Bulk-loaded film: frame numbering

I just got back a roll of Provia 100 that was given to me by the dude who
sold me the Nikon F4s. The film results are excellent, but I noticed
something odd: the frame numbers are all out of synch.

My frames begin at #27 and increase up until about #43, whereafter they
revert to #1 and increase up to #13 again.

Where do these numbers come from? Are they already on the film before
exposure, or are they printed onto the film during processing? If the
former is the case, I can understand the numbers not running from #1 to
whatever I ended on, but if not, how did they get messed up?

Would the fact that I am using the Nikon MF-23 back on the F4s have
anything to do with this? I did set it to imprint shooting data between
the frames, but I think I set the imprint function too low because it's
barely visible - almost microscopic!

--
Dallas www.dallasdahms.com

"You know you're right! You're bloody well right!
You've bloody got a right to say!" ~ Supertramp

Dallas wrote:

My frames begin at #27 and increase up until about #43, whereafter
they revert to #1 and increase up to #13 again.

Where do these numbers come from? Are they already on the film before
exposure, or are they printed onto the film during processing?

Yes, the former. When I did the zone system properly, I used to roll 10
exposure rolls from my bulk film loader so that I could develop for the
highlights. The numbers on the negs never made any sense, but it was enough
to identify roll#/frame#
--
Dominic Richens |
"If you're not *outraged*, you're not paying attention!"

Dallas wrote:

My frames begin at #27 and increase up until about #43, whereafter
they revert to #1 and increase up to #13 again.

Where do these numbers come from? Are they already on the film before
exposure, or are they printed onto the film during processing?

Yes, the former. When I did the zone system properly, I used to roll 10
exposure rolls from my bulk film loader so that I could develop for the
highlights. The numbers on the negs never made any sense, but it was enough
to identify roll#/frame#
--
Dominic Richens |
"If you're not *outraged*, you're not paying attention!"

Dallas wrote:

My frames begin at #27 and increase up until about #43, whereafter
they revert to #1 and increase up to #13 again.

Where do these numbers come from? Are they already on the film before
exposure, or are they printed onto the film during processing?

Yes, the former. When I did the zone system properly, I used to roll 10
exposure rolls from my bulk film loader so that I could develop for the
highlights. The numbers on the negs never made any sense, but it was enough
to identify roll#/frame#
--
Dominic Richens |
"If you're not *outraged*, you're not paying attention!"

Dallas writes:

I just got back a roll of Provia 100 that was given to me by the dude who
sold me the Nikon F4s. The film results are excellent, but I noticed
something odd: the frame numbers are all out of synch.

My frames begin at #27 and increase up until about #43, whereafter they
revert to #1 and increase up to #13 again.

Where do these numbers come from? Are they already on the film before
exposure, or are they printed onto the film during processing? If the
former is the case, I can understand the numbers not running from #1 to
whatever I ended on, but if not, how did they get messed up?

The numbers and film type information is printed onto the film during
manufacturing. If, as your subject line suggests, this was a
bulk-loaded roll (spooled off a 100-foot roll into the cassette), then
it's completely normal for the numbering to be wonky, starting at some
random place in the middle, running up to something like 42, and then
going back to zero and starting up again. I've got hundreds of rolls
like that in my files.

Would the fact that I am using the Nikon MF-23 back on the F4s have
anything to do with this? I did set it to imprint shooting data between
the frames, but I think I set the imprint function too low because it's
barely visible - almost microscopic!

Nope.
--
David Dyer-Bennet, , http://www.dd-b.net/dd-b/
RKBA: http://noguns-nomoney.com/ http://www.dd-b.net/carry/
Pics: http://dd-b.lighthunters.net/ http://www.dd-b.net/dd-b/SnapshotAlbum/
Dragaera/Steven Brust: http://dragaera.info/

Dallas writes:

I just got back a roll of Provia 100 that was given to me by the dude who
sold me the Nikon F4s. The film results are excellent, but I noticed
something odd: the frame numbers are all out of synch.

My frames begin at #27 and increase up until about #43, whereafter they
revert to #1 and increase up to #13 again.

Where do these numbers come from? Are they already on the film before
exposure, or are they printed onto the film during processing? If the
former is the case, I can understand the numbers not running from #1 to
whatever I ended on, but if not, how did they get messed up?

The numbers and film type information is printed onto the film during
manufacturing. If, as your subject line suggests, this was a
bulk-loaded roll (spooled off a 100-foot roll into the cassette), then
it's completely normal for the numbering to be wonky, starting at some
random place in the middle, running up to something like 42, and then
going back to zero and starting up again. I've got hundreds of rolls
like that in my files.

Would the fact that I am using the Nikon MF-23 back on the F4s have
anything to do with this? I did set it to imprint shooting data between
the frames, but I think I set the imprint function too low because it's
barely visible - almost microscopic!

Nope.
--
David Dyer-Bennet, , http://www.dd-b.net/dd-b/
RKBA: http://noguns-nomoney.com/ http://www.dd-b.net/carry/
Pics: http://dd-b.lighthunters.net/ http://www.dd-b.net/dd-b/SnapshotAlbum/
Dragaera/Steven Brust: http://dragaera.info/

On Sun, 26 Sep 2004 17:10:39 -0400, Dominic Richens wrote:

Dallas wrote:

My frames begin at #27 and increase up until about #43, whereafter they
revert to #1 and increase up to #13 again.

Where do these numbers come from? Are they already on the film before
exposure, or are they printed onto the film during processing?

Yes, the former. When I did the zone system properly, I used to roll 10
exposure rolls from my bulk film loader so that I could develop for the
highlights. The numbers on the negs never made any sense, but it was
enough to identify roll#/frame#

Thanks Dominic & David.

It makes sense to me now. I have quite a lot of bulk loaded film in the
fridge plus the guy I bought the camera from gave me his bulk loader too,
so if I ever have to, I can load in bulk too. The thing that scares me is
ruining a bulk roll of film! Fortunately my lab also sells their own bulk
loaded Velvia (50 & 100) and Provia, so at least I can let them take the
risk for now - they seem to be pretty reasonably priced.

--
Dallas www.dallasdahms.com

"You know you're right! You're bloody well right!
You've bloody got a right to say!" ~ Supertramp