35mm Film Question

[danac]

Potential dumb question alert:

Why is there an indent and curve cut into the end of every new roll of film? When you develop the negatives it gets cut off anyway. It doesn't seem necessary. IIRC, when my brother and I used to load bulk film with squared off ends years ago, there was never a problem loading film into the camera.

[ben_hutcherson]

What cameras have you used?

I think modern auto-loading cameras are a different beast(where you pull the film across to the mark and shut the back), but on most manual loading camera I've used you would need to cut the tail to yourself if it wasn't there. Just thinking of cameras I've used in the past month-a Nikon F2, Nikon FM2, and a Canon A-1-on all of them the take up spool is cut about halfway up and has a hook molded into it. You stick the narrow end into this, the hook connects to one of the sprocket holes, and the film is attached. On a lot of cameras, the slot in the take up spool goes all the way through(just like the slot on a 120 spool) so that you can feed it all the way through and make extra sure it catches.

There are a few older cameras where you might get away without it. I recall seeing a metal tab you tuck the film behind on some. The "QL" system that Canon used on a couple of cameras(FT, FTb, and Pellix to my recollection) could probably do fine without it, as it works similar to a modern auto-loader with a grippy take-up spool.

If you really want crazy, get some older(say 70s or earlier) 35mm film and look at how the leader is cut. Chances are you'll find that the skinny part is quite long-like a couple of inches. If you ever have the urge to use a Barnack-model Leica(IIIc and IIIf are the common ones you'll run into) or a clone like a Canon IV you'll find why it use to be made this way, and find that you need to modify the leader yourself. On these cameras, you load by removing the bottom plate, dropping out the take-up spool, hooking the leader onto it, and then separating the spool and canister exactly the correct distance and feeding them up into the camera through the bottom. If you don't have the extra-long leader, the film will foul somewhere in the area of the shutter/film gate and you'll either pull it off the take-up spool or just won't be able to load it. When I went through a phase of using these cameras a lot, I got pretty adept at hand-cutting the leaders, although if you want to be fancy there's a metal template you can use.

BTW, out of habit, when I finish a roll of film, I generally leave the leader out but tear it off so the end of the film is straight. This is a great way to communicate "exposed film" if you do prefer leader out(if you use a commercial lab, most minilabs now in use pull the film through the light trap, and leaving the leader out saves the chance of the scratching your film or getting crud in the light trap that can scratch, plus I find that leaving leader out leaves the trap on the whole less susceptible to dust/crud that can scratch when pulling through. Modern Tri-X is difficult enough IME to open with a Church Key in the changing bag that I find it easier to pull it out too rather than opening the can and pushing out).

[danac]

Ben:

Funny I never noticed the smaller slot on the take-up spools. When my brother loaded bulk film then he surely cut a leader. That was forty-seven years ago so my memory of that process is quite dim. One of my Canons is an FTBn QL and I like the loading system. All my other Canons are A series. My 1969 Pentax Spotmatic SP also has the short slot. Thanks for the history. I enjoy learning about film cameras.

[glen_h]

On 11/30/2023 at 6:21 PM, danac said:

Potential dumb question alert:

Why is there an indent and curve cut into the end of every new roll of film?

For the loading end, it is designed to match the spool in the camera.

More specifically, it is designed to match the spool in bottom loading cameras like Leica.

Cameras like the Canon SLRs from the 1960's with QL will load a cut off end just fine.

But most have a slot just right for the tongue on the roll.

 

For bottom loading cameras, you need a longer tongue, like they used to make.

When you put the film in the camera, only the bottom side needs to get around the sprockets.

As you wind, the other end will approach, and then line up with its sprockets.  That is, with the right kind of tongue.

A few years ago, I was loading a Zorki with modern film, and did manage to wiggle it enough to get in.

 

If you want to know about the other end, ask again.

[glen_h]

The first SLR I knew, was a Canon Pellix he bought in 1968, when I was 10.

I then most of the time got to use his Canon VI rangefinder, including 7th and 8th grade yearbook photography.

The QL system is nice, though it seems that it didn't catch on.

 

Otherwise, I recommend a FED or Zorky to practice bottom loading for a reasonable price, compared to usual Leica prices.

[danac]

I have a Canon FTbn QL but hardly ever use it. Loading film in it is indeed very efficient.