Much easier method: feed an inch or two of the rounded-off leader into the Paterson spool **before putting it in your changing bag**. I’ve done it this way forever, never had a problem, and you never have to touch or risk scratching your film in the bag.
That's what I do too with 35 mm, leave the leader out when rewinding, then cut the leader and the corners and start the film on the reel before turning off the lights. Then wind it straight out of the canister to the reel (pulling it out while winding) and when finished cut the film.
@@Murgoh yep.👍 And if you have a camera that automatically rewinds the leader into the canister, I highly recommend the “Matin” film leader retriever on Amazon. Works perfectly.
@@joeltunnah You can retrieve the leader by using a piece of negative and stick a double-sided tape on it. Insert the negative into the film canister and turn the roller until it catches the leader, then pull out it out. You may need to do it a few times..free of charge!
Yep, I do it this way. I curse myself when I've accidentally re-wound the film fully back in. I'm also learning to cut off more of the leader each time (about 4'' at the moment), its surprising how much of the film is already exposed or you have that half shot that I always seem to get at the beginning. Cutting off more at the beginning saves that film crunching snag at the end when you're trying to get a quart of film into a Patterson pint pot. I use Patterson type 1 or 2 tanks, in bakelite, inbuilt twizzle stick with a wee spout, fill over a sink with a funnel, you always have the right amount of liquid, as soon as the spout leaks a drop stop pouring, no inversions, no messy spills, no chemically hands. Plus they look far cooler!
Awesome technique! I would just add one thing : make sure everything is perfectly DRY so the film doesn't get stuck on the reel. Sweaty hands are enough to make the loading a nightmare, and it happens more easily in a dark bag. You may want to use a hair dryer for a few seconds in the bag and on the reel, and do it with fresh clean hands. If using a dark bag, the less time in there the less chance for sweat and humidity.
When people ask me how I load my film into a tank in total darkness I tell them that it's one thing for me to explain the process, but a completely different process getting comfortable working in total darkness and having the confidence to know that the job is done properly! The next level of learning then becomes to load two 120 rolls in a Paterson reel and getting good with that process! Keep up the good work!
Hi Azriel Great way to load film thanks. Have you ever tried mixing up your own developer from the formulas available, e.g. digitaltruth.com an easy one is D76/ID11 a very practical mixer and you won't need to be too precise to get it right.Stop bath, Fixer, hypo clear and tank cleaners formulas are easy as well. Just a thought, and since you have a great following it would be a great way to keep us classic.📸
Thanks for the suggestion Peter. However, I'm not much of a DIY guy. I realize you can have more control by making your own developer but I put it in the same category as growing tomatoes. Could be fun, lots of extra work, saves a few pennies. ;)
@@AzrielKnight Thanks Azriel, your more of a DIY guy than you give your self credit for. Processing film and making prints is DIY in my estimation. You have great content thank you. 🍅
Very cool, thank you. Subscribed. I've never done this before, and it looks like a good place for me to start! Any chemists out there have any feedback on the interaction between latex and/or nitrile gloves and undeveloped film? I feel like with my bare hands I'd end up touching the film and getting oil prints on it, and for my first few fumbling attempts could imagine tight gloves being helpful until I get my technique down...
Thanks for the video. I am still having trouble getting film onto the spool. I do everything this video (and many other videos I have watched) have instructed me to do. Everything is lined up, my film’s corners are rounded off, I start to ratchet the spool and every time I get to the third twist, the film starts to feed itself OFF of the spool. I don’t understand why this is happening or what I can do differently to make it not happen, and no one else seems to address this problem. Anyone have any helpful advice?
@@AzrielKnight yes, but I have no way of really knowing for sure since this is the first Paterson tank I've ever purchased and have nothing to compare the parts to. It came with two spools and they both do the same thing, which had me thinking maybe it was me and not the spools. But there is a chance that both spools are faulty. Are there any recommendations on better quality spools to buy that are compatible with the Paterson tank? Thank you for your quick response!
@@AzrielKnight Thank you for your helpful responses. I am still not 100% certain that I can rule out faulty spools since I am doing everything exactly as I'm supposed to and have yet to have had a successful attempt. I will continue looking into it and return back to the comments once I find a solution in case anyone has the same trouble I have had.
