Author Topic: What to do when you "find" a film? (Read 12788 times)

Kayos · « **on:** January 14, 2015, 07:45:33 PM »

Just taken delivery of my second Zenit in 2 days, this time a photosniper

In the case was a film, ive no idea how old or if its exposed, so would you develop it (its c41 so should be simple enough) bin it or keep it in the case?

Bryan · « **Reply #1 on:** January 14, 2015, 08:45:44 PM »

Develop it, my curiosity usually wins.

Francois · « **Reply #2 on:** January 14, 2015, 08:54:18 PM »

Definitely develop it!
Sometimes you find wonders on these... and often not so wonderful things.
But if you don't develop it, you'll bite your fingers for years

I usually just give the films I find a good 10 minutes in PQ Universal. It always develops something... but it's always B&W.

limr · « **Reply #3 on:** January 14, 2015, 10:40:29 PM »

Yup, develop it. Found film is kind of like Christmas. You might find a chunk of coal in the stocking or it could be a chunk of awesome, but you'll never know unless you check

Aksel · « **Reply #4 on:** January 14, 2015, 11:28:12 PM »

Develop and return your favourite frame of the roll as a print to the original owner

Terry · « **Reply #5 on:** January 15, 2015, 01:58:47 AM »

I agree; do it! Here's one I found on a roll in an old Brownie:

img641 par Terry B, on ipernity

SLVR · « **Reply #6 on:** January 15, 2015, 05:52:57 AM »

On a side note, I don't have the balls to use a photosniper out in public. Id have to say I would get a ton of negative attention.

Kayos · « **Reply #7 on:** January 15, 2015, 07:51:55 AM »

Think I will develop it later tonight then....

As for the photosniper, despite the nom working light meter, it's next to me in the van with a film installed

Verian · « **Reply #8 on:** January 15, 2015, 10:51:28 AM »

I wondered for a while what to do, but eventually decided to develop, I've never found anything remotely interesting on them, but one day who knows.

02Pilot · « **Reply #9 on:** January 15, 2015, 01:07:05 PM »

Quote from: Kayos on January 15, 2015, 07:51:55 AM

Think I will develop it later tonight then....

As for the photosniper, despite the nom working light meter, it's next to me in the van with a film installed

Sitting in a van shooting a Zenit Photosniper out the window feels like it's straight out of every 1980s espionage movie. If you really want to maintain the vibe, I suggest you do it at an airport arrivals terminal or near a foreign embassy.

Bryan · « **Reply #10 on:** January 15, 2015, 04:26:42 PM »

Quote from: 02Pilot on January 15, 2015, 01:07:05 PM

Quote from: Kayos on January 15, 2015, 07:51:55 AM
Think I will develop it later tonight then....

As for the photosniper, despite the nom working light meter, it's next to me in the van with a film installed

Sitting in a van shooting a Zenit Photosniper out the window feels like it's straight out of every 1980s espionage movie. If you really want to maintain the vibe, I suggest you do it at an airport arrivals terminal or near a foreign embassy.

Or you could take pictures of Police Officers in East LA, what could possibly go wrong.

AJShepherd · « **Reply #11 on:** January 15, 2015, 04:50:09 PM »

Having a rummage around I found two old rolls of Ilford FP4 from 1979. I was thinking of developing them at the weekend, although I've no idea what's on them.

Edit: Crap. Opened up one of them, empty spool. No film in there at all. Same with the other. There was absolutely no sign they'd ever been opened as the cassettes were totally intact and the tops not bent even slightly.
I'm disappointed!

Bryan · « **Reply #12 on:** January 15, 2015, 05:21:13 PM »

I've had mixed results. These first two pictures were from a roll of Kodacolor-X found in a Kodak Brownie Hawkeye. I sent it to Film Rescue International for processing as black & white. I'm not sure what process they do but they came out pretty good considering they were likely taken over 40 years.

Girls with VW by bac1967, on Flickr

White Tuxedo 1 by bac1967, on Flickr

These next three were Kodak Plus-X 116 film found in a Voigtlander camera. I did Semi-Stand Development in Rodinal 1-100 for 1 hour. The roll of film still had a few pictures left so I exposed them. The first two pictures are the old ones, the third picture is the one I took. There is some lens separation causing the distortion in the picture I took but you can see that the older pictures degraded over time even though the film was still ok.

