Perplexing Result with C41

Zach-MLT-MD · Jan 19, 2017

Ok braintrust help me diagnose this problem.

I developed 2 rolls of C41 today for somebody so I dont know what they were shot with or how they were treated.
Ive done lots of C41 so i am pretty sure the problem isnt with me.
I know my chemistry works because I did a test with snipped of pieces of the leaders.

Both rolls are clear, but they were exposed, there is a tiny corner of every frame that is developed, I can see frame counters, the leader is black as expected. The canister end is also black which is odd. I cant Imagine how a light leak (even a very severe one like when you open the back of the camera with film still in it) would produce this result because if there were light leaking in the film should be all black not all clear. So either the frames were all grossly underexposed, or the shutter or something is not functioning in this person's camera. I am leaning more toward the camera because every frame has the same developed corner.

This is what ever frame on both rolls looks like http://imgur.com/IYxL35z

This is the canister end of the film - not the leader end. http://imgur.com/trnVW7W

Any ideas from the expertiyer than me people?

Gerald C Koch · Jan 19, 2017

Since the edge markings appear, I would suspect a camera problem or the film was never exposed. Certainly the developer is working.

Was there any chance that the cassette was a reload. This would explain the exposed end.

Zach-MLT-MD · Jan 19, 2017

Gerald C Koch said:
Since the edge markings appear, I would suspect a camera problem. Certainly the developer is working.

Was there any chance that the cassette was a reload. This would explain the exposed end.

I sent a message to the person that shot the film telling them i suspect a camera issue. I also suspect the shutter is the issue. It wasn't a reload it was pre-packed fuji 400. There were two rolls and they both look exactly like this - like all the marks even line up exactly. I know my chemistry is fine - i tested the leaders i cut off prior to developing these rolls, my c41 kit is about 4 months old right now so i wanted to make sure it was still good. I took 1 leader and ran it through dev then blix and it went black as expected. the other leader i ran right in the blix and it went clear as expected. I am totally perplexed as to how the end of the roll would have been exposed though.

AgX · Jan 19, 2017

Can a torn curtain ribbon produce such artefact?

Zach-MLT-MD · Jan 19, 2017

AgX said:
Can a torn curtain ribbon produce such artefact?

I have no idea

Cholentpot · Jan 19, 2017

I going to agree with a camera issue. Looks like the development is fine.

Zach-MLT-MD · Jan 19, 2017

cholentpot - Any idea what said camera issue might be? I want to go to the shooter with something other than "your film is fucked it must be your camera"

onre · Jan 21, 2017

If the camera has removable optics, remove it and aim the camera at a light source, then shoot it while looking through the shutter. You should see the whole light source briefly, even at fastest speeds.

Zach-MLT-MD · Feb 6, 2017

For anybody that cares: The shutter was in fact damaged per the camera owner and person who actually shot this film.

bentbikr · Feb 7, 2017

Zach-MLT-MD said:
For anybody that cares: The shutter was in fact damaged per the camera owner and person who actually shot this film.

re15.2

If you advance the entire roll of film through the camera, and then open the back before rewinding the film, you get fogging of the tail end of the roll consistent with the pic you included above. It's possible your friend opened the back, saw all that film out of the cartridge, and hastily closed the back, while inventing new language under his/her breath. Then with the back closed again, the roll was rewound into the cartridge, and given to you without explanation; fingers crossed and hoping for the best. Might be hard to 'fess up to that mistake before it was absolutely necessary.

bentbikr

AgX · Feb 7, 2017

bentbikr said:
If you advance the entire roll of film through the camera, and then open the back before rewinding the film, you get fogging of the tail end of the roll consistent with the pic you included above.

I do not see how one can yield such 45° angle of fogging when opening the door. The angle would be much more shallow.
And to produce such small fogged patch the door must be closed before actually realizing that the film is not wound back yet.

And most important:
the rebate and the frame intersection would have been fogged too.

Perplexing Result with C41

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