Just got film back from a local lab with black dots all over it.

GxAce · Nov 13, 2017

Greetings!

I've recently got back a roll of box speed Portra 800 from a local lab and upon scanning, I noticed a bunch of black dots all over every image. I noticed a different sheen to the film as I was loading it into my scanner, a little but more textured than usual, and thought something might be up.

Is there any fixing this myself? Is there anything I can tell the lab to try and fix their machine?

Thank you for any help!
Casey

Huss · Nov 13, 2017

How old was the film? How was it stored? I only ask because I once got similar results as yours with expired film that was stored outside its sealed foil wrapper so it was susceptible to external influences (moisture etc)

GxAce · Nov 13, 2017

Huss said:
How old was the film? How was it stored? I only ask because I once got similar results as yours with expired film that was stored outside its sealed foil wrapper so it was susceptible to external influences (moisture etc)

The film was purchased new from B&H in September and kept in a plastic bag inside of a refrigerator since.

Cholentpot · Nov 13, 2017

This is why I stopped using shops. Even with my exhausted c-41 kits that are at the wrong temperature at most I get a color shift that I fix in post. Issues like you got made me stop going to the shops. Either something like this or plain old dirty negatives.

NortheastPhotographic · Nov 13, 2017

Looks like scanning defects.

Poisson Du Jour · Nov 13, 2017

On first look, mould caused by high humidity trapped in the plastic bag.
Solution: clone out in post. Slow...tedious...but it can be done.

keenmaster486 · Nov 13, 2017

This happened to me once at Dwayne's. They apologized and sent me a roll of Acros to make up for it.

Sirius Glass · Nov 14, 2017

Take them back to the lab and ask them. There is nothing like looking at the negatives directly and they should have the expertise to determine the problem.

Just got film back from a local lab with black dots all over it.

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