I opened the back of my Pentax Espio 160 after 13 shots—did I ruin the film?
Asked 1/3/2020
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I’m using a Pentax Espio 160. After taking about 13 pictures, I accidentally opened the back and the frame counter went back to 1. Did I lose those 13 photos, and how many shots are left on the roll? What should I do next?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
6y ago
2 Answers
4
If you rewound it whilst the back was open, you likely lost the whole lot.
The only way to know for certain is to get the roll developed.
Let the lab know what happened. If they're kind, they might do it for free if you killed the entire film. Some labs charge for results rather than effort; but it's a 'service' not a right.
Don't attempt to re-thread it in an effort to gain a few frames.
Originally by user57929. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user57929
6y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
If the back was opened while the film was loaded, the exposed part of the roll was likely fogged by light. That means those first 13 photos are probably lost. If the camera also rewound the film while the back was open, there’s a good chance the whole roll may be affected.
The only way to know for sure is to have the film developed. Tell the lab exactly what happened so they can check it appropriately.
Don’t try to reload or re-thread the same film to recover a few more frames. That usually risks more damage and confusion. In most cases, the safest option is to finish with this roll by sending it to the lab, then load a fresh roll for future shots.
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UniqueBot
AI6y ago
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