moritz_cine
Hello,
I recently bought a bulk loader and have so far only reloaded a few
used film cartridges for testing purposes. So far, everything has worked without any problems.
(especially the plastic cartridges from ADOX and the metal cartridges from Kodak) When I had a
quick look online to see how often a cartridge can be reloaded, I came across quite a lot of
controversy. Some say they’ve been reusing them (e.g. the old Ilford cartridges) for over 20 years.
Others say they use a new one at least every 3–4 times.
What are your experiences with this? Which cartridges do you find work best?
Thanks
Moritz
Wolf_XL
...you can definitely use the cartridges more than three or four times. I’m still using some cartridges that I bought from Phototec back in the mid-1980s. You just need to take a closer look at your cartridges every now and then – the condition of the felt at the cartridge mouth is particularly important. And, of course, the seal must still be properly tight. Otherwise, the cartridges won’t just suddenly give up and spill their entire contents – any leaks usually show signs beforehand. So it’s not the end of the world...
mdeutgen
I myself still use cartridges that I received from my grandfather thirty years ago (back then, he not only made and sold film loaders, but also dealt in ‘refurbished’ cartridges). These have been on well over 20 trips. However, before refilling them, I always take a *very* close look at the cartridges and sort them out rigorously.
In the meantime, however, my consumption has also dropped significantly (I no longer have the time I did as a student, and my priorities in my private life have shifted noticeably since then), and I allow myself the luxury of buying pre-spooled film. Nevertheless, I currently have another 30.5-metre roll of film in front of me and will be shooting it during my upcoming holiday.
Martin
RalfMichael
Hi Moritz,
I can confirm that too regarding the Ilford cartridges; I still have quite a few from the 70s and 80s, and they’re all still fine.(I haven’t had quite such a good experience with plastic cartridges from the 1980s from the GDR (Orwo) and other Eastern Bloc countries; although they can be opened, they are sometimes not completely light-tight at the film slot.) Best regards, Ralf
mattes
I stick the new roll of film onto the residue of a used cartridge. As I now have a large number of cartridges to hand, I can replace them more often.
But generally speaking, it’s not really worth the effort. For one thing, roll film isn’t much cheaper than pre-loaded film. For another, there’s a not inconsiderable risk of scratching the film. After all, it’s moved into the loader, through the loader and three times through the cartridge. That’s only ever been worth it, if at all, with exotic film stock.
Matthias
