101 ways to ruin a roll of film

You probably don't want to hear this, but I once opened my (35mm) camera when it had a half finished film in. I immediately closed the back, and having wound on a couple of frames continued to use the film. Most of the frames that were still in the camera when the back was open turned out reasonably. Perhaps I was very lucky...
 
  • Like
Reactions: zx9
Kell said:
Picked up my camera after a 20 year absence.

Bought a few rolls to shoot with.

Got to the end of the first roll and had completely forgotten that there's a button on the bottom of the camera to release the sprocket so it can be rewound.

Rewound it. Got tighter and tighter and tighter until it snapped.

In some ways it was like Schrodinger's Film - until I opened the camera, the film was both ruined and not ruined.

I'd estimate that maybe two frames went back into the canister, the rest was just spooled in the camera.
Click to expand...
I believe that just pushing the button will free the mechanism for rewinding, but I obsessively keep it pressed until I feel the film end come loose just in case .....:rolleyes:
 
Not strictly ruined film, but how about "101 ways to ruin a camera with the film?"

Just took my MP into the Leica store in Manchester today to look at an intermittently sticking shutter transport. Guy pressed the shutter a couple of times - struggling to get it to fire, then asked me if I bulk rolled my own. I nodded, and he told me it was probably a piece of film that had broken off and got stuck in the shutter transport mechanism. I guess Leica's don't like me hacking my leader using a pair of scissors and my dubious judgement. Off it goes for repair. Lesson learned. Now I need to find one of these... https://rrjphotography.wordpress.com/2016/05/04/leica-ablon-film-trimmer/
 
Last edited:
My Bronica played up yesterday, refused to fire on a couple of occasions then fired while I was pointing at nothing, dirty contacts probably but with the price of Ektar being what it is losing probably 3 frames on a roll isn't good. Hopefully the rest of the shots were ok, I'll know when I egt the scans back. :facepalm:
 
Peter B said:
And now a lesson on always looking around the frame when shooting large format, not just concentrating on the faraway subject. :oops: :$

View attachment 423065

Happily for me, the subject suited a panoramic crop to save the day. ;)


Kintail from Ratagan by Northsnapper, on Flickr
Click to expand...
It's not just a problem with large format in my experience. It can happen sometimes when using an old camera with a squnity viewfinder.

Actually, a similar problem occurs when the small white dog strays into a corner of the frame or pops out of hiding in the distance. This habitual photobombing has resulted in a special collection of photographs where the dog also features, or is the dog the subject?
 
My most recent attempt at ruining a roll of film involved slipping on some shale up the side of a fell in the Lake District. Luckily I only fell a few feet, 99% undamaged, but my MX took a knock, and its back flew open, showing the 3/4 exposed roll of FP4 from that day's walking up the Copper Mines Valley near Coniston! I've been trying to convince myself it's worth developing the film, but since the back wouldn't fasten closed, I doubt anything could be rescued!
 
ChrisR said:
My most recent attempt at ruining a roll of film involved slipping on some shale up the side of a fell in the Lake District. Luckily I only fell a few feet, 99% undamaged, but my MX took a knock, and its back flew open, showing the 3/4 exposed roll of FP4 from that day's walking up the Copper Mines Valley near Coniston! I've been trying to convince myself it's worth developing the film, but since the back wouldn't fasten closed, I doubt anything could be rescued!
Click to expand...
:(
Falling over has happened to me a few times over the years but luckily only once damaged a camera when I fell over hitting my 135mm lens on a Pentax S3 and bent the lens mount on the camera......good old fashioned camera when I just screwed on another one. (y)
 
I recently inherited a Ricoh PAS film camera which I've used a couple of times with no issues other than light leaks.

Replaced the foam and shot a new roll of film. When it came to the end, I used the auto rewind button (there is no other way to do it).

Was convinced it was fully rewound and safely tucked away in the canister so opened to back to fit a new roll - only to find out that it was only part way through.

No idea what I've ruined or how much. But i will still process it and see what remains.
 
Another one for the list.
I went out walking a couple of weeks ago and used most of a 36 exp colour neg film. I got home and set up the processor to develop it and while it was warming, took the film and the developing tank into the kitchen and started to load the spiral inside the changing bag. I got to the end of the cassette then discovered that I had not zipped up the bag so the complete roll was exposed again, this time outside the camera. Bright sunny days like the one where I used the roll are not common where I live which was the worst of it.
 
ChrisR said:
My most recent attempt at ruining a roll of film involved slipping on some shale up the side of a fell in the Lake District. Luckily I only fell a few feet, 99% undamaged, but my MX took a knock, and its back flew open, showing the 3/4 exposed roll of FP4 from that day's walking up the Copper Mines Valley near Coniston!
Click to expand...
happened with the Olympus xa3 the other day, my 3 year old daughter playing like a tasmanian devil as usual and next thing she knocked my camera off my hands ended up on the floor with the back open. Unfortunately that day I took many good pictures and of course proceeded to shoot the rest of the film with 100% rubbish photos
Rodinal said:
Another one for the list.
I went out walking a couple of weeks ago and used most of a 36 exp colour neg film. I got home and set up the processor to develop it and while it was warming, took the film and the developing tank into the kitchen and started to load the spiral inside the changing bag. I got to the end of the cassette then discovered that I had not zipped up the bag so the complete roll was exposed again, this time outside the camera. Bright sunny days like the one where I used the roll are not common where I live which was the worst of it.
Click to expand...
Happened to me once, i can imagine your disappointment… ever since I go in the dark room with a changing bag:geek:
 
Trying to add a small length of 35mm roll onto a reel that has a 24 frame roll loaded, in a changing bag. Couldn't get the short film out of the plastic camera and decided to give up on it and opened the bag.... to see the 24 frame roll on the reel in the light!. It may be an age thing... one of many.
 
