Advancing past frame 39 with a sinking heart

[helvetica]

What a rotten feeling it is to see the frame counter go past 39! The second thought of course is "Now which of the previous 38 'exposures' where of significance, and can they be retaken?"

Oh well! It happens to the best of us... right?? Anyone else want to admit they've loaded a camera only to find out later that the leader never took up as expected?

 

[jpfisher]

Tends to happen to me if it's a camera that I don't have a good "feel" for. Loaded a Pentax KX a few weeks back. Very rarely use it, but wanted to run some film through with the 31mm and 43mm Limiteds. Has happened to me with that body before, and I should know better. But the solution in my head is always "You really should just buy an LX...."

 

[Takkun]

I had this happen on a helicopter. In my nervousness, I cranked the advance way too hard and ripped the film right out of the canister. Surprisingly I only ruined a few frames when I popped open the bottom plate to see what happened.

 

[burancap]

In a hurry, yes -once. I learned to confirm EVERY load after that.

 

[froyd]

Yep. Right of passage.

But for me, the issue is not the leader failing to engage with the take up spool, it's the complete failure to even load a new cartridge to begin with!

 

[BLKRCAT]

Recently happened to me. BUT I loaded correctly. On my M2 I must have bumped the frame counter ahead without noticing. Kept shooting 36...37...38.......ok done. 39.... 40.....

 

[Brian Legge]

I did this with a Canon A1 at the Grand Canyon as a teenager. It was heartbreaking as it was my first trip there and as I'd put a huge amount of work in to that roll. The next roll I shot there ripped and was almost entirely exposed (the only I'd ever had that happen).

I remember putting the camera down for a quite a while after that. I think it was about 6 months before I felt like shooting again.

I've gotten better at moving on from my mistakes. 😉

 

[valdas]

Yes. Guilty as charged. Well, once I even tried to "finish" the roll that was never put in the camera... With too many cameras sometimes I forget what film I have in what camera (or no film at all).

 

[gb hill]

Yep! happened twice. Now I wind on once before I close the door. 🙂

 

[helvetica]

Tends to happen to me if it's a camera that I don't have a good "feel" for.

Exactly. I've done it twice now - once on an F3, today on an F2.

Yep! happened twice. Now I wind on once before I close the door. 🙂

I think that's prudent, and I'll be adopting it for all new-to-me cameras. Consider the wasted frame or two as an "insurance premium".

 

[pobe]

I almost did it today, but noticed it right away. However, the other day I opened the back, certain that the film was rewinded, only to see that it wasn't. 🙁

 

[bonatto]

Yep, happened twice.

1st time it happened I was still less then 10 rolls into my first M body. 2nd time was a few weeks ago, an important roll that had some of the best shots of a weekend long assignment. I felt anguished over it for a couple of hours, then I had a few beers, reminded myself that it happens, and loaded another roll.

 

[AndersG]

Yes, it happens, though I tend and try to remember to look suspiciously at the rewind knob early on.
Once, in Las Vegas of all places, it took about 10 frames before I noticed...

Apparently the film must have slipped from the take up spool after the first advance, so I got something rather than nothing..

/Anders

 

[doolittle]

I shot a whole phantom roll once. Picked up FM2 going on holidays. Film reminder in place, think it was Provia. Shot the whole imaginary roll, before I twigged what was going on. I still get to hear about that one.

Lesson learned and now I always check the crank turns when I advance the film in that and every other film camera. Also am more careful when I pick up a camera I haven't used recently.

 

[gb hill]

Exactly. I've done it twice now - once on an F3, today on an F2.



I think that's prudent, and I'll be adopting it for all new-to-me cameras. Consider the wasted frame or two as an "insurance premium".

So far I've not as of yet come short in shooting less than what the mfg. film requires, & most times I still end up getting at least one extra frame.

 

[NaChase]

Not only have I done that, but I have also taken out a camera I thought was loaded, shot all day, and then realized it was never loaded in the first place.

 

[gb hill]

Not only have I done that, but I have also taken out a camera I thought was loaded, shot all day, and then realized it was never loaded in the first place.

Did that once with a Canon AE-1 program. After my 4th or 5th time advancing the film I knew something didn't quite feel right & waalaa...no film!🙄

 

[Griffin]

I was close to tears. Had some real good ones on that one.

 

[djhurley92]

Did this once on holiday - luckily after 4 shots I figured something wasn't right. But then when trying to wind back just in case I lost the end of the roll to the canister. Will be using a changing bag to put this film inside an IXMOO soon 🙂 (finally have a reason to use it!). Now I always put my ear against the body for the first few times I wind on, to take comfort in the sound of the film sliding past, although I look like a nutter doing it...

 

[Prest_400]

Never.
I've never threaded and closed backs while loading. I always advanced a bit, check the tension and then close the back. Might lose the frame XX/0 or 1 but at least I'm sure I've loaded it well.