vinhn Posted January 13, 2005 Share Posted January 13, 2005 A pack of NPH went through the carryon xray once at the airport in Houston (Hobby) this weekend. When they got developed in vegas, a band appeared on the first exposure of every roll. Knowing this, when I went home I protested putting a new batch of Kodak UC that I bought in Vegas in the machine since I had ziplocked it for it handcheck. Asshole TSA in Vegas refused saying it was under 800 and threw it through the machine. Same bands showed up again. I'm guessing the x-rays are getting stronger.I'm just going to buy film wherever I am and develop them there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
__piotr_e_recht Posted January 13, 2005 Share Posted January 13, 2005 Strong enough to expose the first frame, which is wrapped in a circle around the remainder, yet mar nothing else? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinhn Posted January 13, 2005 Author Share Posted January 13, 2005 It looks like the 0 and 1 frame are damaged... the 0 being a heavy band, the 1 being a thinner band. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neal_wydra1 Posted January 13, 2005 Share Posted January 13, 2005 Dear Vinh, If the X-Ray machine had caused the problem, I would think you should see fog throughout the roll. Could you post a scan of the first few frames? Neal Wydra Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_shriver Posted January 13, 2005 Share Posted January 13, 2005 Well, a machine using a low enough dose not to fog a ISO 400 35mm film probably could fog a 120/220 roll, or an APS plastic cartridge. The metal shell attenuates the X-rays. The silver in the film would also attenuate the X-rays, so the exposure would be less on the inside of the roll. Perhaps the machine is mal-adjusted, and the "gentleman" from the TSA will have "interesting" children. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinhn Posted January 13, 2005 Author Share Posted January 13, 2005 okay using a film scanner<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinhn Posted January 13, 2005 Author Share Posted January 13, 2005 0A which is still empty<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinhn Posted January 13, 2005 Author Share Posted January 13, 2005 1A with a picture Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinhn Posted January 13, 2005 Author Share Posted January 13, 2005 The 1A scanned under negative settings<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
__piotr_e_recht Posted January 13, 2005 Share Posted January 13, 2005 That didn't happen at the airport. It happened at the lab that blamed the airport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roger_smith4 Posted January 13, 2005 Share Posted January 13, 2005 Looks like a light leak not an X-Ray problem. Check your camera/loading procedure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinhn Posted January 13, 2005 Author Share Posted January 13, 2005 Different labs different cameras which confuses the hell out of me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshchapman Posted January 13, 2005 Share Posted January 13, 2005 So if xrays couldn't cause that, then what does an x-ray's deterioration look like? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James G. Dainis Posted January 13, 2005 Share Posted January 13, 2005 You can see what it looks like here:<BR><a href=http://www.kodak.com/cluster/global/en/service/tib/tib5201.shtml#SEC47> <U>X-ray film fog</U></A><BR>It looks to me like your film has been light stuck. James G. Dainis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinhn Posted January 13, 2005 Author Share Posted January 13, 2005 Hmmmnn... three of my rolls have that very grainy look near the end of them (one roll had that problem throughout the roll) except it's not a band. I'm not sure if it's fog. The colours were very washed out and very grainy so I applied some heavy digital roc and gem to try to recover. I just figured it was bad processing or bad film. Do you guys know what it could be?<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spearhead Posted January 13, 2005 Share Posted January 13, 2005 Maybe you should consider retracting your comment about the TSA. Music and Portraits Blog: Life in Portugal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricM Posted January 14, 2005 Share Posted January 14, 2005 I don't know what it could be, but i'd sure be pissed too if that's just a taste of what's on tose rolls... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franka t.l. Posted January 14, 2005 Share Posted January 14, 2005 If the X-ray is strong enough, it would not just leave a band only. I too caution the issue. It might be a problem with the D&P ( on the washed out color and grain ) or it could also be contributed to the Camera ( light leak ) How about getting a real cheap roll of film, load that into the camera and leave it there under strong light for a while, shoot a couple of frame like that with the lens at f.22 and lens cap on ( should have a totally dark frame, shot the other frame normally, and had it developed somewhere else. See if you got the same result. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jose f. Posted January 14, 2005 Share Posted January 14, 2005 Did you shoot the rolls rapidly, without leaving the film in the camera for any period of time? Then maybe delay a while before rewinding? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed_Ingold Posted January 14, 2005 Share Posted January 14, 2005 This looks like light damage, probably leakage through the slot in the cartridge. This is common if you change the film in direct sunlight, or the exposed cartridges are subjected to sunlight or strong artificial light. The leader helps seal the slot of unexposed cartridges. Film will not do much to attenuate X-rays, so any fogging from that source will occur throughout the roll. I've never had a problem with NPH400 in the US or Europe, 135 and 120, with multiple passes. The technician could be feeding it into the processor incorrectly. For every properly trained and consciencious technician, there seem to be 5 that should be handing out french fries instead. Scanning an intentionally blank frame magnifies small differences in density, making mountains out of molehills. Of course, the example of fogging in an actual image is a real problem. Negative film gets grainy if seriously under or over exposed. How do the raw negatives look compared to negatives that scan OK? Are there any signs of fogging between frames? Were they processed commercially, or at home? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim_gifford Posted January 14, 2005 Share Posted January 14, 2005 Vinh, you say you used two different labs in different cities. You're talking about two different types of film bought in different cities. So it is difficult to make the case that the lab screwed up, or that you just got a defective batch of film. The TSA and x-ray concern seems to be a red herring -- that doesn't appear to be the expected damage pattern for x-rays. What are we left with that could cause the SAME problem on two different types of film, bought in different cities, processed in different cities? Two things: the camera, and the photographer. Check both of those out. The "load the camera and take some shots with the lens cap on" test is a good one for finding whether light leaks are at fault. And try not to load film when standing out in the fierce desert sun of places like Las Vegas. I hope you find the problem. It certainly is a vexing one. Be well, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_crumplin Posted January 14, 2005 Share Posted January 14, 2005 I would not blame the lab, if they were to fog it they would fog it good and proper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
User_502260 Posted January 14, 2005 Share Posted January 14, 2005 I think your initial reaction to buy film where you are and have it developed there is the right one. In my experience, local labs ususlly do a decent enough job on the negatives but not always as good a job making the prints. We have all heard the stories of a technician at a place like COSTCO dragging negatives on the floor and that can be distressing. If the negatives are given some care then they can be re-printed later. Another choice is to take mailers with you (if you are in the U.S.) from a good lab like A&I and just send them to the lab and have the developed film mailed to your home. If the mailing part makes you nervous you can send a batch, with mailers, by FEDEX. Just make sure to let FEDEX know that film is on the box and that it should not be X-rayed. I think that the problems with airport X-ray machines, both real and imagined, are pushing more people to use digital cameras when traveling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter_mcm. Posted January 14, 2005 Share Posted January 14, 2005 Regarding Vinh's last scan: There's a thin line that appears across the image about 1/3 of the way down. I often, but not always, see this anomaly appearing in mine, as well. Any help here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nathaniel_pearson Posted January 14, 2005 Share Posted January 14, 2005 FWIW, as far as I know you have a right to demand hand inspection of film regardless of its marked filmspeed. If you get guff, just look stern and say 'I'm a professional, and I'd like it hand-scanned.' You didn't say professional -what- ;->... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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