Need advice about my 35mm camera film before I ruin the pictures?

Question:We just got back from vacation and we bought some cheap 35mm camera's since we don't own a digital camera yet. One of the camera's didn't rewind correctly and I had a feeling it didn't so I opened it in complete darkness to make sure. The film is completly out of the canaster thing that it comes in. Right now I still have the film in complete darkness, but how am I suppose to get this film developed now? I don't know of any places around here that have dark rooms for developing pictures and how am I suppose to transport the film without exposing to sunlight. Is there any hope?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: We just got back from vacation and we bought some cheap 35mm camera's since we don't own a digital camera yet. One of the camera's didn't rewind correctly and I had a feeling it didn't so I opened it in complete darkness to make sure. The film is completly out of the canaster thing that it comes in. Right now I still have the film in complete darkness, but how am I suppose to get this film developed now? I don't know of any places around here that have dark rooms for developing pictures and how am I suppose to transport the film without exposing to sunlight. Is there any hope?

When you take the film in for processing, keep that one in the camera. Explain what happened to the person at the desk, and they will either take care of it, or tell you they can't and perhaps advise you where to take it. Then if they do your film, they should return your camera with your film and pictures.

Meanwhile, the film will be fine left in the camera. Just don't open it any more.

To keep it from happening again, never force the winding mechanism to go beyond a slight bit of tension. If you have to really pull, then it's time to rewind.

Is the film still on the take up reel of the camera or is the film free and loose?

If the film is free of the camera just hold the canister in your left and and wind the film back into the canister by turning canister reel with your right hand. Once all of the film is back in the canister you are home free. It is light tight and you can take it to the developer.

If it is still attached to the camera try to turn as much of the film as you can back into the canister, close door if you are able and wrap everything as light tight as possible and take it to the developer. Try to do this at night.

Call around to camera stores and see who develops film. Even in my dinky town there are half a dozen places.

Bring the whole camera in, tell them the problem and they'll do the rest.

V

Can you stil close the camera back with the film inside the camera? If so, just close it and bring it to the lab. If the camera cannot be closed and latched, gently untangle it from the take-up spool and wind it back into the cassette by turning the axel on the end. If the film end has broken loose from the cassette, take a black film can, roll the film up, put it in the can with the lid and bring it in like that. Do that in complete darkness, of course. We may not have a dark ROOM, but we do have a dark box and a changing bag. Plenty of room to get a roll of film from a camera. Just tell the lab when you bring it in. They will take the camera, load the film into a temporary cassette and develop as normal. Easy Peasy.