Hi Azriel! Last year I moved from Ottawa to Halifax. I used to get my film developed at a store but now the available options are very limited, particularly for black and white film, and I'm considering processing my own rolls. I have zero equipment but have been eyeing a Paterson/Ilford FIlm Processing Kit to get me started and am curious what your thoughts are for anyone just starting out. Do you think the kit is worth it (retails for around $150 and seems to include everything needed, as far as I know) or is there a better/more economical way to get set up? I only shoot a handful of rolls every year and don't know that buying the chemicals in bulk is worth it, so I'm also considering using the Ilford Simplicity line of products for the time being as I don't know what kind of shelf life the more conventional chemicals have after they're mixed. I'd love to hear your thoughts and gladly welcome any recommendations. Cheers!
I don't really know anything about the Ilford kits, but I've always held the belief that if you hold out long enough, you'll find a better deal. Halifax is a pretty small place and I don't know if you'll find what you're looking for in thrift stores but I would start there, Kijiji, and Facebook Marketplace for what you need. Buy developers with a long shelf life like Kodak HC-110. I've got a bottle that is at least 3 or 4 years old now and is fine. You can also shoot a bunch then develop all at the same time. I think at the end of the day, don't do it to save money, do it because you want to learn about film, developing and have the control. I hope this helps.
@@AzrielKnight Thanks for the reply, it does help. I'll look more into developers' shelf life . I thought I heard somewhere that many don't last more than six months or something along those lines. Maybe I'm just misinformed. I'm not really interested in developing to save money (no one shooting film is saving any money lol), it's more a matter of convenience. I've done it many years ago in high school and I do remember enjoying the process. I've never had any luck with film related stuff at thrift stores but Kijiji has been an excellent resource for cameras and lenses, and although I have missed some opportunities to buy developing and darkroom kits people were getting rid of, I wasn't looking at the time. I suppose there is no hurry and I can just let the finished rolls collect as I keep an eye out for a good deal. I haven't checked out any thrift stores since I moved here. Halifax is a relatively small city, but it also happens to be the biggest city in Nova Scotia, if not the Maritimes. Who knows, maybe there are more offerings than what I was used to seeing in Ottawa. Thanks again, and keep up the good work!
I just recently started developing film and getting the film on the spool is a real challenge for me, cutting the corner is something new to me and I am sure it will ease my pain and swearing at getting the film on the spool
Good demo on plastic tank forgot about the fear of not loading the reel right the first time, was wondering if you have any metal tanks with metal reel loading is different where you must clip the end of the film in the center of the reel and then flex the film and guide it onto the metal spiral, this would also make a good demo since there are a lot of metal tanks used to develop the film.
That’s very good. I’d even say exemplary. Now how about medium format 120 film? That’s a nightmare the first few times. It can be very tough getting the “leader” straight and right into the spool. One trick is to use a thin plastic card (less friction than card-stock) inserted in the take up slots to guide the film.
Lab-box is intriguing, but I’ve read some horror story reviews about them not taking up the film onto the reel and you can’t tell until you open it up after it’s done, and your film is ruined. Also some say the handle area leaks, and then there’s the high price...
I normally use the Jobo tanks ,but last week I had to use my old Patterson tank for the first time in ages because my Jobo tank was still wet (that is also something to mention new users, only load film on dry spools). I could not load film on the Patterson, it mangled my film ,I think it had to do with the ball barrings even though they where not rusty they didn’t engage with the film smoothly. Does someone know how to fix this?
Never had an issue with my paterson reels, maybe you should try a thorough scrubbing? Also try what I mentioned in my comment, start the reel outside the bag first.
I’m used to an AP tank, which also had way better spools that paterson. I was recently gifted an old paterson tank, but couldn’t manage to use those paterson reels either without ‘mangling my film’.
Pro-tip: I started with and AP tank which in my opinion is quite a better than paterson. Although the AP lid leaks a bit more, the reels are way easier to handle and the swizzle stick mechanism is much better made. Anyone else tried these?
I was going to detail why the best thing to do with a Paterson brand tank is throw it out, but we've been there so many times and it's so obvious that if someone is having trouble loading the reels and is watching this video for a solution, doing so is pointless. Yous is a self-inflicted torture.
I’m curious what could make you have such an extreme negative opinion of them. They’ve been around for 40 years for a reason. I’ve never had a single problem with my Paterson tank, it’s simple, rugged, and affordable. You also can’t beat the fast dump time, no metal tank comes close.
