blank fp4 4x5 totally at a loss for an explanation

dsk · Nov 2, 2012

i feel like im going insane I have shot 4 different shots from this pack of fp4 developed it in 3 different developers no lettering nothing on these sheets im totally lost as to what could be happening I have tried everything any advice? is it at all possible they forgot to coat it or something!? this is perfectly fresh film too tested the shutter EVERYTHING film is 100% clear

Ken Nadvornick · Nov 2, 2012

Did you mistakenly switch your developer solution with your fixer solution? It does happen...

Stick your fingers into your presumed developer. If they do not come out slippery like soap, it's probably not the developer.

Ken

dsk · Nov 2, 2012

that was my first thought but no i tried it a few different ways xtol d76 rodinal tried everything even fresh chems

Two23 · Nov 2, 2012

Did you close the viewing shutter before taking the shots?

Kent in SD

dsk · Nov 2, 2012

yes i was using strobes at 1/30th with a copal #1 shutter its firing perfectly fine i mean theres no film identifier or anything its totally clear out of the fixer! its unreal this is the 4th frame from this box completely blank

Stephanie Brim · Nov 2, 2012

What camera are you using?

If it's blank, it's pointing to unexposed film. Leave a sheet out in light and then develop it. That will tell you if it's something you're doing or the film itself.

dsk · Nov 2, 2012

older calumet 4x5 with a komura 210-6.3 in copal #1

Ken Nadvornick · Nov 2, 2012

In order to be completely blank the sheet must have received no light at all, then been fixed out entirely during processing.

Did you develop sheets from the wrong (unexposed) film holders? Or confuse them in another possible way?

Ken

dsk · Nov 2, 2012

ken I have been loading them one at a time i swear i think theres a problem with the film it makes NO sense does film ever go out uncoated? like has that in history ever happend haha

Stephanie Brim · Nov 2, 2012

Do the test. Take a sheet and expose it to light. Develop normally. If it's completely black, it's fine and you're forgetting something. If it's not, something is going on with the film.

Ken Nadvornick · Nov 2, 2012

Stephanie has it...

Take another sheet from the same package and perform a snip test. Cut off the corner from a sheet exposed to room light, then drop it into developer from the same batch used on your blank sheets. See if it darkens to rule out the film and that specific developer.

Ken

Ken Nadvornick · Nov 2, 2012

Also, you did remember to pull the darkslide before releasing the shutter, right? And the darkslide you pulled was from the side of the holder facing the lens and not facing the groundglass? And there was no rear lens cap still in place? And the film was loaded into the holders emulsion side facing out?

Ken

Stephanie Brim · Nov 2, 2012

Ken Nadvornick said:
Also, you did remember to pull the darkslide before releasing the shutter, right?

Ken

Ah, the things I forgot when I was starting...

This, and accidentally leaving the shutter on T. Lots of completely blank or completely black film.

Ken Nadvornick · Nov 2, 2012

Yeah. I'll 'fess up to having missed both of those before. And in 8x10 no less.

Ken

Stephanie Brim · Nov 2, 2012

Ouch.

dsk · Nov 2, 2012

it turned black guess my strobes/ shutter aren't getting along stupid me

Ken Nadvornick · Nov 2, 2012

dsk said:
ken I have been loading them one at a time i swear i think theres a problem with the film it makes NO sense does film ever go out uncoated? like has that in history ever happend haha

Just to make sure all of your questions are answered...

There are no film markings already present on sheet film like there are on roll film. It's just a cut sheet. The only identifying marks are those small cutouts present in the sheet itself on one edge. Those cutouts serve two purposes. First, the pattern they form is unique to each film type. This is so you can identify what type of film you have in your hand while in total darkness. And second, the cutouts are oriented such that if you hold the sheet in your right hand with the cutouts in the upper right-hand corner (usually under your right index finger tip), then the emulsion side of the sheet will be facing you directly. This aids you in orienting the film during loading into the holder. The emulsion side should be facing out of the holder.

Regarding the possibility of uncoated sheets, that's virtually a zero possibility. Because sheets are cut from very large master rolls, if yours was uncoated, then likely so would hundreds or thousands of others also be uncoated. And if that were the case there would have been a very large recall that all would have known about. You would have lots of company. And the coating line engineers would have all likely been fired. It would be as if hundreds of automobiles had left the assembly line without any wheelsand not a single person noticed.

Ken

Ken Nadvornick · Nov 3, 2012

dsk said:
it turned black guess my strobes/ shutter aren't getting along stupid me

Stupid? Hardly...

See both Stephanie's and my confessions above. There are absolutely NO errors or mistakes you could make—or even dream up in your worst nightmares—that everyone else here has not already made. And if they say they haven't made them, they're lying.

Better luck next try...

Ken

BrianShaw · Nov 3, 2012

dsk said:
it turned black guess my strobes/ shutter aren't getting along stupid me

Does yur shutter have a X-M switch? If so, then X.

Alan Gales · Nov 3, 2012

Ken Nadvornick said:
Stupid? Hardly...

See both Stephanie's and my confessions above. There are absolutely NO errors or mistakes you could makeor even dream up in your worst nightmaresthat everyone else here has not already made. And if they say they haven't made them, they're lying.

Better luck next try...

Ken

Amen!

summicron1 · Nov 3, 2012

it is easy to test if the film was not coated for some reason. Take a sheet out of the box, turn on the lights and look at it. Film emulsion looks like emulsion -- grayish or bluish, depending on what kind it is. maybe gray. certainly not clear.

then in broad daylight put the film in developer, then fixer. should go totally black.

if not, ur doing something wrong but you don't sound like someone to make a newbie mistake.

PanaDP · Nov 3, 2012

Also pay attention that you're pulling the correct dark slide. It's easy to pull the most accessible one on the outside. Just last week I pulled the wrong one, flashing a whole sheet of film that was luckily otherwise unexposed. I noticed it and didn't lose a shot for it but I still felt silly.

If you suspect your shutter/strobe sync, set up the camera and a head or two just looking at a wall. Make it fairly dark without the strobe pop. Get under the dark cloth and look at the groundglass. You should be able to tell if the shutter is open while the strobes pop.

rbeech · Nov 3, 2012

Did you load the film into the film holders Backwards so the emulsion is facing away from the lens?

Stephanie Brim · Nov 3, 2012

rbeech said:
Did you load the film into the film holders Backwards so the emulsion is facing away from the lens?

That should show at least some exposure. The film wouldn't be completely clear.

Vaughn · Nov 3, 2012

BrianShaw said:
Does yur shutter have a X-M switch? If so, then X.

Definitely can be a problem!

I don't know if the Copal #1 has that switch -- perhaps the much older ones might? The newer ones do not have it as they were made way after the use of flash bulbs ended.

For just general info (I know you know, Brian), the M setting delays the opening of the shutter to allow a flash bulb to build up to full power -- but with electronic strobes the shutter would open after the strobe has fired and died out. The X setting opens the shutter and fires the flash at the same time.

But another way to test would be (if the ambiant light is not too bright compared to the strobes) is to open the shutter on B or T, then manually fire the strobes, then close the lens.

Vaughn

blank fp4 4x5 totally at a loss for an explanation

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