Rollfilm fogged with pattern from paper backing

jeremy15 · Aug 19, 2015

Hi all,

I shot my very first roll on an Agfa Jsoly two weeks ago and the prints came back with the dots and numbers from the paper backing imprinted on them too. The lab guy said that my roll was probably not wound up tightly when I removed it from the camera. I am just curious if this my error or an error on the lab's part in processing the roll.

BrianShaw · Aug 19, 2015

Let me speculate here: red window camera, fast film, shot outdoors.

pdeeh · Aug 19, 2015

I'll make a pair of alternative speculations: Either very expired film stored badly, or Shanghai GP3 ...

jeremy15 · Aug 19, 2015

Yes, Brian. You are right. I know some shooters cover up the red window. Should I do that? I loaded the film indoors.

jeremy15 · Aug 19, 2015

Nope. They were Lomography ISO 400. But they were expiring in September 2015.

pdeeh · Aug 19, 2015

ah, Lomography ... I wonder who made that for them?

I have a few red window cameras, and I've never seen this problem whether I leave them open or shut

Xmas · Aug 19, 2015

jeremy15 said:
Nope. They were Lomography ISO 400. But they were expiring in September 2015.

Normally it is Kodak,
But yes the cameras window may have faded, when winding on shade window with body, try covering it between shots. Normally it is difficult to see the dots and numbers, if it was too easy not a good sign.
Should be ok even if 2005 providing foil seal was intact or it was stored dry.

BrianShaw · Aug 19, 2015

My experience with red window cameras is to never use 400 film and never use color film. Both bleed through the red window. At our local university I was very pleased to see a shelf of lomo products in the bookstore: cheap cameras and 3 types of 100 film. Someone knows what they are doing!

re: post 4: yes, cover up the red window unless you are winding. At least until you find a film that doesn't bleed through the backing paper.

gorbas · Aug 19, 2015

That pattern on the negative is "interaction" between printing ink on backing paper and film emulsion. It usually happens with inexpensive films (Shanghai GP3). First time I encounter it in '92 with Foma 100 film and just recently I had a few well expired rolls of Agfa APX100 and Ilford PanF+. Haven't seen it yet on Kodak or Fuji 120 films. It can be also from bad storage of the rolls (high temperature and humidity). I was using all those films in TLR Rolleiflex, with out red window.

SMBooth · Aug 19, 2015

If its from the red window then only the number lining up with the window would be showing, when ive had this issue it was all the number pattern and most likely all the things Gorbas said

sly · Aug 20, 2015

Yup, I've had this problem with Lomo film in my Holga pinhole. I've always kept the window covered except when winding. It's been suggested that it is due to the film not being wound tight enough coming out of the camera, and I should load/unload in very dim, or better, dark conditions.

No problems with B&W film in the Holga. No problem with Lomo film in my TLR.

Still have some Lomo film, but haven't used any recently.

Rollfilm fogged with pattern from paper backing

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