Just realized a lot of new people are messing up their film leader when loading

I've been seeing a ton of photos online from folks saying their whole roll came out blank. Nine times out of ten, it's because the film leader wasn't properly caught on the take-up spool. I did this myself on my first three rolls with my Canon AE-1! You think you've got it, close the back, and wind, but if you don't see the rewind knob turn when you advance that first frame, it's not pulling the film. I always open the back again in a dark bag now to double-check before I shoot anything important. It's such a simple thing but it ruins your whole day and costs you money. Has anyone else found a good trick to make sure it's really caught?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_skyler1mo agoMost Upvoted

Saw a tip in an old manual about using a tiny piece of masking tape. You put it on the film leader after you thread it. Makes it a bit thicker and stiffer so it grabs the spool teeth better. Tried it on my Nikon FE and it worked like a charm. That extra bit of grip makes a real difference. Saved a roll of Portra 400 that way.

the_rose1mo ago

That tape trick is GENIUS, @the_skyler. I've totally lost shots from the leader slipping. A little thickness really does lock it in for good. Old manuals are the best for these simple fixes.