Blue Streaking on 135 C-41

[scott_turner2]

<p>Question for you more experienced film shooters out there, I just had large amount of C-41 processed, and noticed that on several spots on the film (randomly across all of the rolls) there are blue streaks. In the really bad instances of it, I can see the roller marks from a machine. There are also small spots randomly on various frames that look like chemical burns.<br>

The weird thing is, it never overlaps frames and it's never on the same frame on each roll. It's always contained to one frame and completely random. There are rolls that are totally fine, and some that have multiple instances of these streaks. I would think that a processing problem would be a little less targeted than that. I'm still fairly new to film, and this is a new lab that I haven't used and that had come pretty highly recommended by someone who shoots seriously. The lab is in Shanghai, and my Chinese isn't good enough to ask how they process 135 (machine or D&D). I know they do E-6 D&D, because I saw them unload the film, so my assumption was that they did D&D for everything. But after seeing roller marks, I'm guessing that's not the case.<br>

Some of the problem could be the film though I thought. A large chunk of it was recently expired (June 2014) so I thought that could have been part of the problem.<br>

I'm going to scan an example and upload tomorrow, but I was wondering if anyone had seen this kind of thing before. It looks like a chemical burn, darkened spot when you hold the negative up to the light.<br>

Thoughts? Thanks!<br>

(LOL and before you tell me to do my homework first before dumping a large selection of film off at a new lab, let's just say it's a lesson learned already. I won't be going back to this lab)</p>

[larrydressler]

<p>Could we see an example? It could be a light leak. but without seeing it it will be hard to tell.</p>

[scott_turner2]

<p>Hey Larry, thanks for the reply. I'm scanning the negs tomorrow, I'll post one when it's scanned. I'm guessing its not a light leak, because it happens outside the framelines and quite randomly.</p>

[craig_shearman1]

<p>I can absolutely guarantee that it has nothing whatsoever to do with the film being expired. June 2014 barely counts as expired. It takes a few years (depending on storage conditions) for film to get "old" enough for their to be problems and then it generally affects the overall look of the entire roll.<br /><br />Why are you sending film to a lab in Shanghai? Are you in China? <br /><br />Where are the streaks? Your first post makes it sound like they are within the frame. Your second post makes it sound like they are outside the frame. If they are outside the frame it might be annoying and a cause for concern but no harm is being done.<br /><br />We can tell more when we see the scans.</p>

[scott_turner2]

<p>Craig, yes sorry, I've been a bit ambiguous. It bleeds into the space between frames but never into the frames along side the image. That was what I was trying to say. And yes, I'm in China. <br>

That was my understanding as well re: expired. I'll get you a scan later today.</p>

[peterbcarter]

<p>It might be better, to illustrate the problem, if you just took a digital picture of the film up against the light. The scan may not reveal what you see.</p>

<p>As an example, here is shot showing how the emulsion was falling off a batch of film I had purchased....</p>

<p><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2814/8941251980_7778d2bd18_n_d.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>The top left was where the emulsion flaked off. A scan would not reveal that.</p>

<p> </p>

[scott_turner2]

<p>Ok, I'll try that. Here's a photo of one of the frames that is damaged. This is one of the worst ones I think.</p>

[peterbcarter]

<p>I used to have a problem with Ektar and "blue" areas. It turned out to dimly lit areas of the film, showing up as blue. This is a known issue with ektar, but is infrequent. My problem turned out to be developing at too low of a temperature. Cyan is the opposite of the orange mask.</p>

<p>There are slight light leaks in your camera which probably doesn't help.</p>

<p>If you are convinced your processing is correct, shoot with higher exposure to minimize the chance of the dark's turning blue.</p>

[eddy_d]

<p>They are scratches which can be caused by dust against the plate.</p>

[scott_turner2]

<p>Peter-Thanks for the reply. Wouldn't they show up on every frame if my camera had light leaks (especially if the leaks were to that magnitude)? Or at least more frequently? It doesn't even happen on every roll, or even every other roll. Maybe once every 7-10 rolls.<br>

Eddy- Totally. But I'm not seeing evidence of that.<br>

The scans are going to take until Monday (I don't have a scanner, I'm using a lab), and then I will have some examples to show from that side as well.</p>

[peterbcarter]

<p>Scott, it may also be a reflection. Light bouncing around inside your camera with light entering at the correct angle. But I would also check your camera for it's willingness to flex. The exposure between frames doesn't happen by magic.</p>

[scott_turner2]

<p>Ok here is a scan. Do you think this is a light leak? Seems strange that it would only happen on a single frame here and there.</p>

[peterbcarter]

<p>a leak or a reflection</p>

[scott_turner2]

<p>alright. well, need to get my camera serviced anyway, so i'll just include that as well. Thanks for the help!</p>

[larrydressler]

<p>Sorry that we were of little help.</p>