Quickie

Allen Achterberg · December 31, 2004

I was just playing with an old roll of 35mm (still photography) in my Canon Elan II, just for playing and experimenting purposes. some perferations were broken but I loaded it anyways. Shot the stuff, did the quick one hour photo thing. When I got the film back I noticed something rather odd. look at the pictures and decide for yourself.

once you have looked at them PLEASE tell me what you think might have happened. keep in mind its still photography, Kind of looks like a light leak, but this has only happened on this roll. I've shot quite a few rolls trying to be a little more seriouse about my photography and never ran into this. It's like this happened over night so I'm wondering if it is in fact a light leak, or the film was just crap.

Any responces are much appreciated. thank you

Allen,

Annie Wengenroth · December 31, 2004

Okay, I know this is about the 4000th post I've replied to in the span of about 5 minutes so I apologize for that, but I just had to throw out that maybe it has to do with the shutter. I say this because I have a Canon ftb and when you use a shutter speed of 1/500, it "jumps" and leaves a line that looks very similar to the line in your photos. Maybe your camera has a similar issue? Other than that I'm not sure what's going on.

Allen Achterberg · December 31, 2004

Okay, I know this is about the 4000th post I've replied to in the span of about 5 minutes so I apologize for that, but I just had to throw out that maybe it has to do with the shutter. I say this because I have a Canon ftb and when you use a shutter speed of 1/500, it "jumps" and leaves a line that looks very similar to the line in your photos. Maybe your camera has a similar issue? Other than that I'm not sure what's going on.

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hmm, COULD be the shutter, but my shutter speed was at about 1/30, but you never know, the lady at some photography store said it was a light leak, but I cant say I really buy the light leak thing because I have never dropped my camera, and this has never happened to a roll ive shot before, sort of liked this happened over night. Could it be possible that there is some scratching going on in the film can itself?

Chris Keth · December 31, 2004

hmm, COULD be the shutter, but my shutter speed was at about 1/30, but you never know, the lady at some photography store said it was a light leak, but I cant say I really buy the light leak thing because I have never dropped my camera, and this has never happened to a roll ive shot before, sort of liked this happened over night. Could it be possible that there is some scratching going on in the film can itself?

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It definately doesn't look like scrates though. It looks like a source of light in the shape of a line got to the film. I bet it's the shutter, I had an old Minolta SLR that did something similar. It turned out to be that the shutter would kind of bounce when it shut and expose a line.

David Mullen ASC · December 31, 2004

Looks like an internal reflection, maybe off the edge of the shutter, don't know. Never seen that before.

Matthew McDermott · December 31, 2004

I've never seen that before either.

Since the overexposed parts are going vertically through the frame and the shutter on that camera travels vertically, I don't think they're being caused by a sticky shutter. If the camera had a horizontally travelling cloth shutter (a la Leica M or older SLRs), maybe that might be the cause. Were those the only frames with the problem or is it every frame and those are just representative? Have you shot with the camera since?

Allen Achterberg · December 31, 2004

Were those the only frames with the problem or is it every frame and those are just representative? Have you shot with the camera since?

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Yeah, I'd never seen it before. WHY ME WHY!!! um, yeah every single frame was like that actually. now keep in mind that some of the perferations were ripped. would that have any effect? No, Im shooting another test roll to see if the problem happenes again. Its a fresh roll this time.

Matthew McDermott · December 31, 2004

The ripped perfs might have something to do with it. I didn't think of it but perhaps the film itself is skipping a little bit as the teeth move the film along. The result being these burned in areas where the film has been severely overexposed. Going against that explanation though is the fact that the overexposed bits seem to be so regular and I can't imagine the film having broken perfs at such regular intervals over an entire roll. Also, it probably wouldn't be _that_ overexposed. It would more likely be just double exposed there and you'd still see some detail--especially in those darkish conditions. I guess I just talked myself out of that explanation, huh.

Although I can't think of a specific explantion, maybe it does have to do with the age of the film. How old was it again?

Processing the new film and seeing if the problem reoccurs will certainly help isolate the issue. When you do it make sure you shoot at a variety of shutter speeds and keep careful notes.

