Most frames taken in one roll?

[simonpg]

A rather extraordinary event made me think of this question for Leica

users.

 

An often referred to benefit of the "odd" film loading mechanism on

Leica M cameras is that we get more than 36/38 frames from a 36

exposure roll.

 

Well bearing in mind how I regularly get 42-43 frames from my 36

exposure rolls with my M7, I was shocked when I got back a roll

recently to see that I had got back 45 frames!

 

AND guess what, I took the roll with my Canon EOS 1vHS - this I've

had for nearly 6 years and always get about 38-40 frames max! But,

alas the second last roll I took a few weeks ago came back with 45

frames - at least 2 more than my M7 has produced and at least 3 more

than it regularly produces - and it is auto load/wind on with the

leader lined up with a red line - no opportunity for me to maximise

the number of frames.

 

So I guess Fuji was just generous that day on the film production

line!

 

What's the maximum you've ever had; was it from a Leica M or not?

[kris]

You're not talking about bulk loading your own film right? Got to teach me how you load the film! I never manage to get more than 38 frames in a roll.

<p>

By the way, keep an eye for a nice XPAN in Cam Exchange. I have a bad case of GAS for an XPAN!

<p>

Kris

[terry_rory]

36 - 37 on average. Rarely more. M6 TTL

[ilan_g]

With Leica M: always 39 frames on TriX. Always 38 frames on Ilford FP4+/HP5+.

 

I couldn't get more than this unless I load the camera in darkness (in which case I could get one more frame).

[andy m.]

Squeezing extra rolls off (or at least winding until solid resistance is encountered) is, according to a reputable tech I spoke with, one of the reasons for the eventual failure of the M's winding head.

[josh_levine]

While I ordinarily get around 37 exposures with Ilford film (and 39-40 if loaded in a changing bag), I recently shot a few rolls of Velvia 100F and found that I got an extra couple of exposures. I think that Fuji may put slightly more film in their canisters!

 

Josh

[mike-images]

Shooting Ilford film and Fuji Velvia - not self loaded: I always get 38 shots - never more never less. But I'm always within 1 sprocket hole of getting 39 ;-)

 

Mike

[piotr_panne]

Ten percent is enough of a bonus for me to trade up. After only 150,000 rolls of Easter baskets and Halloween pumpkins it\'ll be like a free camera.

[vivek iyer]

More than 75 frames with my Pen FT.

[MTC Photography]

144 frames with my Minox C

[blakley]

I get 39 if I'm very lucky. Never more that I recall.

[michael s.]

Reminds me of the old jokes (largely confined, mercifully, to the US) about the fantastic gas mileage claims people used to make about their foreign cars. :)

[alex_lofquist]

I get 72 pictures if I forget to rewind the film fully back into the cartridge, and return it to my camera bag!

[bob haight]

I usually quit at 36 to nicely fill my contact sheet.

[arthuryeo]

Wished I can do that with the Hassy.

[dan flanders]

Back when I rolled my own I filled up the cassette and usually got upwards of forty. But bulk film was so cheap that it was hardly worth the trouble of counting. Now that I depend on factory loading I confine my needs to 24x loads and even then sometimes take it out early just to get the job over with. Anything less I use digital. Why by a cow when milk is delivered to the door?

[eliot_rosen1]

I have typically gotten 38 or 39 exposures using slide or color print film with my M7 and M4-P. No more than that.

[Rob F.]

OK, you guys! You can brag about how many frames you get, but . . .

 

At least, for black & white, how do you store & file those extra frames? I use the plastic file pages that hold 7 strips of 5 frames each. I deliberately try not to shoot more than 35 frames on a roll, so I won't have orphan frames at the end of the roll.

 

Of course, you can get a page that holds 6 strips of 6 frames each. But that only gets you 1 more shot.

 

Also, my Nikor stainless steel reels won't hold a roll that has more than 35 or 36 frames. The extra film hangs off the end of the reel, causing problems.

 

So, how do you deal with those extra frames?

[simonpg]

A bit of fun here!

 

Kris, you already know that there is a neat used XPan II there - surely he will take $500 off for you! Yes, I love my Xpan - actually surprisingly enough last week I got 22 frames (normally always 21 when in Pan mode with 36 exp roll of film as I only use it in pan mode - freak) off it!

 

 

Andy, I NEVER "squeeze" frames out of any roll - never been interested (although mathematically I'm sure the extra 15% frames will save me $AU$37.50 per year towards the AU$3,900.00 the M7 cost me! - Wow!).

 

My M7 loading technique is NO technique - I just pull the leader generously right into the spool and close her up and fire off 2 frames for the counter to read frame #1; tighten the rewind knob gently and fire away.

 

But every time I have used the M7 I have been nervous as the counter reads 36 and always find it just keeps firing and then at about 44 it tightens up so I know the game is over - I just don't stop shooting til I feel the tightness in the advance lever (it's not like the second last or last frame was stiff to wind on - never just stiff when the last shot is fired whatever frame number that is).

 

Strangely on my EOS 1vHS which is set to count down and while I have not paid much attention to the frames remaining until I have already fired a few shots it usually only ever gives me exactly 36 frames.

 

 

Vivek - great response - such great economy from the Pen - only to be topped by Martin (should have kept my Minox!)!

 

Arthur, you can do that with your Hassy - get a worn back with slipping gears!

 

 

Rob, I get my lab to give me 2 sheets for the longer neg strips and put the extra strip onto page 2! [:)]

 

Enjoy film!

 

PS: Ah Ha! Maybe it is because I had an MP film advance lever fitted to my M7 (hated that plastic tip on the standard lever and love the solidity of the all metal M3/MP style lever) - what an investment - the film savings will pay for that job in about 6.67 years! Oh no, gee, that won't have done the trick now that I think of it. Anyway who cares. [:)]

[dennis_wong]

Kodak VC 160 on M6, 38-39 frames on average. Can't recall more than 40.

[vivek iyer]

Simon, Many years ago, when I was more foolish, I was dreaming of the half frame Leica! :-)

[anthony_brookes5]

252 frames from My Leica IIIA

[christopher_a._junker1]

Using the ABLON trimmer for LTM bodies, I've never gone over 37 frames.

[raymond_tai]

I once shot over 40 frames with my Leica before realizing it wasn't loaded but that was ok

because the cap was on the entire time...

[dennis_wong]

Raymond, I was not as lucky. I did it the first time when I loaded film myself with my cap off !