Numbering sheets of film

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numnutz
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Numbering sheets of film

Post by numnutz » Thu Nov 26, 2009 1:23 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Hi - I have decided that I ought to start taking notes for each LF shot I take. Obviously I will have to reconcile the notes for each shot with the sheet of film when it is processed.

I have carefully numbered all my film holders (on the outside) both sides odd and even. However I am stuck when it comes to identification when I put the sheets of film in the tank for processing as they get mixed up. I found details of this system http://www.jbhphoto.com/articles/filmno/filmholder1.htm but I think it is a bit over complicated - I was wondering if I could use an 8-bit binary system numbering from 0 to 255 although that could possibly be a bit complicated to read as well.

I thought I would post here and see if anyone else has invented a better system I could use. The Grafmatic film holder has a small number at the edge of the magazine that is changed each time the dark slide is pulled and I wonder if this has been adapted for dd film holders as. I don't know if the Fuji film holder (I cannot remember its name at present) I have about 15 holders and would like to continue the numbering scheme to include my 10x8 holders.

Thanks in advance for any help

nn :)

dave_whatever
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Re: Numbering sheets of film

Post by dave_whatever » Thu Nov 26, 2009 1:52 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Dunno if this helps you but I know some people cut unique notches into the edge of the film holders so that you get the notch onto the edge of the exposed area when you take a shot - you then use the position/size/combination of the notch to tally with with whichever holder the sheet of film was in. You could work in binary with this system easily.

Peter B
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Re: Numbering sheets of film

Post by Peter B » Fri Nov 27, 2009 11:56 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Logic would seem to dictate that there must be a way of doing this as presumably commercial labs must do it? I'm thinking in terms of the lab linking your sheet with a number/unique reference and presumably this must be a sticker that can survive processing chemicals? While loose sheet film would be difficult for a lab to reference, I'm assuming that they will be able to link a Quickload with the sheet inside it so that you could reliably cross reference the result with the shooting details? :?:

I'm pretty much guessing here (you noticed?) as I only process a couple of sheets of mono at a time in an Orbital, but if I was shooting E6 I'd really have to know which shot was which.

gary mulder
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Re: Numbering sheets of film

Post by gary mulder » Sat Nov 28, 2009 11:31 am Etc/GMT-1+01:00

I also use a binary system. To read the number i have a strip tagged 1,2,4,8,16,32 (6 bit) at the appropriate intervals. I do not have more than 30 holders so 6 bit (64) is enough to distinguish all of them.

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