Light leak issue? and curious reaction to film damage?

[rwboyer]

Okay so I shot a test negative today and developed it to a CI that I hope was more appropriate for a new printing process I am experimenting with - that is another story.

I am not a patient person and when faced with an unforeseen obstacle my usual reaction is some sort of violent tantrum - case in point (yea I know - funny - a guy with no patience shooting LF). The attached negative scan - see the "highlights" at the top of the negative - they are from my fingernail after I went ballistic in the dark dealing with a problem holder that I thought I had solved a year ago - having only my fat fingernails and no slim piece of plastic at hand in the dark I just said - F THIS after 10 minutes screwing around. It was a CI test anyway.

That brings up the curious thing - why are the "scratches" in the emulsion showing up as highlights? IE black on the negative - every single time I have damaged film it showed up clear on the negative/black on the print. What the hell...? Not important as I do not intend a repeat performance - this holder is toast - I may burn it or "convert it" to a wet plate holder or something.

Next topic - the fog at the bottom on the edge and into the frame - this is really really puzzling. Never before have I seen this happen and I do not mean with this camera in this holder - that is true also but here is the really strange thing:

The other negative on the other side of the holder has the EXACT same fog - how can this be - a miracle - before you answer let's look at the facts:

CANNOT BE THE CAMERA OR THE FILM HOLDER - CANNOT. Here is my logic on this:

A) if it were the camera - bellows - back whatever it would NOT fog the edges of the film that is behind the edge of the holder (normally clear) that would still leave the clear edge.

B)If it were the film holder how the heck could the dark slide seal, etc etc etc have the EXACT same issue on BOTH sides? Makes no sense.

Okay - handling - well tell me how in handling you have ever Produced the EXACT same fog? Let's see... Oh it happened in the box when they were right next to each other - well maybe but... other sheets that I loaded in the same loading session were fine.

When it rains it pours - Ever have the curious issue from hell day?

RB

Ps. - given the abuse I put this through after my initial fit of rage I didn't bother to blow the hair of my POS flatbed so forgive the hair, etc.

 

[DWThomas]

I would expect that rubbing with a nail could cause a lighter area by scratching, but pre-development it could also cause a darker area by stressing the emulsion without actually scraping pieces away.

The rest, I dunno -- looks like multiple problems.

 

[rwboyer]

I would expect that rubbing with a nail could cause a lighter area by scratching, but pre-development it could also cause a darker area by stressing the emulsion without actually scraping pieces away.

The rest, I dunno -- looks like multiple problems.

Pre-development????? Just where my claw marks are? I don't get what you mean.

RB

 

[Neal]

Dear RB,

Your nail would have caused a darker area (on the print) only if you removed the emulsion. (Very hard to do with dry film.)

The fogging could have come about during handling or development. I suppose it also could have happened in the holder if the film slid out of the bottom groove after exposure.

Sheet film and impatience are bad companions. ;>)

Neal Wydra

 

[ic-racer]

I don't know the soure of the effect, but pressure on the emulsion can cause it to 'expose.'

Many common examples out there. For example, if you crease the film it shows an 'exposed' moon shape.
The 'distance roller' on a Rollieflex mashes into the film (through the backing paper) and 'exposes' a series of dots
Rubbing your fingernail over the emulsion (as you show).
I once had some dirt on a Rolleiflex film roller. It marched out an 'exposed' dot on the film with an inter-dot distance equal to pi x roller diameter.

 

[DWThomas]

Pre-development????? Just where my claw marks are? I don't get what you mean.

RB

Sorry, lapsed into geek-speak. Meant prior to development. As the following posts said, stress on the emulsion can have the same effect as light.

 

[rwboyer]

I don't know the soure of the effect, but pressure on the emulsion can cause it to 'expose.'

Many common examples out there. For example, if you crease the film it shows an 'exposed' moon shape.
The 'distance roller' on a Rollieflex mashes into the film (through the backing paper) and 'exposes' a series of dots
Rubbing your fingernail over the emulsion (as you show).
I once had some dirt on a Rolleiflex film roller. It marched out an 'exposed' dot on the film with an inter-dot distance equal to pi x roller diameter.

Thanks - I must have had unusually good luck with all of my equipment and film since I started shooting - I have never had this pressure causes "exposure" in any film - ever. Funny. I have damaged film before but it has been the kind of damage that causes the damaged area to be clear.

RB