Is this fungus etching in the base of my E100GX?

[frobozz]

In my latest batch (15 rolls) of E100GX I sent off for processing, one or two rolls came with with a smattering of this flaw:

For scale reference, that's about 1/25 of the total 35mm image area.

Looking across the base in a strong light with a magnifying glass, I can see that those patterns are sunken down into the base; it's not something that can wipe off.

Is that fungus etching? If so that would seem strange, since this film lives in a freezer, then a fridge, then out for a few days to thaw out and be shot, then back in the fridge until it's sent off for processing. I've owned this film for a very long time (needless to say, given that Kodak stopped making it a long time ago!) and while some of it was bought secondhand off of eBay, that was back when it was still being made, it was in date at the time, and it's all in sealed boxes. Where would fungus even come from under those circumstances? Most of the film is fine, it was just a handful of exposures at one end of one or two rolls of film. (I wasn't paying close enough attention as I resorted the slides before scanning.)

Any possible way that could happen during processing? I can't see how, but obviously I'd like to not have this happen again if I can avoid it.

Duncan

 

[Photo Engineer]

I don't think fungus would grow that rapidly to show up that way so soon. It can often take years to see fungus, and that after poor storage. If the final rinse of E6 was used, it would also tend to prevent any fungus growth for years.

So no, I doubt if this is fungus. It is probably grunge from the processing or poor handling of the film during keeping. Fungus can grow in a freezer on film kept there in frost free equipment and in unsealed containers.

PE

 

[AgX]

I doubt that TAC-base is even affected by fungus at all. Keep in mind that the base is not even pure TAC but it incorprates nasty plasticizers. A gelatin-based coating though could be affected.

 

[frobozz]

Well these are all factory-sealed containers, and once they've been opened and shot, they only go in the fridge (in the plastic can, inside a sealed zip-loc), not the freezer. But if it was only one roll (I'm beginning to think so, based on which pictures have it), then maybe it was just one of those inexplicable things that happens. I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for it on future rolls though.

Duncan

 

[StoneNYC]

Is it possible that you took that directly out of the freezer? Threw it in the camera and started shooting? It's possible the film was contaminated with some moisture and when you went to shoot it the backing paper and emotion got sort of messed up by the frost sticking to each other. That happened to me once and it looked very similar to this.

 

[frobozz]

Well it was 35mm so no backing paper. And I move stuff from the freezer to the fridge a brick at a time before the stuff in the fridge runs out. so by the time I take it out of the fridge, it's probably been months since it was in the freezer. And I always wait hours, if not days, between the fridge and actually shooting it.

That makes me think of something interesting though - if something were eating the base while it was still rolled up in the freezer or fridge, wouldn't it eat the emulsion wrapped right next to it??? All of this damage is on the base side only.

Duncan

 

[Photo Engineer]

That is why I go with process grunge.

BUT, remember that the plastic cannisters are not air tight. They do allow moisture and air in and out as you move from one environment to another. Anything can happen during long storage in a fridge or freezer.

PE

 

[AgX]

The air in a freezer is dry as the vapor condenses at the freezer walls.

 

[Photo Engineer]

In a frost free freezer, there is constant cycling of the vapor as the frost free mechanism cycles. This often leads to evaporation and then reformation of clumps of water vapor and thus you have freezer burn.

PE