Light leak?

[Stregone]

Does this look like a light leak in the back of my Bronica SQ-A? This film was some expired film I ran through the camera to test it. Not all of the frames had it. The film was still sealed in its foil wrapper. I imagine it might be my rooking loading/unloading, but I'd like to hear what you guys think before I use some real film I didn't get for free

Here are the two pics it showed up on the most. its the splotches on the left side. I am unsure atm where they were in the roll, I will check tomorrow.





Thanks!

 

[Shangheye]

No...the light leak would be white, looks more like uneven development to me (and a kinked film since you seem to have someting similar in the sky of the first image...around where the real is in contact with the film seems to be the main problem...possibly an agitation issue. Rgds, Kal

 

[DWThomas]

I second Kal, the typical SQ series light leak would be light and horizontal or in the corners. The usual culprit being foam that seals the back shell opposite the hinge. This looks to me more like air bubbles and/or low developer level/uneven agitation.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Processing, not a light leak. As posted before a light leak would be white. It looks like you had a fight with the film when you loaded it.

Steve

 

[Stregone]

Hmm. Its definitely not low developer. I used the same amount I use for two rolls of 35mm. Which is 750ml water, 12ml HC-110. The tank says 500ml min for 120/220 film. I agitated the same as I usualy do...weird. Could the roll not being wound tight enough cause that?

 

[Shangheye]

Did you load the second reel to make sure the reel with the film did not move inside the tank...that can happen when you agitate and the film ends up outside the liquid level? Also, agitation (or lack thereof) can be a source of edge effects as you have shown. You definitely kinked the film, since the cresecent in the sky in the first image is typical....K

 

[Stregone]

Yeah I definitely wrestled with it a bit. Old expired film is curly as heck. So you guys don't think it was due to it not being wound up tight enough as I unloaded it from the film back?

 

[DWThomas]

Yeah I definitely wrestled with it a bit. Old expired film is curly as heck. So you guys don't think it was due to it not being wound up tight enough as I unloaded it from the film back?

No -- light struck areas would be dark on the film, light in the print. You might also look at the rebates next to those frames and see if the edge numbers are light too. Said rebates will also likely be dark on the negative if they have been hit by light. I think the pattern on the left sides of your shots looks as though there was an air bubble problem.

And yes, this stuff can get frustrating!

 

[Stregone]

No -- light struck areas would be dark on the film, light in the print.

Duh! I should have known that


This is all very odd. I have lots of 35mm rolls under my developing belt. I smack the tank on the counter after the initial agitation, and agitate fairly vigorously (about 1 inversion per second). Also the level of developer is well above the minimum needed (I didn't feel like recalculating the dilution so I just used my numbers for 2 rolls of 35mm).

Hopefully this weekend I can run a whole roll of non-expired film through it and see what happens.

EDIT: Oh yeah, I checked the rebates on my contact print of the roll, they look fine. Also these marks are very faint on the contact print. The scanners auto adjustments really made it stand out more.

 

[fotch]

Duh! I should have known that


This is all very odd. I have lots of 35mm rolls under my developing belt. I smack the tank on the counter after the initial agitation, and agitate fairly vigorously (about 1 inversion per second). Also the level of developer is well above the minimum needed (I didn't feel like recalculating the dilution so I just used my numbers for 2 rolls of 35mm).

Hopefully this weekend I can run a whole roll of non-expired film through it and see what happens.

EDIT: Oh yeah, I checked the rebates on my contact print of the roll, they look fine. Also these marks are very faint on the contact print. The scanners auto adjustments really made it stand out more.

To be sure about the amount of solution, why don't you put in the empty 120 real with the top off and fill it to cover the top of reel, then measure. Sometimes its the little things that come back to bite you. Good Luck

 

[nimal.neem]

A light leak, commonly associated with Holga model cameras, is an area within a camera where light is able to seep, or "leak", in, causing the film to over-expose. Within most cameras, this is considered a major problem, usually remedied through replacement of the foam between the back of the camera and the camera body. Within Holga cameras specifically, the most common light leak areas are located at the corners of the front of the camera, the seams between the back and the body of the camera, and the exposure number window on the back of the camera. Some people consider the light leaks in cameras such as the Holga model to be artistic and therefore leave the light leaks untouched. Others, however, see them as a nuisance and cover them with Velcro, duct tape, or electrical tape.