A line of dead pixels in the sensor of a......film camera?

pepeguitarra

pepeguitarra

Well-known
Local time
2:27 AM
Joined
Jul 26, 2013
Messages
817
I know that it is impossible to have dead pixels on a film, but it is a good teaser, isn't it? I was using my Leica M2 with the ELmar-M 50/2.8 lens at a local town parade.

The truth is that I just developed a 100Tmax roll with Ilfotec DDX (1:9) and got some good shots. However, in the same roll, few frames before the good shots, I go a line that looks like the dead pixels lines on a sensor. I thought that I may have scratched the film while loading it to the reel, but the line is so perfect that it seems to have been made with a machine. Do you think this could be a defect of the roll? What do you think it is. Here are some of the shots without line first, then the ones with the line. Comments are welcome. THanks, Pepe.


14-100Tmax-M2-Elmar-M-50001 by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr



14-100Tmax-M2-Elmar-M-50005 by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr


14-100Tmax-M2-Elmar-M-50014 by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr


14-100Tmax-M2-Elmar-M-50018 by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr


14-100Tmax-M2-Elmar-M-50012 by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr

14-100Tmax-M2-Elmar-M-50011 by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr



14-100Tmax-M2-Elmar-M-50009 by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr
 
It's only on the last three, eye level with the middle horn player in the fifth picture, you can only see it on the faces in the sixth picture.
 
i had similar scratches on the carrier side, too.

so called "telegraph wires", may be introduced by edges in the film transport channel, dust in the felt of the cartridge mouth, or when stripping off the water after the final wash.
 
I'd say it's a scratch. If it was scanner it would probably (but not necessarily) be brighter not darker.

Only you can tell because you have the negatives.
 
Horizontal black line just above mid-point, yes, likely a scratch allowing more light there leading to more exposure producing a dark line...
 
If not on actual film, look at Scanner.
Glass can be scratched.
i could not see line until pointed out! TY!
Sensor lines are the whole way..
Film with problems is still my favorite.
Oh Dear i may have lit a flame of War.:D
 
I just can't see the lines, and my eyeballs are about to fall out of my head from looking so hard for something that just eludes me. I am not much help on this.

Tmax is not my favorite film but those shots look great. Good job on the exposure and development.

Can we send those guys in the first two shots to Washington D.C.? It's high time we round up a posse and throw a ton of people into the caboose. Sometimes the old ways are still the best :]
 
THanks, so far. The only portion of the film that shows the line are the first 5 or 6 shots. After that, no line. The scanner is relatively new, I clean it before every single scan with a liquid (presumable high volatility alcohol) and a special cloth. Then, blow the negatives with a compressed air can. I still manage to get some dust some times. So, I would say: he scanner is not the culprit. The dust on the camera panel sounds more likely, but it does not explain why some shots at the beginning only.

Here are details of the line in 2 photos:

Line2 by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr


Line1 by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr
 
I could only see it on one photo...still google-eyed from looking. (EDIT: They're much clearer on the enlarged areas...thanks.)

It looks like a scratch to me. Could be from the camera--grit or rough spot on pressure plate or below--or it could be from the negative carrier or the scanner (if that's what you used). Look at all the possible culprit areas. More often than not you'll not find it because it's due to a small piece of grit that's since moved on.

(If you're printing with a traditional enlarger, you can usually diminish scratches with an application of nose grease. I never tried that with a scanner so I don't know if it would work.)
 
Lengthways scratches come from squeegees. fingers, or pulling film from a closed film can.

You can remove film without opening IF you pull on a tangent which is what happens in the camera.

You are better off opening the canister .

Nose grease if the scratches are on the base side is a decent cure and old as time.
Commercial scratch removers are all gone.

If you scratched the emulsion, photoshop.

If the film was commercially processed in roller transport, that can do it.
 
Ronald M said:
Lengthways scratches come from squeegees. fingers, or pulling film from a closed film can.

You can remove film without opening IF you pull on a tangent which is what happens in the camera.

You are better off opening the canister .

Nose grease if the scratches are on the base side is a decent cure and old as time.
Commercial scratch removers are all gone.

If you scratched the emulsion, photoshop.

If the film was commercially processed in roller transport, that can do it.
Click to expand...

Interesting, I do not use squeegees. Since I Photo Flow, I hang and let it dry. I use nylon gloves to develop, I may have pass the film through the fingers once to remove most of the PhotoFlow.
 
It's also worth checking your pressure plate on your M2. I had a couple rolls like this before and it happened to be tiny speck of dirt on my pressure plate. I used rubbing alcohol to clean the plate and didn't have this happen to me again.

(also check your spool for dust as well, that can do it too)
 
BTW, plate usually gives consistent lines, not only on few frames.
You have to inspect your negative. And you have to inspect it very close. Myself, as responsible person, I can't tell you anything for sure. You have to tell us if it is on emulsion or at the other side.
First images you provided aren't accessible for close view. Please, if you want people help, don't do this. Giving only crops where problem is visible ain't helpful either.
 
Ko.Fe. said:
...First images you provided aren't accessible for close view. Please, if you want people help, don't do this. Giving only crops where problem is visible ain't helpful either.
Click to expand...

I do not understand. These photos are at full resolution at Flicker. All you have to do is click on them.
 
leicapixie said:
If not on actual film, look at Scanner.
Glass can be scratched.
i could not see line until pointed out! TY!
Sensor lines are the whole way..
Film with problems is still my favorite.
Oh Dear i may have lit a flame of War.:D
Click to expand...

Nor could I. But then I have a pretty crappy monitor where I work.
 
Assuming it is on the emulsion side of the film, as mentioned above, it could be something in the felt of the canister, or something that got into the film transport path, and then worked its way out. I once had a camera that developed a burr one side or the other where the film came in contact with something in the path. At that time I was lucky to know how to load film and operate the controls. Now I would look for the burr and get rid of it. But since you only had it on a portion of the roll, I simple use your air spray can and be sure the inside of the camera is clear of small bits of anything that shouldn't be there.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom