Please help diagnose a couple of issues

BradCookPhoto · Jun 19, 2014

Hey, everyone! This is my first post here. I'm borrowing a Yashicamat 124G (with possibility of purchasing later if I want). Even though I have never shot film seriously I've been intrigued by medium format for a while and I jumped at the chance to try it out.

There was an 11-year-old roll of Portra 160NC in the bag with the camera. I expected that the film could be ruined and that's fine but I was wondering if you could help me figure something out. There are a number of issues with the initial roll of photos that I think I can figure out - fading due to either age of film and/or light leak from deteriorated seals, some blotchy marks maybe from sloppy processing.

However, there are a couple of issues that I'd like to ask your help on diagnosing. First of all every frame has a thick line down the middle as you can see. Does anyone recognize what might be causing this line?
Secondly there are much more subtle lines that look like scratching. I found some other photos with this issue online but without any solid conclusions. Some suggested it might be caused in processing. What do you think?

Thanks!
Brad

edcculus · Jun 19, 2014

I think at this point you should run a roll of fresh film through to rule out any anomalies from an old roll that was not stored properly.

Where did you get it processed, and how did you scan it?

BradCookPhoto · Jun 19, 2014

Ok, I bought several fresh rolls to try but I just didn't know if that big line down the middle and the smaller lines would be caused by the old film. Thanks.

brad

pdeeh · Jun 19, 2014

I'd say you have a case of poor scanning, but as edcculus says, a better diagnosis will start with fresh film

BradCookPhoto · Jun 19, 2014

Forgot to answer the questions in the first response. I had it processed and scanned at a local lab. Afterwards a film-shooting friend told me that he has seen the lab go downhill and get sloppy.

brad

darkosaric · Jun 19, 2014

Welcome to APUG!
As others already told you - fresh film. And later inspection with loupe - to be sure that it is not scanning issue.

Regards,

BrianShaw · Jun 19, 2014

Do you see that line (or other linear evidence of scratching) on the part of the film that is between frames, or just on the image?

snapguy · Jun 19, 2014

sore

I am reminded of a young lady I knew who bought a Cadillac for $100 and was sore because the air conditioning on the car broke down almost immediately. I told her if she wanted a 100 percent reliable car she should have spent more money. If you are going to do film photography you are going to have to spend money.

Rick A · Jun 19, 2014

Make sure the interior of the camera is clean, especially the metal rollers. Also, be sure the pressure plate is rotated to 120 setting if you are shooting 120 film, or 220 if you have 220 film. Next, shoot fresh dated film, and have it processed at a reputable lab.

BradCookPhoto · Jun 19, 2014

snapguy said:
I am reminded of a young lady I knew who bought a Cadillac for $100 and was sore because the air conditioning on the car broke down almost immediately. I told her if she wanted a 100 percent reliable car she should have spent more money. If you are going to do film photography you are going to have to spend money.

Pardon my slowness but how is this comment related to "Does this camera work?" You seem to be comparing me with someone who has unrealistic expectations and who is complaining about something. Neither is true here.

Brad

Rick A · Jun 19, 2014

BradCookPhoto said:
Pardon my slowness but how is this comment related to "Does this camera work?" You seem to be comparing me with someone who has unrealistic expectations and who is complaining about something. Neither is true here.

Brad

Brad, just ignore the snapdouche, we all do, he never has anything constructive to add, EVER.

BradCookPhoto · Jun 19, 2014

Rick A said:
Brad, just ignore the snapdouche, we all do, he never has anything constructive to add, EVER.

Oh ok. Good to know. Every forum has one (or more).

brad

Hatchetman · Jun 19, 2014

that line should be easy to see on the negatives up to a light source. if it's not there, the scanning is the issue.

BradCookPhoto · Jun 19, 2014

Hatchetman said:
that line should be easy to see on the negatives up to a light source. if it's not there, the scanning is the issue.

Ok. This is very helpful. I'll take a look at it when I get home. I couldn't see the line when I looked at the negs before but I may not have had enough light behind.

ic-racer · Jun 19, 2014

Can you post a scan of the negatives or picture of the negatives on a light table? That would be needed to sort things out. Even with that information, the problems may not all be evident. I think you are better off using fresh film for any testing purposes.

Peltigera · Jun 19, 2014

For any testing, you need to have just one variable. You have three - the camera, the film and the lab (processing and scanning). You need good new film and a quality lab so all issues in the photographs are down to the camera.

BradCookPhoto · Jun 19, 2014

Peltigera said:
For any testing, you need to have just one variable. You have three - the camera, the film and the lab (processing and scanning). You need good new film and a quality lab so all issues in the photographs are down to the camera.

This is my next step. I now have fresh film in the camera. As soon as I finish off this roll I'll probably send it to Precision Camera in Austin. Thanks.

Brad

BradCookPhoto · Jun 19, 2014

I looked closely at the negatives. I also scanned them on my low quality pixma all-in-one scanner and I cannot detect the big line from the scans on the negative.

Looks like possibly sloppy processing and sloppy scanning. Last time I'll use the local guy I guess.

edcculus · Jun 19, 2014

That's a shame. It's always nice to have a local lab

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

BradCookPhoto · Jul 13, 2014

Well it looks almost certain that the problem with the first roll was the processing lab. I had a couple of rolls processed by North Coast Photographic Services and they look pretty good all things considered. Here are some snapshots I took to blow through a couple of rolls of film so I could test them with a different lab.

From a roll of Tmax 14 years past expiration:

And some from a fresh roll of Portra 160

Hatchetman · Jul 13, 2014

Looks pretty good!

Please help diagnose a couple of issues

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