Processing 35mm &120 B&W Film

To assist with the loading of the spiral when processing 35mm film, some photographers carefully rewind the film back into the cassette leaving the film end exposed. If you listen to the back of the camera when you are rewinding it is possible to hear the end of the film detach from the take up spool of the camera.
The end of the film is then trimmed in a curve to allow the film to enter the spiral easily and also to assist in the easy transportation into the spiral completely. If the end of the film is left out of the cassette finding the entry point of the spiral can be done in daylight. Finding this entry point can be quite difficult in the dark until you get the feel of it. Note the stainless steel ball on the top half of the spiral.
Once the film is feed past this ball, the lights can be turned off and the two reels are rotated backwards and forwards until the film is completely loaded. It may take sometime until you have got the feel of how to do this and it is not uncommon for the film to stick or came adrift of the slot that directs it into the spiral, which can be frustrating in the darkness.	Mouse over

It is very important that the film is loaded with the emulsion side inwards. While protecting the emulsion from your fingers, it is also the natural curve of the film. Loading the film against the natural curve makes the loading more difficult.

Stainless steel reels are loaded quite differently. The film is attached to a clip on the inside of the spiral and the film is given enough of a gentle bend to fit it into the spiral from the inside out. This means rotating the spiral as the film is being fed in.

One thing to watch for with these reels is that the wire can become bent inward reducing the gap which makes loading the film difficult if not impossible without bend or creasing it. For instance if the reel is dropped this is most likely to happen. With care the gap can be opened up to the correct width with a pair of pliers. If you place a piece of card board between the jaw of the players and the inside of the wire other wise sharp marks can be left on the inside which can also reduce the ability of the film to follow the curve.

Want to learn more? - do a workshop or one on one with Lloyd Godman