Did I mess up the film?

[intinsifi]

I thought it got stuck so I opened the bottom and it was okay. The film was wrapped around the spool like it was supposed to be since it was the end of the roll. I didnt open the back, only the bottom but I am worried I might have messed it up.

 

[oftheherd]

What kind of camera do you have that both the bottom and the back open to expose the film?

Basically, the question is did you expose the film to light. It sounds like you did. That is not good. However, it may not have ruined all the film due to the anti-halation back on all films. I once opened a camera back in bright sunlight. Realizing my mistake I immediately shut it again. I lost some shots on the roll of slide film in the camera, but surprisingly not as many as I thought I would. The only way you will know is to develop it and see. If lucky and the light wasn't too bright, and the back wasn't open too long, you may save many shots.

Good luck.

 

[intinsifi]

I opened up the bottom of my M7.

 

[sienarot]

You may have just fogged the bottom (top part of the picture) of the last few frames, depending on how long it was open for and how bright the light was where you exposed the bottom plate, not to mention how fast your film is.

If you were at the end of your roll, it's quite possible that most of your film that was wound up around the take up spool is okay. I accidently opened the back of my SLR one time without winding it but quickly saw what I had done and slammed the back shut. Fortunately it was very dim in the room and only the last 2 frames were fogged. The wound up film in my SLR was more open to available light than it would be in a Leica and it turned out okay.

 

[intinsifi]

All of the film was around the spool, and I was outside. The sun was setting, so it wasnt very bright. I think i had it open for less than 10 seconds.

 

[cmogi10]

You wont be able to tell until you get it developed, Chances are more then a couple frames are useless but you might be able to salvage parts of the roll.

 

[intinsifi]

Im sad, and worried. It was my first roll with the M7

 

[jkelly]

I've done that before, in bright sunlight. :bang:
You probably only lost 3 or 4 frames if you replaced the bottom right away.

 

[Chris101]

I was photographing an event in Flagstaff, Arizona. Gay pride day to be exact, as it is always a good venue to catch all sorts of freaky folk. And indeed I had. Armed with 8 rolls of Delta 400 in my left pocket, I was also practicing my skills at changing the film on my M4P, which I had for less than a month.

I was really surprised that I could change film in a bottom loader Leica much faster than I could in any camera where the back hinged off the camera. (Yes, there is a little Germany door on the back that opens so you can confirm the film is properly loaded, and also inspect the shutter, etc.)

So I was so much into popping off the bottom of the camera, pulling out the old roll, putting it in my right pocket, grabbing a new roll from my left, jamming it into the camera, feeding the leader into the teeth of the take-up spool then locking the base plate into place, firing off two shots and then continuing to shoot. It was working like it was supposed to until...

I opened the bottom, and immediate thought "#@*!!" I had forgotten to rewind the film first. I slammed the bottom back on and locked it, but a sick feeling was already building inside me. I knew the film was toast. And I had just shot a really wild group of male impersonators! I mean, you don't see that every day now!

None-the-less, I developed the film. Here it is:

I didn't cry,but I didn't appreciate making abstract art either!

 

[sienarot]

Im sad, and worried. It was my first roll with the M7

Ehhh, don't worry about it. It happens to the best of us, sometimes over and over again. Consider a reminder not to get sloppy with your work 🙂


Chris101: that's pretty horrific to see! Did you print any of them to see what they'd look like anyways?

 

[gabrielelopez]

t ca happen, the only thing is making another roll and be happy for that...after years of my own developing i wasted a roll of tri-x last week, I SHOT OTHER TWO the day after as an exchange...

part of the fun....have a nice day

 

[intinsifi]

Thanks guys. I feel a little bit better now.