Testing a Roll of Found Film

I’m sometimes amused by how much people think some cameras are worth and how little others are valued. In my opinion, some point and shoot cameras (with fixed focal length) made in the late 1980s and early 1990s rival consumer SLR kit lens from the same era. These underrated treasures are sold for under $10 in the US. Sadly, many of these cameras have corroded batteries and are almost irreparable.

Once in a while, I find an old camera with a roll of film in it. I usually just buy the camera out of curiosity, like this Olympus Stylus Epic 80 Zoom. I even finish shooting the roll. Why waste film? This way, I also get to investigate if the camera or light seals have any problems.

These all-weather cameras have a well-known problem. If unused for a long period of time, the waterproof light seals around the lens become too dry and eventually split open. This causes a circular light leak at the corners of the frame. The following two photos show this effect.

The light flares create a vignette effect, which is very Lomo and unique! Most people would just throw this camera away because it “ruins” photos. My unexpected treasure is a $2 Lomography-ready camera and I’m keeping it.

écrit par billseye le 2015-07-20 dans #équipement #lifestyle #light-leaks #olympus