@@joeltunnah Okay, let's run though its issues: (1) It is a brittle, thin wall construction which is easily cracked if dropped. (2) The reels are reported to be troublesome to load, particularly after some use. The material is hard to keep clean. (3) the loading tabs are small compared to others of similar designs, making the reels hard to load, particularly for 120 film. (4) The worst: It's internal funnel design traps between 1/2 to 1/3 of the internal volume of the tank with air. If you agitate by agitation, it functions better as a cocktail shaker. (4) The large semi-soft top is relatively troublesome to seal properly, so it often leaks. With color processing, which generates positive gas pressure, it is fairly common to blow the top off in the middle of the process. The similar AP tank, lacks many of these shortcomings, and is also rebranded as the "house" tank at B&H and Freestyle in the US. It also tends to cost a bit less than the Paterson. Since the Paterson offers no usage advantages and no price benefit, its attraction is a mystery. Also, note that the prior generation of Paterson tanks (pre System 4) were better made and do not have many of these issues.Over the decades, I've had occasion to buy a number of Paterson equipment items for my darkroom. Eventually I gave away everything except a 500ml graduated cylinder and the larger vertical print washer, because its mickey mouse agitation function barely works when new.
@@randallstewart175 well to be fair most manufactured devices are “reported to be difficult to use” by someone on the internet. Have you ever been to a camera forum?😂 The leaking/cracking/air issues you’re claiming may not affect me because I agitate on the counter top using the twiddle stick only. By “AP tank” I assume you mean the Arista Premium? I’ll have to try one of these life-changing designs! Unfortunately they’re currently out of stock, and they’re the same price as the Paterson, FYI. Thanks for your response.
Personally, I can’t stand these… I own one, but only because they’re big enough to handle 4x5 and I don’t currently have a light-tight space where I can dev in trays. For roll film, give me a good metal tank and reels ANY day of the week!
Much easier method: feed an inch or two of the rounded-off leader into the Paterson spool **before putting it in your changing bag**. I’ve done it this way forever, never had a problem, and you never have to touch or risk scratching your film in the bag.
That's what I do too with 35 mm, leave the leader out when rewinding, then cut the leader and the corners and start the film on the reel before turning off the lights. Then wind it straight out of the canister to the reel (pulling it out while winding) and when finished cut the film.
@@Murgoh yep.👍 And if you have a camera that automatically rewinds the leader into the canister, I highly recommend the “Matin” film leader retriever on Amazon. Works perfectly.
@@joeltunnah You can retrieve the leader by using a piece of negative and stick a double-sided tape on it. Insert the negative into the film canister and turn the roller until it catches the leader, then pull out it out. You may need to do it a few times..free of charge!
@@rickylee1894 good tip thanks. The retriever I mentioned is only $14, so not a big investment.
Yep, I do it this way. I curse myself when I've accidentally re-wound the film fully back in. I'm also learning to cut off more of the leader each time (about 4'' at the moment), its surprising how much of the film is already exposed or you have that half shot that I always seem to get at the beginning. Cutting off more at the beginning saves that film crunching snag at the end when you're trying to get a quart of film into a Patterson pint pot.
I use Patterson type 1 or 2 tanks, in bakelite, inbuilt twizzle stick with a wee spout, fill over a sink with a funnel, you always have the right amount of liquid, as soon as the spout leaks a drop stop pouring, no inversions, no messy spills, no chemically hands. Plus they look far cooler!
I finally got to try this today. It took a while but I got it loaded in the end, thanks for the great video!
Awesome! That put a smile on my face :)
Awesome technique!
I would just add one thing : make sure everything is perfectly DRY so the film doesn't get stuck on the reel. Sweaty hands are enough to make the loading a nightmare, and it happens more easily in a dark bag. You may want to use a hair dryer for a few seconds in the bag and on the reel, and do it with fresh clean hands. If using a dark bag, the less time in there the less chance for sweat and humidity.
Good tips, thanks :)
When people ask me how I load my film into a tank in total darkness I tell them that it's one thing for me to explain the process, but a completely different process getting comfortable working in total darkness and having the confidence to know that the job is done properly!
The next level of learning then becomes to load two 120 rolls in a Paterson reel and getting good with that process!
Keep up the good work!
Thanks Sina :)
Great guide! The blindfold is a good touch!
Thank you!
You are my idol.
lol, thanks Miguel :)
Nice vídeo, your skill is impressive in darkness.
Thanks :)
I’m really impressed when you ripped apart the metal canister. Very impressive. (I’m obviously weak and feeble!).
lol, it's all about leverage.
Hey thanks! Great vid, & tutorial!
Thank you Dale!
