Ghost in the Machine

[davetravis]

I've been busy this winter copying my slides to 4x5 negs and printing the negs onto FCA and Endura, but that's besides the point...
On prints that have about 1/3 bright sky or more, I'm consistently getting a light tan colored "mirage" or stain appearing at different relative locations on the prints. The larger the print, it moves to the left, and becomes even lighter, but never completly disappears.
I'm using the ICP42 roller transport processor, and have already ruled out chemistry inconsistencies, roller stains, light leaks around the darkroom, reflections during exposure, and everthing else related to processing.
So the question is: could my demon be light scattering around inside the negative or film stage of the Beseler 45MXT with Color Dichro head that is manifesting in a "hot spot," or something like that?
This is driving me crazy!!!!!!!!!!
Never had any problems like this with my 23CXL-II.

 

[veloce]

Is your negative emulsion side down when you print?

 

[nickandre]

Open the enlarger up and blow the dust out and polish the glass and clean it out and vacuum it and make sure there's nothing irregular left in there. It's probably a dead bug or something. Chemistry problems are unlikely to produce spots and don't really produce regular spots (print after print.) Try changing lenses too.

 

[davetravis]

Is your negative emulsion side down when you print?

Yes.

 

[davetravis]

Open the enlarger up and blow the dust out and polish the glass and clean it out and vacuum it and make sure there's nothing irregular left in there. It's probably a dead bug or something. Chemistry problems are unlikely to produce spots and don't really produce regular spots (print after print.) Try changing lenses too.

I've totally inspected and cleaned the entire light path.

 

[davetravis]

For anyone interested, my ghost appears to have been a very small amount of leakage around the white light lever on the Beseler 45MXT. I black taped around it and the problem went away.
Just goes to show you, it's always something...