As you all are aware, I do not run camera repairs, on account I have two left hands. This is ok, because I leave more work for those who are really knowledgeable and proficient when it comes to delving into the delicate innards of a camera, be that simple as it may (or complicated, whatever).
Anyways, to my surprise, a friend of mine sent me a few weeks ago his newly-acquired Minox B in order to check it out and shoot a film through it. Lack of time, lack of knowledge, lack of proper mood, I have no idea why he did not shoot it himself and to be honest, I did not ask. So his B arrives, with a note attached he already had film in the camera, but no idea what the film was, on account the camera came loaded with it. The counter was at some 20+ frame, so I started to shoot the film in order to finish it and process.
I assumed the film sensitivity was set correctly (the dial was set at just a hair under 100ASA), so I just shot the film as 80 ASA or thereabouts. I also assumed that if 80 was the correct setting, the film should be probably of that box speed, which can be, among others, Rollei 80s.
I stopped at frame 45, just to be sure the film has been shot entirely; I did not feel anything peculiar about the film winding. So, long story short, I shot the film, took out the cartridge, and went to process the strip im a Minox tank, in Ilfosol 3 for 5.30 secs at 20*C, dilution 1+9. Good choice for an unknown film between 80-100ASA.
When unwinding the film inside the tank, the film spool stopped at about half normal height, which I guessed was about half of the film (of a more or less 40 exp film). I thought the film may be blocked in the cassette, but it wasn’t. I tried to pull some more, but to no avail: the film stopped and did not want to move further. Could the strip be only 15 or so frames? If so, why was I seeing film between the spools of the cassette? If it was of 15 exp, I should’ve ended the roll long time ago, and no film would have been visible. Anyways, I processed it at this length.
After the final rinse, I took it out and indeed, only half the film was rolled onto the tank spool; I hung the film to dry and checked the cassette. It had the other half inside, which was a surprise. How that happened?
Well, see for yourself; the film strip was so wobbly cut, that it looks the work of a blind hedgehog in a bag (apud one of Capt. Blackadder’s legendary quotes). I have never seen anything like that, ever. This strip should not have been possible to spool it in a cassette, let alone being transported inside the camera between spools. I suspect this was cut with some sort of a device which may resemble the “bladed sandwich” type. Pulling too fast on the film may leave the film wobbling under the blades and thus ending up with a crooked strip. Like this one here.
The film transport stopped at some point, due to the uneven edges of the film strip. Being cut as it is, at some point the film was blocked, only advancing a bit of film every now and then. This is why there are probably like 30 or so frames, squeezed in the space of 12 or 15 exposure length. Some of the frames are clean, with just one image, but these are rare. Most of the frames were superimposed, creating double or even triple exposures. Nice effect, but a strip such as this one here could break your camera very fast.
The film was indeed Rollei 80s, I know the colour of the cleared film and its stubborn curly attitude. It developed nicely, with plenty of tonality and contrast. So the Minox B, belonging to my friend, works; the meter is by the look of it, accurate enough to provide decent exposures.
Where this film came from? Who is putting this in their cameras? Why would anyone load this in a camera? No answer for you I am afraid, but I took this opportunity to show that badly cut film can be a real pain. Buy from reputable dealers, cut your own (with care), but think twice when you buy from unknown sources.