Last edited:
Cluster said:
Trying to add a small length of 35mm roll onto a reel that has a 24 frame roll loaded, in a changing bag. Couldn't get the short film out of the plastic cam and decided to give up on it and opened the bag.... to see the 24 frame roll on the reel in the light!. It may be an age thing... one of many.
Click to expand...

I once put two rolls of 120 on a single reel in an attempt to get through my backlog a bit faster and somehow managed to feed the second film over the top of the first. Salvaged 5 shots from a potential 24 and none of those were worth scanning.
 
Turned up at a church yesterday to take some panoramic shots and discovered I had forgotten my phone and the exposure times were of the order of 5 plus minutes apiece. So I had to guess the exposure time, the church clock isn't working either. Hope I get something.
 
I should have heeded Roger Hick's advice about using a Paterson Orbital to process film (https://www.rogerandfrances.com/processing-sheet-film-orbital/). I've never had a problem with 5x4 but two of my latest 5x7 negatives stuck rigidly to the base of the tray so...

1940_Brand-Wista_5x4-009.JPG

Inadvertent (isn't it always) double exposure!

1940_Brand-Wista_5x4-008.JPG

Kodak Specialist 2 5x7, Zeiss Tessar 210mm lens, FP4 developed in Rodinal 1:50.

I also processed a couple of 5x4 pictures using Aristo Ortho Lith film and obviously loaded the film holders with the film back to front.
 
Last week I was trying out my new to me OM2n. To get a better angle on a shot I took a step backwards, tripped over a rock, fell a**e over tip, dropped the camera and the back flew open. Ruined all 29 frames and twisted the open back!! Fortunately the camera is a well used one and has quite a few battle scars anyway. As for the back, I have a few spares so that was sorted.

I don't know what hurt the most, my elbow or the fact I ruined the film.
 
I took a roll of Kodachrome 64 on a recent trip to Newfoundland. Shot nice bright colours and was really chuffed with myself.

Got home and discovered no one develops it anymore :oops: :$

Well, AG do but only as Black and White.
 
angelpaaul said:
Last week I was trying out my new to me OM2n. To get a better angle on a shot I took a step backwards, tripped over a rock, fell a**e over tip, dropped the camera and the back flew open. Ruined all 29 frames and twisted the open back!! Fortunately the camera is a well used one and has quite a few battle scars anyway. As for the back, I have a few spares so that was sorted.

I don't know what hurt the most, my elbow or the fact I ruined the film.
Click to expand...
Ouch…ruining the film hurts the most:grumpy:
 
angelpaaul said:
Last week I was trying out my new to me OM2n. To get a better angle on a shot I took a step backwards, tripped over a rock, fell a**e over tip, dropped the camera and the back flew open. Ruined all 29 frames and twisted the open back!! Fortunately the camera is a well used one and has quite a few battle scars anyway. As for the back, I have a few spares so that was sorted.

I don't know what hurt the most, my elbow or the fact I ruined the film.
Click to expand...
I had a similar trip in the Lake District a few weeks ago. fell and the back opened on my MX. The film sat on my shelf for a while, then I decided to develop it. Result: one third blank (still in the canister when the back came open), one third usable (tightly wound on the take-up spool), and the rest various degrees of ruined. Have you tried devving your film?
 
ChrisR said:
I had a similar trip in the Lake District a few weeks ago. fell and the back opened on my MX. The film sat on my shelf for a while, then I decided to develop it. Result: one third blank (still in the canister when the back came open), one third usable (tightly wound on the take-up spool), and the rest various degrees of ruined. Have you tried devving your film?
Click to expand...
No, I’ve not tried devving it yet. Like yours, the first few shots might be salvageable. I’ll put it in my next batch and give it a go. (y)
 
If you own a Minolta Maxxum 7000 with auto load and wind on and you notice after the first couple of shots the the film counter is saying "0", you may want to open the back and check that there isn't a torn sprocket hole on the leader. You might especially want to do this before you walk the length of Embleton Bay, Northumberland, convinced that you are taking the best shots of your life. :headbang:
 
@The Oldun Having recently lost a film and a half worth of pictures I can sympathise with you…
The joys of film.
 
moggi1964 said:
I took a roll of Kodachrome 64 on a recent trip to Newfoundland. Shot nice bright colours and was really chuffed with myself.