Dog in Snow Storm? by bac1967, on Flickr

Trees by bac1967, on Flickr

Bird Bath by bac1967, on Flickr

Rafael Morales · « **Reply #13 on:** January 15, 2015, 08:29:19 PM »

Undeveloped World War II Film Discovered on Vimeo

Kayos · « **Reply #14 on:** January 15, 2015, 10:38:59 PM »

I actually wussed out and went to an old monument, Castle Hill in Huddersfield.

Got a few funny looks but no police were called and I wasn't shot so all in all a good day

The film from today is hanging up drying, the film I found is in the developing tank awaiting tomorrow

sapata · « **Reply #15 on:** January 15, 2015, 10:53:54 PM »

Please develop it!! I've found this when I bought my Kodak Cresta:

Indofunk · « **Reply #16 on:** January 15, 2015, 10:56:12 PM »

I so desperately want to find film in an old camera I buy....

jharr · « **Reply #17 on:** January 15, 2015, 11:28:58 PM »

Quote from: BAC1967 on January 15, 2015, 05:21:13 PM

White Tuxedo 1 by bac1967, on Flickr

Come on! He could have found a bigger bow tie than that. His date deserves to be with the guy wearing the biggest bow tie at the dance and he's not even trying!!

Bryan · « **Reply #18 on:** January 15, 2015, 11:45:11 PM »

Quote from: jharr on January 15, 2015, 11:28:58 PM

Come on! He could have found a bigger bow tie than that. His date deserves to be with the guy wearing the biggest bow tie at the dance and he's not even trying!!

He does have the ruffles though!

White Tuxedo 3 by bac1967, on Flickr

Sandeha Lynch · « **Reply #19 on:** January 16, 2015, 07:55:46 AM »

Every now and then you'll find one with the title, "I wonder if this old thing still works".

Indofunk · « **Reply #20 on:** January 16, 2015, 04:27:36 PM »

It's not nice to call women "things".

limr · « **Reply #21 on:** January 18, 2015, 06:00:03 PM »

Quote from: Indofunk on January 16, 2015, 04:27:36 PM

It's not nice to call women "things".

D'oh!

thatguychad · « **Reply #22 on:** January 18, 2015, 06:52:58 PM »

I just found a roll of film during my move that I likely shot in 1994. What's the best method to develop the roll? It's likely TMX or maybe TMY, could be TX, but it's drfinitley B&W.

Photo_Utopia · « **Reply #23 on:** January 19, 2015, 12:08:58 PM »

I developed some film from just before the second world war...
http://photo-utopia.blogspot.co.uk/2007_07_08_archive.html

Terry · « **Reply #24 on:** January 19, 2015, 03:00:06 PM »

That's a wonderful photo!

Chad, if you don't know the film or the ISO that was used, I suggest stand or semi-stand developing.

Kayos · « **Reply #25 on:** January 19, 2015, 06:28:58 PM »

After all that, the one in the sniper was completely blank

Never mind

Francois · « **Reply #26 on:** January 19, 2015, 09:29:47 PM »

Bummer.

huevos_rancheros · « **Reply #27 on:** January 22, 2015, 08:14:38 PM »

Is there already a found film thread? That would be fun.

I just got my epson v600 yesterday, tyring it out with some old B&W negs i found when i bought old metal 35mm canisters.

Heres a couple. they're pretty scratched up, plus this is me learning the scanner, so sorry they're a little rough.

Francois · « **Reply #28 on:** January 22, 2015, 08:45:59 PM »

Not to worry about the scratches, we're OK with them.
Thing is Digital ICE won't work with B&W negatives, so you're always left cleaning stuff by hand anyways.

huevos_rancheros · « **Reply #29 on:** January 22, 2015, 09:01:43 PM »

Quote from: Francois on January 22, 2015, 08:45:59 PM

Not to worry about the scratches, we're OK with them.
Thing is Digital ICE won't work with B&W negatives, so you're always left cleaning stuff by hand anyways.

Yeah, im just having fun seeing some old stuff.

i just scanned some shots from Halloween around the same time probably, late 40's, when looking at the negs before scanning, i swear it looked a bit cult-ish.
was revealed to see pumpkins in backgroun.haha
Still kinda creeps me out.

