A couple of Clipper owners have contacted me about difficulty loading the Clipper. I plan to do a video to make this more clear, but I wanted to post instructions that may help on the first time or two. This procedure is easier than it sounds, and becomes habitual after the first few rolls.
Loading Sequence
- Set the opened Clipper in front of you facing the red window as though you’ll take a picture
- Break the tape seal on the new roll and insert the tab into the takeup spool
- Wind about 3 turns off the new roll in your right hand onto the takeup spool in your left hand
- Guide the paper backing into the top rail of Clipper and drop the two spools into the camera
- If the paper backing did not drop cleanly into the bottom rail, you may see the paper buckling on top of the bottom rail
- Guide the paper backing into the bottom rail – moisten your finger and reaching into the center area, try pulling the paper backing up a little where it buckled and use a pencil or pen to press it against the back until it drops in
- When you have it in, press both spools down and then use a key to slowly turn the takeup spool – if you got it into the bottom rail, you’ll see the paper backing moving around without buckling.
- Put the top back on and slowly turn the knob
- You will feel a little resistance when the film, taped to the paper backing, first comes off the new roll and enters the guide rails
- Turn very slowly for 3-4 more turns – you will feel the initial resistance dropping as the film starts sliding on the rails
- At this point, you can advance the film to the first frame – on Clipper, you will shoot on frames 2, 6, 10, and 14 (4 exposures per roll)
A general reminder – it’s best to wind Clipper more slowly than usual due to the curved backplane. If the winder knob becomes suddenly becomes more difficult to turn, that’s usually a sign that the film has jumped the rails, and you should open it up in a darkroom rather than forcing the winder.
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