What is this?

[njkphoto]

Hi,

I was wondering if you could tell me what this is as it has been present in some frames but not in all in the last two rolls. Film is Fuji Acros 100 Dev. D76.


I am pretty sure I developed it correctly and the strange this is that it its not present in all the frames. Camera is my new 501 Hasselblad, with 80mm C T Lens.

Frame without the pointing arrows was shot like 3 minutes after.

 

[Dave Ludwig]

Can't be sure. Was film totally covered by chemicals when processed? In shot w/o arrows I believe to see same in lower right corner only very faint curved white line, and the right side edge above the roof line seems to have a curved demarkation of the same, again very faint in comparison.

 

[Christopher Walrath]

Two things could have caused this. Increased exposure or increased development. If the neg is at the beginning of the roll I suppose it is possible it could have been a little loose on the spool? Might have given very diffuse exposure on an edge of the film. As to development, maybe portions of the film did not receive stop bath between developer and fixer? Just throwing a few things out there. I don't think there is anything you can correct on this one. Just looks like one of those act of God things to me.

Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. I know you all will.

 

[njkphoto]

Can't be sure. Was film totally covered by chemicals when processed? In shot w/o arrows I believe to see same in lower right corner only very faint curved white line, and the right side edge above the roof line seems to have a curved demarkation of the same, again very faint in comparison.

Yes it was covered with chemicals. Good catch on the building shot you are right.

 

[tkamiya]

What I'm curious about..... the ghost showing up on right side of the image.... does that represent the same side of the film? Like top of the film as loaded into the developing tank?

They don't look like light leaks. They don't look like reflection of some kind.

 

[njkphoto]

Two things could have caused this. Increased exposure or increased development. If the neg is at the beginning of the roll I suppose it is possible it could have been a little loose on the spool? Might have given very diffuse exposure on an edge of the film. As to development, maybe portions of the film did not receive stop bath between developer and fixer? Just throwing a few things out there. I don't think there is anything you can correct on this one. Just looks like one of those act of God things to me.

Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. I know you all will.

All the chemicals and times were on. The two frames where actually at the end of the film, last three shots. It is strange though since it is not consistent to the entire roll.

 

[Christopher Walrath]

I think you tapped the film loose during souping it with you agitate and rap. Just a freak thing. I wouldn't sweat it until it repeats. And, I don't think it will. Just dislodged the film slightly.

Be more gentle, will ya?

 

[njkphoto]

What I'm curious about..... the ghost showing up on right side of the image.... does that represent the same side of the film? Like top of the film as loaded into the developing tank?

They don't look like light leaks. They don't look like reflection of some kind.

Interesting point. Well if you are looking at the square neg it's at the right side. I you holding the negative reading fuji on top its the bottom side. In some frames back to back in one is more obvious and the next one you can barely see it.

There is not light leaks since the magazine I shot this film today was with a services back from a hasselblad tech. It did it with another magazine I have. I am thinking slight glare (lens has no filter) or something with developing/agitation.?

 

[njkphoto]

I think you tapped the film loose during souping it with you agitate and rap. Just a freak thing. I wouldn't sweat it until it repeats. And, I don't think it will. Just dislodged the film slightly.

Be more gentle, will ya?

Could be..I don't rap Although today I though hhmm I think hit it a bit harder to avoid bubbles

 

[Dave Ludwig]

Shoot two rolls of something else that have sky in that area. Load one normal, take second and go to end of film and load reel last frame
first. See what happens. Could just be bad batch of film.

 

[njkphoto]

It looks like air bubbles from not tapping the tank after each agitation.

Could be but I am an avid tapper But maybe I forgot and delayed the tapping in one agitation but I doubt it.

 

[njkphoto]

Shoot two rolls of something else that have sky in that area. Load one normal, take second and go to end of film and load reel last frame
first. See what happens. Could just be bad batch of film.

It could be and now that you mention this this last two rolls are from the same 5-pack box. What is interesting is that some frames that do have sky on the same roll don't have it.

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

Every year or so there are posts showing the same artifacts on negatives. The cause has - so far - always come down to air bubbles caught under the spiral. The solution is more solution - using enough to 'cover' may not always be enough, use enough so that it comes to the rim of the tank with the tank standing or enough to be at least a quarter to half inch above the reel.

