Film picker

[harvestnow]

anyone knows what's a film picker? i've been wondering how to use it, and how does it look like... gee... hope tht some1 here got a pic/website to recommend. thanks.

[ckiang]

Quote: Originally posted by harvestnow anyone knows what's a film picker? i've been wondering how to use it, and how does it look like... gee... hope tht some1 here got a pic/website to recommend. thanks.

It's a blue (most common) plastic thing with 3 plastic flaps. You retract all of them, insert 3 flaps into the canistor, extend one of the flaps, turn the spindle until you hear a click, insert the other flap, pull, and the film leader will be out.

Go to a shop like John 3:16, etc and they will demo it to you.

Regards
CK

[harvestnow]

Quote: Originally posted by ckiang It's a blue (most common) plastic thing with 3 plastic flaps. You retract all of them, insert 3 flaps into the canistor, extend one of the flaps, turn the spindle until you hear a click, insert the other flap, pull, and the film leader will be out. Go to a shop like John 3:16, etc and they will demo it to you. Regards CK

they're realli tht friendly ar? =)

[rueyloon]

saw an elcheapo one at cathay, 9$ I think, which mean "real" price is just $4-5

[ckiang]

Quote: Originally posted by harvestnow they're realli tht friendly ar? =)

Yes. Very. But they are usually busy too, lots of customers.

Regards
CK

[ckiang]

Quote: Originally posted by rueyloon saw an elcheapo one at cathay, 9$ I think, which mean "real" price is just $4-5

My el-cheapo one stopped working after about 12 years. Now it isn't "effective". Yes, it cost $5 back then.

Regards
CK

[mervlam]

Quote: Originally posted by harvestnow anyone knows what's a film picker? i've been wondering how to use it, and how does it look like... gee... hope tht some1 here got a pic/website to recommend. thanks.

go to SEED on 12/6, i can show u mine... hehehe

[harvestnow]

Quote: Originally posted by mervlam go to SEED on 12/6, i can show u mine... hehehe

ay ya... would love to go, but cun... gotta attend concert @ indoor stadium.

[Necroist]

erm, what exactly is a flim picker? what is its purpose?

[ziploc]

Sometimes you want to rewind a film half roll, change in another roll of film (eg. slide to negative or different ISO), and then later put back the 1st roll. The film picker is to pick the film leader out so that you can continue using it. It is also used by labs to pull out the film leader to load into the processing machine (although they use a different type of pickers).

[Necroist]

whoa cool! where can I get that. I've wondering whether I can change flim anytime. Looks like I can.

Btw, where is John 3:16?

[ziploc]

Quote: Originally posted by Necroist whoa cool! where can I get that. I've wondering whether I can change flim anytime. Looks like I can. Btw, where is John 3:16?

You can find film pickers at the regular photography shops at peninsula (fotoguide, CP, etc.), they are very common. John 3:16 is at Funan (3rd floor I think).

[Larry]

film pickers are quite cheap, just a overrated piece of plastic. but quite useful esp to film/slide shooters, when you need to change films mid-roll. some of my frens are quite fascinated with the blue plastic, especially with the click-click sound of the picker.

[harvestnow]

Quote: Originally posted by firefox13 film pickers are quite cheap, just a overrated piece of plastic. but quite useful esp to film/slide shooters, when you need to change films mid-roll. some of my frens are quite fascinated with the blue plastic, especially with the click-click sound of the picker.

last time i went foto guide... they're sellin @ around 14 or 18 dollars lidat ...

[Necroist]

This might be too much of me, but is there any digital cam users willing to take a photo of the flim picker so that at least I know rougly what i'm looking for when I go to shops?

[ckiang]

Quote: Originally posted by Necroist This might be too much of me, but is there any digital cam users willing to take a photo of the flim picker so that at least I know rougly what i'm looking for when I go to shops?

Regards
CK

[Necroist]

Quote: Originally posted by ziploc Sometimes you want to rewind a film half roll, change in another roll of film (eg. slide to negative or different ISO), and then later put back the 1st roll. The film picker is to pick the film leader out so that you can continue using it. It is also used by labs to pull out the film leader to load into the processing machine (although they use a different type of pickers).

btw, if u roll back the flim into the canister at half roll, when u pick the leader out, how do you know where's the half-roll frame that hasn't been exposed yet?

[Kit]

Quote: Originally posted by Necroist btw, if u roll back the flim into the canister at half roll, when u pick the leader out, how do you know where's the half-roll frame that hasn't been exposed yet?

That is why you need to note down the frame number of the last frame exposed before you rewind the film. To continue using the film again, load the film as normal into the camera. Switch the camera to full manual. Stop down to the smallest aperture, set the shutter speed to the fastest available and cover the lens. Press the shutter button until the film advance to the desired frame. I usually plus 1 just to be safe.

[rubric]

Just bought the el cheapo one at $5 and cant get it to work. Wonder if more of the film got retracted due to all the turning counter-clockwise and then clockwise stuff i had to do. Should i hv bought the Konica blue one going for $19 at CP? Can it be gotten cheaper elsewhere? Thanks.

[ziploc]

Quote: Originally posted by Necroist btw, if u roll back the flim into the canister at half roll, when u pick the leader out, how do you know where's the half-roll frame that hasn't been exposed yet?

You'll need to take note of the frame number before you rewind the roll. Then when you reload the roll, just keep the lens cover closed, set your camera to shutter priority mode with a fast shutter speed, and keep pressing the shutter release button until you reach the noted frame + 1 (eg. if I stopped at frame 16, I'd advance until frame 17 to avoid any overlapping).