Tag: film

I Don’t Have a Clue

I experienced my first loading of a film camera today, and I sure as hell fucked it up. Of course. The question then is… how bad?

I’ve been sitting here watching youtube videos both on my camera and on tips for shooting film, and common mistakes. This video is on common mistakes:

One of the mistakes noted is failing to advance the film after each shot. Specifically, the film comes off the track and doesn’t move when you wind the film. I took two pictures earlier today but I thought to myself, what if I am guilty of this? I took a third pic, advanced the film, and nothing happened. I had to open the back of the camera and fix it. In doing so I exposed the film to the light. My question… how much did I expose? Just the area that I could see? Did I burn the entire roll? I won’t know until I get it back from the developer.

Yippee Skippee. The first of a lifetime of film related fuck ups has been fucked up. Amen and Huzzah.

I Have the Bug Again

I have it again. I definitely have the ol’ shutterbug once again. And I ain’t talking about no iPhone here.

I took the roll of film that was in Dad’s camera to CVS today. They will send it somewhere to get developed and I should have it back in 7-10 days. Still no clue how much it will cost.

I spent some time today trying to find stores that actually sell 35mm film. There are none. At least not in a reasonable radius from home. I even put a post onto a film photography subreddit and got nothing back. Looks like film shopping is a fully online experience for me. No instant gratification for this guy.

So I don’t have any film for Dad’s camera. I guess I’ll go shoot the sunrise with my digital tomorrow. The sunrise is at 5:09am. My alarm is set for 4:00. I’m a psycho idiot and proud of it. We will see if I actually get up, and if so we will see how the pictures come out. I’m going to try to use Manual mode as much as I can, duck and cover.

The Other Lens

I changed the lens and I think it works! The light meter is not a big fan of this lens in this room. I expect the two pics I just took will be underexposed and blurry.

I feel like I am becoming a little obsessed with Dad’s camera.

Light Meter

Dad’s camera has a built in light meter. It runs on a little watch battery. The battery hasn’t been changed since the 80’s (if ever). Luckily I had a pack of the correct batteries (thanks to the pocket watch reclamation project from last year) and it turns out the meter works!

I took a couple of pictures, despite my microscopic knowledge of full manual camera operation. I’d use one of those pics for my photo a day thing but… you know… film. No instant gratification here.

The film in the camera has been sitting there since the 80’s. I don’t know anything about expired film besides the fact that it does expire. When the roll runs out, will anything be developable? Will anything work? Who knows. Also, there were six or seven shots taken before I got involved. I’m a little afraid to find out what they were. I haven’t a clue.

I think I’m going to try to put the other lens on next. Sweet!

User Manual

Remember two posts back when I asked if anyone had a user manual for my father’s old camera?

I found it.

Pentax K1000. Now all I need to do is find someplace that develops film. Weeeeeee!

ADDENDUM: That manual is actually a service manual. The owner manual lives here.