OK, here is how it happened.
I picked up an old Rolleicord at a camera store a few weeks ago, brought it home and ordered some 120 roll film from B&H a few days later. While I waited for the film to arrive, I played around with the camera in every way I could. I got instructions off of the internet for it, printed it out and read them a few times. I was really scared, with good reason, about learning how to load it, also.
My film arrives; 5 rolls of T-Max 400. I attempt to load it. First I followed the horrible instructions I got in the internet by entering my first roll into the bottom compartment, under the slot, over the lens area, through the next slot, and onto the take up spool. Wound it until I got to the arrows, just like it says, and popped the top back on. I open the window at the bottom to attempt to see when I get at the first frame. It never shows up and the tension as I wind is getting greater as I go so I figure it most only be on certain films. This is a test roll anyway. I fire off about 4 shots to finally see the 1 in the bottom window. Darn. No biggie, but now the film is almost impossible to wind. I continue doing this until I get to about frame 4 and the film it is no longer possible to wind the film. I literally have band-aids over my thumb and index fingers now. No I?m not kidding. J
I decide since it?s a test roll, its not that big of a deal, I am however a little upset at this point because I thought it might actually work out. I open the back completely to see what the heck is going on. It looks all right. I didn?t care that I had exposed the film, I wanted to learn how to finally get this film into the blasted camera. I end up tearing the film out because I could no longer wind it.
I try a new roll this time optimistic. I get it to frame 7 this time! My blisters got worse but now at frame 7 it?s impossible to wind the film any longer. I decide to take it all out and develop it to see if anything even worked. Stupid me, I took out the spool in a very dim room, but its obvious in the negatives that a lot of light leaked anyway. It is only on the sides though, so I know its from my poor handling, not the camera.
Anyway, the negatives look good except for the horrible light leakage on the sides. But, what the heck am I doing wrong here? I wish I had not gotten off on a bad foot with medium format, it looks like a fun thing to experiment with. Hopefully I will figure this out soon! Thanks!!
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