Anyone with film experience?

[Sevaede]

I am having a bit of trouble with my new (to me! It was given to me by my dad). It's a Pentax ME Super 35mm SLR. The film I am currently using is Fujicolour 400. It has 24 exposures. Batteries are brand spankin' new.

I was taking photos outside yesterday. I was right at the end of my roll. Then the film advance lever stopped wanting to advance all of the way and it feels kind of effortless as far as it DOES go. I know it's supposed to click when it's ready to go.

Hubby removed the film (and ruined the photos ) and put new film in. It still won't work.

This is absolutely heartbreaking as this camera has a great deal of sentimental value for me. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated! (And would be helpful for those who wanted to see some more photos of my bunch! )

[Sevaede]

*bump* Sure could use some help.

[Karen]

What happens when you try to take a picture? And are you sure the new roll of film was put in correctly?

[Sevaede]

It wouldn't let me take a picture at all. I took one picture, tried to use the film advance lever and it didn't wind the film and wouldn't take any more photos. It might have just taken the last photo or been on it when that happened. Even so, it didn't change when we put a new roll in the camera. Thanks!

[Karen]

I am not familiar with that particular model of camera. Does it have an auto-rewind? It sounds like maybe that first roll was done, but should have been rewound back into the canister so it could have been developed. I'd open the camera and make sure the film has loaded correctly - that's the easiest thing to screw up in a film camera, frankly. Make sure the holes are aligned with the sprockets, and that when you use the lever, the film moves. If you do this under dim light, or get a red lightbuld and make your closet into a temporary darkroom, you won't ruin too much of the roll.

If this doesn't work, and you don't have a manual, I'd take it to a camera store - the old fashioned kind, not a Best Buy or anything - and look for an older employee and plead ignorance.

[moosmom]

I was just thinking what Karen said. Maybe it was at the end of the roll. Once that happens, it immediately rewinds itself to the very beginning. That happened to me once when I had my Canon Sure Shot. It was actually in the middle of a roll. My Dad, a photographer, told me to go into the bathroom or a dark closet and rewind the film from the camera and put it into a film container. This saved whatever pictures I had already taken.