dudestyle
I use the CHS 100 in my Pentacon Six TL.
When the film is full and I want to remove it from the camera, it curls a little, or rather the winding loosens and a light leak is inevitable. As things stand, it looks like I would always have to change the film in the dark, which would be impractical. Have any of you had similar experiences or do you have any tips?
ErnstKluger
It hasn’t happened to me yet – the CHS 100 was sitting nicely in the Six’s film chamber – but you can always tape the film down before removing it. That way, nothing can unwind.
Best regards, Ernst
dudestyle
Thanks for the tip. I’m not 100% sure anymore, but I think the film had already started to unroll a bit when I opened the camera. I’ll follow your advice, though, and keep an eye out next time. Maybe there’s someone here who’s had a similar experience. I’ve also read that my problem is a common one with this film.
pittyman
Hi dudestyle. I’ve been using the Six for quite a while now too; it’s a fun camera.
Regarding your question: without wishing to offend our host or disparage his films,
it’s down to the paper used in the CHS roll films. These obviously have a different
structure/coating/material to other types of film. I never had any problems with them in my own camera,
but when winding it onto the developing spool, the utmost care was always required to ensure the
film didn’t suddenly ‘spin out of control’ and risk the flashes from the discharges ruining the film. The paper
seems to be the same for Foma, Efke and CHS. Kodak uses a completely different paper for its black-and-white roll films and is absolutely user-friendly in this respect. Nevertheless, the CHS films are great, and the slightly different look is worth the extra effort of concentrating a bit more during a couple of quick steps to ensure the roll doesn’t ‘go haywire’. Hold the paper firmly and apply a little pressure to the reel, then you should be able to get the films in and out of the camera without any trouble.
With that in mind, keep enjoying the Six and the CHS films!
Dirk
dudestyle
Hi Dirk,
Thank you for your detailed reply. In the meantime, I’ve received an email from FOTOIMPEX saying they’re not aware of this issue and can’t help me. In my own research, I’ve come across the same problem, just as you describe it. It seems to be down to the material. It’s just a shame that the people at FOTOIMPEX won’t say so openly. The films are great, just as you say. I’ll sort it out somehow.
Best regards,
Sven
