Wet Photographic Film

[catkingirl]

I went out for my birthday on Friday and took a disposable camera which, upon taking into Boots today, I find they cannot develop as the film has got wet somehow. Is there any way of drying it out or something and rescuing the pictures or do I have to just be disappointed?

[moonacre]

You have two problems here, both related. Film consists of a impermeable backing material coated with a thin layer of permeable material (often called the emulsion) which contains light sensitive chemicals. Film is designed to get wet - as in developing solution. However a bit wet is a big problem as the permeable layer will swell slightly. If part is wet and part is dry then the emulsion will distort at the interface. As it dries out there will be even bigger problems with the emulsion sticking together as the film is wound fairly tight in the camera. This is why Boots won't touch it. Photoprocessors use automatic machines which can't cope with this problem. Your only solution is to have the film processed by hand, either by an amateur (try the local camera club) or pay a specialist print processor (expect this to cost maybe �20 or more). Chances are parts of the film will be irrepairably damage but some may be salvageable.