can i ask a quick question please?

where did you take the photos at?

you shutter speed might have been set on a really fast speed, like 1/1000 of a sec, which will make your photos come out really dark if they were taken indoors.

If your film is completely black but you can see the frame numbers on the side, that means the film was processed correctly. If you cannot see frame numbers, then it was probably processed wrong.

You'll need to check four things:

1: Film speed. Did you remember to set the film speed to match the type of film you were using? This dial is between the big black knob and the advance lever on the top.

2. Shutter speed. Did you set the shutter speed (black knob on top of the camera) to match what the meter in the camera told you?

3. Aperture. Did you set the aperture (adjusted on the lens itself) to what the meter told you?

4. Batteries. This camera may still function at an automatic shutter speed with a dead battery, even if you have the shutter speed set to something else.

If you can see the meter working inside the camera, your batteries are probably fine. I would get another roll of film, set your camera's aperture on the smallest number (2.0, 2.8?), and set your shutter (the dial on top) to 1 second. Take a few pictures directly into the sun or a bright light. If everything is working, these pictures will come out completely white. If you still get film that's completely black, your camera may need repair.

First thought, the shutter did not open.. with the lens off look in the camera with the shutter speed set at 1/30 sec. and fire the shutter release.. if you see film ( if film in the camera) your shutter works. If you do not see the shutter move then you have a repair to have done.

If the shutter open and closed then how you loaded the film is the next place to check and then if you dropped off all of the film at the same time the developing may be a problem.. would have to see the negs to give you more ideas. If you have a "real" camera store in your town go there and hope there is a salesperson who can help you check the camera winding system.

How are you metering for exposure? If the meter is not working, consider using the 'sunny 16' rule to get in the correct exposure ballpark.

The guideline is that on a sunny day, you shoot at aperture f16 at 1/film speed, so if you're using ISO125 film, your shutter speed will be 1/125.

Knowing the relationship between shutter speed & aperture, you can then vary these to maintain exposure, but say increase depth of field or stop motion, so, shooting in manual;

f22@1/60 = f16@1/125 = f11@1/250 = f8@1/500 = f5.6@1/1000 and so on....

When you say your pictures were black, do you mean the negatives or the prints? If your PRINTS are black, then the image is dramatically UNDERexposed. If your NEGATIVES are black, then your prints will be white, ie dramatically OVERexposed.

If after trying the sunny 16 rule, the exposures are still way off then there could be a number of reasons - sticking apertures or shutter curtains, film not taken up on the spool are a couple.

This is an older style film camera so assuming that it works, notch down your shutter speed to like 200 which should be plenty of time for the curtains to slide by when using a flash. Take a few out doors without a flash as well to ensure you gets something on the roll developed to see if in fact the camera works. Open up the aperture settings on your lens to ensure you are getting enough light to at least F 5.6

Good luck