Lines

Hi all! Hoping someone out there could give this rookie some advice as to what these lines are caused by. There looks to be about 3 or 4 of them running down the same place but not on every photo (you can see it on the right side of the cross). It was my first attempt at processing B&W at home but I think I followed things pretty well.

The camera has been used for colour film work and lab processed all very recently and all is ok. So I don't think it's caused by a light leak or scratch from the camera. So potential things I was thinking could be one of the following....

1 - I used a film leader retriever, maybe something scratched the film as it was pulled out and loaded onto the reel (I use a Paterson tank with 2 reels). There definitely seems to be feint scratches running down the non-emulsion side

2 - maybe a dodgy reel or I loaded the film too fast

3 - bad film

4 - some processing error

5 - maybe the lab scratched it when they scanned it

6 - this was a test roll. I only loaded one film but put the empty reel on top. I also used the same amount of chemicals as if 2 films were loaded, not sure if this would make any difference.

Any thoughts? Much appreciated!

Examine the negatives closely, including by reflected light. If there's no sign of streaks on the film, then it might be a scanning fault. Like dirt on the scanner light for example.

Looking at the amount of dust and small hairs on the film, it seems the scanning 'lab' wasn't too careful about cleanliness.

Another possibility is that the film got scratched pulling it out of the cassette. Except those faint streaks don't look like scratches. However, it's difficult to diagnose faults like this by remote control. All we can do is suggest possible causes.

BTW, it's safer to pop the end-cap off the cassette for processing, rather than pull it back through the felt grit-trap that passes for a light-trap.

I only loaded one film but put the empty reel on top. I also used the same amount of chemicals as if 2 films were loaded, not sure if this would make any difference.

Off-topic-ish, since I severly doubt it is the cause of what you see here, but: it is a waste of chemicals. There is no issue with loading the empty reel on top, and then using enough chemicals for the one reel that is loaded (so 300ml, instead of 600ml).

As for loading up the film, getting the roll out of the canister is a lot easier in my view.

For the actual problem: I'd take Alan's word as his knowledge runs very deep. Another possibility which I wouldn't exclude (based on the single image anyway) is a scanner issue - any option to scan for yourself to verify whether the issue is really present on the negative?

Thanks so much for all these replies! Your opinions have been like gold for me right now. I failed to mention that it is only the last 3 or 4 shots that seem to be affected (doh!) and I think it is do with extra pressure. Alan thank you, I am sure you are completely right! Last night I did a test roll this time taking the film out of the canister and loading it as carefully as I could. After scanning I can see that again in the last 3 photos I am getting marks but this time they look more like scratches (photo below, on the bottom left side). I think I've now realised my mistake - In both cases I kept the film cassette attached to the film until I can't wind on any further and then I cut it off. I think this is probably now a mistake and that I should be completely separating the film from the roller/spindle thingy before I start to try and wind it onto the reels. Is this correct? I think this also explains why in the 1st roll the lines are not so 'scratch like' while in the 2nd they are more like scratches (because this time it's the little, thin roller thingy hitting the film and not a more blunt cassette). Probably not explaining myself correctly but hopefully you get me. And thanks Wouter that will help me not waste chemicals! :) (Bethe I didn't use a squeegee but I used Tetenal Mirosol with distilled water for my final wash, in fact all chemicals were mixed with distilled water)

Kinking or bending film usually results in half-moon shaped marks, not dead straight smudges that run for several frames.

Drying marks or a scanner issue almost certainly.

BTW, what film are you using? It looks excessively grainy.

I should be completely separating the film from the roller/spindle thingy before I start to try and wind it onto the reels. Is this correct?

For what it's worth, I've always left the film spindle attached until I'm done loading the film onto the reel (so cutting it off is more or less the last action). I don't think this is necessarily causing what you see here, though of course you need to be gentle to avoid scratching the film with the scissors somehow.

The stripes below the plant look like scratches to me - can have many causes. Drying marks in my experience usually are more blurred, not as clear defined as these. Scanner issue is also a possibility.

The stripes below the plant look like scratches to me - can have many causes. Drying marks in my experience usually are more blurred, not as clear defined as these. Scanner issue is also a possibility.

Agreed. On the second picture they're definitely scratches. I was referring back to the initial image, which does not look like pressure or bending marks at all. You have to make quite a sharp bend in film to induce a pressure mark. The bend is obvious after processing, and the shape of the increased density follows the bend exactly. Pressure marks are never faint linear smudges.

Here's another one with marks at the top.....

Looks like drying marks to me. However the images are very grainy, and seem to show surface marks very easily.

Unless this a superspeed film (>1000 ISO) or very outdated or badly stored, the grain should be far less obvious at such a small reproduction scale.

So what film are you using, what developer, what temperature and for how long? Because I'm guessing the density of the negatives isn't anywhere near ideal.

Looks like drying marks to me. However the images are very grainy, and seem to show surface marks very easily.

 

Unless this a superspeed film (>1000 ISO) or very outdated or badly stored, the grain should be far less obvious at such a small reproduction scale.

 

So what film are you using, what developer, what temperature and for how long? Because I'm guessing the density of the negatives isn't anywhere near ideal.

I rinsed under a tap for 10 minutes but I didn't open up the tank lid so maybe I should have.

- Yes, you should have taken the lid off the tank.

Trying to 'push' water into a full tank just doesn't work, and you'll get very little interchange of fresh water and tank contents. You're better off emptying and re-filling the tank several times, or removing the lid and aiming the tap down the centre of the spiral.

To eliminate the drying marks: If you have 'hard' tap water, you might find you need to use distilled or boiled (and cooled) water for a final soak of 5 minutes or so. Together with a drop of wetting agent.

"Oh, I've been looking at my negs and they look maybe a bit flat?"

- That's under-development. Common with highly diluted Rodinal, which in my experience isn't the most reliable of developers. The D76 should be more consistent, reliable and less grainy.

HP5 and Rodinal aren't a great match in my view (and that is an understatement); much too grainy and also not a aesthetically pleasing grain. Rodinal with Tri-X400 for example is also quite grainy, but I like its look a lot better. So you're right in going with a different developer. As HP5 in HC110 can look terrific, D76 should be fine (since it's very similar to HC110). If you find powder developers are awkward because they don't keep as long, consider HC110 since the syrup lasts a long time.

As for the drying marks - indeed worth trying with a bit more of the wetting agent (and prepare with distilled/deminaralised water instead of tap). You can reuse it easily for a while, so the additional cost of the water doesn't need to be a bottleneck for that.