TIL I was loading film into my tank wrong for 6 years

I always thought I had to load the film onto the reel in complete darkness, which I did, but I was forcing it on with too much pressure. Last month a guy at my local camera shop in Columbus saw me struggling and asked why I wasn't wetting the reel first. He showed me how a tiny drop of water on the reel makes the film glide on smooth. Has anyone else had a simple trick like that save them hours of frustration?

3 comments

3 Comments

hernandez.jordan1mo ago

Wetting the reel first is a lifesaver. Also found out the trick with pulling the film gently while winding instead of pushing it on.

noahhernandez29d ago

Wait, have you guys ever tried using one of those little glass bottles with mister sprayers for wetting the reel? I read somewhere that it works better than just running it under the tap because you can control how wet it gets. Ngl, I used to soak mine too much and the film would stick to itself and get all tangled. Also, pulling the film gently instead of pushing it sounds like a game changer honestly. Tbh I always pushed it on like a dummy and ended up with kinks in the film every single time. Gonna try that pull trick next time I'm in the dark bag.

jason5621mo ago

Right there with you on the wet reel trick. I was forcing film onto my reels like I was trying to shove a sleeping cat into a carrier. Years of sweat and swearing in a dark bag. Then some old timer at the shop casually drops that water trick on me. Felt like an idiot. But hey, at least now the film goes on smoother than my dating life.