Strange Lines on Negative

[mcfactor]

I recently bought a used 4x5 Nagaoka on the internet and took my first pics with it yesterday. There were two or three small pinholes when i first got it, but they were patched up and the whole camera was tested (with a flashlight in the dark) before use. So, I am positive that the camera, lensboard, and film holder is light-tight (I did tests with each, alone and together).

After developing the two test sheets, there was a set of perfectly straight white (on the negatives) lines running diagonally along the side of one of the negatives. the group of lines is about a 1/2 inch thick, each line varies in diameter, but very small. It almost looks like a picture of something because the lines are so straight and they look like a pattern of some kind. However, I absolutely did not double expose, I loaded the film right before taking the picture. The other pic looks fine. I did use the "taco" development method and was ruff with the film (because they were tests) but the film wasnt bend or wrinkled or anything.

I cant figure out what it is. Unfortunately, I dont have a scanner, so I can show you. Any ideas?

Thanks,
Noah

 

[Ian Grant]

As the lines are white, by which I assume you mean clear, it's probably not the exposure.

Without a scan its difficult to say more but sounds like a processing problem. Have you scratched the neg during processing.

Ian

 

[mcfactor]

The negative was scratched up during processing, but they are definitely not scratches. I dont feel anything when I run my hand over them and they are not perfectly clear. The film (delta 100) was developed in pyrocat-hd and there is stain on the pattern (as opposed to scratches that are clear).
Thanks, though.

 

[MattKing]

Could there be a stray hair or hairs in the camera?

Matt

 

[mcfactor]

No, the lines are way too straight, long, and many to be hairs. They are about 2 inches long and very straight. I'll try to take a picture with a digital camera tomorrow and post it.

thanks for you help so far

 

[RobC]

Have you tested the filmholders for light leaks?

And anything caught in them that might be protuding over the edge of the film?

And anything in the camera back like some material threads that are pushed out across the film holder when you insert it.

 

[mcfactor]

I have. Ive been using these holders with a different camera and there have not been any problems. I also shinned a flashlight through it in the dark and didnt see any leaks.

Could it be some kind of reflection in the camera? It was pointed at a partially blocked (by clouds) sun.

 

[RobC]

I don't know your camera but mine has a velvet cloth light trap so that when the holder is inserted, no light leaks in. If your camera back has a cloth light trap and it is fraying at the edges, then you could have some cloth threads sticking out across the film. Just a thought and worth checking.

i.e. take the back off and insert a film holder and see if it pushes cloth threads out across the film.

 

[mcfactor]

negatives

Here are some pics of the negatives. I took more images today and these strange stripes didnt show up at all. so im still stumped. (the negative is scratched because I used the "taco" method and it came out of the rubber band, but you can see that the lines are not scratches.)

 

[removed account4]

could have there been debris in your film holders or in the box of film?
it looks like stuff that might have fallen onto the film
in-holder / in box and when you exposed the film ...
maybe the former owner had a cat or a dog ?

john

 

[Ian Grant]

Those are the worst scratches I've ever seen

You appear to have all sorts of processing marks, are you sure the film hasn't been fogged by X-rays or something. You need to do a test and process some unexposed film.

One thing it isn't is fogging in the holder or camera.

Ian

 

[mcfactor]

Here's my best guess for what happened: the film must have come out of the rubber band before (early in) the developement process and stuck to the side of the tank. I used a stainless steel Nikkor tank that has ridges at the top that might fit the pattern on the negative. So, as the film was developing, the part touching the ridges didnt develop properly. Does that sound plausible?

 

[Curt]

Get new film and tray develop it after cleaning all of the equipment inside and out?

 

[mcfactor]

I did. Last night i developed six sheets in s jobo tank (hand developed), which is what i normally use. The film was from the same box. No problems. The film was perfect, which is how i came to my conclusion that I posted above. It was just one of those freak things, I guess.