What happened to these negs?

[ray*j*gun]

I would love your opinion on the cause of these (stains?) on 2 rolls that I just shot. I did not do the processing so the lab is asking me to solicit feedback on the problem. The camera was a Rolliflex 3.5f and the images were made using a yellow filter.

Some of the shots on the 2 rolls were fine and the issues were not identical in location on all shots.

Thank you!

 

[radi(c)al_cam]

IIRC I here and there had the same problem with a 120/220 when I had stored the film in the fridge.

 

[farlymac]

The stuff on the side looks a little bit like light leakage, although storage issues cannot be ruled out, but what the spots with (scratch?) lines are, I've no idea. At first I thought they were kites.

Does your lab hand process 120, or do they have a machine?

PF

 

[ray*j*gun]

The line is a kite ... with balloons attached. Its a small shop and they hand process.

 

[Greyscale]

Perhaps the film had loosened on the takeup reel (fat roll). I doubt any kind of light leak from the Rolleiflex.

 

[ray*j*gun]

I agree I don't think its the camera.... I have shot a few other rolls with it and didn't have a problem.

 

[Dan Daniel]

Those sure look like air bubbles. They form under the top edge of the reel against the film surface and prevent developer from getting to the film. They often get shaken off during processing, leading to partial development.

Improper agitation. If you paid someone to do this, they should be shown this. It's a beginner problem that should be worked out long before asking people to pay for your service.

 

[Bill Clark]

Are the spots on the same side of the film, left side as it appears here?

To me it looks like a developing issue but I'd have to further investigate the cause of this only after cracking open a bottle of red wine.

 

[______]

The "lab" is asking you what the problem is? Philadelphia is a big city with quite a few places that develop B&W film. What is the name of the lab in question.

 

[ray*j*gun]

I didn't want to bias this question based on my limited lab time but I also thought it was a lack of agitation and I do intend to pass on the thread contents to the lab. Thanks!!

 

[ray*j*gun]

The "lab" is asking you what the problem is? Philadelphia is a big city with quite a few places that develop B&W film. What is the name of the lab in question.

Its a small shop named The Photography Center in Malvern which is sub of Phila.

I will go back to using the big labs in town from now on!

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

What you're seeing are spots caused by air bubbles on the emulsion side of the film during processing. Caused by insufficient agitation. The only time I really have gotten them is when using Paterson reels to develop 120 film. No amount of agitation could dislodge those bubbles. Switching back to metal reels solved it.

 

[ray*j*gun]

Thanks Chris

 

[Dan Daniel]

It's scary enough that a pro lab would have this problem; it's even scarier that they would need to ask you to ask an internet forum what went wrong.

They might want to rethink their business plan. Like maybe instead of film, hamburgers? Oh wait, you need to agitate french fries while cooking, don't you?

 

[valdas]

What you're seeing are spots caused by air bubbles on the emulsion side of the film during processing. Caused by insufficient agitation. The only time I really have gotten them is when using Paterson reels to develop 120 film. No amount of agitation could dislodge those bubbles. Switching back to metal reels solved it.

Yes, that's exatly what it is. I had that issue a few times myself due to improper agitation.

 

[ray*j*gun]

I agree Dan.... I tried this lab because I could drive there instead of schlepping into the big city (Phila). I have limited lab experience doing film processing but even I thought it looked like bubbles due to agitation. But as usual, this forum has the institutional expertise to get consensus.

Thanks all!!

 

[Larry H-L]

Definitely a processing issue, a light leak would appear as white on a positive image.

This problem occurs when the film touches or nearly touches itself, on the previous wrap of film on the reel, where there is not enough space between the "layers" of film on the reel.

 

[ray*j*gun]

So poor technique when loading the spools plus lack of agitation....I found out that the lab hand processes the B&W film using plastic tanks and spools (see Chris Crawford's comments).