Film Disaster - X Rays?

[Gadge]

Have just had my first major film disaster and would like to know the cause.

On what will probably be my one and only Safari holiday to Kenya/Zanzibar, I shot nine rolls of film of 200 or 400 x 36 col neg and placed that and the unexposed rolls in my luggage due to lack of space out and back. I have never done that before, having always used carry hand luggae in the past to transport film.

On arrival home, I had all exposed film developed and the result was a sad indeed. I have many blank shots. Some rolls have only 5/6 shots that have come out on the negs. The shots that have come out look odd with weak colours etc. A lot of shots are totally blank on the negatives although some are cut off roughly half way with image on top and blank at the bottom. The shots which have come out are distributed through the negative strips seemingly quite randomly. The printed stuff top and bottom seems to have developed ok so doubt that film developers are at fault but it is the first time I have used this company. Some films seemed to have been almost unaffected with all shots coming out but arguably some quality loss.

I am managing to improve the developed shots with imaging software (from CD's also made) so still have some results to show but initial quality often looks quite poor before some work is done.

Does this sound like a bad case of fogging or should I get the camera checked out (an old EOS 630 with freshbatteries that sounded fine in use)?

Also should I throw away the unused film that also travelled in the suitcase or is it only the exposed film that will have been affected?

I am planning to go back to developers and have a discussion with them to get their views but would appreciate if anyone here can throw some light on it. I did not think that fogging would completely erase images? or occur on some shots but not others?

Gadge

 

[StaaleS]

My understanding is that the X-Ray machines that are used for checked baggage are quite powerful indeed, and that film really should be held in carry-on luggage. There are big signs indicating this in most airports after all.

 

[furcafe]

Sorry for your loss. This page gives some examples of X-ray fogging:

http://www.kodak.com/global/en/service/tib/tib5201.shtml

Sounds like your film was zapped along w/the rest of your check-in luggage. Unfortunately, the unexposed film will be affected, too. You should never put film in checked baggage; if you run into space constraints & have enough time/advance notice, you should ship the film via Fedex, etc. (if they X-ray your package it only be @ the levels used for carry-ons).

 

[David William White]

Not x-rays, not fogging. Negatives would not be blank. Blank negatives (clear film base) means that NO exposure was made. If you have some that are clearly imaged on only half a frame, then that indicates a shutter problem. Sounds like shutter is not opening, or only opening half-way.

You should be able to confirm this by firing the camera on very slow shutter speeds with the back open.

Shoot any remaining film in another camera, and have your EOS checked out.

Sorry to hear.

 

[dfoo]

I accidently put 20 rolls of unexposed black and white film in my luggage when flying back from China. I've shot and developed 2 out of the 20 and the negatives look great. No signs of Xray damage.

 

[uhligfd]

dfoo, you were just so lucky!

Gage, you seem to have had luck, too, at least on those 20 unexposed rolls. They must be ok (unfogged by the checked luggage x-ray machine) as the ones you developed. But you were sooo unlucky because clearly, your shutter is broken and you lost all the pics. A damn shame, I am sorry.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Defective camera. Nothing like X-ray damage.

Commiserations.

R.

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

Yes, that's a broken shutter, it has happened to me, too...

 

[kywong]

Well that explains it, the damage on a roll of mine resembles the samples on that Kodak website. Notice the white band? It's more noticeable in other shots, most of which I didn't bother to scan.

Can't be a defective shutter since the rolls I've taken with the same camera after this turns out fine, and also because the band goes through the area between the shots.

 

[waileong]

X-ray fogging means the pics are fogged-- they're still there, but they lose contrast and have a whitish veil.

Fogging does not erase images.

If you have blank negs, it's not likely due to fogging.

 

[chikarin]

it is quite difficult to damage film through x-ray which is contrary to popular belief, especially if the film is in the typical iso range (50 to 800 for example, 1600 or higher are more sensitive).

x-ray for checked baggage are stronger in general but even they will not normally damage typical films. like others have already mentioned, you should check for other variables like the camera itself.

 

[waileong]

I've had film fogged before by a non-filmsafe x-ray machine at a sea port in Batam, Indonesia. It's instant and it's easy.

 

[tom_uk]

I'm afraid there is a well-known problem with shutters on old EOS cameras, especially the very first generation (EOS 620,650, 600/630) - the shutters can get sticky and oily, and they stick.

Have a look at this thread for starters....

 

[Tuolumne]

Could be BOTH a broken shutter AND film fogging. I put alot of film through the luggage scanner at Ben Gurion airport once and almost all of the film was fog damaged.

/T

 

[Gadge]

You guys are totally brilliant, so large pat on the back for sorting that one out BLIND . The problem was indeed caused by the camera. It DOES have a sticky shutter with has goo on it (which I had mistaken for a stray touch of oil).

Tests with back open back in the camera shop showed that the shutter sometimes doesn't open all the way and sometimes not at all :bang::bang::bang:

It was especially noticable with fast shutter speeds above 350th like you need with a 300m lens!

I was actually aware some years ago of the sticky shutter issue with 600/630 models but thought mine was still ok, as it always has been.

Some of the film that has been exposed also looks a little iffy in terms of colour and some banding. That may or not be faulty shutter too but could be a touch of fogging. Personally my money is in the shutter as some films look fine.

I now need to decide whether to replace it with a decent EOS second hand film camera which seemingly go for buttons now on ebay or go digital with a new EOS. It is not mega urgent though as I normally use a Leica M and prefer it, hence my post here. Just needed the extra reach for those wildlife shots.

Once again thanks for all your help/thoughts.

Gadge

 

[chrishayton]

MY eos 650 did that and i managed to fix it by cleaning the goo off it. Id buy an eos 3 or eos 30 though if i were you.

 

[newsgrunt]

If you're referring to the area just above the fork, I'd go with checked baggage xray damage. Can you maybe post a few more and tweak the levels/ curves a bit ? Any damage I've had has been wavy lines of varying amplitude which I gather depends on how the film is hit.

Well that explains it, the damage on a roll of mine resembles the samples on that Kodak website. Notice the white band? It's more noticeable in other shots, most of which I didn't bother to scan.

Can't be a defective shutter since the rolls I've taken with the same camera after this turns out fine, and also because the band goes through the area between the shots.

 

[Haigh]

I always put my films in a clear plastic bag and in their plastic containers and separately from anything else. I have had no problems with exposed or unexposed film this way.

Sorry for your loss.