Is this a lab error or something else?

logan2z

Subscriber
Joined
Jan 11, 2019
Messages
3,721
Location
SF Bay Area, USA
Format
Multi Format
I received four rolls of film back from the lab I've been using and just got through scanning them. On three of the frames shot with different cameras/lenses, there appears to be some form of fogging in the bottom right corner - the size of the fogged area varies but it always seems to be in about the same location in the frame. Given that three different camera bodies were involved (two Leica Ms and a Nikon FM) and at least two or three different lenses, I am starting to wonder if the lab somehow caused this.

Anyone have a theory? Scans below...

Frame 1, Leica M


Frame 5, different roll, Leica M


Frame 31, Nikon FM


Whether or not this is a lab problem, I'm ready to start home developing. I've had lots of issues with this lab and others, I figure I couldn't do much worse on my own.
 

Sirius Glass

Subscriber
Joined
Jan 18, 2007
Messages
50,389
Location
Southern California
Format
Multi Format
It looks like your finger is in the way.
 
OP
OP

logan2z

Subscriber
Joined
Jan 11, 2019
Messages
3,721
Location
SF Bay Area, USA
Format
Multi Format
Believe it or not I did consider that, but I think it's highly unlikely. I've shot hundreds of rolls of film with these cameras and have never experienced 'finger fog' before. The likelihood it suddenly occurred on every one of the last four rolls of film I shot is exceedingly low.
 

MattKing

Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Apr 24, 2005
Messages
53,103
Location
Delta, BC Canada
Format
Medium Format
logan2z said:
Given that three different camera bodies were involved (two Leica Ms and a Nikon FM) and at least two or three different lenses,
Click to expand...
But the same photographer .
It could be something else, but an errant finger was the first thought I had.
 

Kino

Subscriber
Joined
Jan 20, 2006
Messages
7,767
Location
Orange, Virginia
Format
Multi Format
Any new favorite hats with bands or ties that drape? Certainly looks like something just in front of the lens.
 
OP
OP

logan2z

Subscriber
Joined
Jan 11, 2019
Messages
3,721
Location
SF Bay Area, USA
Format
Multi Format
MattKing said:
But the same photographer .
It could be something else, but an errant finger was the first thought I had.
Click to expand...

I could see this inadvertently happening when using the rangefinder (although it's never happened over the course of the last many years using the camera) but it would be pretty obvious with the Nikon. And I've never loaned the camera to this guy either...

 
OP
OP

logan2z

Subscriber
Joined
Jan 11, 2019
Messages
3,721
Location
SF Bay Area, USA
Format
Multi Format
Kino said:
Any new favorite hats with bands or ties that drape? Certainly looks like something just in front of the lens.
Click to expand...

A wrist strap on one of the M bodies, but that's super short and wouldn't reach the lens. There's no strap on the Nikon. No other apparel that could have malfunctioned.

If this turns out to be my finger, then I'm going to crawl into a giant hole and never show my face at Photrio again But I'm pretty confident it's not that (but you guys are making me start to doubt myself).
 

MattKing

Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Apr 24, 2005
Messages
53,103
Location
Delta, BC Canada
Format
Medium Format
Does the fogged area intrude into the rebate, or is it just within the frame?
Have you gone through the entire Covid 19 time without getting your hair cut?
 
OP
OP

logan2z

Subscriber
Joined
Jan 11, 2019
Messages
3,721
Location
SF Bay Area, USA
Format
Multi Format
MattKing said:
Does the fogged area intrude into the rebate, or is it just within the frame?
Click to expand...
I refuse to answer on the grounds that it might incriminate me No, it does not extend into the rebate.

MattKing said:
Have you gone through the entire Covid 19 time without getting your hair cut?
Click to expand...

No, I bought hair clippers and learned how to cut my own hair from a YouTube video. It might look like crap, but it's not long enough to hang in front of the lens.
 

MattKing

Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Apr 24, 2005
Messages
53,103
Location
Delta, BC Canada
Format
Medium Format
You may have developed a habit that you don't know about!
 

Sirius Glass

Subscriber
Joined
Jan 18, 2007
Messages
50,389
Location
Southern California
Format
Multi Format
First remove the fingers on your right hand. Then shoot four rolls of film again. Have the films developed and printed. Look and post the results. We will evaluate the results.
 
OP
OP

logan2z

Subscriber
Joined
Jan 11, 2019
Messages
3,721
Location
SF Bay Area, USA
Format
Multi Format
So, the consensus seems to be that my grubby digits found their way in front of the lens on a few shots on my most recent rolls, despite the fact that this has never happened over the course of hundreds of rolls shot with these cameras. I do find it hard to believe and rather humiliating if true, but I guess it's a possibility. In my own lame defense, that third frame really does look like some sort of fogging to me, I can't believe I wouldn't notice that in the viewfinder of an SLR before firing the shutter. I've shot enough Pulitzer prize contending photos of the interior of my lens cap to know that anything is possible with a rangefinder, however.

Crawling into my hole now...
 
Last edited:

MattKing

Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Apr 24, 2005
Messages
53,103
Location
Delta, BC Canada
Format
Medium Format
An anecdote courtesy of my late father.
As Customer Service manager at a Kodak processing lab, his department dealt with customer complaints. They started to see a small but not zero number of complaints about scratched film - most likely Kodachrome still film, but I don't recall.
They examined the film brought into them by customers, and couldn't immediately figure out where the problem came from, but after a fair amount of detective work, tracked it down to one single employee.
That woman worked in pre-splice, which meant that she spent her shift in complete darkness, opening film cannisters and cassettes and attaching each customer's film to the large reel of to-be-processed customer film - one mile of leader, one mile of film and one mile of trailer.
The woman was an experienced and highly valued employee, and was both aghast at the problem and totally unsure about what was happening or why.
They eventually figured out the problem by observing her re-creating her procedure. Apparently, she had slightly revised how she handled the film - all in complete darkness - and as a result some of the film was making contact with an edge of something.
Once aware of the inadvertent change, she was able to correct her procedure, and the problem did not return.
She had been doing the right thing for a long time, but didn't notice the change.
 

Kino

Subscriber
Joined
Jan 20, 2006
Messages
7,767
Location
Orange, Virginia
Format
Multi Format
It's no big deal. It shows we are human.
 

BrianShaw

Member
Joined
Nov 30, 2005
Messages
16,539
Location
La-la-land
Format
Multi Format
It might be easier if you just changed you handle!
 

MattKing

Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Apr 24, 2005
Messages
53,103
Location
Delta, BC Canada
Format
Medium Format
logan2z said:
I can't believe I wouldn't notice that in the viewfinder of an SLR before firing the shutter.
Click to expand...
If you were shooting using a small aperture, but viewing wide open, you may not have been able to see it easily.
 
OP
OP

logan2z

Subscriber
Joined
Jan 11, 2019
Messages
3,721
Location
SF Bay Area, USA
Format
Multi Format
MattKing said:
If you were shooting using a small aperture, but viewing wide open, you may not have been able to see it easily.
Click to expand...
That's probably it, Matt.

I'm not sure what makes me feel more stupid - inadvertently covering part of the lens with my finger after years of shooting with these cameras or posting a question about it on Photrio. Yeah, posting about it on Photrio wins hands down
 

BradS

Member
Joined
Sep 28, 2004
Messages
8,120
Location
Soulsbyville, California
Format
35mm
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn more…