Allen Achterberg · December 31, 2004

The ripped perfs might have something to do with it. I didn't think of it but perhaps the film itself is skipping a little bit as the teeth move the film along. The result being these burned in areas where the film has been severely overexposed. Going against that explanation though is the fact that the overexposed bits seem to be so regular and I can't imagine the film having broken perfs at such regular intervals over an entire roll. Also, it probably wouldn't be _that_ overexposed. It would more likely be just double exposed there and you'd still see some detail--especially in those darkish conditions. I guess I just talked myself out of that explanation, huh.

Although I can't think of a specific explantion, maybe it does have to do with the age of the film. How old was it again?

Processing the new film and seeing if the problem reoccurs will certainly help isolate the issue. When you do it make sure you shoot at a variety of shutter speeds and keep careful notes.

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Will do, thanks. The film was like, I dunno a friend of mine gave it to me OUT of his camera, it was aprtially loaded in his AE-1 and it was his camera that ripped some perfs. but You are right, the likelyness of the perfs being ripped in a consecutive manner is slim to none. i guess I'll just wait and see with this new roll, its 100 speed and its raining cats and dogs out here, everyonce in a while you'll even see some humans falling out of the clouds. not good weather. Must wait to shoot the rest of it when I get a little sun. Cuz I dont have the lights to do it at such slow speed. Im poor

Greg Gross · December 31, 2004

I'm not sure as a stills photographer. Usually you just do not develop a

light leak,just like that with a camera. Light leaks are usually caused by

messing with camera,repairing. There is always the possibility that this light

leak was at the lab. It really is important to be able to diagnose these pro-

blems. Here's what I think:

1. Maybe light leak at lab

*2. Your shutter is hanging up,sticking-up and needs

cleaned.

3. Sometimes if you use assessory backs with cameras

you may develop a leak after changing backs.

If you shoot more film through camera and its okay it may be fault of lab or you

may have a dirty shutter that causes you a problem intermittenly. Maybe Mr. Case

will be around and read your post. Best regards for good outcome with problem.

Greg

Laurent Andrieux · December 31, 2004

If it was an old roll and you don't have the same problem on fresh ones, well it may be due to the roll and not the camera shutter nor the lab process...

This is what I think : a light leak may have occured from the opening the film passes through the carter, before you shot it. A good way to diagnose this is to see if these bars are not more strong by the beginning of the film, and what is the period of the phenomenom. If the first frames are more damaged than the last ones, it could confirm my hypothesis.

(tell me if I'm clear or not and let us know about these marks presence and frequency...)

Greg Gross · December 31, 2004

Best way to diagnose these problems is to be able to look at the

camera and the film(impossible here) so you can only make an

educated guess. These posts have given you some possibilities

for solving the problem. Shoot some more film and see what

happens.

Greg

DavidSloan · December 31, 2004

I'm not sure as a stills photographer. Usually you just do not develop a
light leak,just like that with a camera. Light leaks are usually caused by

messing with camera,repairing. There is always the possibility that this light

leak was at the lab. It really is important to be able to diagnose these pro-

blems. Here's what I think:

1. Maybe light leak at lab

*2. Your shutter is hanging up,sticking-up and needs

cleaned.

3. Sometimes if you use assessory backs with cameras

you may develop a leak after changing backs.

If you shoot more film through camera and its okay it may be fault of lab or you

may have a dirty shutter that causes you a problem intermittenly. Maybe Mr. Case

will be around and read your post. Best regards for good outcome with problem.

Greg

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Greg: why are your posts always funky with the skipping lines and such? Also, is English your native tongue? Your grammar is damn strange-"If you shoot more film through camera and its okay it may be fault of lab"

Allen Achterberg · February 20, 2005

Greg: why are your posts always funky with the skipping lines and such? Also, is English your native tongue? Your grammar is damn strange-"If you shoot more film through camera and its okay it may be fault of lab"

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well, I forgot about this but just in case anyone wants to know the answers it must have been the lab. did a few rolls of film and had them sent out (thats why such the delay) and they all came out fine. look for yourself. I'm pretty sure it was the lab. but oh well, problem gone so no worries mates.

Edited February 20, 2005 by Allen Achterberg