Film completely blank

[jen_williams]

Hi All,

 

I've just joined this forum to see if I cuold get any advice from you guys - any

help would be greatly appreciated!

 

I recently took a roll of Ilford FP4 on my Holga and sent it off for processing

but it came back COMPLETELY blank - no markings on it whatsoever (also slightly

pinky and see through, rather than murky).

 

I definitely sent the right film in (as the processors suggested it may be the

wrong film sent in) and it definitely loaded ok and shot ok (as you can see the

numbers go by on the back of the holga!).

 

The other important point is that the film was 1996 expired, but had been

refridgerated since new.

 

My question is: does this sound like the processors have made a mistake and put

it through C41 chemicals, or do you think it might be because it was expired (I

thought I would get SOMETHING back even if the expired film meant they were no use)

 

Thanks in advance

[nealcurrie]

I can think of three reasons this could happen:

 

1) The film was never exposed.

2) The developer was completely bad (out dated developer or the wrong developer should still result in some image).

3) It was put in fixer before it was developed.

 

You can rule out #2 and #3 by looking for the edge markings on the film, like frame numbers of the name of the film.

 

If the frame markings are not there, then the problem is one of #2 or #3.

[hughes]

Jen

Firstly this is nothing to do with the film being outdated. Thekey is if there are no markings whatsoever ie no numbers on the film edge they probably put the film in the fixer first and cleared the film before developing it. I've done it and I'm sure a lot of other people have,but if the film was totally clear you can be sure it is a development problem. Even if the film was unexposed it would still have numbers on the edge.

 

good luck Steve

[stephen_allan]

<p>Having no markings whatsoever on the film does sound like a processing problem. And your thought that they may have put it through a c41 line, and bleached away the developed silver, is a reasonable one.</p>

 

<p>1996 expired B&W film should generally be OK, even if not refridgerated - perhaps extra fog, or a little loss of film speed (check out the found film threads in the <a href="http://www.photo.net/bboard/forum?topic_id=1903">Classic Cameras</a> forum, some of these are from the 50s and 60s, and still have reasonable images on them).</p>

 

<p>Steve</p>

[frank.schifano]

No doubt about it. If you got the film back with no image, no matter how faint, and no edge markings of any kind this is a processing error. Even long past date film will develop some sort of image.

 

Possible causes:

 

1. Completely exhausted developer. Could be, but the least likely scenario.

 

2. Film was run through the fixing bath first. That would remove all the silver from the film before it was developed. Stuff happens

 

3. Film was run through the C-41 process. The silver gets developed, but all of it gets stripped out in the bleach. With color film, dye clouds have developed and these are not removed. With B&W, there are no dyes. This is more than likely what happened, especially if the lab had a new worker or is unused to seeing B&W film.

[jordan_w.]

If you sent it away for processing, the most likely scenario is Frank's No. 3 above.

[jen_williams]

Thanks everyone for your responses - it sounds like what I was suspicious of did happen. I will get back in touch with them for a refund. Aside from this film they are a good company - accidents do happen! A bit sad I've lost a few good shots, but at least I only fit 12 to a Holga roll!

 

Thanks again for your help - I'm a total amateur with this stuff so good to hear it from experienced people

 

:)

[dangoldman]

i got the same thing when the kid behind the counter at walgreens thought his super duper machine could develop all types of film because all films made are C41... Apparently real BW film is not.

[david_m]

When I have stuff processed at Walmart they don't charge me if the film comes out blank. Thankfully, its a rare occurrence.

[lauren_bamford1]

<p>Oh, its the worst feeling when a roll comes out blank - and it has just happened to me now!<br>

Yesterday I shot a roll of Rollei Retro 400. Just processed at home in Rollei high speed dev at recommended times and temps and it has come out blank. I can see just the tiniest, faintest detail on one frame, but there are no numbers down the side at all. The only thing I think it could be is the developer, as I have been shooting and processing this series for a while with no problems - however I usually process with Rodinal. It was from a half full bottle which was opened only a few months ago. Does it have no shelf life after it is opened?</p>