streaks puzzle

Old-N-Feeble · Apr 30, 2012

Thomas Bertilsson said:
No. The film canister.

Yes, IMHO, that's correct.

Michael W · Apr 30, 2012

I have seen that problem on film and it was caused by deteriorating light seals at the back of the camera. I think the back door of the camera flexes a little with your hand pressure and this lets the light in if it's not sealed correctly. That's why you get the marks with random spacing. So probably you did it yourself but did not seal correctly and a more careful second attempt should fix it.

Old-N-Feeble · Apr 30, 2012

The spacing doesn't look random to me and looks just right to be a film canister light leak.

Alexis M · Apr 30, 2012

well i got the back cover leak covered...no light going through there for sure. there is no give at all in the door, i sealed around the door with electrical tape and also have a leather camera cover on at all times, so...there. Now if i get streaks again, it can only be the canister.

I don't bulk load...so guess this would be a manufacturing problem with 35mm canisters?

Old-N-Feeble · Apr 30, 2012

Alexis... most all film canister light leaks come from bulk loading. Are you using budget-priced film? Some of those use that style of pop-top canister.

removed account4 · Apr 30, 2012

cliveh said:
My bet is on the dish soap. Why are you using it anyway?

+ 1

fotoflo will last nearly a lifetime .. and is made for film &c
it only takes a few DROPS in the tank or tray or ...
i am almost done with a small bottle bought in 1981
less than 1/2 oz left which means maybe a few more runs of roll film, and a few runs of sheet film,
and maybe a few sheets of hand coated paper ...

Old-N-Feeble · Apr 30, 2012

How can dish soap cause light fog? Drying streaks, yes. Light fog, no.

Alexis M · Apr 30, 2012

Old n feeble: no i only use ilford, kodak and fuji and i dont bulk load at all.

Old-N-Feeble · Apr 30, 2012

All I can say is that sure does look like film canister light leaks. AFAIK, it's pretty rare with factory-loaded film... but certainly possibly.

Alexis M · Apr 30, 2012

well i'll know for sure in a bit...thanks again guys!

And i'll grab some photoflo next time i see some...might as well i didn't think it lasted so long.

jp498 · Apr 30, 2012

In the 5th and 6th frame, there are shadows of sprocket holes sharp on the film between the sprocket holes. This means the film was, um, touching itself, when it was fogged by light. Could be in the takeup of the camera, could be in the film can... You'll figure it out.

Alexis M · Apr 30, 2012

AWESOME CLUE!! absolutely! this is pretty much narrowed down now!

Photo Engineer · Apr 30, 2012

This is FOG not PhotoFlo! It is something with the film cannisters, the processing tank, or the camera.

PE

Thomas Bertilsson · Apr 30, 2012

Alexis M said:
well i'll know for sure in a bit...thanks again guys!

And i'll grab some photoflo next time i see some...might as well i didn't think it lasted so long.

Ok. When you load you camera, load it in subdued light. Do NOT take it out of its dedicated black plastic canister until its time to actually load it.
When you unload your camera, same thing in reverse; put the film immediately back into the black plastic canister and seal tight.

To test this theory, take a film that you know has never been removed from the black canister, and load your camera either in the darkroom or a changing bag. Unload it in complete darkness as well.
If the film comes out normal you know what went wrong.

This is NOT a PhotoFlo issue. Nowhere near it.

Newt_on_Swings · Apr 30, 2012

I have had these before when taking chances on old cameras without switching out the seals.

I am pretty sure the leak is from the hinge area of the camera back. The film sits rolled together after every shot on that side of the body, the light leaks in and hits it from the back hinge. It will affect the film at different intervals as it spools together and if your hand is on the side covering it.

Replace seals, you can use a few layers of heavy black tape to test it as well. Tape it across the hinge from top to bottom plates.

MattKing · May 1, 2012

I would suggest that the OP shoot a roll of colour print or slide film and then have it developed by a lab - she was unsure if the last roll of Velvia she shot was in the camera before she worked on the light seals.

If there is no fogging on the colour film, we can continue with our mystery.

Alexis M · May 1, 2012

SHE? LOL! I know Alexis is a girls name too in the states but Im from that country in the Mediterranean that loves garlic, lamb, ouzo and big fat weddings. And its a male name only there.

At this point i'm pretty sure it's a light seal problem near the hinge. The material I used flattened out and was basically a bad choice. Ill load the camera in subdued light and tape it up and keep it in the camera cover. If there is no problem with the film its a light seal issue and Ill have to redo the seals correctly.

Thomas Bertilsson · May 1, 2012

Newt_on_Swings said:
I have had these before when taking chances on old cameras without switching out the seals.

I am pretty sure the leak is from the hinge area of the camera back. The film sits rolled together after every shot on that side of the body, the light leaks in and hits it from the back hinge. It will affect the film at different intervals as it spools together and if your hand is on the side covering it.

Replace seals, you can use a few layers of heavy black tape to test it as well. Tape it across the hinge from top to bottom plates.

But OP says the weirdness is only at the center of the developing reel, suggesting only the film at the beginning of the length of the film is affected. This does not hold up well if it was a camera leak, because the entire length of the film would be affected. To me it makes a lot more sense that it's the film cartridge, where the film closest to the light trap of the cartridge would be most affected, which coincidentally is also the part that would get loaded onto the developing reel first (the part OP says is having the problems).

Old-N-Feeble · May 1, 2012

If the film is fogged from faulty canister seals... and if the OP loads the leader end of the film first... then the fogged film will be loaded to the center of the processing reel.

MattKing · May 1, 2012

Alexis M said:
SHE? LOL! I know Alexis is a girls name too in the states but Im from that country in the Mediterranean that loves garlic, lamb, ouzo and big fat weddings. And its a male name only there..

Oops - wrong guess.

I'm big on garlic and lamb too.

As for ouzo and big fat weddings - somehow I associate both with hang-overs . I do like Retsina though.

Hope in any event that we have been helpful!

removed account4 · May 1, 2012

Old-N-Feeble said:
How can dish soap cause light fog? Drying streaks, yes. Light fog, no.

dude,
i never said dish soap had anything to do with fog, or the streaks
i am just suggesting to the OP that a bottle of photo flo will probably outlast
current modern production of film ...

john

cliveh · May 1, 2012

MattKing said:
I do like Retsina though.

You like Retsina?????

Brian C. Miller · May 1, 2012

+1 on camera light leaks. This is the same pattern on my films from my Nikon FTn cameras, which do need the seals replaced.

Old-N-Feeble · May 1, 2012

jnanian said:
dude,
i never said dish soap had anything to do with fog, or the streaks
i am just suggesting to the OP that a bottle of photo flo will probably outlast
current modern production of film ...

Ahh... okay. Sorry. My comprehension is a little off these days. One or two dish detergents are okay for final rinse... can't remember which one(s) though. I agree that PhotFlo is worth the little bit of money it costs per roll. I don't understand why folks do without it.

Newt_on_Swings · May 1, 2012

The leaks may only appear on a portion of the film because it was shot in different lighting conditions. If the beginning was shot in bright sun and end was finished in dimmer light or at night.

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