Bulk Film Loaders

rover · 05-02-2005

What bulk film loaders do you guys have? Is there a specific canister that is best?

I looked on Freestyle's web site and the top model they sell is the Alden 74. I have bids on two of these over at the bay for 1/4 of the Freestyle price. Is the Alden all that?

eric · 05-02-2005

I have the Alden 74 and I used to have the cheopo plastic ones. I've lost them on some many moves I've made. I don't think my film can tell the difference in darkness inside them.
No really, the Aldens are pretty solid. But if you want to bulk different films, better to get a few of the cheaper plastic loaders.

snaggs · 05-02-2005

This is only US$80 new, and has ASA/ISO memory (Im assuming this is for DX coding). So given theres about 5 films I'd like to bulk load, I think your right that I should stick with a cheap one!

Daniel.

ray_g · 05-02-2005

I've read good things about the Watson 100. It's $19.95 brand new. I'm thinking of getting one from Adorama or B&H next time I order something.

RayPA · 05-02-2005

I have several, but my two favorites of the group are the Alden 74 and Watson 66B. There seem to be several varieties of Watson 100, maybe just based on when they were made. My Watson 100's are kind of crappy, frustrating sometimes, but they work.

rover · 05-02-2005

I get the feeling that these sell really cheaply on ebay. The Alden sells for $50 at Freestyle, is listed on ebay with a BIN price of $25, and I am thinking you can win one for less than $15.

back alley · 05-02-2005

i bought a new watson 100 on ebay for less than 10 bucks.
have yet to use it.
joe

rover · 05-02-2005

That is the way to go. If you end up not using it you don't feel guilty if it only cost a few $$$.

RayPA · 05-02-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by rover

I get the feeling that these sell really cheaply on ebay. The Alden sells for $50 at Freestyle, is listed on ebay with a BIN price of $25, and I am thinking you can win one for less than $15.

Keep an eye out for the Prinz 66 as well. It seems to be a knock-off of the Alden and Watson 66B. One thing I like about the Model 100's is the data sticker. I don't use it, but it's nice. I usually tape a piece of the box or a Post-it with the film info on the loader.

doubs43 · 05-02-2005

I have two working Aldens and five working Watsons. They all do the job nicely. In addition I have an Alden that has had the flat springs on the front sprung by a previous owner. It came in a package deal of five loaders and the other four were fine so I didn't complain. It could be used if I had no other choice but it sits empty at the moment.

Walker

RayPA · 05-02-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by doubs43

...I have an Alden that has had the flat springs on the front sprung by a previous owner...
Walker

Walker, I just unscrewed mine and "reformed" the spring. It works great!

taffer · 05-02-2005

I am a bit reluctant to make that step, I mean, if I miss something in the worst case I can end wasting a whole 100 ft. roll of film, no good

Minor issues may involve having the reloadable canisters putting scratches on film, or even light leaks on them

And it's easier to reload a CF card

Oscar <Already dodging flying rotten tomatoes>

No, now seriously, I'd like to try that as well but my shooting ratio may be not that big now, I'm approaching the 2 rolls per week lately, probably it's not yet enough to make it worth.

rover · 05-02-2005

may the world's largest electro-magnet rearrange all your zeros and ones.

T_om · 05-02-2005

Two Watson 100's and an Alden 74. All work just fine.

Several thousands of feet of film through all of them and no scratches, no problems at all in fact.

By the way for those new to bulk loading, bulk loaders do not use felt as a light trap. The light traps on loaders are all mechanical and the film path is a clear shot from spool to cassette. Film cassettes, however, DO use felt light traps. If you are seeing scratches, it is almost ALWAYS the cassette's (or the camera's) fault and not the loaders.

Tom

PS: I left off the major source of film scratches... processing. That is why I do my own.

phototone · 05-02-2005

The traditional old style bulk loader, such as a Lloyds? does indeed use a felt light trap, and you count rotations of the crank for the length of the load you wish to load. It is primitive. I believe 31 rotations equals 36 exp. roll.

All the other types do indeed have a "trapless" path, but the film goes over a sproket wheel which measures the length, shown on a scale on the outside, and there is indeed a possibility of scratching.

doubs43 · 05-02-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by RayPA

Walker, I just unscrewed mine and "reformed" the spring. It works great!

Hi Raypa, the one I have has riveted springs. If I ever get to it, I'll grind/drill the rivets off, reform the springs and use screws to put them back on. I have some film rolls backordered and when they arrive sometime in June I may need to use that loader.

Walker

RayPA · 05-02-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by doubs43

Hi Raypa, the one I have has riveted springs. If I ever get to it, I'll grind/drill the rivets off, reform the springs and use screws to put them back on. I have some film rolls backordered and when they arrive sometime in June I may need to use that loader.

Walker

aaah! that explains it! or as my daughter would say "duh!!" i've not seen the riveted ones. must have been an early version, because I'm sure they realized how easily those springs get bent out of shape and switched to screws. sounds like a do-able modification you have planned.

rover · 05-09-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by rover

I get the feeling that these sell really cheaply on ebay. The Alden sells for $50 at Freestyle, is listed on ebay with a BIN price of $25, and I am thinking you can win one for less than $15.

I did it!!! Alden 74 new in box for $15.50!!! The first one I was following closed in the middle of the week for $31. Everyone must have been recovering from their quality time with mom last night and this one passed threw relatively quietly.

taffer · 05-09-2005

Congrats Rover !! Now let us know how you find it, I took the step with film developing but bulk loading looks still too esoteric for me...

and btw...

"may the world's largest electro-magnet rearrange all your zeros and ones."

rover · 05-09-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by taffer

"may the world's largest electro-magnet rearrange all your zeros and ones."

An electro-magnet cannot do any more harm to my computer based information than than I do all by myself. If turning my computer on and off can't cure my digital woes, I am in trouble.

Thomaspin · 05-09-2005

Maybe the best feature of the Watson 66B is that you can load Leitz reloadable cassettes with one thus ensuring no scratches from the loading operation.

FWIW, I had the base plate lock on my (pre-TTL) M6 modified by DAG for a few $ to open the Leitz cassettes, though I sold that body when I decided to trade up to an M2.

kiev4a · 05-09-2005

One thing I noticed about more recent Watson loaders is they are made of a lighter plastic than the older ones. In fact, I think the first Watson loader I used in the late '60s was made of a thicker and more rigid material -- much like Bakelite (the stuff the old telephones were made of. The new ones are probably more durable but at least the one I have doesn't operate a smoothly as the older ones (or maybe it's just one of those "good old days" memories

ray_g · 05-09-2005

Nice going, rover. I won one yesterday too. Not brand new, though.

rover · 05-09-2005

Now to get a big roll of Tri X and some reusable canisters.

markinlondon · 05-09-2005

UK-based members may be interested to know that Ffordes have Watson loaders in stock at all times for 5GBP. The one I added to an order looked new but wasn't in a box. I haven't actually used it yet as I'm still getting HP5+ for 2GBP a roll and the convenience of factory-rolled wins every time. But it may come into its own if my Tri-x experiments ever come to anything.

Mark