What is causing this? (OM1 issue)

[Darkhorse]

I've noticed something about many shots I've taken with my OM1. Something is screwing with the edges of the frame, actually darkening the negatives. At first I thought it was a scanner issue, but no, I can actually see the problem ever so faintly.

In many shots where there's a lot of stuff going on it's barely noticable. Other times, when there's sky for instance, it is much more pronounced. Here's the problem, enhanced for emphasis.

You can clearly see there's something going on.

I thought it may have simply been my error when developing but color negs shot the same weirness around the edges.

What's happening here?

 

[hans voralberg]

Something sticky on the film gate ?

 

[Darkhorse]

Nothing feels sticky.

 

[chippy]

looks a bit like light reflecting of the edges of the film mask/frame..

not scratched, shiny is it?

 

[Darkhorse]

It's hard to tell. If I open the back and open the shutter on bulb I guess the film gate looks shiny looking through the front. It doesn't seem scratched though. I'm not sure how it came to be shiny.

 

[amateriat]

Check the film pressure plate on the back. There might be an issue in terms of uneven pressure and/or wear. Just one of several possibilities.


- Barrett

 

[Darkhorse]

The pressure plate seems fine to me.

 

[Darkhorse]

Any other ideas here? Suggestions, fixes?

 

[helen.HH]

Not sure about Your Problem....

I had some pixs w' my m2 that had a strange band across the top of some photos
Various shots in a few rolls of Arista
turned out to be x rayed film ...

 

[Darkhorse]

Well I don't think any of this film has been xrayed. Although the film above is indeed Arista.

 

[shadowfox]

I

I thought it may have simply been my error when developing but color negs shot the same weirness around the edges.

What's happening here?

On your color negatives, is the "weirdness" orange-ish or white/neutral?

If it's orange, whatever causes it, the light comes from behind the film, if it's white, it's from the front.

 

[Darkhorse]

It's whitish/neutral. Kind of splotchy, but faint.

 

[slumry]

Fwiw, a possible clue based on my familiarity with the thread on the top of the picture. I had a similar thread for a long time before I figured out what was going on. When you open the back of the camera on the lower part of the open rectangle against which the film moves across is some very fine fuzzy material. I would examine this material to make sure if it is still there or if there are any defects with it. Very fine threads have a habit of emerging from this area.

 

[Darkhorse]

I inspected that area well, I didn't see anything unusual as far as fuzz goes.

 

[Robint]

Do you have your motor drive cap attached? I remember reading that without it you could get fogging. The fault is occuring along the bottom of the shutter and the side which is above the motor drive cap.

 

[Darkhorse]

The cap is on (it was actually lifted from an OM2... I don't think that matters though). I'll check if it's on tight enough when I get home.

 

[kbg32]

Do you do your own film processing?

 

[Darkhorse]

Yes, but not my color film (and the problem exists on the color film).

But how would this problem occur in the development process?

 

[kbg32]

The place that is processing your film, a machine is doing it, might not have been cleaned or the temperature of the chemistry is not consistent. I might try a different lab to see if the problem still exists.

 

[Roger Vadim]

process error? happens...