NEED HELP: Developing Error, I need help identifying

This film was taken to my local lab that still develops black and white film. Never in my entire life have I seen this happen to film. When I asked what went wrong, the only response given was a story of how it looks like the film was loaded backwards. I honestly don't believe that because in cases of loading backwards you would still get some images, as that is how you "redscale" color film. So why then does this roll of HP5+ appear this way? The entire roll has this streaking with no actual images, and the camera is working fine. There is no problems with the shutter or the light seals. It is in prefect working order. So what went wrong? I could use the help figuring this out and any knowledge on the matter would be greatly appreciated.

The lab was The Camera Shop, of St. Cloud Minnesota. I personally would not recommend their service at all, as it has never been satisfactory.

Assuming this is a factory roll, loading it backwards is all but impossible. It might be feasible with some cameras, but none that I am familiar with. It is fairly easy to spool film backwards if you're bulk-loading however. Most likely there would be faint images though. There are some light areas that look to coincide with 35mm framing, but it's hard to tell if there is anything there or not.

That there are no images, even with all the processing problems, implies that the film didn't go through the camera.
The film is pretty badly fogged, assuming I am right that it didn't load correctly, the source of the fogging is probably during processing or during other post-camera handling.

I have never seen surge marks so severe, agitation technique is the usual cause.

I'd say they should refund your processing fee, at a minimum, correct processing shouldn't have all the streaks, and that cannot be caused by the way the film is loaded, or whether it's backwards, forwards or sideways.
If it's fogged (by whomever) it should be uniformly dark. If it didn't go through the camera, the leader should be dark, and the rest clear.

Welcome to APUG

It is unlikely but the factory could have loaded the film in backwards. Send a PM to Simon Galley here on APUG. He represents Ilford.

From the sample as seen :- Edge numbers are black and can be read, front of film is always fogged and this shows up as being develloped.
my answer is (i) film was develloped - and looks like it did not get exposed in camera.
That said I do not think that the film was agitated during development . It should have been much cleaner.

..... Cheers Barrie B.
I suggest you check the shutter action with the back of camera open. BB.

I'm in the 'check-the-shutter' camp too.

I wouldn't have them process more film (technique is lacking, surge marks are worse than any I've ever done - knock on wood), but the lack of images is from a shutter not firing or EXTREME underexposure. Like using 1/1000 at f22 in the dark.

Are you sure that it is even your film?

Looks like what happens when the film come off the reel or hanger in the midst of the developing cycle.

It is easy to process mono or c41 in your bath room.

Something weird has happened here, the leader and first short unexposed part are fine as are the edge markings.

You need to check the camera's shutter is working OK, try it at 1 second and 1/30th and a high speed, if it is try another film and get it processed elsewhere. Some labs use roller transport machines and there may have been an issue, it's unusual though.

I've never seen anything remotely similar in 50 years of processing.

Ian

Thank you for all of your response. Generally I do develop my own film, but in this case due to a time crunch I had to resort to the lab.It should be my film as they used a twin check label on it. I've checked the shutter at all speeds and it seems to be functioning with no problems. I already have another roll being processed elsewhere to see if the camera is the problem. Like all of you I have never seen film in this condition after development. Again, thank you for your responses and hopefully this roll with shed some light on this.

I think the film never started pulling through the camera. Look how the sprockets are undamaged. Not all cameras stress sprocket holes, but I have a few which leave signs. There's no sign that the film went through the camera.

I think you didn't catch the end in the takeup spool.

So you ended up sending the lab an unexposed roll of film. Which they ruined in processing.

Looks like extreme stress from backwards rewind to me.

Bill Burk said:

There's no sign that the film went through the camera.

I think you didn't catch the end in the takeup spool.

So you ended up sending the lab an unexposed roll of film. Which they ruined in processing.

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I think Bill solved the mystery.

And of course those were the BEST PHOTOS YOU EVER MADE!! Dang...

definitely no images on the film. Is it possible the lab could have put it in fixer before developing? I have no idea what that would look like. That is the only thing I can think of, other than this film was never actually exposed.

nwilkins said:

definitely no images on the film. Is it possible the lab could have put it in fixer before developing? I have no idea what that would look like. That is the only thing I can think of, other than this film was never actually exposed.

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If it went into fixer first, the film would be entirely clear, no dark leader area, and no edge markings/frame numbers.

ah yes good point. Then surely whatever may have happened during the development process, the film was never exposed in the first place for some reason.