Excellent thank you
You're welcome :)
Hi Azriel Great way to load film thanks. Have you ever tried mixing up your own developer from the formulas available, e.g. digitaltruth.com an easy one is D76/ID11 a very practical mixer and you won't need to be too precise to get it right.Stop bath, Fixer, hypo clear and tank cleaners formulas are easy as well. Just a thought, and since you have a great following it would be a great way to keep us classic.📸
Thanks for the suggestion Peter. However, I'm not much of a DIY guy. I realize you can have more control by making your own developer but I put it in the same category as growing tomatoes. Could be fun, lots of extra work, saves a few pennies. ;)
@@AzrielKnight Thanks Azriel, your more of a DIY guy than you give your self credit for. Processing film and making prints is DIY in my estimation. You have great content thank you. 🍅
Excellent 👍
Thanks :)
Very cool, thank you. Subscribed. I've never done this before, and it looks like a good place for me to start! Any chemists out there have any feedback on the interaction between latex and/or nitrile gloves and undeveloped film? I feel like with my bare hands I'd end up touching the film and getting oil prints on it, and for my first few fumbling attempts could imagine tight gloves being helpful until I get my technique down...
Glad I could help Bruce!
I've noticed no one wears cotton gloves while loading film to prevent finger prints and/or scratches. Have you ever worn cotton gloves?
Thanks for the video. I am still having trouble getting film onto the spool. I do everything this video (and many other videos I have watched) have instructed me to do. Everything is lined up, my film’s corners are rounded off, I start to ratchet the spool and every time I get to the third twist, the film starts to feed itself OFF of the spool. I don’t understand why this is happening or what I can do differently to make it not happen, and no one else seems to address this problem. Anyone have any helpful advice?
Have you considered you may have a faulty spool?
@@AzrielKnight yes, but I have no way of really knowing for sure since this is the first Paterson tank I've ever purchased and have nothing to compare the parts to. It came with two spools and they both do the same thing, which had me thinking maybe it was me and not the spools. But there is a chance that both spools are faulty. Are there any recommendations on better quality spools to buy that are compatible with the Paterson tank? Thank you for your quick response!
@Matt Mullis it's unlikely both are faulty. I would suggest sit in front of the tv and practice with a dummy roll until it's second nature.
@@AzrielKnight Thank you for your helpful responses. I am still not 100% certain that I can rule out faulty spools since I am doing everything exactly as I'm supposed to and have yet to have had a successful attempt. I will continue looking into it and return back to the comments once I find a solution in case anyone has the same trouble I have had.
Do you have twitter? I'm much easier to get a hold of there.
Hi Azriel! Last year I moved from Ottawa to Halifax. I used to get my film developed at a store but now the available options are very limited, particularly for black and white film, and I'm considering processing my own rolls. I have zero equipment but have been eyeing a Paterson/Ilford FIlm Processing Kit to get me started and am curious what your thoughts are for anyone just starting out. Do you think the kit is worth it (retails for around $150 and seems to include everything needed, as far as I know) or is there a better/more economical way to get set up? I only shoot a handful of rolls every year and don't know that buying the chemicals in bulk is worth it, so I'm also considering using the Ilford Simplicity line of products for the time being as I don't know what kind of shelf life the more conventional chemicals have after they're mixed. I'd love to hear your thoughts and gladly welcome any recommendations. Cheers!
I don't really know anything about the Ilford kits, but I've always held the belief that if you hold out long enough, you'll find a better deal.
Halifax is a pretty small place and I don't know if you'll find what you're looking for in thrift stores but I would start there, Kijiji, and Facebook Marketplace for what you need.
Buy developers with a long shelf life like Kodak HC-110. I've got a bottle that is at least 3 or 4 years old now and is fine. You can also shoot a bunch then develop all at the same time.
I think at the end of the day, don't do it to save money, do it because you want to learn about film, developing and have the control.
I hope this helps.
@@AzrielKnight Thanks for the reply, it does help. I'll look more into developers' shelf life . I thought I heard somewhere that many don't last more than six months or something along those lines. Maybe I'm just misinformed.
I'm not really interested in developing to save money (no one shooting film is saving any money lol), it's more a matter of convenience. I've done it many years ago in high school and I do remember enjoying the process.
I've never had any luck with film related stuff at thrift stores but Kijiji has been an excellent resource for cameras and lenses, and although I have missed some opportunities to buy developing and darkroom kits people were getting rid of, I wasn't looking at the time. I suppose there is no hurry and I can just let the finished rolls collect as I keep an eye out for a good deal. I haven't checked out any thrift stores since I moved here. Halifax is a relatively small city, but it also happens to be the biggest city in Nova Scotia, if not the Maritimes. Who knows, maybe there are more offerings than what I was used to seeing in Ottawa.
Thanks again, and keep up the good work!
I just recently started developing film and getting the film on the spool is a real challenge for me, cutting the corner is something new to me and I am sure it will ease my pain and swearing at getting the film on the spool
Start the film onto the spool in daylight, then put it in your changing bag or darkroom to finish.
Practice with a dummy roll until you're sick in the head of it.
