Bromide Drag or Light Leak

[gulley_jimson]

A questions for B+W film users.

 

I bought a new Leica M6 last week and got back the negatives today.

The color negs were perfect, but the b+w (Tri-x) showed some slight

fogging (or burning?) on the extreme outside edges (past the socket

holes)only for the first eight shots. Then mid-roll, two or three

non-consecutive frames have small extensions (like tiny bursts) just

beyond the top border. These extensions were in areas of high

exposure.

 

The b+w frames themselves are fine. I've heard of bromide streaking

and wonder if this might be an example of it. I'm using a new lab

with dip and dunk processing, so perhaps this is a consequence. As I

said, the color negs were perfect.

 

Thanks in advance for your comments.

[furcafe]

I've experienced a similar problem w/some rolls of Fuji Neopan

1600, but only on the 1st 6 to 10 shots. My main B&W lab also

uses dip & dunk processing. I also thought it was bromide drag

from over-agitation (which I've seen occasionally when I did my

own developing), but that was quickly ruled out as it was

confined to the 1st part of the roll. It's unlikely that the problem is

being caused by the processing--if it was due to processing, you

would probably be seeing the same thing on the *last* eight or

so shots, too (as both ends are near each other in the chemistry

in the dip & dunk process). When I called Fuji, they told me that it

could be caused by excessive heat exposure. I'm not entirely

convinced, but that's all I've heard so far.

[cosmo_genovese]

Bromide drag is not a film "problem" but rather a photographic paper phenomenon that occurs with chlorobromide papers (fiber). It's generally caused by developing out the exposed paper beyond it's normal capacity. For instance, if the "normal" development time for the image is 2 minutes, "bromide drag" might become apparent after you've developed the image for, say, 5 minutes. It shows up as a greyish tone that can appear somewhat muddy, but it can also enhance certain images depending on the effect you're after and if you learn to control it.

 

 

When I used to process a lot of fiber-based paper--especially Portriga Rapid 111 for images more in the middle- to high-key range--I'd add some benzotriazole to my paper developer and "process out" the image for ten (10) minutes or more. You have to do this with constant gentle agitation during the entire development. Once all the silver's dissolved out, you'll start to get bromide drag which'll give the image an aspect that you couldn't get just through normal processing and flashing, for instance. There's a good example of bromide drag (and a brief reference to it) in one of Ralph Gibson's nude shots in his book "Darkroom" [Vol 1], edited by Eleanor Lewis and published by Gibson in what is his now long-defunct Lustrum Press.

[al_kaplan1]

The frames at the start of the roll may be light leak through the cassettes velvet light trap. Did you change film in bright sunlight?Change film in your own shadow if nothing else is available. Mid roll sreaking from extreme bright areas in the picture is a bit of light leaking past the film aperture in the camera. Is your pressure plate making good contact? No little piece of torn film or such jammed up under the pressure plate? Check it.

[lemastre]

The phenomenon you describe can happen with any 35 mm

camera and usually doesn't affect the images.