Got home and discovered no one develops it anymore :oops: :$

Well, AG do but only as Black and White.
Click to expand...
I remember binning a few rolls or Kodachrome when Kodak stopped sending it to the US for processing that would have been twenty plus years ago, it felt wrong throwing un exposed film away even back then.
 
To add to my sorry home processing saga.

I loaded a Paterson tank with two 35mm reels of Fomapan. Developed and found that the top roll was only showing half frames longitudinally. For example...

1729345421181.jpeg

What I had done was to only mix up 200ml of developer per film, instead of 300ml. That combined with intermittent twizzling of the reels during development, rather than inversion (which might have saved the film) gave me this split effect.

Fomapan 200, Rodinal 1:25.

To round off the exercise I dropped both the film on the bathroom floor as I was hanging them in the shower. I should have rinsed them again. You might note longitudinal drying marks as well!
 
PeterSpencer said:
I should have heeded Roger Hick's advice about using a Paterson Orbital to process film (https://www.rogerandfrances.com/processing-sheet-film-orbital/). I've never had a problem with 5x4 but two of my latest 5x7 negatives stuck rigidly to the base of the tray so...

View attachment 430202

Inadvertent (isn't it always) double exposure!

View attachment 430203

Kodak Specialist 2 5x7, Zeiss Tessar 210mm lens, FP4 developed in Rodinal 1:50.

I also processed a couple of 5x4 pictures using Aristo Ortho Lith film and obviously loaded the film holders with the film back to front.
Click to expand...

So back to these photos. A similar problem to the above, as I now understand. The right quantity of developer for continuous agitation, as you would expect to do with the Paterson Orbital, but not for intermittent agitation which is what I used.

Probably nowt to do with the film sticking to he bottom of the tank.
 
PeterSpencer said:
What I had done was to only mix up 200ml of developer per film, instead of 300ml. That combined with intermittent twizzling of the reels during development, rather than inversion (which might have saved the film) gave me this split effect.
Click to expand...
Inversion agitation would have reduced the developer tide line but not eliminate it, I did similar with a single reel using 250ml in a system 4 tank some time ago.
 
Not film but glass plates.

Took some old 9x12 plates out in red light to load into holders. Only when putting the box back on the shelf did I notice it said 4x5 on the front and the plates inside were not the ones that belonged in that box. The box said ortho plates inside.

Shot and developed one only to find it was panchromatic not ortho so I just ruined 6 plates. :rolleyes::headbang:

Fortunately I have quite a few more:)
 
Not ruined but inaccessible... On holiday with the family at half-term and used up the the last 2 slide shots but the battery hasn't got enough power to rewind the last bit of film ( camera is an EOS something or other). Idea, same battery in the Sure Shot but again not enough power to do the rewind. The only camera shop in the area hasn't got a 2CR5 in stock. Yes I have a spare battery at home...

The Mamiya C3 with the sticky shutter it is then for the rest of the holiday. You can't beat a fully manual camera!
 
2x CR123 cells will apparently fit in the casing of a 2CR5. Please note that that's just from a quick goggle rather than personal experience!
 
Nod said:
2x CR123 cells will apparently fit in the casing of a 2CR5. Please note that that's just from a quick goggle rather than personal experience!
Click to expand...
A supermarket had CR123's. I made a half hearted attempt in the store car park to take the cells out the 2CR5 casing but it wasn't looking promising.

It's not the brightest on the Dorset coast but fortunately I've one of my last Fuji 400H in the Mamiya. After that it's onto Kentmere 400. The light means the shots won't be the most dynamic but that's how it is. I'm on holiday with the family, nice subject matter/views and a working(ish)camera so it's all good. :)
 
auntiemaryscanary said:
Not ruined but inaccessible... On holiday with the family at half-term and used up the the last 2 slide shots but the battery hasn't got enough power to rewind the last bit of film ( camera is an EOS something or other). Idea, same battery in the Sure Shot but again not enough power to do the rewind. The only camera shop in the area hasn't got a 2CR5 in stock. Yes I have a spare battery at home...

The Mamiya C3 with the sticky shutter it is then for the rest of the holiday. You can't beat a fully manual camera!
Click to expand...

A somewhat embarrassing confession. Two new 2CR5's arrived in the post today and one was fitted to the EOS. Still no rewind, nothing. Ah, the flashing film cannister icon is still on, same as before. Stuff it, so I open the film door and the film is fully rewound.

Yep, the flashing film icon means the film is rewound! Of course I'd forgotten that an EOS winds all the film onto the take up spool on loading then after each shot it winds that back into the cannister. Used cannister removed and the camera is fully functioning. What a numpty :)
 
I had (probably still HAVE!) a Canon compact that did that. Always confused me when frame #38 was the earliest when I'd been using the compact alongside an SLR!
 
Yesterday, I put a new 100ft roll of Fomapan 200 in my "Computrol" bulk film loader and loaded up eight 35mm film cassettes.
After I had wound up five, I realised that I hadn't opened the gate when winding. So, I now have five rolls of scratched film.

The good part is that at least I know now, rather than discovering after developing... and I have five test rolls.
 
Been there, done that. I assume that you can see scratches on the emulsion?
 
I regret to say, I've done this a few times. It does leave scratches along most frames.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top