The film is coming out way too light - but the end of the film where it is exposed before going into the processor is black. Is there an adjustment within the accuset that I can make?

White stand for film expose to light. someone might open your film cover and pull out the film box inside contain films. once expose to light, it will appear white.

Sounds like the film is not exposed, shutter not opening. If possible fire the shutter with the camera open/back off, pointed towards a light source, if the shutter opens you will see the light thru the shutter/lens. If no light is seen then the shutter is stuck.

The K1000 is all mechanical, the battery only powers the light meter. So even if the battery is dead, then you should still be getting images even if very over or under-exposed.

If the images are totally black on the negatives, then your shutter is stuck open and massively over-exposing your images. If the images are black on the prints, then the negatives have been unexposed and will be totally clear. The latter problem means that the film has not been exposed at all and is either due to incorrect film loading, faulty film winding, or a shutter which fails to open.

To eliminate the possibility of a shutter fault, hold the camera up to the light with the camera back open and fire the shutter at each setting. You should see light as the shutter opens and from 1s to 1/30s should be able to see and hear the difference at each speed.

To check film loading and advancing correctly, load a film and wind film on (remember this camera needs the film leader to be manually engaged onto the take-up spool). Use the rewind crank (do not press the rewind button) to take up the loose film and take a few shots. You should see the rewind crank turn each time you advance the film if it is correctly loaded and advancing. If not, open the camera back and visually inspect the film. It should be securely engaged into the take up spool. With the back still open, advance the film and take a few shots: the take-up spool should be advancing and the sprocket wheel (just before the spool, it's the wheel which engages the holes at the edge of the film) should also be turning. If it isn't, then the film rewind mechanism is faulty and the camera is behaving as if the rewind button has been pressed. It's usually easy to remove the bottom of the camera to check that the button isn't sticking.

If all checks so far are OK then check the film pressure plate on the inside of the film door. It should be able to give a little when pressure is applied and holds the film firmly in contact with the advance sprocket, if not then one of the seating pins on the flat metal spring may have become dislodged and it's usually easy to reseat it. Clean the plate after touching it as it must be grease-free and spotless.

If you try all this and still have a problem then please add a follow up comment and I'll try to respond asap, but bear in mind that as I'm in the UK I may be in a different time zone to you.

If I've fixed your problem, then please take a moment to rate my answer.

The frame counter will read at least the number of frames the film should have. If the camera will no longer 'fire', the film has probably come to an end.
Rewind the film and take it out normally. You'll notice if the film is no completely exposed since the rewind time is relatevily short.
Anyway, it's better to have a few pictures than no pictures at all.

Are your pictures properly exposed?
Does this flash have power settings on the back? If so, move it back to full power.
If your pictures are properly exposed then its doing what its supposed to.
If no power setting on the back, check what ASA you have it set for. 800 or 1000 speed film requires much less light than 200 speed film. Adjust ASA based on your film.

typically this is a problem with flash photography.
are you using flash?

the speed of exposure, the time that the film is exposed is controlled by two curtains that cover the film and prevent light from striking it. One curtain is across the film at the start, and springs open, then the second which was open, springs shut.
for 'long' exposures the first one opens time passes and then the second closes, but to achieve very short times, the second curtain starts to close before the first one has fully cleared the opening. so the edge of the second curtain can be traveling fractions of a second behind the first.
the result is that NOT ALL OF YOUR FILM is exposed to light at the same instant. If you have a flash go off during a fast exposure, only that portion of film that is exposes when the flash fires will get the proper amount of light, the rest of the film being blocked by a curtain. Most cameras are wired to fire the flash as soon as the first curtain is fully open and before the second starts to close. If you have a faster speed set in your camera by mistake, the second curtain has already started to close when the flash goes off. The black area on the right side is that portion of film that was already covered by that second curtain when the flash fired.

if you have the camera set correctly (typically at 1/60th or 1/100th sec) then maybe you should take the camera to a local camera store, and have the curtains timed...

kwilson36

you should have at least 6in. of exposed film from the film canister to the take-up spool unless you loaded the film in total darkness.
open the back cover to make sure the shutter is working, reload and give it another try.

Hello

This problem could have a number of causes,

To check to see if it is a camera fault of developing fault you could try using a cheap colour film in the camera and getting it developed at a normal photo processor.
This will determine in which half of the process the fault lies.
If the pictures from the colour film are the same then it must be a camera usage problem or fault.
If the pictures are ok from the colour film then it will be a problem in either the film being used, developing problem (poor mix of chemicals etc).

This will just speed up the diagnosis a bit.

Black pictures mean under exposed or un- exposed film

Underexposed film can mean incorrectly set up or metering failure
Un exposed film simply means the shutter has failed
Open camera and look through the back and operated the shutter
Does it work?

If i remember correctly there should be a button on the bottom of the camera opposite side of the film winder if you press that button it will release the tension on the film and allow you to reel the film back into the film canistor.BE CAREFUL when reeling it back in because you can reel the whole roll back into the film canistor, when you think your getting towards the end go SLOW you will feal the reel loosen up alot.that means that the film has let go of the other side STOP and you can open the case without exposong your film.GOOD LUCK if this helps rate me or leave some more info.Thanks.