Shawn Dougherty
Subscriber
I have shot a considerable amount of film over the last 16 years, 8x10 - 4x5 - MF and 135. I am loving HP5+ in MF but have been experiencing a problem lately.
The image area is off center on the film at the beginning of the roll to about the midway or 2/3 mark where it seems to work itself out. It's off center enough so that it significantly overlaps the "Ilford HP5+" imprints (and the numbers between them). It's always the "Ilford" name at the bottom, never the frame numbers at the top. I have experienced this on 2 different backs with my RB67 AND my Rolleiflex T. Even through the Rolleiflex loads differently (images are vertically oriented on the film) the overlap still occurs over the "Ilford HP5+", never on the frame numbers. In some cases just about half of the "Ilford HP5+" is into the image area.
Because it seems to work itself out by the end of the roll I assumed it was a loading issue. I have made certain the film is lined up properly when I load it. A friend suggested that I pay close attention to how tightly my leader is wound when I load the film. I've done that as well and it helps but has not cured the problem. There is a number between the "Ilford HP5+" imprints, "4130" I believe, and this is still creeping into the image area... that number is imprinted higher than the "Ilford HP5+". There does seem to be some variability as to how far from the edge of the film the imprinting is positioned, that being said the major problem is still the position of the image area.
I looked through my film and cannot find an example of this when I was using Kodak film, no overlap at all using the same equipment at the same time... As much film as I've shot I have not used much Ilford MF until the last 9 months or so. I've shot / loaded many hundreds of rolls Kodak MF film without issue. Is there something I'm missing when loading Ilford MF film specifically? I'm not new to this but just can't think of anything else to try... I have two rolls of HP5+ left. If I can't get this figured out I'm going to go back to Tmax400 in MF which I don't want to do... I'm using HP5+ in 4x5 and really enjoying it. I would like to use the same emulsion in both formats. I respect Ilford as a company and would prefer to use their film exclusively.
Thanks in advance for any thoughts.
The image area is off center on the film at the beginning of the roll to about the midway or 2/3 mark where it seems to work itself out. It's off center enough so that it significantly overlaps the "Ilford HP5+" imprints (and the numbers between them). It's always the "Ilford" name at the bottom, never the frame numbers at the top. I have experienced this on 2 different backs with my RB67 AND my Rolleiflex T. Even through the Rolleiflex loads differently (images are vertically oriented on the film) the overlap still occurs over the "Ilford HP5+", never on the frame numbers. In some cases just about half of the "Ilford HP5+" is into the image area.
Because it seems to work itself out by the end of the roll I assumed it was a loading issue. I have made certain the film is lined up properly when I load it. A friend suggested that I pay close attention to how tightly my leader is wound when I load the film. I've done that as well and it helps but has not cured the problem. There is a number between the "Ilford HP5+" imprints, "4130" I believe, and this is still creeping into the image area... that number is imprinted higher than the "Ilford HP5+". There does seem to be some variability as to how far from the edge of the film the imprinting is positioned, that being said the major problem is still the position of the image area.
I looked through my film and cannot find an example of this when I was using Kodak film, no overlap at all using the same equipment at the same time... As much film as I've shot I have not used much Ilford MF until the last 9 months or so. I've shot / loaded many hundreds of rolls Kodak MF film without issue. Is there something I'm missing when loading Ilford MF film specifically? I'm not new to this but just can't think of anything else to try... I have two rolls of HP5+ left. If I can't get this figured out I'm going to go back to Tmax400 in MF which I don't want to do... I'm using HP5+ in 4x5 and really enjoying it. I would like to use the same emulsion in both formats. I respect Ilford as a company and would prefer to use their film exclusively.
Thanks in advance for any thoughts.
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