A few things that may try your patience include: 1. Driving through Atlanta at 5:30 PM 2. Hanging curtains, and 3. Changing film in the P67

I thought I would share a few things I learned. First, loading and unloading the film while the camera is face down is almost an effort in futility. Sometimes I can't even get the empty spool out. I have much better luck with the camera facing straight ahead. On the tripod this is quite simple. Handeld takes a bit of a balance act. First to unload exposed film, with the camera facing forward and the bottom lock released, push in a bit on the roll and slide it up slightly. The weight of the film will drop it from the top, sliding it up a bit will clear the bottom key. After you release it from pushing in a bit, the spring piece that keeps the tension will cause the exposed roll to pop out enough to remove it.

As for loading, again I keep the camera facing forward. Leave the tape connected, and put the roll in and secure the bottom lock. The top will not be seated unless you are really lucky, but you can easily turn the roll with your finger (towards the curtain) until it fit's in the top.

None of this is easy, but I've gotton much better results with this method and wanted to share. For some odd reason, Ilford films are still really tough to load. Perhaps something to do with their spool design.

-- Scott Laughlin (scottlaughlin@mindspring.com), August 01, 2001

Answers

Most MF cameras are a pain to load. I'm still fumbling with my hasselblad, getting the paper under the film plane thing and then getting the insert into the camera with out snagging the paper on the magazine. I've seen a wedding photographer shoot an entire wedding with a single magazine and unload and reload it in about 30 seconds. Practice makes perfect.

I often try to wait to load my p67's until I have the camera on the tripod. It is much easier.

-- Gene Crumpler (nikonguy@att.net), August 02, 2001.

Just to agree - I have always found Ilford films especially hard to load, and more likely than any other make to wind loose (with consequent fogging risk). I think it's the combination of spool design and the paper they use for the leader. Somehow, it just doesn't want to "take". I think I've got better at it, but it took time, and I still make the odd error...

-- Ed Hurst (BullMoo@hotmail.com), August 03, 2001.

Scott,

I agree driving through Atlanta sucks. As far as the P67, I use it in the theater a lot and have learned to change the film in the dark. One trick that I find helpful is rather than trying to turn the roll with my finger to set the top of the spool I just pull some film out. This, naturally, spins the spool and the top sets in place. You don't even need to get bottom of the spool set. If you just stick the film where it belongs and close the bottom spring loaded think as far as you can (what's that called) so it is giving some upward pressure, the spool will spin and cath on both the top and bottom. For the take up spool on the right I do the same thing, only since there is no film to pull out I give a couple cranks on the thumb winding lever. The top thingy that fits in the spool spins until it catches on the spool and then the spool spins until it catches on the bottom--normally about two cranks on the lever is all that is required. Sounds complicated, but really it's just difficult to explain...the whole process takes less than ten seconds. The most difficult thing in the dark is finding the slot on the take up spool where the film leaded goes.

-- Mark Meyer (mark@photo-mark.com), August 05, 2001.

The 6x7 sure is at the bottom of the 'loading' list (the Mamiya RZ is a pleasure and Hassleblads aren't bad with a little practice)- even face down I've found I can sort of 'bounce' the full spool with the lock open against the tensioner to get it out. I've learned to quickly but carefully line up the spool slot with the top key before I load, which helps. Fuji film is easiest now that there's a little locking tap inside the film slot on the s

-- T Gorman (honeychrom@aol.com), August 07, 2001.

Have you folks ever noticed that when there is no hurry or pressure film changes are quick, easy, dare I say effortless-almost like we know what we're doing but add changing, fading, light or the need to change film NOW and the darn thing fights back!

-- Arden Sampsel (marmutz@earthlink.net), August 13, 2001.

It takes me less than 30 sec. To open the camera, take out the exposed film, seal it, move the empty film reel , remove the seal from the new film, insert it and close. I always do this with the camera face down. The trick is to place the right thumb on the upper edge of the film reel and press firmly up and then I pull the lock down with my left hand, this makes the film pop out.

-- Sigurdur Stefnisson (shs@mmedia.is), August 27, 2001.