Why did my Canon AE-1 rewind with no tension, and why could I shoot past 36 exposures?
Asked 12/3/2022
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I loaded a roll into my Canon AE-1 and was able to keep shooting past 36 exposures. When I rewound the film, I didn’t feel the usual tension, and the frame counter didn’t seem to move as expected. Later, in a dark room, I opened the camera and found the film back in the canister.
Does this mean the film was never loaded properly, or could it have rewound normally without much resistance? How can I confirm what happened, and how can I avoid this next time?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
3y ago
2 Answers
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Try doing a "clip test", which is where they cut off the beginning of the roll (maybe equivalent to like the first 2-3 shots? It depends on the lab/employee), develop it, and you get a piece of developed film back. If there's nothing on the film, you can reload it and use it again. If there's something on the film, you can go ahead and get the whole roll developed after that.
When I first started shooting analogue, I would wind the camera upon loading the film at least once or twice, with the back open, just to be extra sure it was catching. After a while, you get a feeling for the amount of tension you should have when you wind it. Wasting a shot is better than shooting a whole roll of images that you can't get back. :)
Originally by user109464. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user109464
3y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
The most likely explanation is that the film was not properly engaged when you loaded it. In that case, the camera can seem to advance and let you shoot beyond 36 exposures, but the film itself never moves. That also explains why you felt little or no tension when rewinding.
Finding the film in the canister doesn’t prove the roll was exposed normally—it may simply have been sitting there unadvanced the whole time.
To confirm, the surest option is to have the roll developed. Another suggestion from the community is a “clip test,” where a lab develops just the start of the roll; if it’s blank, you may be able to reload and use the rest.
To prevent this next time, watch the rewind knob when advancing the film. If it rotates as you wind on, the film is actually moving through the camera. Some people also advance once or twice with the back open when loading, just to make sure the leader is caught correctly.
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