Vertical lines on negative

Hello and happy 4th ! I just developed 2 rolls of 120 tri-X taken

with my Rolleicord V. The negs came out great, however, all of them

have very thin vertical lines (print black) across the negatives. The

camera was serviced right after I got it and has never produced

negatives with these lines. What's up ? Is this something I can clean

and check myself ? Thanks !

From all the variables you've described, my guess would be some bits of grit have gotten into the film path. You are processing yourself, this has not happened in past. Or, a film manufacturing defect? Just to clarify, when you say "vertical", I assume you mean in portrait oriented shot? Also, can you tell which side the scratches are on? If they're printing black, sounds like it's cutting the emulsion.

Yes, the vertical lines are printing black (they are very thin and run from top to bottom on the negative). I'm wondering if the light seals have gone bad ???

Light leaks usually make blurry marks. The film is being scratched in the camera or later, hopefully the fresh film is ok. Make sure all the rollers are turning.

After some research, I agree. Something is scratching the film. The camera's back fits into the body without foam, as far as I can tell.

Another website calls these scratches " tram lines " as they go through/scratch the entire roll. I don't see how the pressure plate could be doing this, in fact, the inside of the camera looks very clean. I'll spray out the rollers and use rubbing alcohol to clean if needed. Any suggestions appreciated. Thanks

As you say, they're scratches -- look for something on the emulsion side of the film, though; base side scratches typically print as lighter in color, because they scatter light (effectively blocking it) before it reaches the emulsion, instead of having a lower density like a scratch that runs through an exposed area. Hold a frame upside down against the back of the camera, emulsion toward the lens, and look where the scratch on the film falls, then look along that line for something in the film path that could have caused a scratch. In my (antique) cameras, scratches seem to invariably come from rust spots in the film gate or on format masks, and I take them off with a Scotchbrite pad (green plastic "wool" material impregnated with fine abrasive, it's much gentler and finer than sandpaper), then reblack the area with a Sharpie marker if it's where it might reasonably reflect stray light into the film.

Thanks ! There must be dozens of these lines across the negative. A few are more pronounced then the rest. I plan on using air and alcohol to clean the pins as I can't see any other points of contact with the emulsion side of the film. Just got back some color prints from the camera with the same " tram " lines. I'm not seeing any rust, it all looks so clean ! Guess if wouldn't take much.

If you have scratches on the back (shiny) side of the film - you'd better change labs. The pressure plate does nothing because it never touches the film. The cordV film contact is left to two rollers They are free and clean or not.

Happy 4th of July and a Happy (belated) 1st of July to you too!

Thanks again everyone ! I used compressed air and alcohol on the pins.

Just shot and developed a test rolls and.... the scratches are still there ! This is perplexing as the camera couldn't be more simple !

 

LEX: Can this thread be added to the Rollei forum ? I'm wondering if anyone there has dealt with this... I sent an e-mail to Marflex who did the CLA a while ago and will report what they advise.

Wayne, I don't have any way to move or copy threads to forums outside of my bailiwick, which is confined to the three b&w photo forums. We moderators have asked to be given some discretion in moving threads throughout the site, rather than simply deleting them and telling the thread initiator to restart the thread in a more appropriate forum. However I image there is some concern that opening up forum access too much between moderators might lead to a bit of anarchy or, at least, confusion.

 

Methods for copying a thread to another appropriate form would include: asking the site administrator or Bob Atkins to do so (consider how busy they often are I wouldn't count on a quick response); copying it over yourself as a simple text file, which would include the names of all participants, altho' the names would no longer be linked; using an HTML editor to laboriously copy all of the tags (which will need to be edited to remove those that photo.net refuses to recognize) so that participants' names will be retained as links.

Do you wipe your film with anything like a film wiper, or your fingers?

Darryn, that wouldn't put the scratches in the same place on each roll, or leave them perfectly parallel with the film edge; only a fixed object in the camera or processing equipment can make a perfectly straight scratch, and only one in the camera can reproduce on multiple rolls without generating screams from a multitude of lab customers.

 

Wayne, *something* is touching your film besides those rollers, given that they're clean and turn freely. Look in the film gate, and feel with a sensitive fingertip, for anything that stands above the surrounding surface; I've taken out bumps (generally due to rust underneath a surface finish, so they just looked like bumps) in several of my old cameras after tracing a scratch. Make sure your pressure plate isn't bent; it could push the film inward (toward the lens) and into contact with something that shouldn't normally contact (not to mention causing focus problems). Check that there isn't a tensioning spring sticking up on the film side of the takeup or supply spool that could touch the film; those should all be on the outside, away from the film gate. Keep looking -- the source is somewhere in your camera.