Anybody can identify the fault?

[wieslaw1]

<p>Below is a negative which I am not able to explain. I never seen anything like that. I shot 4 negative (Fuji 160) at that time, all were bad, but this one is exceptional. Pictures were taken after sunset. All right, the negatives were some 2 years past the date, but were kept in a refrigerator. Otherwise everything seemed to be normal. Were developed by Duggal in NY.</p><div></div>

[rnt]

<p>It looks like it was exposed to light outside of the film carrier, either before or after it was exposed (the normal way). Looks like it was exposed while stacked with other sheets or the cardboard piece that comes with a box of film. My guess would be (based on the lesser exposed edge) that someone was curious about what was in the green box and opened it to find out. The lesser exposed edge was the edge away from the side that was opened.</p>

<p>Or it could have been something else...</p>

[sumo_kun]

<p>It looks like the film might have been fogged from a quick exposure to light. Or there was a tiny leak all around the edge of the box you stored it in?</p>

[spodzone]

<p>Huge light-leak, in a way that's affected 3 sides of the frame at once. I'd be inclined to question your holders - in particular, does it vary with the length of time a holder was exposed to daylight, ie the *next* frame is worse the longer it's been out?</p>

[Monophoto]

<p>This is a light leak. The fact that the rebate was unexposed on all four sides tells me that the leak occurred after the film was loaded into the holder. </p>

<p>You said that you had four negatives that were fogged like this. That tells me that the problem was most likely with the camera rather than with the holders - I wouldn't expect that all four holders had the same or similar problems. </p>

<p>Check the camera back to make sure that the holders seat correctly. Also, check the bellows. It could be damaged, or if it is removable, it could be loose.</p>

[BrianS1664879711]

<p>in addition...</p>

<p>It doesn't look like the film was properly in the holder. Both the top and bottom should show the same pattern if both sides were properly under the film rails.</p>

[leicaglow]

<blockquote>

<p>It doesn't look like the film was properly in the holder. Both the top and bottom should show the same pattern if both sides were properly under the film rails.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I think it has to be loaded correctly if the film rail/edges are sharp and present. Was the film possibly pulled from the camera before the slide was all the way in? Possibly the holder was not locked in place correctly in the back, causing light spillage between the holder and graflok back? But I wouldn't think it would be happening with more than one shot. What camera are you using? Could it be removable bellows that are not locked into their seat, causing light to come in between the bellows and standard?</p>

<p>What lens do you use? Does this shot look as sharp as you would expect (I ask because it doesn't look like the image itself is sharp, making me think the holder wasn't properly seated)? And the image looks slightly sharper on the left side than on the right, as though the holder was canted a bit, which would allow light to leak in.</p>

<p>In summary, I'd say it must be one of these areas: 1) your camera, 2) your handling of the holder in the back, 3) the box or transport of the film to the processor, 4) the processor/lab.</p>

[BrianS1664879711]

<p>"I think it has to be loaded correctly if the film rail/edges are sharp and present."</p>

<p>If only they were.</p>

[leicaglow]

<p>Ooh, you're right Brian. I only looked at the top edge, presuming the other edge was inserted correctly, but it wasn't inserted correctly. Definitely a film loading problem, if not more.</p>

[wieslaw1]

<p>Thank you. First of all some explanation. I scanned the negative without removing the plastic envelope so the overall sharpness of the image should not be assessed from this picture. I seldom use color films so I did not recognize light leak.<br>

I used Linhof which was tested regarding light leaks a week before and all were eliminated.<br /> Regarding the holders, I mark them A1, A2, B1, etc. and I make notes on paper as to every exposure so I know which negative comes from which holder. In this case I don't because the negatives were taken from Europe to NY, but all the holders I used were OK - no trace of light leaks on any other negative. I may add that I keep each holder in a black plastic bag and avoid exposure to direct sunlight. I also put the bag around the back of camera once the holder is in place for shooting, then quickly put it back to my backpack.<br /> The other several bad negatives I mentioned were incorrectly exposed/developed but were uniform.<br /> However, these were remnants of films I used a year or two before and it is possible that I loaded and unloaded<br /> the negative several times, as it was not exposed until this summer. Somewhere along it cought light.</p>

<p> </p>

[dan_south]

<p>The holder might not have been places in the camera properly. A small gap between the camera and the holder could have let light in on three sides as is apparent in this image.</p>

<p>A few of my very first LF exposures looked similar to this, because I hadn't inserted the holder all the way into the camera.</p>

[rodeo_joe1]

<p>The only observation I can add is that it looks as if the light leak came from the top of the camera downwards. The direction of fog seems to run across the frame from the bottom of the film (as viewed here) to the top, glancing behind the film retainer on the top edge.</p>

<p>I agree that the film was almost certainly fogged during exposure, and that this was probably from an incorrectly seated DDS or a gap in the bellows at the rear standard.</p>

<p>At least you didn't remove the filmholder to find the sheet of film left behind in the back of the camera! I'll reluctantly admit to that happening to me a couple of times.</p>

[wieslaw1]

<p>Joe, it happens from time to time when it is impossible to put the slide back to the holder. But we don't develope those negatives do we?</p>

[rob_hale1]

<p>Hi Wieslaw<br /><br />Know what, I think the film has been damp or wet at the edges, possibly for quite a long time.<br /><br />Best Regards<br /><br />Rob<br /><br /></p>

[imott_orrs]

<p>Considering that you mention the film was taken from Europe to NY, I think there’s a good chance this is X-ray damage.</p>

[wieslaw1]

<p>The box with the negatives was damp due to condensation after was taken out of freezer.<br>

X-rays? who knows.</p>