Trouble loading film into old Canon

vimwiz · Feb 20, 2014

Does anyone know how I am supposed to load a Canon AE?
(All my other T film hear has auto wind)

Im not too sure what to do. Do i need to thread in the leader, close it, wind it a once with the lever, then tighten the slack with the rewind knob, and wind it on again until it says 0/1?

So confused.

tirediron · Feb 20, 2014

vimwiz said:
... Do i need to thread in the leader, close it, wind it a once with the lever, then tighten the slack with the rewind knob, and wind it on again until it says 0/1?

So confused.

That should be pretty much it, just make sure a sufficient length of the leader is pulled through the slot in the take-up spool so as not to pull off when you advance the film the first couple of rotations.

vimwiz · Feb 20, 2014

Cool. Ill have another go, first time I tried, I could feel something was wrong. Ive got a changing bag so its not the end of the world.

compur · Feb 21, 2014

edited by me to remove numbskull video
see my post below

vimwiz · Feb 22, 2014

That guy didnt seem to know what he is doing ?

vintagesnaps · Feb 22, 2014

Knobby thing? joystick?? Go try Film Photography Project | An Internet Radio Show & On-Line Resource for Film Shooters Worldwide - I'm pretty sure I saw a video on how to load film. These mechanical film cameras seem to load about the same way.

I usually (once I raise the knob on the left side and get the film cartridge in) gently pull the end of the film and insert the end into the slot. If need be I rotate the spool til the slot is on the top side. I don't pull/push that much film thru but to each his own, or maybe it depends on the camera. I push the shutter release button and advance the film with the back still open, making sure the film sprocket holes are catching on the sprockets and aligned properly. (Go to FPP, Michael and the guys like to say spprrrocket.)

If I'm having trouble I may advance the film again w/the back still open, I like to make sure it's well anchored, and would rather waste a couple of frames than lose an entire roll's worth of pictures because it didn't latch properly. Although I can usually feel the tension tighten as I get near the end of the roll.

After I close the back of the camera I advance to 1 or 2 sometimes if I've had trouble to make sure I'm past the tail end that would have been exposed to light.

It's harder to explain than to do it! LOL could show you better than trying to tell you...

AlanO · Feb 22, 2014

vintagesnaps said:
I usually (once I raise the knob on the left side and get the film cartridge in) gently pull the end of the film and insert the end into the slot. If need be I rotate the spool til the slot is on the top side. I don't pull/push that much film thru but to each his own, or maybe it depends on the camera. I push the shutter release button and advance the film with the back still open, making sure the film sprocket holes are catching on the sprockets and aligned properly. (Go to FPP, Michael and the guys like to say spprrrocket.)

If I'm having trouble I may advance the film again w/the back still open, I like to make sure it's well anchored, and would rather waste a couple of frames than lose an entire roll's worth of pictures because it didn't latch properly. Although I can usually feel the tension tighten as I get near the end of the roll.

After I close the back of the camera I advance to 1 or 2 sometimes if I've had trouble to make sure I'm past the tail end that would have been exposed to light.

It's harder to explain than to do it! LOL could show you better than trying to tell you...

x2

compur · Feb 22, 2014

You guys are right -- that guy in the video was clueless. I posted the wrong video and now I can't find the one I intended to post. Sorry.

But the AE-1 owners manual can be found here:

Canon AE-1 instruction manual, user manual, PDF manual, free manuals

vintagesnaps · Feb 22, 2014

You could find much worse on YouTube, the guy may just not have been real experienced using that camera, even said he wasn't that good at loading it (and trying to load it so his finders weren't obstructing the viewer being able to see it). Some of us have probably loaded way more rolls of film than he has!

Mike Butkus' site is a great resource; I like the simplicity of some of those manuals, a diagram of what's what and you're good to go! or close to it anyway.

vimwiz · Feb 23, 2014

The Mir, Butkus, and Rockwell sites are all good for info on old Canons.

Its arriving on tuesday ill let yoy know how it goes

compur · Feb 23, 2014

Trouble loading 35mm film is the downfall of so many newbies. Kodak developed the 35mm cassette back in the 1930s (for the Retina cameras) when, at that time, 35mm film had to be loaded into special canisters in a darkroom or changing bag by the photographer. So the new "daylight loading 35mm cassettes" by Kodak were a great simplification for the time.

vimwiz · Feb 25, 2014

Managed though it took me about 3 attempts! Getting it to catch the teeth is a nightmare. The T and EOS series definately got that right!

Overall, seems to work fine, though the film door sticks, and the shutter is a little iffy (Crumbly and oily residue leaked onto focusing screen, still not managed to get it all off?). Ill have to check for light leaks after a test roll.

vintagesnaps · Feb 25, 2014

I never thought about film being hard to load, I've sometimes not had it catch properly onto the sprockets and had to start over. I guess it might take some practice to get the hang of it.

vimwiz · Feb 25, 2014

I wasnt quite being sharp enough with the advance lever, I think, it kept coming out - The tip was get it on the teeth, advance it once or twice, till it wraos round, and take up the slack. Then release the shutter with the back closed until it reads 0. Advancing it sharply also made it wind on correctly.

vintagesnaps · Feb 26, 2014

Now that you say that, with some cameras it seems you have to make sure to turn the lever far enough to the right for it to advance. Sounds like you got it figured out.