Mamiya 6MF problems - flecking on negs

[Sputty]

I've recently purchased a used Mamiya 6MF, and I'm getting some strange results. A fine white flecking is showing up in the images, to varying degrees of density - it's worse on some frames than on others, and does not look like dust. There are also occasional large white splotches, and some rainbow-diffraction. There are two images from a test roll in my gallery - the first is the worst of the frames, demonstrating the flecking and the rainbow-diffraction in the bottom-left quarter, and the second shows a large white splotch to the upper left of the soda can and some minor flecking.

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=35524&limit=recent
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=35523&limit=recent

Has anybody seen this kind of thing before, or have any leads on what the problem might be? Is the camera damaging the negs somehow (a problem with the pressure plate, perhaps - it is set to 120, which is as it should be). Or do you think this problem lies with the lab or the film stock? The REALA was not expired, so should not present any problems. I've had a number of rolls of REALA from my rolleicord processed and scanned at the same lab with no problems. I've had three rolls of REALA from the Mamiya 6 handled by them, and similar artifacting shows up on each.

I'm living in a small city in Korea, so communication with the lab here is difficult, and my options for alternate processing are non-existant. But looking closely at the negs, even without a loupe, there seems to be some disturbance of the surface.

Thanks for any help you can provide. I'm desperately hoping that the problem is not with the camera, but I'm fearing the worst at this point.

Cheers,
Jonathon

 

[Benjamin Marks]

Jonathan: I am assuming that you are shooting color negative film. The technical term for the little white spots is "schmutz". It is most likely particulate matter in the final rinse where the film is being developed. I would complain to your photofinisher. I used to have this problem when I worked for a newspaper in Jerusalem. Lots of schmutz in the water there. For B&W, switching to distilled water helps. Obviously that is more complicated with C-41 processing. Try a different lab. It is not a problem with the camera, unless there is a TON of dust inside it at the film plane. Good luck.

-- Ooops. I see on rereading your post that you don't have a lot of options for processing. I would take the pics to the lab anyway and see what they say. Maybe they need to swap out their solutions more often. If you can get your hands on a B&W development kit, you could shoot a roll of B&W and develop it yourself as a control. The only thing that can make distinct white spots on a positive from a color negative is stuff that blocks light on the film. If it got on there when the emulsion is wet, there is probably nothing you can do for these particular rolls.

Good luck.


Ben Marks

 

[Sputty]

Thanks for the advice Benjamin. I certainly hope this is the problem. The lab is a 1-hour department store lab that for some blessed reason handles 120, but they are far from professional.

I think your analysis probably fits the bill. I should have mentioned that of course I've checked the camera and lens for dust, and everything looks clean. Off to wrangle with the lab, I guess. They've only been test rolls, fortunately, so I haven't lost any valuable shots, but I'm going to have a hard time trusting this lab in the future if they're damaging negs irreversibly.

Might need to switch to BW and start processing my own.

Cheers,
Jonathon

 

[sf]

Benjamin has it. Not the camera at all. Development trouble is the cause. I get negs like that every now and then. Use to get hem all the time from a lab near my home. Get it often from Ivey Imaging.

Don't get it at all when doing things myself.

 

[jan normandale]

I've got a Mamiya 6 RF and never had any issue like these images show that were attributable to the camera or lens. I get colour neg C41 processing and sometimes there are 'artifacts' on the scans. I think Benjamin has the right diagnosis for you. Also 120 may be going thru a different processing machine from the 35mm film

 

[mattg]

Hi Jonathon,
where are you exactly? Looks like you might be in Cholla-Nam-Do?

I'm in Incheon but will soon be going home to Australia. As it is I can help you find some good labs in Seoul. You might want to post your films up here if you can't get things fixed where you are.

When I first got here and hadn't found out where the photo district in Seoul is I "piggybacked" my processing onto a potrait photographer's. They all seem to have an RB (although many aren't using them much anymoere) and they send film to a pro-lab fairly often. I'd try this way if you can make firends with someone like that.

Regards, Matt.

 

[Jim Watts]

Jonathan: If it got on there when the emulsion is wet, there is probably nothing you can do for these particular rolls.

Good luck.

Ben Marks

I agree the diagnosis, but quite often the deposits are on the back of the film and not the emulsion side, in which case rewashing the the negatives with a final rinse in distilled water with a few drops of wetting agent usually cures the problem.