Developing film inside of cameras privately bought

[ic-racer]

If you purchased the camera and the film in it then it is yours to do with what you like.

[SkipA]

I'm also of the opinion that the film was yours, and you were free to do what you wished with it.

I too bought a camera recently that had an exposed roll of film in it. I contacted the seller and offered to send it to him, but he didn't want it. I plan to develop it.

[AgX]

You bought the camera and the film -- it is now yours. To develop, toss out or give back...or to print.

It may not even be that woman's camera -- or at least not her images. Unless she told you differently, it could be an ex-boyfriend's camera who dumped her but forgot his camera, or whatever.

I think this depends on the situation. If one faces a lot out of an obsolete household with lots of albums, transparency boxes etc. one could deduce that people thought about what they give away and thus lost interest. If it's just a film inside a camera one could deduce that it might have been overlooked.

But even in the former case, the lot may come from a suddenly deceased person which did not wanted those images to be spread.


Furthermore in parts of the world there is legislation on publicizing photographs of persons. So even in case one has acquired legally old prints, films, transparencies, you might still not be allowed to do everything you like with those.

[Steve Smith]

... the only risk when processing found film is that if you seek professional processing/printing and IF there were something illicit/illegal on the film, then you'd be left holding the bag.

In what way? Anything on the film was put there before you bought it.


Steve.

[E. von Hoegh]

In what way? Anything on the film was put there before you bought it.


Steve.

In the US, any one posessing say kiddie porn is in a world of trouble - regardless of how they came into posession of the material.

[TBN]

Interesting question...

A friend of mine, recently gave me a small plastic bag full of cameras, that once belonged to a relative of her.
Two of them were boxcameras, and they still have unfinished rolls in them. I asked if she would have the unfinished rolls back, but she didn't care, and I was told that I could process the rolls, or throw them away - she didn't mind.
So maybe I'll finish those rolls, or maybe I'll throw them away - I don't know.

[SkipA]

Here is a web site full of images from rolls of film found in old cameras. The web site owner develops all the old film he finds. There are many very interesting images. http://westfordcomp.com/updated/found.htm

[blansky]

In my opinion the film is personal and should be returned undeveloped to the seller. If they wish to discard it, it's up to them. As for developing it myself....never.


I find it ironic on a site devoted to photography, and it's value, that people would be so cavalier as to reply with comments like, "you bought it, it's yours" and " I'd just throw it away".

If you bought a used car from someone and they accidentally left personal items in the trunk, would you say the same thing.

It says a lot about you.

[BrianShaw]

In what way? Anything on the film was put there before you bought it.

If,for example, there is child pornography or a murder scene on the film the processing folks will likely have the police meet with you when picking the film up. They will likely arrest and sort it out later. They are "required by law" to do that. I'm not sure exactly what law, but I know that they do exactly that. Not a good situation for most people, no matter how innocent they may be, to endure.

[BrianShaw]

p.s. Oops... Emil already explained this. Sorry.