Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/09/27
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Oh, dear. I suppose I must respond on this thread, given my history. But you guys ought to check the old LUG archives, as we have had many a discussion on this over the years, especially back in the middle 1990's. I have bulk-loaded a lot. I bought a slew of the old Ilford cassettes when they went to disposable units. I have a bunch of Leica cassettes, both the LTM-unique ones and the later ones which work in both the LTM and M cameras. I have a bunch of the superior-in-use Zeiss Ikon versions. (The Leica version appears occasionally in a Canon-produced version; the Nikon clone of the Zeiss Ikon cassette remained in their catalogue at least into the early 1990's. And there are Soviet/Post-Soviet versions of the Zeiss Ikon one, as well.) The Watson and Lloyd loaders are both useable. Some like the one, others the other. I like the heavier Lloyd unit, especially as it is fitted to work with the Leica and Zeiss Ikon cassettes. I once owned a 70mm set for Hasselblad, and that came with its Lloyd loader, a huge monster. I have always used masking tape, bought in bulk somewhere or other, to connect the film to the Ilford cassettes. With Zeiss Ikon and Leica cassettes, you cut the film and slip it into a slit in the spool, and Bob's your uncle. Electrical tape stretches, with disastrous results at the end of the roll. The one time I tried this, I was fortunate to have a changing back on hand to save the day, but never again! The really neat part about the Zeiss Ikon system is that you can use one of their proprietary cassettes on the take-up side so that when the film is finished, you do not need to rewind: you simply remove the both of the cassettes from the camera and clip the film and there is no need to rewind unless you are a cheesy, skin-flinted, Scottish-descended, miserly soul such as my own self who goes past Frame 36 to get the last the film has to give. Stop at 36, advance a couple of frames, open the camera, and there is no need to rewind. This works on Contax, Contaflex, and Contarex cameras. It does not work on the Icarex line. I am not certain about the others, though it might work on the original, folder Contessa 35. I used to have two Watson loaders and a Lloyd ready to rock and roll at any time, generally one with color, one with slow schwarz-weiss, and one with fast black and white. There was a time when I could zap out a roll in well under a minute. I rarely bulk-load now, though I still have some rolls and I probably ought to use it up, though I take few pictures any more. You guys wait until I get my dark room up again! Marc Marc James Small Quo Usque Tandem Abutere, Catalina, Patientia Nostra? Cha robh b?s fir gun ghr?s fir!