Pale lines on negatives? Any help!

Nigel Rumsey · Nov 9, 2009

I hope you can help I've recently returned to developing my own films after a long time away.

I've shot a couple of films on my Yashica mat 124G and I have a strange pale stripe on the negatives. The line is continuous on one film and comes and goes on the other. The Yashica has a diaphram shutter so I can't see that it's a camera problem - is it?

For the record I used a Paterson tank with Rodinal and the film is 120 Tri-X.

I'd really like to get this sorted before I waste any more film. Any help would be appreciated.

thanks
Nigel

trexx · Nov 9, 2009

Stress mark from a pinch roller in the camera is my first thought, as it runs length of the film. Inspect the camera for smooth working rollers.

WetMogwai · Nov 9, 2009

I had the same problem with the first roll of 120 that I developed myself. I shot it on a Mamiya C330 and developed in an ancient plastic no-name tank that looks like the Yankee Clipper II. It leaked a lot of developer. I never had the problem again, but I suspect the leak caused the problem. There probably wasn't enough developer in the tank by the end of the development to develop the whole frame fully. The Patterson looks better than that.

Nigel Rumsey · Nov 9, 2009

trexx I think you've got it there is a pressure wheel that tensions the film. Thank you.

The spring tension is really strong, I bet that's the problem, the only thing is it doesn't seem adjustable. Are some films more susceptible to pressure than others?

Anscojohn · Nov 9, 2009

Nigel Rumsey said:
I hope you can help I've recently returned to developing my own films after a long time away.

I've shot a couple of films on my Yashica mat 124G and I have a strange pale stripe on the negatives. The line is continuous on one film and comes and goes on the other. The Yashica has a diaphram shutter so I can't see that it's a camera problem - is it?

For the record I used a Paterson tank with Rodinal and the film is 120 Tri-X.

I'd really like to get this sorted before I waste any more film. Any help would be appreciated.

thanks
Nigel

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You do not say how many exposure on the roll. Make sure pressure plate is set for 12 or 24 exposure.

Nigel Rumsey · Nov 9, 2009

Hi Anscojohn - it was a 12 exposure film, the pressure plate was set OK. I've just put one of the offending negs in the camera and the mark lines up exactly with the film tensioner wheel so I think that must be it. What I don't understand is that spring must be 20 years old, it's not adjustable, is it that Tri-X is more sensitive to pressure than other film?

Anscojohn · Nov 9, 2009

Nigel Rumsey said:
Hi Anscojohn - it was a 12 exposure film, the pressure plate was set OK.
******
Another great idea wrecked on the rocks of empiricism.

I've just put one of the offending negs in the camera and the mark lines up exactly with the film tensioner wheel so I think that must be it.
*****
OK

What I don't understand is that spring must be 20 years old, it's not adjustable, is it that Tri-X is more sensitive to pressure than other film?

*******
Gosh, I don't know.

ic-racer · Nov 9, 2009

If the right side of that print represents the top of the film when it was in the tank, the there was not enough developer in the tank. This is the most likely problem.

When the measuring wheel makes pressure marks on the film the marks are going to show up as a line of white asterisks in the print

Nige · Nov 10, 2009

If it was insufficient developer then I doubt you would get the correctly developed edge that shows to the right of the line.

Pale lines on negatives? Any help!

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