Lab ruined last frame

[bufo]

I just got 3 rolls of 120 film back from Precision Camera. The last frame in each roll got exposed. I used a Mamiya 7 and have shot many rolls with it and have shot with other MF cameras. This is the first time I've seen this.

The lab said the exposure was from development. I asked them what we can do to prevent it from happening, and they just said to not take anything important in the first or last exposure. If I do that, then I only have 8 shots per roll. :bang: Anyone else experienced this?

 

[tarullifoto]

That's just lazy, sloppy lab work. To me, it looks like the roll was not opened in total darkness before it was ultimately transferred to the tank spool for development.

If you can avoid using them, you should. There is no reason whatsoever that the first or last frame of a roll should be wasted.

 

[p.giannakis]

Has happened to me before. I had to go and bo***ck them. From that point on i switched to home developing film.

 

[kb244]

Has happened to me before. I had to go and bo***ck them. From that point on i switched to home developing film.

If I had gotten one like that in person, I probably would have been verbally "What the Actual F.." in front of them.

It's not like they use a machine for cutting. So they had to have seen it as they did it.

While it's been a while, last mishap I had like that was when the lab didn't clean their cutter, so you had lines of scratches streaked down the whole length of the negative as they pulled it thru the cutter.

 

[tarullifoto]

Caning would not be too heavy a punishment.

 

[Michel154]

that is un acceptable !
there is a specific way of loading the 120 film in the machine if they do not know the correct steps they should not have your business I have 10 perfect exposures of 6X7 every time from my lab and i never but never got :dont take anything important in the first or last exposure switch labs is my advice

 

[p.giannakis]

It's not like they use a machine for cutting. So they had to have seen it as they did it.

Actually they did - they were using a guillotine. Here is what he told me. He placed the negatives inside the negative sleeves and apparently what was left out was cut by the guillotine.

I couldn't believe what i was hearing. I asked him if he ever had a mental health assessment....

 

[bufo]

The funny thing is that this lab, Precision Camera, is a sponsor of RFF. I get a pretty nice deal for processing when I mention I'm a RFF member. I just got a more thorough explanation in an email. This is what they said:

The first few cm of your film will be exposed during the developing process so if you record an image there, it will be light struck. This occurs when you shoot past the recommended number of exposures. For instance, if you shoot 6x7 format, expect 8 frames per roll and if you shoot the 9th it will likely be light struck when developed. Whether or not you can squeak that extra frame in also depends upon how you load and advance it initially and even what type of back you’re loading into, since each manufacturer is a little different. So your mileage may vary but I hope that helps answer your question.

 

[Pete B]

What a bunch of utter F~[#wits. Precision Camera? I'll remember that.
I don't endorse the work of exposurefilmlab either. They pushed me back to digital with their quite unbelievably poor work.
If I shoot colour film again it'll go through my Pakon. Otherwise it'll be B+W film home developed, and digital.
Quite honestly, my blood boils with the state of the film labs in the UK. You'd think they'd be trying to be the last business to survive. Evidently not.
Pete

 

[Phil_F_NM]

Actually they did - they were using a guillotine. Here is what he told me. He placed the negatives inside the negative sleeves and apparently what was left out was cut by the guillotine.

I couldn't believe what i was hearing. I asked him if he ever had a mental health assessment....

I've worked in photo labs for years and have never seen a cut from either automated or hand "guillotine" that un-perpendicular to the film. There is almost no way to do that. And once the film is sleeved it's hard to get the film near the blade for cutting. I'd bet dollars to donuts that was done with a pair of scissors. Go back and gut them. Or at least yelp them mercilessly.

Phil Forrest

 

[Pete B]

Has happened to me before. I had to go and bo***ck them. From that point on i switched to home developing film.

For which company do these bunch of 4$$holes work?
Pete

 

[p.giannakis]

For which company do these bunch of 4$$holes work?
Pete

A big supermarket in Stafford area.

 

[jbielikowski]

The funny thing is that this lab, Precision Camera, is a sponsor of RFF. I get a pretty nice deal for processing when I mention I'm a RFF member. I just got a more thorough explanation in an email. This is what they said:

The first few cm of your film will be exposed during the developing process so if you record an image there, it will be light struck. This occurs when you shoot past the recommended number of exposures. For instance, if you shoot 6x7 format, expect 8 frames per roll and if you shoot the 9th it will likely be light struck when developed. Whether or not you can squeak that extra frame in also depends upon how you load and advance it initially and even what type of back you’re loading into, since each manufacturer is a little different. So your mileage may vary but I hope that helps answer your question.

If they have troubles counting to 10 that's not a good sign...

 

[bufo]

I emailed Precision back about how 6x7 should yield 10 exposures. I also showed them a roll that they processed a few months ago that had no issues. They admitted their problem and will avoid it next time. I also got a refund. 😀

 

[Huss]

I emailed Precision back about how 6x7 should yield 10 exposures. I also showed them a roll that they processed a few months ago that had no issues. They admitted their problem and will avoid it next time. I also got a refund. 😀

Yup, for them to claim 8 is messed up. I get 8 exposures per roll shooting 6x9 in my Fuji GW690. And it even says so on the camera that I would get 8!

This is why I use labs like thefindlab or northcoastphoto.
No BS, only quality work.

 

[Huss]

I emailed Precision back about how 6x7 should yield 10 exposures. I also showed them a roll that they processed a few months ago that had no issues. They admitted their problem and will avoid it next time. I also got a refund. 😀

It was nice that they admitted their problem only after you confronting them with proof, and AFTER they gave you a long spiel about how you would only get 8. How do they now explain their bogus explanation?

 

[Rob-F]

I'm using AgX Imaging in Michigan. No problems so far.

 

[PaulDalex]

It happened some years ago to me the same thing as Giannakis plus stains and scratches all over, from a self dubbed PRO LAB in Rome.
It was then that I switched to digital
Paolo

 

[grouchos_tash]

When I was at Uni the photography technician used to allow me to use the C41 developer for a £1 a roll (some massive Fuji thing). I hadn't got a clue what I was doing and never managed to mess it up like this.

 

[BLKRCAT]

I used to get this from a dumpy lab in Toronto as well. West Camera, one to avoid. They have issues with exposing the first frame of your 120 roll as well. Usually my 35mm came with scores down the length of the film as well as fingerprints all over. Pretty bad lab and warrants me to pay the extra cash to go to Toronto Image Works.