Film Severed from the Cartridge

[John W. King]

Hello all,

 

I just recently shot a roll of Kodak 35mm color film, 24 exposures 400 ISO, on a Canon AE-1. However, I brought the camera into a dark room to check and see if the film had been entirely used (for there have been times in the past when the film didn't catch onto the spindle) and I noticed that the film was completely severed from the cartridge.

 

This is my first time to use this particular camera, so I'm wondering how could this happen? I thought I had rolled all the film back into the cartridge after taking all 24 exposures.

 

Thanks,

John

[Jeff L'Heureux]

If you pulled too hard and/or forced the lever to advance the film to the next exposure not knowing it was the end of the roll it could separate the film from the cartridge on an old manual like that. It's not normal but it's possible.

[John W. King]

If you pulled too hard and/or forced the lever to advance the film to the next exposure not knowing it was the end of the roll it could separate the film from the cartridge on an old manual like that. It's not normal but it's possible.

Makes sense, I remember pulling rather hard on the lever on some of that last few exposures; guess I must have misread the number of stills I was on.

 

This brings me to another question: would a processing store (such as CVS) still be able to process this film, considering that it is no longer a part of the cartridge but has not yet been exposed to light?

[Tyler Purcell]

Yea, if you yank the lever it could yank the film out of the cartridge for sure. When I use to load my own cartridges, I had that happen a few times.

[Mark Dunn]

Makes sense, I remember pulling rather hard on the lever on some of that last few exposures; guess I must have misread the number of stills I was on.

 

This brings me to another question: would a processing store (such as CVS) still be able to process this film, considering that it is no longer a part of the cartridge but has not yet been exposed to light?

Put the film in the little plastic pot it came in, tape a note to the pot saying 'film only, no cassette', tape the lid with black tape, wrap it in black paper and take it, don't post it, to the lab. You'll have to find a lab that can handle it because they usually use a gizmo for unloading cassettes in daylight. It will have to be done by hand under blackout.

You must have wound really hard because that tape is strong. I've only ever managed to tear the sprocket holes, the tape didn't break. Now you know. Easy does it.

Edited January 5, 2016 by Mark Dunn

[Aapo Lettinen]

you can also use one of those easily opened reusable cartridges used with bulk loaders. If you have a photographer friend who uses film he can surely lend you one. they are also cheap to buy if your local photo store has them. Then you have to tape the film head to the spool in dark, close the cartridge and attach it to the camera in the dark, close the camera, and then you can rewind the film normally. You have to also copy the barcode to the cartridge afterwards before sending it to the lab.

 

Or if you're not comfortable with this much manual work you can also take it to a lab which can process manually as Mark suggested. Sometimes it may also be possible to insert the film back to the original factory made cartridge without scratching it too much but it is much easier to use the bulk loader ones which are specifically meant to be easily opened multiple times ^_^

[Mark Dunn]

That's a better idea but I'm assuming that the OP has just shot a roll of film as a one-off and wants it developed.

If it happened to me I'd just reach for a changing bag and get a spare Ilford cassette and tape from my desk, but the OP probably doesn't have all the bits and pieces. That's why I didn't suggest it. Years ago we all had this stuff, but now I couldn't even develop a roll of HP5 without ordering up all the chemicals, and I hardly know who stocks them now.

Edited January 5, 2016 by Mark Dunn