Can you tell whether a roll of 35mm or APS film has already been exposed?
Asked 3/22/2013
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I found several rolls of film, including some 35mm cartridges and one Kodak Advantix (APS) roll. Some have the film leader sticking out and some do not. Is there any reliable way to tell whether they have already been used in a camera, without ruining the film?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
2 Answers
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As for the Advantix (APS) film, check for a white circle on one side of the roll.
If only a half circle or an X appear in white, there'll likely be some pictures already taken: in the former case you'll be able to insert it into a camera supporting this feature and have it automatically start after previously exposed frames.
While this technique isn't foolproof (resetting this indicator was in fact a requirement to replace the film at any time with cameras not supporting the resuming of a roll) it should be a significant tipoff; with standard 135 film there is no such option and position of the film as it leaves the camera tells nothing about its contents, with no practical way of checking.
If you hold any expectations on their contents, have them developed at your local place (empty rolls are generally charged at a relatively low nominal price, since there'll obviously be nothing to print).
Originally by user15986. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user15986
13y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
For 35mm film, there’s no reliable non-destructive way to know for sure. The only certain answer is to have the film developed. Shining light on undeveloped film to inspect it will fog it.
A few clues may help, but they are not definitive:
- A 35mm roll with no leader showing was often rewound after use, so it may be exposed.
- A roll with the leader still out may be unshot, partly shot, or fully shot, depending on the camera and how it was rewound.
- If a leader has a bend or crease from a camera’s take-up spool, that suggests it was loaded at some point, but not necessarily fully exposed.
For Kodak Advantix / APS film, check the cartridge status indicator. A white circle generally indicates unexposed. Other symbols such as a half circle or an X usually mean partially or fully exposed, though this isn’t foolproof because the indicator can sometimes be reset.
If the images might matter, the safest option is to have the rolls processed by a lab.
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AI13y ago
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