A Question about 35 mm film and canisters

grampsted · Nov 21, 2020

Okay. Let's look at this in a different way. Somebody is in Vietnam and they are taking pictures. They finish a roll. Where do they put the film? At some point is it obviously safe to take the film out of the camera and store it until they get back to the Big PX. Did that need to be done in the dark? I haven't ever used that type of film or camera. Mine has always been cartridges that you could take out and send to the developer.

Another thing is that those canisters have been in a dresser drawer in the guest bedroom at my mom's house. I would almost bet money that they've been opened and looked at by others before. A lot of kids and relatives have been in that room over the years.

480sparky · Nov 21, 2020

35mm film IS is a cartridge you can take out and send to a lab. It comes in a light-tight can that the film is rewound into. No darkroom or dark bag needed. Once the film is wound up inside, it takes special equipment to get it out without cracking the canister open.... stuff only an ardent photographer would have. And then, they wouldn't just 'use it' for fun.

If the film inside those canisters has never been opened, the latent images could still (possibly) be developed.

But 35mm film does not have any paper with it.

grampsted · Nov 21, 2020

480sparky said:
35mm film IS is a cartridge you can take out and send to a lab. It comes in a light-tight can that the film is rewound into. No darkroom or dark bag needed. Once the film is wound up inside, it takes special equipment to get it out without cracking the canister open.... stuff only an ardent photographer would have. And then, they wouldn't just 'use it' for fun.

If the film inside those canisters has never been opened, the latent images could still (possibly) be developed.

But 35mm film does not have any paper with it.

Thanks again for your reply. Not sure exactly what I have. I found one lab that charges nothing for the BW negatives if there is no discernible image. I might just send them the canisters and see what happens. What I saw was definitely a negative looking type 35 mm size but one side looked to be solidly coated with a beige looking substance. There was only a few inches of that before I saw Kodak yellow, which I assumed was paper. Perhaps the original paper wrapper got damaged somehow and I am seeing film that has never been exposed through picture taking.

480sparky · Nov 21, 2020

Post a photo of exactly what you're looking at.

grampsted · Nov 22, 2020

This isn't an actual picture of mine, but close enough. Two canisters and one looks similar to this picture. The other has more film outside of the cartridge. one side looks like negative, the other side looks like a coating. I am assuming it is unexposed film, unless it is the type canister you are referring to. The one you take out of the camera after exposure.

480sparky · Nov 22, 2020

OK, so you're seeing the film canister that goes into the camera. Is there the leader sticking out or not?

grampsted · Nov 22, 2020

One just like the picture I posted. The other has a couple of more inches sticking out. I read last night that one camera left the leader out after exposure, but most other cameras would wind the leader all the way in.

480sparky · Nov 22, 2020

My guess then is it hasn't been exposed. Especially if you can't detect any crease in it.

If it actually is Kodachrome, it's not worth putting through a camera because you'll not get it developed.

grampsted · Nov 22, 2020

480sparky said:
My guess then is it hasn't been exposed. Especially if you can't detect any crease in it.

If it actually is Kodachrome, it's not worth putting through a camera because you'll not get it developed.

I agree. I am not interested in using them, only for developing to B/W if there is anything on them. I just looked back at what I read last night and somebody said the Dynax left the leader out. I have seen the camera my brother used and that sounds really familiar. I will look for it later, as I have quite a few boxes of things to go through.

grampsted · Nov 22, 2020

grampsted said:
480sparky said:

My guess then is it hasn't been exposed. Especially if you can't detect any crease in it.

If it actually is Kodachrome, it's not worth putting through a camera because you'll not get it developed.

Click to expand...

I agree. I am not interested in using them, only for developing to B/W if there is anything on them. I just looked back at what I read last night and somebody said the Dynax left the leader out. I have seen the camera my brother used and that sounds really familiar. I will look for it later, as I have quite a few boxes of things to go through.

grampsted · Nov 22, 2020

I just found two camera's, although I don't think either one was his. I had another brother who passed away and his wife gave me his cameras. A Minolta Sr-T SC, which looks to be older than the other camera, a Minolta Maxxum 5.

TmRm · Nov 22, 2020

Unless these were bulk-loaded the film cassette should have the name of the film. If it says Kodachrome then you're out of luck because it can no longer be developed.