If the solution level is low then rapping the tank on the counter top can trap air rather than release it. Rapping/tapping should only be done just after filling the tank - the purpose is to dislodge air bells on the film; I have never heard of - nor do I practice - rapping the tank on every agitation cycle.

 

[Ian David]

Rapping/tapping should only be done just after filling the tank - the purpose is to dislodge air bells on the film; I have never heard of - nor do I practice - rapping the tank on every agitation cycle.

Rapping at the end of each cycle is a pretty common technique in my experience. For my part, I picked the habit up about 10 years ago from the Ilford film processing guide which appears to recommend it.

Re the marks on the film, the pattern looks like it probably coincides with the edge of a metal spool. Each of the smaller indents in the marks would coincide with one of spokes of the spool. So, air bubbles along the edge may be the best explanation.

Alternatively, you could possibly get similar-looking drying marks from your Photoflo if you wash and dry your film on the spool.

Ian

 

[Doremus Scudder]

I had a similar problem with 120 film years ago. I consistently had areas of higher density on one edge of the film; the edge at the top of the tank. After exposing numerous rolls under the enlarger and trying different things, my solution was as follows:

I found that both too much and too little solution can cause surge marks that look similar to what you have: a fine line of increased density just inside the film edge. I also found that my agitation had to be much more vigorous than I had hitherto used with 35mm film. I settled on using just enough solution to cover the top of the reels plus about 1/4 inch. Agitation included one "martini shake" per cycle, along with the torus rotation. I also only tapped immediately after filling the tank, no intermediate taps.

I don't shoot 120 much anymore, and tray develop sheet film now, but maybe my past experience will help some.

Best,

Doremus Scudder
www.DoremusScudder.com

 

[Simon R Galley]

Dear NJK Photo,

Just a quick one, whilst never say never and sometimes you do see a quality control issue, please do not jump to this conclusion too quickly as it is unbelievably rare to see a 'true' film fault from FUJI, KODAK or ourselves, believe me when I say its 99.9% probable 'in camera' or 'in processing'. If after having examined every option and you have not nailed it send your film to FUJI with a covering letter and the batch number(s) and they will check it out for sure, same as KODAK or we would do. Thing is you usually need an electron microscope if its an emulsion issue.

Regards

Simon. ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology Limited :

 

[njkphoto]

Dear NJK Photo,

Just a quick one, whilst never say never and sometimes you do see a quality control issue, please do not jump to this conclusion too quickly as it is unbelievably rare to see a 'true' film fault from FUJI, KODAK or ourselves, believe me when I say its 99.9% probable 'in camera' or 'in processing'. If after having examined every option and you have not nailed it send your film to FUJI with a covering letter and the batch number(s) and they will check it out for sure, same as KODAK or we would do. Thing is you usually need an electron microscope if its an emulsion issue.

Regards

Simon. ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology Limited :

I believe you but you never know. I doubt it is an in camera problem since it would be there for the most part constantly. I am guessing it's more of a processing issue. I am going to shoot another roll of fuji today and see what happens.

 

[JPD]

It looks like drying marks to me.

 

[PhotoBob]

Gentlemen
If I may offer a comment, one thing I learnt from a Master Photographic Craftsman - Brookes Graduate is to pre-soak/wash the film prior to beginning the development process. In this way I don't have to tap tanks and if so, then just gently, but tapping is something that has generally been omitted from my workflow.
It washes away the dyes and prepares the film for development.
Just something you might want to try and I'd be interested to hear what others think.
Kind Regards,
Bob St.Cyr

 

[bblhed]

Are you using a Paterson tank? if so, are you sure there isn't a crack in your tank that is letting light in? Yes, this does happen.

 

[njkphoto]

Are you using a Paterson tank? if so, are you sure there isn't a crack in your tank that is letting light in? Yes, this does happen.

Yes I am using the Patterson tank and it is fairly new with no cracks that I know of.

 

[njkphoto]

Small update. I shot and developed another roll and also shot a tri-x one. I went to the Fuji site and looked up the processing info. The chart said to agitate constantly for one minute after pouring developer then 5 seconds every 30 minutes, in order to have uniform development and no marks. I did that and the roll came out fine as well as the Tri-X. So far I was agitating constantly for 30 seconds instead of a minute so maybe that was it. Hopefully that was the issue but I will keep a close eye to it.