[mroeder75]

I am quite sure this is not an original thread. I acquired a Pentax ME Super camera off eBay, with camera bag. In the camera bag is an undeveloped film cartridge. The camera has film in it.

I am now totally digital. I could take this to Wal*Mart to develop. Do you have other suggestions?

[pschlute]

How exciting, I do love a mystery. Let us know what was on the film please.

[disconnekt]

I would send it to a lab that will send the negatives back to you, just in case the photos have something on there that are important to someone

[Alex645]

I am quite sure this is not an original thread. I acquired a Pentax ME Super camera off eBay, with camera bag. In the camera bag is an undeveloped film cartridge. The camera has film in it.

I am now totally digital. I could take this to Wal*Mart to develop. Do you have other suggestions?

What shot number is in the frame counter on the camera? If it's low, then you might as well shoot the rest of the roll yourself as a test. If it's a high number (20+):
Do you know how to rewind the film?
After rewinding the film and removing it, is it color print film, color slide film, or black & white film?

Color print film will say "Process C-41" on it, and yes you could take it to Walmart, but Walmart does not return the negatives. Seeing your negs will tell you a lot about the condition of the camera. I'd recommend sending it to Dwayne's Photo Lab: https://www.dwaynesphoto.com/

Color slide film will say "Process E-6" on it and Walmart doesn't process slides. I'd recommend get a prepaid slide processing mailer:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/18646-REG/Fujifilm_Slide_Processing_M...981&

Black and white film (unless it's Ilford XP2) won't be processed by Walmart. If you don't know anyone with a darkroom, you can get a prepaid B&W film processing mailer:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1015183-REG/ilford_101513_prepaid_fil...981&

[mroeder75]

What shot number is in the frame counter on the camera? If it's low, then you might as well shoot the rest of the roll yourself as a test. If it's a high number (20+):
Do you know how to rewind the film?
After rewinding the film and removing it, is it color print film, color slide film, or black & white film?

Color print film will say "Process C-41" on it, and yes you could take it to Walmart, but Walmart does not return the negatives. Seeing your negs will tell you a lot about the condition of the camera. I'd recommend sending it to Dwayne's Photo Lab: https://www.dwaynesphoto.com/

Color slide film will say "Process E-6" on it and Walmart doesn't process slides. I'd recommend get a prepaid slide processing mailer:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/18646-REG/Fujifilm_Slide_Processing_M...981&

Black and white film (unless it's Ilford XP2) won't be processed by Walmart. If you don't know anyone with a darkroom, you can get a prepaid B&W film processing mailer:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1015183-REG/ilford_101513_prepaid_fil...981&

I owned a Pentax ME Super starting in 1983, so yes I also know how to rewind film. I opened the camera and there is undeveloped film inside the camera itself, not fully shot. I think it is the beginning of the roll because there is a dot in the counter. I could shoot the remainder of the film in the camera. It says Kodak Gold 200.

There is a completely wound Kodak Ektachrome-X film in an aluminum canister in the camera bag. As I view the film canister more carefully, I see this is slide film. I do not have a slide projector. My folks do but they are 1,500 miles away. Can slide film be developed on gloss paper, as well?



I had the impression from the way this was advertised that the eBay seller was not the original owner of the camera.

Any other advice, especially on developing slide film, and in view of the fact I have no slide projector, would be appreciated.

[Alex645]

There is a completely wound Kodak Ektachrome-X film in an aluminum canister in the camera bag. As I view the film canister more carefully, I see this is slide film. I do not have a slide projector. My folks do but they are 1,500 miles away. Can slide film be developed on gloss paper, as well?

Any other advice, especially on developing slide film, and in view of the fact I have no slide projector, would be appreciated.

Ektachrome-X? I'm not familiar with that and my guess is it is so old, spending money developing it will be a waste.

If you wanted to get it developed, but don't have a projector, I would recommend Dwayne's (online, in Kansas). Then just ask them to scan it and you can download the scans. Yes slides could be printed onto Type R paper, but is expensive. Better to scan and make a digital print.

[steephill]

It will be difficult to find anyone to process that film as it uses an obsolete chemistry and the latent images will have faded badly. It might be possible to develop with B&W film chemistry to see what was on there.



Timeline of Kodak film - 1963 EKTACHROME-X film (ASA 64 / Process E-2 and E-3) replacing 32 ASA EKTACHROME. The new 64 ASA product is the first EKTACHROME film available in 135/36 format.

[mroeder75]

Ektachrome-X? I'm not familiar with that and my guess is it is so old, spending money developing it will be a waste.

A bit of research informed me that Ektachrome-X was discontinued in 2012. Maybe it is not too old to develop. I sent an email to Dwayne's pursuant to your suggestion. Interestingly, their website has a video with a roll of Ektachrome film on it. https://www.dwaynesphoto.com/

[Alex645]

Ektachrome (E-6 process) was temporarily discontinued in 2012-13, but Ektachrome X was an E-4 process discontinued probably somewhere around the late '70s. E-4 is quite different than E-6 and my guess is that E-4 film would mess up Dwayne's E-6 chems. As a lab manager back in the 80's, we would never intentionally cross process unless we knew exactly the consequences and the customer knew the risks.

It'd be interesting to see how Dwayne's responds. A lot of the older processes used formaldehyde as a stabilizer which is no longer legal as a known carcinogen.

[ChrisPlatt]

If it were me after a long search to find someone able to process it for way too much money
all 36 frames would turn out to be of a stranger's Thanksgiving turkeys and Christmas trees.

Chris

[mroeder75]

If it were me after a long search to find someone able to process it for way too much money
all 36 frames would turn out to be of a stranger's Thanksgiving turkeys and Christmas trees.

Chris

You are probably right. I was also afraid it could be something illegal someone was determined they would not develop. Or, it could be it was the last film taken by someone before he or she met his or her premature demise, and the family didn't know what they had.

[BandeauRouge]

there is a lot of whatifs involved with developing found film.

alot of it can still be developed however things can be tricky.

1. if the content of the photos is how do we say, not of the legal type. Photolabs are required to get the state involved.
2. if you personally know who most likely took the photos, say a coworker sells you a camera, take into consideration what they are like..

[titrisol]

Check if it says E-6 process, if so you are in luck
Either Dwayne or thedarkroom in LA will be able to process that film and send you scans of your pictures

If it says E-2 or E-3 give them a call

A bit of research informed me that Ektachrome-X was discontinued in 2012. Maybe it is not too old to develop. I sent an email to Dwayne's pursuant to your suggestion. Interestingly, their website has a video with a roll of Ektachrome film on it. https://www.dwaynesphoto.com/

[mroeder75]

Check if it says E-6 process, if so you are in luck
Either Dwayne or thedarkroom in LA will be able to process that film and send you scans of your pictures

If it says E-2 or E-3 give them a call

It says, E-2.

[Alex645]

It says, E-2.

Rocky Mountain Film Lab can process E2, but unless the film was kept in cold storage, I doubt any images will come from it.
Old E4 Slide Film Developing