WHAT DAMAGES UNDEVELOPED FILM?

Question

i had a black and white film canister in my camera full but i tried and failed to wind the knob to get it ready to take out. SO i thought i'd do it the manual way and got in my cupboard (everything was compleatly dark-no light damage) turns out i didn't know how to do it the manual way either LONG STORY SHORT: i pulled, tugged, twisted it, put my fingers all over it, some touched the floor, i bent it FINALLY AFTER WANTING TO DIE: i ended up getting it detached from the camera and wound (and before that pushed) into the canister. Basically i was handling it a long long time before i got it away from the camera Q: IS IT WORTH SENDING THIS TO GET IT DEVELOPED OR IS IT RUINED ?????/// NO LIGHT DAMAGE WHAT SO EVER

Answer 1

Humm, interesting situation. I hope someone else here can chime in with a better answer. I can only say that it might be ok, and it might not. You did not say if you had washed your hands THOROUGHLY before handling the film? Your skin has oils that might interfere with the chemical development process, but I cannot really say for sure. Ideally, you should have worn thin powder free "surgery" gloves instead of handling the film with your bare hands.



If you hands / fingers were extremely clean and / or you did wear gloves, then the film will probably be ok.



Bottom line, the only way to REALLY know is to have it processed. It is not like it costs a fortune to have it processed. If there are no shots on the roll that are important to you, then just trash it.

Answer 2

I've hand process film a lot back in college, so I can feel your pain. If you have not exposed the film in any way, then your fine. As has been noted, the only thing you should fear at this point is scratches or creases in the film from being mishandled.

So it's a no brainer - Send it in for processing.

Answer 3

If you wound the film back into the canister in the dark, having done whatever you did in complete darkness, then it is worth spending the few dollars/pounds getting it processed. If one or two pics show scratches - tough. Maybe get a CD made at the same time (only a dollar or two more) then you can mend the scratches in software in your computer..

Answer 4

First, go ahead and send the film off for developing or do it yourself. You and just have the film developed no prints. Inspect the negatives for defects and then select the ones you want to print.

Films are sensitive to light, heat, pressure, and oils from your fingers. Oils alter the rate the developer infuses into the film thus the results could be blotchy.



I advise a sacrificial roll to practice emergency procedures.

Answer 5

It might be scratched up some, but I'm sure most of the pictures will still turn out fine. Do send in.

Answer 6

Get it processed but you might find some shots a bit blurred due to the oils from your hands. And sweat if you were panicking!

Answer 7

if you take it to walmart to get it developed you dont have to pay until after its developed and they ask you if you want to purchase them so if they dont turn out you wont have to pay for them so it wont hurt to try