Bulk Film Loader Advice

Jao

Jao

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I am looking to get a bulk film loader and would welcome advice on what to get. The Kaiser one seems to command the highest price on the bay, I have in the distant past used a Computrol loader, I am also aware of the Watson loader. What do those of you who load bulk film use and how do you avoid long scratches on the emulsion side? Any advice gratefully received.
 
I've got a Watson loader (bought in Gregory's, Lower Goat Lane), but I haven't used it since the 60s, and the models I've seen since are clearly different to mine.

Scratch avoidance comes down to making sure that the loader is kept clean, and watching out for grit in the light traps on the cassettes. Given that film is loaded through a relatively large opening in the loader, the cassette will be the weak point in the loading process, and the film has to pass through the cassette twice even without the initial load. An alternative (if you have a dark room) is to use the old method of a couple of marks on the edge of a table or bench that gives the length of film needed, then cut roll and insert without having to pass it through the cassette.
 
I've got a few of the computrol ones, haven't had any problems with them. Plus they are fairly cheap as well.
 
I got one from ebay recently that was dirt cheap and came loaded with 75' of FP4+. I expected the film to have been fogged, it was advertised as untested but having tested it was ok so that was bonus.

Looking at the price of most bulk films I'm not sure that there is much of an economy of scale in buying bulk. However, it will allow you to try some unusual film stock, in particular the cinema film that you sometimes see.

Also, its handy to be able to roll whatever length of film that you want, it's useful to roll a test film of say 6 exposures rather than have to shoot 24 or 36 exposures before finding the fault with the camera.
 
wickerman said:
Looking at the price of most bulk films I'm not sure that there is much of an economy of scale in buying bulk. However, it will allow you to try some unusual film stock, in particular the cinema film that you sometimes see.
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I just checked this out using the prices on the Silverprint site. The lowest unit cost comes from a 30m length, which gives a cost per 36 exposure cassette of £3.35, whereas buying a cassette costs £3.98. Other shops prices may vary (as they say).

The last film I actually used as a bulk load was one that wasn't available in cassettes.
 
What I find really odd is Kodak's pricing, it's more expensive to buy in bulk than to buy ready loaded??
 
There's a person on ebay sells a computrol loader, 25ft of kodak plusx and (I think) 5 cannisters for a reasonable price... thats what I got before I started getting the pan100 in bulk.
 
Thanks everyone for the advice, it is really helpful. I think the idea of being able to load some short rolls for testing as well as trying out some of the odd stuff that comes up in bulk from time to time is the attraction rather than cost saving. Indeed cost saving is a bit of an oxymoron where film is concerned;)

I will have a scout about on ebay and see what looks the best deal, I think it is between the Computrol and the AP/Kaiser models.

I'll report back on this adventure!
 
One thing I would say about the computrol loaders, there's a fair bit of waste at the start and end of each roll... I believe the 'other' variety of loader is much better for that
 
wickerman said:
I got one from ebay recently that was dirt cheap and came loaded with 75' of FP4+. I expected the film to have been fogged, it was advertised as untested but having tested it was ok so that was bonus.

Looking at the price of most bulk films I'm not sure that there is much of an economy of scale in buying bulk. However, it will allow you to try some unusual film stock, in particular the cinema film that you sometimes see.

Also, its handy to be able to roll whatever length of film that you want, it's useful to roll a test film of say 6 exposures rather than have to shoot 24 or 36 exposures before finding the fault with the camera.
Click to expand...

Well there is no need to use the complete roll, just cut say 6 frames off under the bed clothes or changing bag, and dev....then put the film back in the canister for other tests or cut a new leader and finish the film up. ;)
 
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Got a Restem Deluxe here you can have for postage. Not used it for bulk but as Mr X says, drop in a 36 film and re-distribute it for short rolls/testing purposes. Also, when I had the Leica I had to re-spool the film onto the labyrinth spools.
 
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