Marks on the negative

Yaeli · Jan 31, 2023

Hi all,

So, I got some scans back from the lab, and there are marks on 3 frames (numbers 25 to 27). They appear white on the scan. They're only on these 3 frames, and I can't quite make out what they might be. Would anyone have an idea please ? Could it be something from the camera ??

Mister Ash has shared 3 photos with you!

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Thanks beforehand !

Molli · Jan 31, 2023

I'm guessing you don't have your negatives back yet? I'm sorry to say, these look like roller transport marks to me but, 1) I've never seen those in person, so I'm no expert and, 2) we don't know if these marks are embedded in the emulsion (although it does look like it) until you can look at the negatives themselves.

I have my fingers crossed for you that it's some crud tracked across your negatives that can be easily cleaned off because they're lovely photos. Better yet, I hope it's just some gunk on the lab's scanner.

koraks · Feb 1, 2023

That's an unusual defect. My guess would be that they're caused by excess pulling force on the film roll inside the camera. What kind of camera is this? If it has a manual film advance, did you notice that more force than usual was necessary when advancing this part of the roll?

gone · Feb 1, 2023

It could be several things. Hopefully the negs will clear the mystery up.

MattKing · Feb 1, 2023

Looking at them, I think there is at least a possibility that they are the result of some residue on the negative. They might actually wash off!

250swb · Feb 1, 2023

As said the negatives will tell the story, but initially it looks like roller marks from the machine or at least abrasion during the processing.

relistan · Feb 1, 2023

My thought was the same as @koraks: film too tight in the camera. When you get the negatives that might be indicated by torn or stretched sprocket holes as well.

Yaeli · Feb 3, 2023

Thank you all for your answers
I have received the negs. I'll take a good look at them tomorrow in broad daylight, and I'll post a few pictures if there's something interesting to be seen !

foc · Feb 4, 2023

Looking forward to seeing the negs.

Yaeli · Feb 4, 2023

So, the negs appear perfectly normal. No mark / smudge visible to the naked eye, as @Molli or @MattKing suggested, nor torn or stretched sprocket holes, as @koraks and @relistan mentioned.
@koraks : the camera is an Olympus OM2n. So yes, manual film advance. I don't remember feeling any resistance at any moment when advancing the film.
I didn't have time to digitize the negs today, but I'll post something as soon as I can. In the meantime, I loaded the camera with another roll, and I'll pay attention when advancing the film.

Thanks again for all your answers ! I'll post the photos when I can.

P.S : @Molli : thanks for your comment on the pictures themselves They don't look that nice to me, but I'm a bit of a perfectionist so...

koraks · Feb 4, 2023

Yaeli said:
No mark / smudge visible to the naked eye

Well, if it's not on the film itself, it's a scanning artefact. With a decent loupe you should be able to see this quite easily if it's in the actual negatives.

Molli · Feb 4, 2023

I'm so relieved to hear that your negatives are neither damaged nor crud infested!
I hope the lab has taken note of the problem with your scans and is rescanning them for you.
I hear you on the perfectionist thing, but just take a wee step back and admire those beautiful creatures and how well the photographer has framed them in that moment for others to enjoy.

snusmumriken · Feb 4, 2023

They look to me like either roller or squeegee marks. That could include residue left by either, which might not be that easy to see on the negatives except under reflected light.

It will be interesting to see what re-scanning produces, but I can’t imagine how a scanner could produce that wavy, rippled mark in the 3rd picture. Wouldn’t we expect scanning artefacts to be in line with the film or at right angles to it?

foc · Feb 5, 2023

snusmumriken said:
but I can’t imagine how a scanner could produce that wavy, rippled mark in the 3rd picture. Wouldn’t we expect scanning artefacts to be in line with the film or at right angles to it?

It can depend on the scanner the lab used. I remember using Frontier and Pakon scanners. If there was an artifact on the light source and /or scan area/lens and it was cleaned, the scanner software still "remembered" the artifact and had to be rebooted to clear it.

Those markings appear to me as though they could have been caused by the end of a 35mm film that wasn't cut in the film processor but had the end where it was attached to the film cartridge center core and it then jams on exit from the scanner.

Most processors have roller squeegees that are designed not to mark the film. Although having said that if the lab doesn't clean and soak the processor's crossover racks then it could be the problem (bad housekeeping).

koraks · Feb 5, 2023

snusmumriken said:
I can’t imagine how a scanner could produce that wavy, rippled mark in the 3rd picture.

Me neither. In any case, both of the following will help:
* Close scrutiny of the actual negatives - not just with the naked eye, but with some sort of magnification.
* Re-scanning.
Until the results of those are in, it's all guesswork.

Marks on the negative

Yaeli

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Marks on the negative

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