light leaks on film from sprocket holes?

[yeah!]

i've been experiencing on the last couple of films (1 tri-x, developed with diafine, 1 tmax 3200 developed with xtol) light leaks coming from the sprocket holes and coming onto the bottom of the frame.

I'm not sure whats causing this but its pretty annoying.. could it be my old patterson tank? Its always on the same side, along the bottom on both films..

The negatives also have uneven colour down the sides of the sprocket holes too (blotchy black).

heres an example i found online, not my photo..

cheers

 

[rog]

maybe

maybe

it is in your camera-sealing? did you check them visually?
if not, try to develop in total darkness.

good luck!

 

[pvdhaar]

If it's over the entire length of the film, then it's probably not the developing tank. I'd expect the leak to be worse at the begin/end (depending on which way you roll the film on the spool) of the film only, and less away from the opening in the tank. Rather, in my view the camera is suspect. Did you check it for missing screws? I've had leaks from one (!) missing screw on the body of an FSU RF.

 

[yeah!]

not sure if its the camera because the rolls are from some 30+ i shot while travelling for 3 months, all others have come out fine until now. I suspect what Rog suggested, developing in total darkness.. I just moved house and now do my developing in an outdoor shed that is very light, and load the patterson tanks in a dark bag.. might have to rethink where i'm going to develop!

thanks for the quick replys

 

[film nut]

If you load your own film, your film canisters might have a leak at one end if it is getting old and the end cap has been taken off and on alot. I think that is what happened to me with one roll. The negatives were fine but they had a light leak along the sprocket holes the length of the film. I threw that canister away and haven't had a problem with any of the others that I have loaded.

Mike

 

[DanOnRoute66]

I'm with film nut on this one; probably a leak in the film cartridge.

 

[btgc]

Sorry to intrude, but while leak experts are here - how one gets this kind of leaks? I suspect changing film between cameras midroll contributes even if I do this in a dark place though there's small gap under door.

Or this is a light entering developing tank? I use plastic Paterson style tank, I wonder if that's possible at all. On all frames I've got this issue marks are on bottom of image, that translates to upper edge of negative when loaded in camera.

 

[n5jrn]

Or this is a light entering developing tank? I use plastic Paterson style tank, I wonder if that's possible at all. On all frames I've got this issue marks are on bottom of image, that translates to upper edge of negative when loaded in camera.

I would say that final sentence sounds like a smoking gun in favor of the camera being the guilty party.

Unless it is damaged or improperly closed, I find it highly doubtful that a name-brand tank like a Paterson would have light leaks.

 

[yeah!]

well i did find my Paterson tank in an abandoned schools darkroom haha and it was quite used looking, but so far its been working fine!

the film I used was factory loaded, seems weird that no other film until now has been affected, i will check the seals on the camera though.

Airport scanners???

 

[n5jrn]

Airport scanners???

Those tend to leave marks across the entire width of the film, not just around the sprocket holes:
http://www.kodak.com/global/en/service/tib/tib5201.shtml

Given that you're not loading your own cartridges, I'll reiterate my earlier suggestion that it's probably faulty light seals on your camera. Failing that, it also might be a damaged or improperly closed tank.

 

[yeah!]

i think i found 1 cause of the light leaks, I developed my film in a patterson 2 reel tank but with only 1 film in the tank, and although i had the extra empty reel to hold the loaded one down, since i only put in enough developer for 1 film when I did my inversions it was moving around from end to end to roughly and made the development blow out over the sprockets.