I just took a close look at my camera and back, and I can't figure it out. It's definitely not the clamp. Why the shadow areas are on both sides of the negative is a mystery. The problem looks nothing like a light leak, which would be bright and scattered in my experience. It's more of a very precise "dark leak", and only on two of the edges.
Does every frame have exactly this problem? And do different films show this issue the same way? Do the darker areas move at all from frame 1 to frame 12?
I'm trying to think of how this effect could happen after the film leaves the camera but that seems a dead end too because problems outside of the camera tend to add light to the film. And if the problem was in the developing tank I'd not expect the problem to be on both sides of the negatives and with such precise lines.
Edit: I wonder if this is a minor light leak from the sides that is slightly overexposing the film everywhere except the shadow areas? (I doubt it, but still.) You can check this by exposing a roll of film with the perimeter of the film back taped with light blocking tape. If you try this, be careful with the tape which could damage the camera if it's too tacky. If this test yields the same dark strips on the negatives then the problem is between the lens and the film, rather than a typical light leak.
Since the problem is sporadic I'm thinking @Photomultiplier might be right. Are you using a lens hood?This problem occurs sporadically and the shadow line area can appear on either side of the negative. It’s most obvious in sky tones. I’ve looked at the 501 and SWC bodies for weirdness that might be casting this shadow but don’t see anything. I’ve dealt with many light leaks on LF and 120 cameras but nothing like this.
I wish I could help. I have been shooting blads since 76 and have never seen this issue.
Since the problem is sporadic I'm thinking @Photomultiplier might be right. Are you using a lens hood?
Could the problem lie in the body rather than the back? Is there some sort of auxiliary shutter/baffle that opens when the mirror tilts up? I only have an SWC, no mirror or anything there, but my Rolleis have some sort of baffle between the film and the mirror.
@Dr Dik this must be the most fascinating "help me investigate the problem" thread I've seen online. I am now as motivated to find the cause as you areDo you mind clarifying a few things:
* Does every shot has a shadow?
* You said it shows up on both sides. At the same time i.e. on a same negative?
* Do you have another film back which doesn't have this problem?
* Is the width of the shadow consistent?
* Do you keep the camera loaded with film for extended periods of time? What do you think would happen if you load a film and quickly expose all 12 frames and then develop it?
Thanks.
[EDIT] Basically I'm thinking of a camera being stored for some time near a source of a weak radiation which slightly fogs the entire negative (or even the entire roll). But a single frame under the pressure plate would be shielded by the thick film back frame which is almost half inch of metal if penetrated sideways. If you store the camera in one of two orientations (one side towards the radiation source vs another) this would explain the shadow only on one side at a time, and only on some frames.
The "clamp" lies outside the film gate and is therefore not visible.
The attached picture (low quality handheld DSLR shot with light box) shows the same kind of shadow. I already mentioned this shot some time ago in an similar discussion.
Here it was caused by an internal reflection of bright objects, in that case the sun, from the inner wall of the body. This leads to a diffuse light coming from outside the film gate and
is therefore able to cause this kind of shadow.
Root cause in my case was not using a lens hood. Blocking out the sun with a hand, body or other objects also works.
The sun was not in the picture, but within the image circle of the lens and got projected on the inner wall of the camera.
That is the image from the film clamp on the edge of the film back. Nothing to be concerned about and nothing that you can eliminate. Just crop the edge of the negative when you print it in an enlarger. A slide holder will cover this area anyway.
I just took a quick look at some of my contact scans. Notches, yes. Clamp shadow, no.
View attachment 311934
The clamp is a red herring that should not have entered the discussion. It was never going to be the cause of what's shown. Misinformation.This discussion about the clamp, and cropping out the shadow, is confusing the issue.
The thing casting the shadow is the film gate itself. The notches prove that. It's not an obstruction between lens and film. The question is, where is the extra light coming from. That is likely from outside the image, reflecting off the side of the body chamber. Here is a diagram of the suggested cause. This is most likely to happen when there's a lot of bright stuff like sky or sun outside the field of view. Use a more restrictive lens shade, shade the lens from the sun with your hand or the dark slide, etc.
View attachment 311998
The clamp is a red herring that should not have entered the discussion. It was never going to be the cause of what's shown. Misinformation.
The thing casting the shadow is the film gate itself. The notches prove that. It's not an obstruction between lens and film. The question is, where is the extra light coming from. That is likely from outside the image, reflecting off the side of the body chamber. Here is a diagram of the suggested cause. This is most likely to happen when there's a lot of bright stuff like sky or sun outside the field of view. Use a more restrictive lens shade, shade the lens from the sun with your hand or the dark slide, etc.
View attachment 311998
It would be one hell of a design flaw if Hasselblad had produced backs/inserts with that clamp in the film area, requiring cropping of the negative in printing (you'd no longer even have a square, unless you were to crop the frame elsewhere). But the clamp is clearly not the culprit, as is obvious from your posted examples.
What a head-scratcher (very irritating, as you say). Good luck with this.
Yes, I agree and that was the very point I was trying to make many posts ago but the answer from one poster seemed to be that this was normal for HBs and cropping the actual negative and thus removing some of the picture was the only answer.
I had even made a "post-it " note as a reminder to stick with my other make MF and never buy a HB
pentaxuser
Yes, I agree and that was the very point I was trying to make many posts ago but the answer from one poster seemed to be that this was normal for HBs and cropping the actual negative and thus removing some of the picture was the only answer.
I had even made a "post-it " note as a reminder to stick with my other make MF and never buy a HB
pentaxuser
Great, that is one less buyer I have to compete against when I buy lenses or accessories!
Great, that is one less buyer I have to compete against when I buy lenses or accessories!
Give us other reasons and you might not have any competition for HBs at all
I find it difficult to comprehend that a true believer like you would just accept the fact that the camera you worship has an innate, major design flaw with a clamp that creates a shadow on the film. Maybe you should take a closer look at the problem and your conclusion.
But if that helps him finally get a Hasselblad that doesn't leave a clamp shadow in the image area...
On a more @Sirius Glass note, can you circle the shadow area left on the negative in the #40 post us?
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