Why do my 35mm photos have numbers in the corner, and can I stop it?
Asked 7/18/2022
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I’m shooting 35mm film with an Olympus compact camera and my developed prints keep showing numbers in the bottom-right corner. I’ve tried different film stocks, so it doesn’t seem film-related. What causes this, and is there a way to stop the numbers from appearing on future rolls?
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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The numbering seen in the linked image (currently visible only in a not yet approved edit) is date imprinting, which should appear on the negatives as well.
The Olympus Trip AF shouldn't have this feature (according to @osullic), but misidentifying cameras is fairly common and there may have been an add-on for that camera that provided this.
If it's an add-on (replacement film door, for instance) there will be a separate battery that powers the clock and imprinter; removing that battery will stop the imprinter from putting dates (from twenty-some years ago, probably not settable past 2020) on your negatives. If you have a similar camera that has built-in date imprinting, it probably runs off the main camera battery that powers the auto-focus, zoom (if present), exposure, and flash electronics -- but someone who knows what they're doing could likely disconnect the wiring to the imprinter itself with similar effect.
Originally by user89902. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user89902
3y ago
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Those numbers are most likely a date stamp being exposed onto the film by the camera, not added by the lab. If so, they will also be visible on the negatives.
Many compact 35mm cameras had a date-imprint feature, sometimes built in and sometimes as a separate film-door/back accessory. The Olympus Trip AF itself reportedly did not have date imprinting, so it’s possible the camera model is different, or it has a date-back attachment.
To stop it, check the camera for a date/date-back function and turn it off. If it uses a separate battery for the date back, removing that battery may disable the imprinting. If the feature is built in, look for controls to disable the date rather than set it.
If the numbers are already on the negatives, the lab cannot remove them during normal printing or scanning; you’d need retouching afterward.
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