Anyone know what's worng with my film?

ozphoto · Sep 14, 2024

Those vertical "stress" marks are indicative of film being rewound backwards. I saw this hundreds of times when running a semi-pro lab on C41 film, although these were magenta on the film, thus printing as lovely green stripes. I've never been able to work out how users do this, but given I've witnessed it so many times during my mini-lab career, it's obviously easier to do than one might think.

The edges of the film look fogged - but I've never seen this with film that has been stressed, unless the can was leaking light, or a light leak in the camera - perhaps the film window foam is failing?

Don_ih · Sep 14, 2024

ozphoto said:
perhaps the film window foam is failing

It's a Canon AE1P - no window.

It would be easy to rewind the film the wrong way. Just turn the crank the wrong direction - it's something anyone could do every now and then, if you're not paying attention.

I think I'll rewind a strip of HP5 backward in a Canon AE1 (if I can find one) as a simulation.

CrazyCockatoo · Sep 15, 2024

Don_ih said:
It's a Canon AE1P - no window.

It would be easy to rewind the film the wrong way. Just turn the crank the wrong direction - it's something anyone could do every now and then, if you're not paying attention.

I think I'll rewind a strip of HP5 backward in a Canon AE1 (if I can find one) as a simulation.

yeah that's i do. I've test it with some junk film and find to rewind i should turn clockvise but i turn counter clockwise

CrazyCockatoo · Sep 15, 2024

cerber0s said:
It almost looks like there is physical damage to the film. @CrazyCockatoo did you sit around with the lens cap off in bright sunlight? Check you shutter for holes. The Canon AE-1 has a cloth shutter, right?

just shoot another roll of film nothing is wrong.

CrazyCockatoo · Sep 15, 2024

Um just let u guys know i just shoot another roll of film. Same camera, same tank, also hp5 and the same chemicals. nothing is wrong. I've just found out that i rewind the film in the wrong way, which explained the stress marks. Also, i would like to ask if the black marks is caused by the stress marks?

Don_ih · Sep 15, 2024

CrazyCockatoo said:
Also, i would like to ask if the black marks is caused by the stress marks?

Some will say yes, some will say no. The black marks look to me like someone opened the camera back with the film not rewound.

DeletedAcct1 · Sep 16, 2024

CrazyCockatoo said:
Also, i would like to ask if the black marks is caused by the stress marks?

Definitely yes.

ozphoto · Sep 17, 2024

CrazyCockatoo said:
Um just let u guys know i just shoot another roll of film. Same camera, same tank, also hp5 and the same chemicals. nothing is wrong. I've just found out that i rewind the film in the wrong way, which explained the stress marks. Also, i would like to ask if the black marks is caused by the stress marks?

Do you use fresh film or do you bulk load with reusable cassettes?

If the latter, I suspect the end caps are failing and not sealing well, thus letting some light in along the edges. I don't recall seeing this type of edge marking when we processed customer's C41 films, that were stressed, however, that's not to say it isn't the cause.

Given you've discovered incorrect handling has caused the major issue, I wouldn't worry about the edge issues. You have eliminated this when you processed the new roll, after rewinding correctly. Should it appear again at a later date, deal with it then. Life's too short to worry about something that didn't happen when the correct processes are followed.

You have learned something that I can guarantee you won't do again - just rewind in the direction of that little arrow on the rewind handle and that AE1P will continue to serve you well.

Molli · Sep 17, 2024

CrazyCockatoo said:
Um just let u guys know i just shoot another roll of film. Same camera, same tank, also hp5 and the same chemicals. nothing is wrong. I've just found out that i rewind the film in the wrong way, which explained the stress marks. Also, i would like to ask if the black marks is caused by the stress marks?

I'm glad to see you were able to figure out where things went wrong. I know how frustrating it is to feel like you've messed up but can't for the life of you see how or why. ☺
As ozphoto said, now you know and you can go back to enjoying taking photos, now armed with the confidence of what not to do (says me who likes to learn everything the hard way !)

A belated welcome to Photrio from about ten hours south of you.

Nicholas Lindan · Sep 17, 2024

I vote that the black rectangles between sprocket holes are caused by light exposure.

When the film is wound the sprocket holes in the various layers of the wrap may not (or may) line up. Light exposure on the outside of the wound film goes through the sprocket holes on the outside wrap and exposes the area between sprockets in the wrap below. If the wraps kinda line up then the light will go through both sprocket holes in the outer wraps and expose the film in the third wrap - this causes the black rectangles to shift in size. Eventually the black marks disappear as the light is eventually blocked. Inner wraps where the light is only blocked by one layer of film may have grey marks - depending on the film transparency and sensitivity, of course.

There should be frames with stress bands across the film but without the black rectangles.

Don_ih · Sep 17, 2024

Nicholas Lindan said:
There should be frames with stress bands across the film but without the black rectangles.

The otherwise blank end of the roll. See the very first post.

Dr. no · Sep 30, 2024

Do you use fresh film or do you bulk load with reusable cassettes?

That was my first thought...along with some artifact like film touching making the bubbles. At least two different things going on.

This was a leaky cassette of home-rolled film. It doesn't need to be bulk-rolled for the cassette to leak, though (the bar-coding makes me thing of factory processing).
Above, you see the sprocket ghosting, streaks, I think this is bad felt, the edges are not particularly fogged.

Anyone know what's worng with my film?

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