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Rant: Threw out $80 worth of film after a bad bulk loader mistake
I got this bulk film loader off Craigslist for cheap and figured I'd save money rolling my own canisters. Loaded up a 100 foot roll of HP5 and everything seemed fine for the first 10 rolls. Then I noticed the light trap foam was all crumbly and dry rotted. Didn't think much of it. Developed the rest of the roll last night and every single frame has these weird foggy streaks right through the middle. That's like 4 months of shooting down the drain. 80 bucks worth of film plus the chemicals. Check your bulk loaders people, especially the used ones. The foam degrades over time even if it looks okay on the outside. Has anyone else lost film to something stupid like this?
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rubyj115d ago
Honestly, I kind of see it differently. 80 bucks over 4 months of shooting is actually pretty good compared to buying pre-rolled. If you shoot regularly, you probably saved more than that on the first 100 foot roll alone. Plus, spot checking the foam and replacing it before you loaded the whole thing would have caught the problem. I know it stings, but bulk loading has always had a learning curve.
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Yeah that hurts man, I feel your pain. Bulk loading is supposed to save money but one little mistake can wipe out all your savings real quick. I had a similar thing happen with a cheap film back where the light seals turned to goo and ruined a whole trip's worth of shots. Now I always replace the foam on any used gear before I even load my first roll.
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