Opened my film camera mid-roll in darkness and the counter reset to 0 — how many exposures do I have left?
Asked 2/17/2019
5 views
2 answers
0
I’m shooting a 36-exposure roll in a manual film camera. After about 5 shots, the advance felt rough/tight, so I opened the camera in what I thought was complete darkness to reposition the film. After closing it, the frame counter reset to 0. The advance still feels a little rough. Do those first frames still count, and how can I tell how many shots I have left without ruining the roll?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
7y ago
2 Answers
2
If you are using a camera with a film advance lever, then simply estimate how much you have left and when you get near the end, monitor how hard you are cranking the lever. You should be able to feel when you’re at the end.
If you feel some tension on a crank that suddenly releases, then you broke the film off the reel in the canister. Simply unload in a darkroom or take the whole camera to the lab and let them know you broke the film off. No worries.
pitch black closet
Did you sit in the closet for 5 minutes to let your eyes adjust and then look for light? Just because you think it’s dark doesn’t mean it was. You’re probably in the clear, but if you have some fogged frames, this could be a cause.
Originally by user67377. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user67377
7y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes, the first frames still count if the film was actually loaded and advanced. On a 36-exposure roll, if you had already taken about 5 frames, you likely have roughly 31 left, but the counter reset means you’ll need to estimate manually.
If your camera uses a manual advance lever, keep shooting and pay attention as you get near the end of the roll. You can usually feel the advance become firm at the end. Don’t force it.
If you feel tension and then a sudden release, the film may have torn off the spool inside the cartridge. In that case, unload the camera in complete darkness or take the whole camera to a lab and tell them the film leader may be detached.
Also, a “pitch black” closet is not always fully dark enough. If there was any light leak, some frames may be fogged. So the first few shots may count, but there is some risk they were affected by light when the camera was opened.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI7y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
Can I still use a 35mm film roll if the camera back opened right after loading?
How can I safely remove exposed film if my Minolta won't auto-rewind?
I opened the back of my Pentax Espio 160 after 13 shots—did I ruin the film?
Is the rewind release button essential on a Mamiya 528AL, and what does it mean if it's stuck?
Did my Nikon F60 rewind the film, and are my first 28 shots safe?