Exploding Canonet

I've heard about this before, but this is the first time I've ever seen the end result. Film liberates gasses and builds up inside the camera. Then a spark from the meter ignites it.

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/marknye/6768821​519/

whoops.

I've never seen that. Amazing.

Yup, happens to me more often then I'd like. Still wear the eye patch.

that's freakin awesome! wouldn't want it to happen to me though.

Whoa!!

That's so cool.

Tony-S wrote in post #13780935
I've heard about this before, but this is the first time I've ever seen the end result. Film liberates gasses and builds up inside the camera. Then a spark from the meter ignites it.

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/marknye/6768821​519/
Kaboom!! by Mark Nye, on Flickr

Somehow I doubt you've seen it even yet. Cellulose nitrate film stock went out long before the GIII-17 came along in 1972. And as for "a spark from the meter ignites it", the metering components are all outside the film compartment. The camera would have to have been stored in a very hot place to force enough outgassing for any significant amount to escape the film chamber, and the rest of the camera's much less air-tight than that part. And for a camera to be blown into that many pieces, there ought to be a bit of damage to more of them.

A chemist replied on that Flickr photo and he suspected an exploding battery would be more likely. Still, it is difficult for me to image that much energy in a battery to cause such damage (or even film, for that matter). I'm keeping my eye out on the comments to see if something else is posted. It's also suspicious that the top cover, which is thin aluminum, is not bent at all. Once would expect such damage, I would think.

Also the undamaged glass . . .

My BS meter is pegged full scale high, but it is a rather nice photo.