3 incidents of no exposure. In every case I did not notice the film or holder acting incorrectly. My current practice is to insert the Quickload, and press it firmly to insure it is seated well. Have not had any problems lately. I would be seriously distressed to realize I blew 60 shots or so.

 

I carry 2 holders, numbered, and I track what film I shoot from which holder. I also run the quickloads from my Polaroid 545 pro. It works just fine.

 

Good luck

 

Pete D.

[dave_cattell1]

Tom,

 

I had a similar problem a while ago, see the discussion at http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=0047s2

 

At the bottom you'll see the problem for me was that one of the film packets left its metal end clip in the holder. Once that was removed 100% reliability followed.

 

Dave.

[tedharris]

I have run two or three cases of Velvia, Astia, Provia and Acros through a Quickload holder

with only a few mishaps and those were always obvious at the time (and most were my

error).

 

OTOH, about a year ago a batch of either Proiva or Velvia (not sure which it was anymore)

escaped from the factory that was faulty and had the sort of problem you mentioned. I

thought Fuji had gotten all of the emulsion back but you may have been one of the

unlucky ones. Worth checking with your Fuji rep if you still have the boxes.

[michael_chmilar]

I have only had problems with the Fuji Quickload holder when sand had gotten into it. A thorough cleaning fixed the problem.

 

Polaroid packets will not work in a Quickload holder, so there is no point in trying that.

[milton_messenger]

I have had problems (10% of the sheets?) with my FUJI Quickload. I have

heard that the "new" Kodak Readyload (the one with the case) is better built

and works more effeiciently than the FUJI. Kodak's will also work with both

Kodak and Fuji films, whereas the Fuji loader will only accept Fuji film sheets.

I just bought the new Kodak holder at the Large Format Conference in

Monterey this last weekend but haven't had a chance to test it for myself yet.

However, I will be in Yosemite this weekend and will post upon my return the

results of using the new Kodak holder. I don't use a Polaroid holder any

longer, especially due to its heavy weight when I backpack. I found using the

Polaroid wasted my time as it never exposed exactly the same exposure as

the sheet film I used. Also, I am much more confident in my metering now. I

hope you resolve your issue as losing that many sheets of film to a

Quickloader would drive me back to standard sheet film holders. Good luck.

[greg_miller8]

I have had a diffewrent problem with Quickloads. I have had the metal clip come off of probablt 7 or 8 sheets in the last 3 boxes. Is this a defect or am I doing something wrong. I carefully insert the film into the holder and pull out the tab to expose the film. I usually only notice it after exposing the film when I cannot push the tab back into the holder. Then I have to extract the metal clip from the holder.