Strange marks on film

iamthejeff · Aug 4, 2018

This problem seems isolated to only one camera, but I can't be sure yet (currently inspecting my other negatives).

My negatives all have these marks at the top and a little bit at the bottom. You can't see them very clearly at normal exposure levels, unless you really lower the exposure. It doesn't look like normal light leaks to me, more like stretch marks. But the film itself looks fine to the naked eye - not stressed at all. There is also quite a bit of subtle discoloration. What could it be?

Happens with different types of film also.

glbeas · Aug 4, 2018

Are you stand developing? That looks like bromide drag.

iamthejeff · Aug 4, 2018

No. I did a couple rolls where I agitated with the stir rod, thought maybe it wasn't getting agitated enough. The next roll I did I used inversions and they came out with the exact same markings. I use a paterson tank and the plastic reels, 4 inversions every 30 seconds. I am pretty sure it's only one camera doing this. I have a Yashica Mat 124G and the negatives look fine (from the same development session).

Sirius Glass · Aug 5, 2018

One camera, then it may need new seals.

Kino · Aug 5, 2018

Contamination of the film chamber?

Tiny bit of oil on the film gate, rollers or pressure pad?

Try wiping down the interior with a mild solvent like alcohol.

glbeas · Aug 6, 2018

The picture looks like snow. If all your shots were in the same environment I would suspect static discharge during the film wind.

WilmarcoImaging · Aug 6, 2018

Is this 35mm film, and are the scans presented the full frame? Question relates to the direction of the marks. Are they along the film advance direction or perpendicular to it?

Are the marks on all images centered in the frame, as the example given appears to be? Is this a wide angle lens? Was the same lens used, with all images that present the marks?

iamthejeff · Aug 8, 2018

glbeas said:
The picture looks like snow. If all your shots were in the same environment I would suspect static discharge during the film wind.

The camera was kept in a warm vehicle and only taken outside for a few minutes so I am not sure that would cause anything. But you had me thinking - I store the film in the freezer after exposing it sometimes for a couple months so I can build up a large stock of exposed rolls to develop all at once. Sometimes I load the film onto the reel before it's come down to room temperature. Could that cause something similar? I do, however, wait for it to warm up before pouring in the chemistry

iamthejeff · Aug 8, 2018

WilmarcoImaging said:
Is this 35mm film, and are the scans presented the full frame? Question relates to the direction of the marks. Are they along the film advance direction or perpendicular to it?

Are the marks on all images centered in the frame, as the example given appears to be? Is this a wide angle lens? Was the same lens used, with all images that present the marks?

It was 120 film taken on a Fuji GW690II - fixed 90mm lens.

WilmarcoImaging · Aug 8, 2018

So the exposed film is returned to the freezer after exposure? Could it be some small amount of condensation formed on the edges of the exposed roll which, being exposed, is now rolled less tightly and not sealed as it was when it was new? Seems some moisture could be affecting the edges.

Sirius Glass · Aug 9, 2018

WilmarcoImaging said:
So the exposed film is returned to the freezer after exposure? Could it be some small amount of condensation formed on the edges of the exposed roll which, being exposed, is now rolled less tightly and not sealed as it was when it was new? Seems some moisture could be affecting the edges.

I do not return exposed film to the freezer. I put it in ZipLok bags [I live in an area with low humidity] and keep it in the refrigerator.

railwayman3 · Aug 9, 2018

Sirius Glass said:
I do not return exposed film to the freezer. I put it in ZipLok bags [I live in an area with low humidity] and keep it in the refrigerator.

I'd agree with not freezing exposed film , too much risk of condensation (which might be the problem here). I've had no issues in keeping exposed film at a normal room temperature (U.K.) for two or three months, while awaiting a batch to process. (The only general-purpose film which is suggested to need prompt processing is PanF ; I haven't used this for some years, but would follow that advice.) If, for any reason, I decided to fridge an opened or unsealed film, I'd put it in a sealed container with some silica gel drying agent.

glbeas · Aug 10, 2018

The low humidity is a strong clue as well as being only one camera having the problem. Its not so much the cold as it is the dry air, if theres a plastic parts the film is being rubbed against while advancing it is enough to create a static discharge on the film surface. Sometimes that can be eliminated by rubbing the plastic parts with a dryer sheet. If its a manual wind camera you can advance slowly to avoid this, an auto advance you cant do much about this.

WilmarcoImaging · Aug 10, 2018

Which frame number on the roll is given as an example in the original post?

Strange marks on film

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