Unloaded 120 film without tightening it and it was in dim light for about a minute

[kwaidan8]

Hi everyone, I'm new to the forum and I hope this is the right topic. So, I'm not a beginner in analog photography, but I have shot only on 35 film so far. I bought a Mamiya 645 last week and just finished shooting my first film, which is supposed to be a test to check if everything works properly, or I will ask the store to fix any possible issue when I go back there next week (there are some seals that are breaking and some dirt over the mirror and focusing screen)

Since it was my first time using a MF and unloading a 120mm film, I thought it would be similar to a 35 film and I did everything while watching a YT tutorial. Only at the end of the video the guy in the tutorial said this should be done in very low light and that not tightening the film properly could cause light leaks in the film!
So the unloading process took maybe 1 minute while I was trying to understand where the sticky part of the paper he was talking about was. I was at home with a very dim lamp, so it was not a bright light, but still there was some light and my computer screen in front of me. And I sticked the end of the film, but I didn't tighten it very much before doing so, like I am now seeing is usually advised to do. I then put the film in a box, and in a bag.

So my questions:

- is this ok for unloading or did I likely cause significant light leaks that could mess up the whole purpose of this test film? Should I shoot another test film and be more careful unloading it very quickly and in an almost dark place?
- will this kind of light leak be recognizable from a leak in the camera or other camera related issues? 
- should I now take the film out of the box, unstick the label, tighten the roll, stick it again and put it back again or will it be ok as it is? I didn't notice anything strange, it wasn't visibly loose for sure, but I didn't pay this extra attention at tightening it as much as possible.

Also the guy from the store had loaded the film showing me how to do it in the light of the shop... Was it ok to do? 

Thank you so much in advance!
 

 

Edited January 17, 2023 by kwaidan8

[kwaidan8]

BTW I realize you'll be saying just wait for the results, maybe everything is perfect - the thing is I will bring it to a lab to develop and it will take 3-4 days before I get the results, and I need to bring the camera back to the store next week - so if there will likely be light leaks due to my poor handling of the film, and they may not be discernible against camera leaks, I'd love to know it now so that I can buy and shoot another film and bring them both as soon as possible to the lab.

[Sandy Vongries]

Run another roll, take it right in to the lab and explain your situation. They just might stretch a little for a potential new customer.  They could even ring you and say good or not.

[Alan Marcus]

The 120 film paper backing has fathered edges that act as light traps.  Likely no harm - no fowl. 

[glen_h]

Pretty often, even if you do keep the paper tight, just a little light gets through on the edges.

That is, outside the image frame, but visible looking at the negatives.

If you do an especially bad job of holding the roll, loosening the paper,

and in not so dim light, it might get a little farther into the image.

 

In your case, since you only want to know if the camera works,

that should not be a problem. 

 

You want to avoid direct sunlight.  If nothing else, shade it with your body.

I have done it under a tree, or in a car, avoiding direct sunlight.

 

Note also that overtightening can be bad, or worse.  That is, holding the roll

in one hand, and pulling (hard) on the end with the other. 

 

If you unroll the paper a foot or so (0.3m), then it will be

easier for light to get in, but the earlier (farther in) shots will still be fine.

(There is a about 0.3m paper beyond the end of the film.)

[AJG]

You're probably OK--as other posts have mentioned you might have light leaks at the edges but you might not.  I have loaded and unloaded 120 in a variety of cameras and have never bothered to do it in very dark conditions since it hasn't mattered.  I always avoid direct sunlight but haven't worried about normal room lighting. Just be sure that your camera is taking up fairly tightly on the spool and you should be fine. If there is an issue with unloading you should see the light leaks getting progressively less apparent toward the beginning of the roll.

[kwaidan8]

Great, Thank you all for your replies! I am heading to the lab now and hopefully everything will turn out fine and if there was any leak due to the film I will be able to recognize it thanks to your explanations.

If I have doubts after getting them back I'll post a scan.

Thanks again so much!

 

 

[ed_farmer]

17 hours ago, kwaidan8 said:

the guy in the tutorial said this should be done in very low light

The guy in the video may have inhaled a little too much developer . . . As a wedding photographer, I changed 1000's of rolls of 120/220 outdoors all times of year in all sorts of weather without any problems.  The situation is not nearly as dire as described.

[rodeo_joe1]

There's usually no need to pull the backing paper any tighter than it comes out of the camera. In fact over-tightening can give 'cinch marks' which are stress lines that turn black in the developer. 

If the camera has such a sloppy winding mechanism or slack pressure-plate that it gives loose-spooled film, then the camera needs repair! 

FWIW I always used to pack a bit of aluminium kitchen foil in my rollfilm camera bag. Then you can quickly wrap exposed film to protect it from even the strongest light while carrying it. No need to be neat, you can just scrunch the foil around the film - after taping the spool with the lickey-sticky tab of course. 

Oh, and in my experience at least 50% of photography-related YouTube videos are full of BS.... and the rest just give dubious advice! 

Edited January 19, 2023 by rodeo_joe1

[glen_h]

On 1/18/2023 at 3:11 AM, kwaidan8 said:

Great, Thank you all for your replies! I am heading to the lab now and hopefully everything will turn out fine and if there was any leak due to the film I will be able to recognize it thanks to your explanations.

(snip)

 

 

 

So, how did they come out?

[glen_h]

On 1/19/2023 at 2:17 AM, rodeo_joe1 said:

 

(snip)

If the camera has such a sloppy winding mechanism or slack pressure-plate that it gives loose-spooled film, then the camera needs repair! 

(snip)

What I remember for some cameras, is the problem of pulling the roll out of the camera, while at the same time trying to keep if from unrolling.  That is, it would be really easy with three hands.

For many cameras, you have to pull up the wind knob, leaving only one hand to pull out the roll.

Some make it hard to pull on the spool, so the paper tab is the only thing to pull on.

 

But really, the only bad case I can actually imagine is holding the end of the paper, while the whole roll unspools.

 

 

[kwaidan8]

Hi! I got back the film and everything was fine as far as folding! I showed it to the lady and she said everything was ok. I think the camera folded it nicely and the time I spent trying to stick it didn't affect it because the paper layer was protecting it.

There are other issues like black spots and marks especially on the first negatives, but I think this is because the camera needs to be cleaned and the seals and foam are breaking and have to be replaced.