Can shoddy color developing cause blurry images?

[Art Vandalay]

Not too long ago the family and I went on vacation to Key West. I took my ME but also my Zeiss Ikon ZM with Planar and C-Biogon. Over the course of the trip I shot a roll each of Ektar and Portra on the Ikon with either lens. I then took the film to a local camera shop (rather than CVS) where they process color films on-site with a machine. This is the first time I've ever used them for color. When I got the negs back I tried scanning them on my Plustek (with Vuescan) and they were incredibly blurry - like someone smeared grease on the front of my lens. Scanning b&w films with the same camera/lens combination has never been an issue - sharp scans. Based on the workmanship evident in the negs from my local shop (cut poorly) I'm wondering if bad technique or chemicals could have caused the blurriness. Subsequent b&2 rolls on the same body/lens have been just fine.

 

[Dwig]

Improper processing can cause a number of ills, but blurry images is not one of them.

Examine the film very carefully with a reasonably high quality lupe* to see if the "blur" is visible. If so, then you need to check out the camera. If not, then the scanner or the scanning technique is the culprit.

* a reversed 35mm to 50mm lens can be an excellent substitute.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Improper processing can cause a number of ills, but blurry images is not one of them.

Examine the film very carefully with a reasonably high quality lupe* to see if the "blur" is visible. If so, then you need to check out the camera. If not, then the scanner or the scanning technique is the culprit.

* a reversed 35mm to 50mm lens can be an excellent substitute.

Seconded.

Cheers,

R.