[Leica] bulk loading

[feli at creocollective.com (Feli di Giorgio)]

On Fri, 2004-07-02 at 16:13, TTAbrahams@aol.com wrote:
> Feli, 
> I bulkload odd films like movie-tock (Super XX, Agfapan 250 and Tech-Pan). 
>  
> Rather than use a bulk loader I go into the darkroom and just unwind the 
> film 
> out of the can, extend my arms fully and chop of the film. This gives me 
> about 
> 37-38 exposures per strip - roughly 67-68 inches of film. I use the Leica 
> IXMOO cassettes - all metal and the lock on the regular baseplate (older 
> type) 
> will open the cassette and there is no problem with scratches as the 
> opening is 
> big enough (8mm) to let the film clear the edges. You do need to cut a 
> sharp 
> V-shaped end for the spool on these - after a while you get the hang of it 
> and 
> there is less bleeding from fingertips "Oh, that was not the film, that 
> was a 
> finger!". The old Leica template, ABLOON, had a nice "shaper" for that and 
> I 
> simply made my own from a piece of brass plate.

I was thinking about getting the old Leica cassettes and winder. I don't
have a darkroom, but a large Harrison/Harrison film changing/loading bag
that should work like a charm. They also make a really nice film
changing "tent".

http://www.studiodepot.com/store/index.cgi?cmd=view_item&parent=1001-1185&id=3103

>  For general films like TX and ACROS I use pre-loaded stock. Quicker and 
> easier and the IXMOO cassettes are difficult to explain to Airport 
> Security 
> Guards. It has three different components, an outside shell, an inside 
> shell and a 
> center spool - all are made from metal and the weight is noticeable and on 
> the 
> X-ray it looks quite suspicious. It is a very complex piece, springs and 
> catches galore and you better get some reject film to try with first.

Yes, I was a bit worried about the extra weight of the IXMOO cassettes.
They also look a little like the old fuses from a M42 Tellermine...
;-)


>  The movie-stock is interesting - at the moment I am shooting Super XX and 
> rating it at 250. Great film - not as fine grained as Tri-X but with an 
> extended 
> mid tone, virtually no "shoulder"  tons of details in the highlight areas. 
> If 
> you treat it like Tri-X and cut the time by 10-15% (D76 1:1 at 8,5 
> minutes) 
> you are in the ballpark. I still have a 100 ft roll of Panatomic-X in my 
> freezer that I will use up this summer. I might need to add some Kodak 
> Anti-Fog 
> tablets to the developer, but even after 20+ years it should give me good 
> negatives.

SuperXX (5222) is terrific. I recently shot a short film with it. If I
remember correctly we rated it at about 200 or 250 and projected it
looks absolutely stellar! Highlight detail is quite amazing.


Kodak recommends KODAK D-96, for processing.I seem to remember them
actually selling this in a reasonably sized bottle...I wonder how
different D96 is from D76..

http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/products/bw/5222.jhtml?id=0.1.4.4.8.4&lc=en
http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/products/bw/tech5222.jhtml?id=0.1.4.4.8.4.4&lc=en#processing


Kodak also sells a motion picture stock called PLUS-X (5231). Does
anyone know if it is the same as the still film?

http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/products/bw/5231.jhtml?id=0.1.4.4.8.6&lc=en
http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/products/bw/tech5231.jhtml?id=0.1.4.4.8.6.4&lc=en



>  You can usually find the Leica cassettes at swap-meet for reasonable 
> prices, but beware, the only ones that work on the M's are the ones with 
> the chrome 
> "knobs" on them. The ones with black paint knobs work on screw-mount 
> bodies, 
> but not on the M's  as they are 2mm taller. The IXMOO (chrome knob) will 
> work 
> on both screw and M-mounts. 

thanks for the info.

> Movie-stock comes in 400ft cans and I usually get about 75-79 rolls out of 
> one can
> and I keep 80 of these cassettes around for  that. A couple of hours work 
> to load them 
>all and then you can shoot to your  hearts content. They are heavy though 
>and ? dozen 
>in your pocket makes you list noticeably! They are absolutely light tight 
>and never a
>scratch. They are also great for short pieces of film - testing a developer 
>or a lens.


I think I may still have some shortends of SuperXX buried in the bottom
of my freezer...

Feli


> Tom A
> --------------------------
> Tom Abrahamsson
> Vancouver, BC
> Canada