Good demo on plastic tank forgot about the fear of not loading the reel right the first time, was wondering if you have any metal tanks with metal reel loading is different where you must clip the end of the film in the center of the reel and then flex the film and guide it onto the metal spiral, this would also make a good demo since there are a lot of metal tanks used to develop the film.
I need to learn how to use a metal tank at some point. If nothing else out of pure curiosity.
That’s very good. I’d even say exemplary.
Now how about medium format 120 film? That’s a nightmare the first few times.
It can be very tough getting the “leader” straight and right into the spool.
One trick is to use a thin plastic card (less friction than card-stock) inserted in the take up slots to guide the film.
Thanks! I'll do one for medium format as some point. Right now I don't think I have any film I can sacrifice to the cause.
Still have trouble using the old metal reels. Went to a Lab-Box and all my troubles went away. No fiddling around in the dark any longer
Lab-box is intriguing, but I’ve read some horror story reviews about them not taking up the film onto the reel and you can’t tell until you open it up after it’s done, and your film is ruined. Also some say the handle area leaks, and then there’s the high price...
I normally use the Jobo tanks ,but last week I had to use my old Patterson tank for the first time in ages because my Jobo tank was still wet (that is also something to mention new users, only load film on dry spools).
I could not load film on the Patterson, it mangled my film ,I think it had to do with the ball barrings even though they where not rusty they didn’t engage with the film smoothly.
Does someone know how to fix this?
Since I went to Jobo I just can't use Paterson reels. Jobo reels are just so much better...
Never had an issue with my paterson reels, maybe you should try a thorough scrubbing?
Also try what I mentioned in my comment, start the reel outside the bag first.
@@joeltunnah thanks, will try that.
I’m used to an AP tank, which also had way better spools that paterson. I was recently gifted an old paterson tank, but couldn’t manage to use those paterson reels either without ‘mangling my film’.
Textbook. The way I was doing it 30 years ago. :)
Thanks for the comment David!
Pro-tip: I started with and AP tank which in my opinion is quite a better than paterson. Although the AP lid leaks a bit more, the reels are way easier to handle and the swizzle stick mechanism is much better made. Anyone else tried these?
Thanks for the comment Aaron. Personally, I prefer the Paterson snap on to the AP screw on.
I was going to detail why the best thing to do with a Paterson brand tank is throw it out, but we've been there so many times and it's so obvious that if someone is having trouble loading the reels and is watching this video for a solution, doing so is pointless. Yous is a self-inflicted torture.
I’m curious what could make you have such an extreme negative opinion of them. They’ve been around for 40 years for a reason. I’ve never had a single problem with my Paterson tank, it’s simple, rugged, and affordable. You also can’t beat the fast dump time, no metal tank comes close.
@@joeltunnah Okay, let's run though its issues: (1) It is a brittle, thin wall construction which is easily cracked if dropped. (2) The reels are reported to be troublesome to load, particularly after some use. The material is hard to keep clean. (3) the loading tabs are small compared to others of similar designs, making the reels hard to load, particularly for 120 film. (4) The worst: It's internal funnel design traps between 1/2 to 1/3 of the internal volume of the tank with air. If you agitate by agitation, it functions better as a cocktail shaker. (4) The large semi-soft top is relatively troublesome to seal properly, so it often leaks. With color processing, which generates positive gas pressure, it is fairly common to blow the top off in the middle of the process. The similar AP tank, lacks many of these shortcomings, and is also rebranded as the "house" tank at B&H and Freestyle in the US. It also tends to cost a bit less than the Paterson. Since the Paterson offers no usage advantages and no price benefit, its attraction is a mystery. Also, note that the prior generation of Paterson tanks (pre System 4) were better made and do not have many of these issues.Over the decades, I've had occasion to buy a number of Paterson equipment items for my darkroom. Eventually I gave away everything except a 500ml graduated cylinder and the larger vertical print washer, because its mickey mouse agitation function barely works when new.
@@randallstewart175 well to be fair most manufactured devices are “reported to be difficult to use” by someone on the internet. Have you ever been to a camera forum?😂
The leaking/cracking/air issues you’re claiming may not affect me because I agitate on the counter top using the twiddle stick only.
By “AP tank” I assume you mean the Arista Premium? I’ll have to try one of these life-changing designs! Unfortunately they’re currently out of stock, and they’re the same price as the Paterson, FYI.
Thanks for your response.
Personally, I can’t stand these… I own one, but only because they’re big enough to handle 4x5 and I don’t currently have a light-tight space where I can dev in trays. For roll film, give me a good metal tank and reels ANY day of the week!
To each their own.