Help- half used film salvagable?

[KarenAylwood]

Hey all- my friend at work asked me to talk to my photography teacher about this last night and I totally forgot!

His brother died in a car wreck a few years ago and there was a camera in the car with him and his daughter when it happened. He had used half the film, but in the wreck, the camera broke. He wants to develop the half a roll that was taken by his brother, but doesn't want to ruin the film by opening the camera.

Can you open it in a dark room and somehow reel it back in the casing? Anyone know what I could tell him? He'd really like to get these pictures developed finally.

TIA!

 

[Experiment_626]

Can you open it in a dark room and somehow reel it back in the casing? Anyone know what I could tell him? He'd really like to get these pictures developed finally.

I used to do this fairly often back in my film days.

He needs to find a really dark room, such as a closet inside a bathroom inside a bedroom. Go inside the room or closet, make sure all light sources are either removed or turned off, cover any gaps that are allowing light to enter, and wait. If you can't see any light after a few minutes, it should be safe. Open the camera and remove the film carefully; remember that it will probably have to be unrolled off the camera's take-up spool. Then just push it back into the film cassette. He can allow an inch or so to protrude. All of this must be done in the dark, naturally.

That should do it.

SSB

 

[2x_dis_dad]

Does the camera not have a rewind feature?

 

[KarenAylwood]

Does the camera not have a rewind feature?

The camera was broken in the car wreck because it was in the car with him. I was under the impression from my friend that they couldn't get it to rewind. I'll tell him to check that first though!

Thanks for the explanation, Experiment. Hopefully this will work!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I'd call or take it to a pro camera shop. They've done it before for me without a problem.

 

[Andrew Bichard]

Can you open it in a dark room and somehow reel it back in the casing?
TIA!

He needs a changing bag.

This is a lightproof bag that you put your camera plus a film canister into.

The bag has two elasticated sleaves for your arms.

Any good photoshop should sell them, though in this digital age, the shop might have to order one specially.

Time was, that most photolabs would have one for customers who had advanced the film too far and wound it right out of the cannister.

If you phone around, you should be able to find a lab that has one. (try 'professionals' labs first - they are more likely to have one)

I have just googled 'film changing bag' and they seem to be still available to purchase for about £15 (=$30)

Andrew

 

[MICKEY88]

if you have a ritz camera nearby, they can take care of it for you, the labs all have a dark box just for such issues...

if your friend chooses to do it himself, once it's off the camera take up spool, he should be able to wind it back into the film canister, rather than pushing it in, pushing can lead to crimping of the film, that could ruin pictures..