Analog film, amount of frames

ziggo

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Hello,

As a beginner in photography I recently bought a Praktica MTL 3. I use 24 frame 35 mm film and noticed that after the frame counter reached 24 I could just pull the lever to get the next frame. The counter now says 36 already and I was wondering how this is possible. I expected the film lever to block after it reached the 24 so I would need to rewind the film.

Will these extra frames be developed as well?
Thank you for your response
 
Yes, anything exposed will be developed, although someone told me once that he got a couple of extra frames and then sent the film to Kodak in a pre-paid mailer. He got his pictures and a note from Kodak saying he shouldn't do that because he had paid for 24, not 26! I don't know how your counter got to 36, though. Either something is wrong with the counter or you loaded a roll of 36 and then forgot.
 
OK, interesting to hear that they will develop it. I'm very sure this is a 24-frame film. Is there a risk of ruining the film this way? Could I pull out all the film from the cartridge in this way and detach it from the cartridge for example?
 
OK, interesting to hear that they will develop it. I'm very sure this is a 24-frame film. Is there a risk of ruining the film this way? Could I pull out all the film from the cartridge in this way and detach it from the cartridge for example?

Yes it's possible to pull the film out of the cartridge or tear the film, but it takes quite a bit of force--it's almost impossible to do on accident unless the film is already nicked/torn. I wouldn't worry about it.
 
You might squeeze 26 out of a 24 roll but never 36, I reckon your leader has come adrift from the winder spool, the thing with film is once you shut the back and use the winder then if the opposite spool doesn't move with each wind-on your film is incorrectly loaded and you end up with a blank film. Auto load cameras are different, manual ones need to be watched. H
 
What Harry says.

Before loading a new film, with the back open, advance the camera to ensure that the rewind clutch is not still disengaging the advance mechanism. Load the film and wind on until both rows of sprocket holes are onto the drive sprocket.

When loading a manual advance camera, after closing the film back:

1) Gently take up most of the slack in the cassette by using the rewind knob (do not press the rewind button)

2) Check the rewind knob as you wind on the first couple of frames of the leader. It should turn as you wind on, showing you that the leader tongue has not come off the takeup spool.

3) Do the same check every frame, if you remember. The rewind knob should usually move, especially if you take successive frames at once.

Try to get into the habit of doing the above, so you don't have to think about it.

Best,
Helen
 
Ok I found out that my rewind knob was not moving when I pulled the lever to advance the film. I haven't paid attention to when it stopped moving with it but I suspect that it happened after I reached the 24 frames. I know that it did move when I still was at my first frames so it's not broken.
This would mean that my last frame is exposed several times as I kept winding the film and exposing it and my film did not advance.
Thank you for all your help, when I will develop and print the film I will try to post the result.
 
You can try opening the back in a completely dark (pitch black) room (or a film loading bag) to see if the film ever advanced. I'm guessing that it never really engaged the take-up spool, so you can just start over with loading the roll.

After a few successful rolls, you might find that the advancing lever has a particular feel to it (a little more tension) when everything is loaded properly. Also, if the film isn't advancing, everything usually sounds a little different too (cogs slipping against the film).
 
I already rewound the film and removed it from the camera. I believe that the film kept advancing for the first 24 frames as it should. But after it reached the film end I could just turn the lever but it would not turn the film.

I just opened the back and held the cog wheel as if it was blocked or held by the end of the film. Strangely I could still pull the lever to "advance" the film. The cog wheel just did not move and I could expose the "frame" over and over again.
 

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