Francois · « **Reply #30 on:** January 22, 2015, 09:24:02 PM »

No wonder the kid in the bunny suit is freaking out!

Indofunk · « **Reply #31 on:** January 23, 2015, 05:44:35 PM »

Quote from: huevos_rancheros on January 22, 2015, 08:14:38 PM

Is there already a found film thread? That would be fun.

You should start one! I love found film (though I myself have never found any film

)

huevos_rancheros · « **Reply #32 on:** January 23, 2015, 09:07:30 PM »

Quote from: Indofunk on January 23, 2015, 05:44:35 PM

Quote from: huevos_rancheros on January 22, 2015, 08:14:38 PM
Is there already a found film thread? That would be fun.

You should start one! I love found film (though I myself have never found any film )

That would be awesome, i just might! i have a few funny ones i found from this same roll with the Halloween strangers id love to post!

Bryan · « **Reply #33 on:** February 03, 2015, 09:16:25 PM »

This guy finds tons of old film.

http://www.vice.com/read/meet-the-man-bringing-old-forgotten-film-back-to-life-206?utm_source=vicetwitterus

Bryan · « **Reply #34 on:** March 17, 2015, 03:14:51 PM »

I just found some exposed film. I bought a handful of expired film a few days ago, 120, 620, 127 and 110, but I noticed two of the rolls were exposed when I got them home. I semi-stand developed them in Rodinal 1-100 for 1 hour. The roll of 120 film was in pretty good shape but the 620 roll has some deterioration. I'm not sure what brand this film was but judging by the date of the other film it probably expired around 1970 or earlier. Here's a picture from each roll.

SLVR · « **Reply #35 on:** March 17, 2015, 03:32:33 PM »

I literally just threw one out.

Pete_R · « **Reply #36 on:** March 17, 2015, 05:31:58 PM »

I think I've posted some of these before. Found in a Mamiya Myrapide camera bought from Germany.

Indofunk · « **Reply #37 on:** March 17, 2015, 07:11:42 PM »

How could you not develop found film? Who knows what might be on there? :-) For example, I love those steam locomotive shots!

Bryan · « **Reply #38 on:** March 17, 2015, 08:15:53 PM »

Quote from: Indofunk on March 17, 2015, 07:11:42 PM

How could you not develop found film? Who knows what might be on there? :-) For example, I love those steam locomotive shots!

I second that.

It looks like that person on the left of the third shot is shooting Super 8 film.

jharr · « **Reply #39 on:** March 17, 2015, 08:26:47 PM »

Quote from: BAC1967 on March 17, 2015, 08:15:53 PM

Quote from: Indofunk on March 17, 2015, 07:11:42 PM
How could you not develop found film? Who knows what might be on there? :-) For example, I love those steam locomotive shots!

I second that.

It looks like that person on the left of the third shot is shooting Super 8 film.

Yep, I'm too curious not to. I have only 'found' one roll. It was really old color instamatic (126) film that pretty much dissolved in the developer. Word to the wise... develop old color film as b/w or at least at room temp in C-41.

Indofunk · « **Reply #40 on:** March 18, 2015, 03:49:30 AM »

That's good advice. I'd want to develop any found film in Rodinal 1:100 (insert my copyrighted quote here

), but I'd probably be tempted to develop color in C41...

Francois · « **Reply #41 on:** March 18, 2015, 05:00:07 PM »

If it's C-41, then C-41 it is.
For the rest, it's more of a gamble (though I know it's possible to do C-41 at room temperature, so it should also work for the older processes)

Indofunk · « **Reply #42 on:** July 11, 2016, 12:41:11 AM »

Yay! I finally have a found film of my own! My new-to-me Pentax ME Super had a roll of that horrible Seattle Filmworks color film in it (which I discovered by opening the film door, oops

). I figured it's not that old so I developed it in 100F C41. But the film itself must have sucked because even the shots I took on the roll were extremely faint. But the first exposure on the roll came out decently, although it took extremely heavy-handed color correction to get it to look like this.

Anybody know these women?

Terry · « **Reply #43 on:** July 11, 2016, 01:12:31 AM »

The dog looks familiar....

Indofunk · « **Reply #44 on:** July 21, 2016, 09:00:18 PM »

Another "found film"! (of sorts

)