The Ghost Numbers In my E-6

[Stephen Frizza]

Ok heres something weird im going to share with you all,
I own and operate a Dip and dunk E-6 line.
With E-6 when I've finished running the machine for the day I usually turn the lights on when the last film being run hits the Colour Developer bath.

This is where on occasion something magical happens! When the film lifts from the baths there is the numbers and markings from the film backing all over the film. You can see it all up the film. Oddly though this image of the film backing disappears when the film hits the fixer.

i have no idea how this can occur as my logic would be if there is a dye transfering from the backing to the film emulsion then color would be effected during shooting? also i have shelled literally hundreds of films in my time for dummy runs and tests and never seen this on dry emulsion.

I am curious as to weather its only E-6 film that does this on occasion?
They are ghost markings that amuse me.

 

[okto]

Are these 120 films, I assume?
I had a long-expired roll of Verichrome Pan do this to me, but the markings stayed in the developed, fixed images. My theory is that the ink on the backing paper outgassed something that fogs film eeeever so slightly.

 

[Stephen Frizza]

Yea I've seen it on 120, 220 and 620. Its there its a monochrome image of the paper backing print on the film emulsion and yet for me it has always disappeared. it has never remained after the bleach-fix baths. its a real curiosity to me.

 

[Gatsby1923]

Hmmm… Maybe fixer appeases the ghosts of photographers past?

 

[removed account4]

sounds like the perfect thing if you play the lottery!