Jump to content

Need help identify cause of light leaking/flashing


Patrick Quesnel

Recommended Posts

Hi all, looking for your expertise in helping identify the cause of some light leaking/flashing (I'm not quite sure what to call them).

I have shot a few rolls of Tri-x and have noticed quite a bit of random flashes of light happening. Iv noticed the flashes most often appear in the last two seconds of a shot before I cut, but not always.
Here is a link to an example: https://youtu.be/zzo9Ox6MQxc
The example I posted is one of the worst cases of it, usually it is not near as strong or frequent. 

My camera is a Arriflex 16ST with a Tobin TM23 motor and an Angenieux 12-120. I shot 100ft daylight rolls that I loaded in low light, and I taped around the camera cover after loading.
Any insights are appreciated, Thank you ?

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Premium Member

Very odd one. Was your eye on the viewfinder the entire time? 

A light leak big enough to do that, would also probably flash the entire roll, but the contrast looked ok in some shots. 

How was the film processed? I noticed it was very dirty. If it wasn't machine processed, I would probably shoot another roll and machine process it. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, Tyler Purcell said:

Very odd one. Was your eye on the viewfinder the entire time? 

A light leak big enough to do that, would also probably flash the entire roll, but the contrast looked ok in some shots. 

How was the film processed? I noticed it was very dirty. If it wasn't machine processed, I would probably shoot another roll and machine process it. 

Yes, my eye was to the viewfinder, and it was machine processed.
And yeah, that lack of consistency in the leaks is definitely throwing me off.

5 hours ago, Frank Wylie said:

Looks cold in the shot.  Could be massive static discharges...

Could be static related. But I have shot some stuff in warmer months that also had similar flashing. Is it possible for a static discharge to be produced by the mechanics of a camera?

6 hours ago, Simon Wyss said:

Fresh raw stock or respooled film?

Fresh raw stock

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Premium Member

Usually static discharges don't happen in one spot... so you'd see more than one frame affected. I've also run my cameras in very dry/cold environments and never seen that before. 

Hmm, yea I just don't see how it could be a light leak, because it would need to be a pin prick for it to not effect the entire roll and if it were a pin prick, more than 1 or 2 frames would be affected. 

Man, this one is kinda tricky. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Premium Member
32 minutes ago, Simon Wyss said:

To my eye nothing in camera but rather a lab issue. The film also looks dirty in one place where flashes occur.

That's kind of what I was thinking as well. I was hoping it was home processed because that would answer all, but as a machine processed roll, very odd. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

41 minutes ago, Simon Wyss said:

To my eye nothing in camera but rather a lab issue. The film also looks dirty in one place where flashes occur.

Yeah, it is quite dirty. My other rolls were cleaner but they were also processed at a different date. I will give another lab a try on my next roll. 

Thanks everyone for their responses!
 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Premium Member
3 hours ago, Tyler Purcell said:

home processed because that would answer all, but as a machine processed roll, very odd

Not necessarily. I have earnt my living as a developer with two labs for years and can disclose that smaller portions are usually assembled to larger rolls at a rewind table in the dark. Things can happen there, from static discharge flashes when cranking fast to a cell phone lighting up or a lighter being sparked―no, that was in the older days when operators even smoked cigarettes over celluloid. Really.

One has to develop a sense for lab people.

  • Like 1
  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Premium Member
13 hours ago, Simon Wyss said:

I have earnt my living as a developer with two labs for years and can disclose that smaller portions are usually assembled to larger rolls at a rewind table in the dark.

Exactly, but it SHOULD be a "dark" room wouldn't ya think? Maybe the lab magazine had a small light leak in it? 

Edited by Tyler Purcell
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Premium Member

Of course. Processor mag leak unlikely

Film manufacture incident is also a possibility. The soft, not sharp edges of the light flares as visible in the YT video point away from camera. Static discharges make rather distinct marks mostly, not so probable either, and the OP states he had similar flares in warmer climate.

Could be an operator with torch light at perforator.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...