How to Load 35Mm Film Into a Manual Camera

Co-authored by Corey Reese

Last Updated: June 19, 2024

People take photos in all environments and it is important to make sure you have the right film selected for your lighting conditions and to make sure the film is loaded properly to ensure that your photos come out. This article will prepare you for an outdoor photography setting, using no flash.

Steps

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1
Decide upon what lighting conditions will be present for desired photography.
- On a sunny day choose a slow film speed 100ISO or 200ISO
- Near dawn, dusk, or dark clouds choose a faster speed such as 800ISO
- If you will be shooting all day or are unsure of the exact light, choose 400ISO
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8
Pull gently but firmly up on the disc until you hear the back door of the camera pop open.
- You have now successfully opened the back of the camera and are ready to load film.
10
Un-package your roll of film.
- There should be roughly an inch of film hanging out of the roll of film. This is called the leader.
- If there is not a leader, you will need a special tool. Consult your teacher for help.
- If no teacher is available, use another roll of film.
- You may assume that the top of the film is the end with the circle protruding from the main cylinder. However, this is not the case; this is actually the bottom.
Ensure that the flange out of the roll of film that has the leader sticking out is to the right over the back of the camera. (It’s hard to mess this up if the roll of film is oriented properly in the cradle.)
Push the roll of film down into the cradle.
Next, with the roll of film securely in place, pull the leader across the back of the camera by grabbing the sides of the film so no fingerprints make it on the surface of the film.
14
Once the film has reached the other side of the camera, you must lock the film into the winding mechanism so that the film will move across the film plane when it is winded after every exposure.
- On the back of the camera on the right where the tip of the leader is, you will notice two spindles; one with sprockets and another to hold the tip of the leader.
15
Insert the leader into one of the two slits on the right spindle.
- On the top and bottom of the sprocket, (left) spindle are sprockets, and on the top and bottom of the film there are sprocket holes.
17
Holding the film in place on the sprockets and with the leader in a slit on the spindle, with your left hand, find the advancement mechanism which is connected to the right spindle but on top of the camera and spin it out and to the right with your right thumb. If the advancement mechanism does not move out, push down the shutter release, which is the silver button to the top of the advancement mechanism if looking from above.
- The spindle will move clockwise, which will appear to be wrong because it takes the film and bends it around the spindle in what looks to be backwards. This however is correct, and the film is wound on the spindle in this manner to ensure it does not slide off.
- The film should wrap around the spindle and move a short distance, once the advancement mechanism stops release the shutter and you will get another crank out of it.
20
Repeat two more times.
- The numbers on the top of the camera should read anywhere from 0 to 3.

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Question

What do I do if the lever won't pull back when I get to stage 20?

Community Answer

Click the shutter button. The lever will release when the shutter button is pushed.

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Question

What do I do if the window shows 36 even after I loaded new film?

Community Answer

Some cameras count down instead of up. The window says you have 36 exposures available, and it should count down with each shoot: 35, 34, 33...

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Question

Do I need to do this in the dark?

Community Answer

No. The only time the film needs to be in the dark is when it is being developed. However, try not to load your film in direct sunlight. Load it inside or in a shaded area outdoors.

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