[Leica] bulk loading

[nicholsj at edge.net (JAMES NICHOLS)]

When I was in the Air Force in the early fifties, some of us bought both
Plus-X, rated ASA 50, and Kodachrome Daylight from an outfit selling movie
ends.  For a while, we even got FREE processing from Kodak by just mailing
the color film in like any other roll of Kodachrome, but they finally wised
up and put an end to the free ride.

Didn't know there were many around today who grew up using Plus-X before
the world ever heard of Tri-X.  

Jim Nichols
Tullahoma, TN


> [Original Message]
> From: Feli di Giorgio <feli@creocollective.com>
> To: Leica Users Group <lug@leica-users.org>
> Date: 7/2/2004 7:11:48 PM
> Subject: Re: [Leica] bulk loading
>
> 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=e
n
>
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=e
n
>
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 ½ 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
>
>
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