FILM Help Needed...

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jen

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Hi.

I'm new to the site & not a camera wiz but I'm gutted about something and really need some help/advice. I recently returned from what was the most fantastic holiday ever in the Maldives. Once in a lifetime holiday and hence wanted to take a lot of great pics. Couldn't stretch to an underwater case for our digital camera so bought a couple of single use Kodak underwater cameras. I'd used one before with good results so thought nothing of it and snapped away. Both cameras seemed to be working fine, they were winding on and the numbers were going down etc and at the end of the films it wouldn't let you take anymore pictures and just kept winding on as all single use cameras I've ever used before. So we were really keen to get our pictures back and just handed them in to Asda for quick & easy developing. Then we picked them up last night and were handed back 2 completely blank set of negatives! :'( They guy at Asda said that we have handed in blank films - I explained that they were single use cameras and definitely had been used but they claimed it was no fault of theirs! :bang:

Now I don't care about the £12 we spent on camera what I care about is the pictures of the first (& probably last) sea turtle we'll ever see being lost! Now we're just trying to figure out what the hell went wrong… We handed in 2 35mm films as well as the two single use cameras. The first film that was processed came out fine, the second started off fine but then became slightly more exposed in the negatives, some of these pictures also seemed to be showing a red light the reel of the negative (the holey bits!) in red light as if exposed to light somehow, again something we and Asda couldn't explain to us! The last 6 pictures of this film did not develop and then the following two films (the single use cameras) came out completely blank. We can't help but feel this is too much of a coincidence in the sequencing of going from fine to worse to nothing!!! We just want to know if it a camera malfunction or a developing one! :shrug:

Huge apologies for the insane lack of knowledge about anything camera or developing related and for using a single use camera and Asda developing in the first place, but we really are at a loss and just want to know what could have gone wrong… Any help/advice/suggestions would be welcomed. Or any replacement photographs of Maldivian sea turtles….

Thanks

Jen :help:
 
It could of been something to do with your cameras getting scanned at the airport ???? Im not to sure, but this must be a guttering experience to say the least !
 
Hi Jen, sorry to hear about this.

Unfortunately I don't know much about film (digital baby).

There are quite a few folks on here who do have a vast knowledge of film, I suggest redo your title to say 'FILM help needed - PLEASE' this might get a few more views then.

Only thing I can say (gate/horse/bolted etc..) I wouldn't really trust Asda with such pictures, perhaps would have gone to more specialist and paid a few quid more, as its sounds as if they've messed things up??:shrug:
 
Were the negatives opaque or clear - I wonder if the film wasn't winding on properly so you didn't actually take shot despite what the frame counter said. If the negatives were opaque this seems likely. If they were clear then it sounds like the film has been "fogged" at some point. Airport x-ray is possible but not likely.
 
pxl8 said:
Were the negatives opaque or clear - I wonder if the film wasn't winding on properly so you didn't actually take shot despite what the frame counter said.
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They were clear. They just had the details running along the bottom of the negative. The guys said it looked like completely blank films. It certainly sounded and appeared like they were winding on but i guess they could be faulty! Seems like the worst luck ever to get two faulty cameras!

& i agree Glen we won't be ever using Asda again & will be investing in a waterproof case for our digital camera instead! now to save up the £3K to do the holiday again!!! :gag:
 
Glen said:
There are quite a few folks on here who do have a vast knowledge of film, I suggest redo your title to say 'FILM help needed - PLEASE' this might get a few more views then.
Click to expand...

Is there a way to change the title without having to repost - don't really want to be guttering up the Forum!?
 
Could you scan or photograph the complete strips of film on a light box and post the image?

Could possibly figure out what went wrong from that:thumbs:
 
jen said:
Is there a way to change the title without having to repost - don't really want to be guttering up the Forum!?
Click to expand...


Double click on the thread title, when in the "list of the threads" part of the forum. I.E. Click on "talk photography", then double click the title of your own thread.

Does that make any sense :thinking:

I really make things hard when I try and explain them I'm really sorry :(

EDIT: Do what daftbugga said, his/her way is far more simple.. :coat:
 
mattyh said:
Double click on the thread title, when in the "list of the threads" part of the forum. I.E. Click on "talk photography", then double click the title of your own thread.
Click to expand...

Thanks - your way worked I think!!
 
A shot of the negs would be useful. But if they're clear (as in see through) then it doesn't sound like they've been exposed at all which does suggest the cameras weren't winding on.

Worth noting that if they are clear but the frame numbers are showing up then I don't think it's a fault of the processing.
 
Clear negs are indeed unexposed...I would suggest that the disposable cameras were at fault - the film wasn't loaded correctly at the manufacturing stage and so didn't wind-on as you advanced each frame - contact the manufacturer, though it's unlikely you'll get more than a replacement camera/film.
With the other issue - red/orangey bits on the film edges - that's light contamination, either by you loading/unloading the film in bright sunlight and letting light into the film cassette, a fault with the camera back not closing properly or by the processor being ham-fisted. This last option is unlikely as the films are loaded automatically - the film-cassette is put into a light-proof cassette and the rest of the operation occurs in total darkness inside the machine. Most commercial labs in supermarkets use the Fuji Frontier machine which is very, very reliable and totally idiot-proof. I would therefore err on the 'user'malfunction' scenario.
Film has to be handled carefully - just because it's in an apparently lightproof tin doesn't mean you can sling it around in bright sunlight. Always load/unload film in the shade, even if its just you turning your back to the sun and hunching over a bit.
Check the camera you used by putting another roll of film through as soon as possible in as bright light as you can find. Photograph a sheet of newspaper or a wall or something. Accept the price of film and processing (ask for dev only, no prints) as a write-off. Better to spend £15 now than have another holiday ruined. If it's the camera at fault, get it fixed or buy a new one (obviously).
 
You will not believe what has happened since I last posted… We went into Boots (where we had bought the cameras from) to get their opinion. They agreed that it seemed the films had not be exposed though they had not had any other cameras returned with this fault so for a moment it seemed extremely unfortunate. Then the guy noticed that the negative strips we had returned to us where in fact FUJI 200 speed films!! Pause for thought… :thinking:

We handed in Kodak underwater cameras which are either 400 or 800 speed, certainly not 200!!

So it now appears that Asda mislabelled the spools and have given our Maldives underwater pictures, sea turtles included, to someone else and given us 2 blank sets of negatives in return…! No need to say we're off to kick up a huge fuss tonight :bat:

Here's praying that they are now just misplaced rather than lost forever!!

Thanks for all your comments - guess we'll never know who's blank negatives they were and why they were blank in the first place….
 
Keep us informed and tell them at Asda, thousands of photographers on the tinternet are interested in there response.

And for the next installment watch this space. Ohh I’m all excited.
 
Hmmm.... being a cynic by nature I'd be wondering if the films weren't ruined by Asda and a couple of blank rolls processed to cover up the mistake. Not that I've come across anything similar from the years I worked in labs :nono:
 
Sounds like something a Junior Tech might try to pull...lol
 
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