Undeveloped film found: Would you care?

In My Humble Opinion
1

My husband was a packrat and since his death I keep finding all sorts of things I’ve had to dispose of, one way or another. But this find has me a bit baffled.

I’ve found a box of undeveloped film. I remember him talking about how much film he had after he made the switch to digital many years ago, but I had forgotten until I found this box.

I’m not particularly sentimental, and pictures usually don’t matter much to me. These are probably endless vacation pictures. On the other hand, since I can’t see the pictures, I can’t know what’s on the film.

In my shoes, would you pay to have them developed? In your shoes, would you?

2

I would, but you know it’s birthday parties and that time it snowed.

3

I would. Film developing at a CVS or Rite Aid or Walgreens is really cheap. It would be well worth it in case there’s some sort of gem within. And if not…well, not a huge loss, right? But the curiosity would drive me.

4

A similar thing happened to me, except it was a roll of my own undeveloped film . . . from the 70s! It turned out to be baby pictures of two of my kitties, who have since passed away. After all that time the quality of the photos really sucked, but I was able to fix several of them in Photoshop.

Definitely have them developed. Otherwise you’ll never know.

5

Yeah. Not like it’s expensive.

6

Sure, I’d get them developed, unless money was especially tight.

7

Film can degrade with time. I once found a roll of 35mm that I had shot around two years previously. The results were not pretty.

My advice would be to get one roll developed and go from there.

8

I would have them developed, on the off chance there’s a lovely picture in there.

9

My gal and I found a roll of (her) undeveloped film, which we figured was at least ten years old. When developed, the pictures all had a slight, but noticeable, bluish tint.

So far as the content, nothing special. . . pretty much the same as has been posited that you’ll find.

10

Heh. Back in the film days, I always had undeveloped film lying around. I’d take pictures, then get busy, and never bring it in to be developed. After throwing away about the tenth roll of undeveloped film, I realized I’m just not a snapshotty type of person; I don’t care about having pictures, unless there’s a specific and immediate need.

I take more pictures now that I can do it digitally, as it fits in better with my “specific and immediate need” thing. For example, I’ll take a pic of some food I made to put on my Facebook page along with the recipe. But just general “oh here we are at the beach” kind of pics? If I take them - which I do only rarely - chances are they just sit on the camera until it gets full then I delete them.

I gather I’m in the minority on feeling like this, as I went through about 2 years of shock and astonishment when I told people we didn’t take a camera to France on our honeymoon, because neither of us gave two shits about vacation pictures. I swear, it was like telling people that we grilled and ate babies. “You didn’t take PICTURES on your HONEYMOON?!? How… what… but… !!!”

11

Are you thinking of the same short story I’m thinking of?

Anyway, definitely. In anyone’s shoes, I’d do it. If I was afraid it’d be too emotional and make me cry for days, I’d wait a couple of months and then do it.

12

My ex’s coworker found an undeveloped film. She assumed it was from a recent vacation. She had it developed anyway and it was of her First Communion, 20-something years before. The prints were fine.

Me, I found an old disposable camera after I moved a while back, before I got divorced. When we got married we had put one on each table. So I had it developed and when it came back, it was of someone else’s wedding. No idea how that happened.

13

I am like this. If we go on vacation, I want exactly one picture (of the kids preferably having fun).

My husband is the exact opposite. I am often telling him to get out from behind the lens so we can do whatever it is we’re doing.

Luckily, you both agree.

As to the OP, I would get them developed. Not because I like pictures (cause I don’t) but because the curiosity would kill me.

14

Maybe you have friends or family that would enjoy seeing the pictures ?

15

Interesting! I would probably just throw them out. I just did that, in fact, when I moved last week. Now, they were my rolls of film and not something from a departed loved one, so maybe that makes a difference. But I have no idea what was on them, and I’m sure that if I haven’t missed them by now, I’m not going to. I’m also not someone who is particularly attached to photos even though I’m a bit of an amateur photog and love to take them!

16

If I find undeveloped film, I always develop it, just for curiosity’s sake. However, I don’t get prints made. I just ask them to “develop only, no prints” and then, after looking at the negs, if something strikes me as interesting, I might scan it or get it printed.

17

You might want to take them to a professional photo shop instead of a drugstore, to get any age-related adjustments made.

18

Yeah, I would. :frowning:

19

Given how cheap drugstore development is, wouldn’t it be better to have them done on the cheap first, and retain the negatives to obtain a more professional print if there are any photos of high value that don’t come out well?

I’m no photography expert, so forgive me if that’s an ignorant question.