'Washed out look', and lines

[carl_schneider1]

Hi, purchased a 1953 (ish) Rolleicord III a few months ago. Experimenting with

BW and Colour, ISO 400 and 120 respectively. Using vintage Zeiss Ikophot lt

mtr. Shots look 'washed out', i.e. poor contrast, developed by lab, not me,

never done it, wouldn?t know how. Is this because of side (incidental light);

would hood (just purchased) help?

Also, many shots, esp on BW, seem to have lines on them. Could this be either

a light leak, the film 'scratching' while being advanced, if there IS such a

problem (problem with film adv mech?), or a processing problem?

Note: I'm not a prof photographer, just a beginner used to digital photography

with a Panasonic with a Leica lens. But I like trying.

I must say having to think hard about what I take rather than just hoping for a

good shot from many is more fulfilling, but more frustrating (and expensive!),

but I enjoy it.

[trooper]

Have you confirmed that the lens is absolutely clear with a strong back-light inspection? It's surprising how much contrast can be lost with a small appearing amount of haze in an optic. Do the negatives look dense enough? Perhaps you could check your meter's accuracy with a friend's meter or in-camera meter? A thorough inspection should reveal the source of scratching... I can't recall just now but I believe your film transport should only function correctly if you've loaded the film properly. The film leader should go underneath the roller. I'm sorry if this is too basic, but I recall this being an issue for some people new to Rollei TLR's and thought I'd mention it. Your camera should be capable of very sharp, high contrast images and will rival most modern medium format equipment at its sweet spot of f8-f16 when everything is functioning as it should. Do your shutter speeds seem to be accurate/consistent? If your shutter is sticky, you could get overexposures extreme enough that prints will be washed out from over-exposure and blurred from camera motion.

 

Keep us posted on what happens.

[ken_schuster]

If the lens is fine, and you're using a lens shade (hood), your film could be out-dated and/or heat or X-ray exposed. If the lens and film are fine, film processing would be a prime suspect. B&W film contrast is controlled by the developer (clean, contaminated, replenished, correct dilution, etc.), agitation during development, development time and temperature of developer.

 

I suggest that you use a fresh roll of 120 B&W film, within expiration date and that has been kept at no warmer than 75 degrees Fahrenheit (24 Celsius). Make sure the film pressure plate inside the camera has not been adapted to 220 film. If it has, and can not be repositioned for 120 film, then use 220 film.

 

Photograph one or more buildings in full sun and with text (advertisement, sign, address numerals, etc.). (ALWAYS use a lens shade.) Use a different camera position for each exposure. Get the film processed. All you need is a contact sheet to see if there's anything wrong.

 

If the text in the contact images is backwards, you have loaded the film with the emulsion facing inward instead of toward the lens.

 

Light leaks within the body are most often from the seal along the edges where the back separates from the body. That usually shows up as white streaks on the images and shifts position or disappears as the camera changes position.

 

If the film emulsion is being scratched in the camera or during processing, the lines will be perfectly sharp. If the scratches are deep enough to remove the emulsion, probably they will be black... although fine scratches could appear white because of light refraction during printing.

[gnashings]

I don`t know about B&W, as I develop/print my own - so when they look like crap, I know its my fault. But as far as colour goes, I found that ever since the outbreak of the digital epidemic, its impossible to get acceptible prints even for proofs. Perhaps a high buck custom lab would do better, but if that`s so, then who is doing my 120 negs? Not something that any consumer mini lab can handle last time I checked - its all outsourced to supposed pro labs... Its discouraging, especially since my darkroom arrangements would not really permit a colour set up in my current location. Perhaps one day.

[carl_schneider1]

Hi Craig,

I haven't checked the lens, bought the camera from a shop so optimistically assumed it was OK. Do I just shine a light through from the back and look through the lens? Good idea about checking the light meter, it's a vintage one, first time I've used a light meter! I've read a bit about the film transport, my manual shows the film going OVER the roller, with the 'underside' going over a bar, or rod, and then straight onto the take-up spool. I paid careful attention to this as I'd read quite a few posts on it that hinted of confusion; do models differ on this? I don't think the shutter is sticky, but I don't know how to tell; except from simply timing it. All I know is the other day when I took a longer exposure (1/2-1/3s) I heard a very satisfying clockwork type winding down type sound that a digital CAN'T emulate. Hopefully the new hood will help.

Thanks so much for replying!

Carl

[carl_schneider1]

Hi Ken,

Thanks for responding. From what you say I don't think it's the processing, the lines are more like bands of lighter shade. Maybe the lens is no good, which would be rather disappointing. I reckon it just might be a combination of me being a poor photographer, maybe a dodgy light meter (it's as old as the camera), lack of experience with film (last time I took a picture with a film camera I was 9) and lack of a lens hood, the last one has been fixed; the others will take time!

Here's one of the better ones of the crap I took, my first picture on the 'net!<div></div>