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What did I do wrong this time?

winger

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This might be better off in the large format section (mods, please move if you agree) - this is 4x5. Anyway, in the lower part of the shot, what are the stripes? The other sheets that I developed at the same time (HP Combiplan) are perfectly fine, so I probably did this while loading or shooting. Was the film not quite under the rails in the holder? Was there light bouncing around somewhere? I'm fairly sure I had my darkcloth over the back once I pulled the slide, so I don't think it was light from the sides of the holder. The film appears to be perfectly flat; no creases.
 

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Anscojohn

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Winger,
Might be two distinct problems. And you are certain there are no creases or cracks in the emulsion causing the "bottom" marks. Or gremlins.
 
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bdial

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Usually if the film isn't under the rail the darkslide catches it when you replace it and pops it out of the holder. At least that is the way it works for me. Do you know which holder it may have been in? If you do, I'd check to make sure there are no anomalies in the way it fits into the camera, or else check all the holders. Beyond that, I'd look for possible leaks in the camera. Leaks in the holder's light trap generally are along the length of the film, or the near edge. IMHO I think the most likely cause is in the camera.
In looking at the image again, it looks like the streaks are running in the same direction as the light, so I'm going to guess a pinhole or two in the bellows.

Barry
 
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winger

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I do know which holder (all that I'm using are marked with notches), so I'll check it. I don't really think it's leaks in the bellows. I have another shot of the same window that's fine (except for other problems that aren't of the same type). I've shot and developed about 20 sheets with this camera and this is the only one with streaks. The lines are too straight for hairs, but I could go with gremlins. Peter, static might be possible. This was at the cemetery in Cleveland - was the weather dry enough, etc..? Barry, maybe the holder wasn't seated perfectly in the back?
 

Peter Spangenberg

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I used to get some marks like these at certain times of the year, and I tried using some anti-static zip lock bags to store my film holders in until right before the shot. Haven't had the problem (or any dust) since. Here's where I get them: http://www.flexpack.com/anti-static-bags.htm. Good luck
Peter
P.S. I use the thickest pink ones
 
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bdial

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It's certainly possible, but in that situation I'd expect more general fogging. The lower streak is pretty sharp, which is why it makes me think "pinhole", though it also looks to have been moving, and I'm not sure what to pin that to. Static maybe, I wouldn't think of Cleveland as that dry though.

A "Speculator" is definently needed here.
 
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winger

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The Kodak page that Peter referred me to on static mentions branches happening on sheet film and that's kinda what it looks like to me. I've looked at the holder and don't see anything obviously wrong. I'm thinking at this point that it was either static or a ghost (it was at a cemetery). If there was a light leak in the bellows, I would think I would have found it by now (several instant shots in addition to the 20 sheets so far). I'll make sure I pull the dark slides slowly.
 

photomc

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Lots of good info, but it could be just a single sheet of film had an issue. If it was a bellows issue, then would expect it to be on other exposures. Might check the holder/dark slide to verify that there isn't anything there (not likely I don't think). If it is just this one sheet, I would save it in case it happens again and go make some more exposures. If the problems shows up again, then I would look a little harder to see if it is a holder/camera issue. oh, and guessing there are no cracks in the tank.
 

Shmoo

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You might also try using an anti-static brush to clean each holder before you load your film.

S
 

philbed

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Well I have got the same stripes using Combiplan. I do not think the fault is from your holder. The problem is the Combiplan. Once you put the developer in the tank and you agitate, the film could touch each other. And then they stuck. It is one of the major problem with Combiplan, the films are not strictly hold. You can try to develop only 4 PF rather than 6. I have stopped using the Combiplan to use BTZS tubes. The film are more evenly developed and I use less chemicals. Hope it helps you.
 

rrankin

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I've been shooting LF for years and never knew about this static electricity issue! Amazing what one can learn here... Cheers, Richard
 

Poohblah

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there are two seperate issues here... the first being the obvious streaks but there are also some fainter marks just above. the fainter marks are repetitive and seem to be caused by handling the film.
 

CBG

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Are there any physical markings, scratches etc. on the film itself? The smoothness and continuity of the markings make me wonder if the film itself got scratched in handling.

C
 

Nicholas Lindan

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The wisps of Garfield's Ghost?

I vote for scratches/abrasion, that's what it looks like to me. Not connected with the holder, but probably made when the film was lying on a surface or had something flat on top of it and moved.
 
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winger

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I really don't think it's scratches - I should be able to see something on the surface if that were the case (it's perfectly smooth). I think they are from light of some type - I just haven't figured out how. I doubt it's from developing - the streaks are more developed, if that were the case and that seems unlikely. I know something could have happened in the tank, but all the sheets were separated when I took them out.
 

Alex Hawley

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What brand of film did you use Bethe? It just might be an emulsion defect. With Ilford, Kodak, or Fuji, defects very rarely get on the market. Different story with the other manufacturers.
 
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winger

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Alex, it's HP-5+, but I think I just figured it out. It really wasn't under the rail on the left side as it's viewed here (the side the streaks appear to come from). I hadn't noticed before, but the image goes all the way to the edge of the film. So it could have been slightly touching the darkslide while it was pulled/replaced (static) and it could have gotten an odd bounce of light as it wasn't flat. When viewed with a loupe, there are even some weird patterns on the far left - I'll see if scanning with more contrast shows more. Though I'm inclined at this point to just chalk this up to "pay more attention while loading, dumba$$).
And, Art, I'm not discounting that idea either.
 
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