I recently mailed in a bunch of film to be developed: some extremely expired (and not well cared for) when I shot it, some found in cameras when I bought them, test rolls from a new pinhole camera, etc. None of them were labeled, there is no system, but I have pieced together what might be the story for some of the few images of interest.
Ancient black and white 620 film that I bought off eBay for the spindle, but may as well shoot it
Agfa Isopan ISS hasn't been made since 1980, and this roll has the strangest texture, like the silver is sliding off of it... making very thin negatives. With some after-scan level tweaking I can tease out something, but not sure it is worth it.
I am excited to shoot fresh film in this camera, though. A Brownie Hawkeye with a reversed lens.
Old film that came in ancient cameras, bought at an estate sale
I bought two old Brownie box cameras that came with film loaded in them. One, a roll of Kodak 620, hasn't been made since 1995. The image is meh, but surprisingly lovely tones and really nice lens quality. I will probably load this one up again with fresh film.
The other was 616 format film, discontinued in 1984, but based on the photos of some people on the roll, I'm guessing it was in there since the late 1960s/early '70s. I took a few pictures with the remaining film and was barely able to tease out this tree, that I visited on the bank of the Deschutes River.
Old film given to me when it was expired 10+ years ago that has been very mishandled in the meantime
This Kodak Ektar 100 film has been sitting on a table in the sunroom for the past 8 years, getting hot and cold, and I'd had it for several years before that. I shot these in spring 2025 (probably on my Reality So Subtle 6x6...) and it has been waiting to be developed for over a year! Much level-tweaking in photoshop after scanning, but I do like these.
Hike near McKenzie River
Artsy film, not expired!
This was shot with a Pin-Isola, a vintage Agfa camera modified to be a pinhole, and with actual fresh film. There are companies making experimental films with fun effects and this is one from Lomography.
Old film in old camera, shot by a much younger me
Back in the 1990s, my boyfriend's father gave me a Nikon Nikonos II. Clearly, I learned how to put film in it and forgot how to take it out for decades... but this film had definitely been in the camera for 30+ years. Kodak Portra, pretty much nothing left but blue.
I have 5 new cameras and loads of film, but never realized that nearly every camera requires a right hand to click the shutter button. My right arm is out of commission for 4 more weeks, but really looking forward to playing with cameras soon.
